Last week around this time, another year was coming to a close. All set to welcome the New Year, our hearts were filled with new hopes, dreams and aspirations. A colleague who also happens to be a good friend walked into my office. The conversation turned towards what we are currently doing, how meaningless it … Continue reading Stop Avoiding the Most Powerful Question
Author: Padma Rajeswari
At the outset, I would like to thank you for stopping by my Blog.
I believe that there is nothing right or wrong in this world. What’s right in this moment and context may be wrong in another moment and context. This belief has inspired me to name my blog ‘Perspectives’.
Perspectives is a platform for me to share my experiences, thoughts and perspectives on various subjects. You may have a different point of view. I look forward to hearing them, these are the triggers for rich and deep conversations.
On personal front, I live in Mumbai, India. I love to read; Somerset Maugham and Nevil Shute are my favorite authors. My favorite books are The Razor’s Edge, Mrs. Craddock, Chequer Board and Gone with the Wind. I am thankful to my father who inculcated the habit of reading in me early on.
I am also passionate about traveling, I have been to most parts of India and to several countries across the globe.
On professional front, I work in Human Resources function. Over two and half decades, I have worked across multiple industries and cultures. I focus on Leadership Development, Talent Management, Visioning and Culture, Large-scale change, Employee Listening & Engagement, Employee Well-being, Inclusive work culture, HR effectiveness, Behavior and Mind-set shifts through sustained interventions
I currently lead Organization Effectiveness Function for Aditya Birla Group, a $44.3 billion conglomerate with 120000 employees across 35 countries.
I sincerely hope that you will enjoy reading my blog. I look forward to your thoughts and suggestions.
Thank you!
Tryst with a Dagger
I have always been fascinated by little towns, the tiny dots on the map of India. None of them can boast any major tourist attraction; rarely does a tourist visit them. But, I have always loved going to these small places. I invariably found some attraction in each town – an ancient temple with unique … Continue reading Tryst with a Dagger
Ignoring small pleasures in life? It’s time we start savoring them…
I was traveling in a remote part of India couple of months back. We went for dinner to a small inexpensive restaurant. It served good local food, albeit with no frills that we get so used to in good restaurants in cities. A family seated next to our table was celebrating their son’s birthday. The … Continue reading Ignoring small pleasures in life? It’s time we start savoring them…
Cost of Freedom – A Short Story
I remember fleeting glimpses of the house in which I was born. I remember a large courtyard with big trees. I would suckle milk from my mother along with my brother and sister. During night, I would cuddle into her tummy for warmth. On colder nights, a big man would cover all of us with … Continue reading Cost of Freedom – A Short Story
The Dangers of Generalization
Generalization is fairly common in our lives. It happens at multiple levels – country, state, race creed and even at individual level (based on life style, style of dressing, age etc.). There are reasons for generalization. Needless to say, some generalization helps us, especially in terms of getting a broad understanding of a culture or … Continue reading The Dangers of Generalization
Facing difficult times? Look at the long-term and take holistic view
Few months back, I spent several hours counseling a junior colleague. She was disturbed that her salary was far lower than others in similar roles, with similar experience and qualification. She felt that despite being the most hard-working member in the team, she was not getting due recognition. And her promotion was delayed. She was … Continue reading Facing difficult times? Look at the long-term and take holistic view
Scarcity: the Fountain of Creativity
The other day I came across some beautiful paintings done by an artist with no arms. He uses his feet and mouth to paint. He lost both his arms in an accident when he was still a child. But, this did not deter him from painting, something that he always wanted to do. He has … Continue reading Scarcity: the Fountain of Creativity
Manage Agreement: Don’t let it become a Dysfunction
Leaders often find themselves managing conflict. And focus their efforts on resolving conflicts and helping teams work towards common goal. Can we consider agreement – the opposite of conflict – a boon? Is it good for teams? Will an agreement bring a team closer to success? Not necessarily; inability to manage agreement can also be … Continue reading Manage Agreement: Don’t let it become a Dysfunction
Life lessons learnt from my father
Today is my father’s sixteenth death anniversary. Being the eldest daughter, I have always been very close to him. He was my first teacher. He taught me my first alphabets, my first Sanskrit and Telugu Shloka*, my first English rhyme… the firsts are so many; the list can simply go on and on. More important … Continue reading Life lessons learnt from my father
Leading a team? Be aware of your mood; it could dim your team’s performance!
Annie walked into the CXO floor with a concerned look on her face. She had received a cryptic message from her boss asking her to meet right away. Before walking into his room, Annie couldn’t resist asking the secretary, “how’s boss’ mood today?” The secretary wasn’t surprised by her question, he responded with an understanding … Continue reading Leading a team? Be aware of your mood; it could dim your team’s performance!
Perspectives 