Pic Credit: 123rf.com Before telescope was invented, we could not see millions of stars in the cosmos. In fact, we were completely ignorant of their existence. The stars were always there! We did not have the lens to see them, till Hans Lippershey from Netherlands invented telescope in 1608. Or till Galileo turned his self-designed … Continue reading The Right Telescope
Author: Padma Rajeswari Nandi
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!
Learning to Learn 
Internet has truly democratized information. In today’s world of information overload, what differentiates individuals, teams and organizations is the ability to learn, the willingness to learn to learn. Four interconnected aspects that make a difference are: • Am I CURIOUS to understand things that I don’t know, or never knew existed? • Do I OBSERVE others in action, be leaders or co-workers (or even children, family, friends)? • How do I APPLY it to my context –what works, doesn’t work, why so? • Do I have the courage to engage in honest SELF-REFLECTION?
Visibility trap – beyond the chosen few…
It’s human to fall into Visibility Trap – not to take chances when putting together a team for key project or an important task. It’s natural to include people whom we trust, who have contributed in the past. It needs conscious effort to go beyond the obvious and continuously look for new people who can be included.
Making constructive feedback enjoyable 
Sharing constructive feedback is not something many people look forward to. What makes this conversation especially difficult is the difference in perspective: the person giving the feedback is likely to have a very different perspective from the person receiving it. It is hard for either member to know other’s perspective, and even harder to appreciate and acknowledge it. Four steps that can make this conversation inspiring 1. Start with intent 2. Understand the current reality faced by the receiver, share your feedback 3. Agree on common outcomes. 4. Explore options
The comfort of convention
Convention provides comfort… and natural gravitation towards it is understandable. Yet, what does it mean for our lives? work? organization? The same old! Same old everywhere…. Question for organizations, teams and individuals is to reflect: what can be done to break out of this comfort
Circle of Competence
The forty-five years of reign by Queen Elizabeth 1 was one of triumph and success, inspiring loyalty and creativity in her citizens. However, when she ascended the throne in 1558, her country was in a precarious political situation. What was her key to success? Of course, she had excellent education and was a survivor. However, … Continue reading Circle of Competence
Saying NO
World is full of opportunities – opportunities for exposure, growth, new areas of work, learning, relaxation…. When faced with so many choices, our natural tendency is to grab as many as possible! Right from our childhood, we have learnt never to miss an opportunity, who knows, we may never get it again. We take up … Continue reading Saying NO
Cultivate Naysayers
What emotions do naysayers stir in us? Irritation? Frustration? Anger? Or Joy? Relief? Imagine that you along with few members have worked on a solution for days or maybe weeks. You are excited and want to take inputs from larger team. What will be the natural tendency? To discuss it with folks who are likely … Continue reading Cultivate Naysayers
When deliverables are missed….
When deliverables are missed, lack of time management or prioritization are assumed to be the reason, there could be a deeper issue lurking behind..
The Onerous Road to Collaboration
We continuously compete and collaborate with the same people. At work, we collaborate with people to successfully complete projects, yet compete with them for recognition, critical projects, raises and promotions. While individual skills matter, Team Culture plays a big role in facilitating the transition, key elements are common goals, eliminating job hierarchy and recognising contribution to common goals. It's time for leaders to reflect, which actions of mine are nudging the team to lean towards collaboration and which are pushing them towards competition? What should we stop doing? Or continue? Or start?
Perspectives 