Our team had gone for an offsite; the goal was simple – to connect on a deeper level and foster trust. In one of the exercises, our facilitator asked us to share a challenge, personal struggle, difficult situation or an ongoing weakness.One by one we began sharing: the stories were raw and honest. Someone spoke … Continue reading Unfiltered – Authenticity Lesson 3
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!
Unfiltered – authenticity Lesson 2
Authenticity Lesson 2 - learnt from a senior leader.He was a busy man and held several responsibilities. He was traveling extensively and overlooked a critical email. He had seen it the previous week and recognized that it required action by few members in his team. He intended to share it with concerned people. But, he … Continue reading Unfiltered – authenticity Lesson 2
Unfiltered – my path to authenticity – Lesson 1
My lessons in authenticity – Lesson 1Over the next few days, I will share my personal lessons around becoming more authentic.I recall an incident from my consulting days. After closing a critical project, I asked my team for candid feedback on what I could have done differently.I scheduled one-on-one meetings with each of the 5 … Continue reading Unfiltered – my path to authenticity – Lesson 1
Overcoming cognitive intertia
I have been trying to include strength training into my exercise regime for last few months… I do it couple of times and quickly fall back to my routine.The change simply doesn’t stick! I realised I am dealing with cognitive inertia.Just as inertia keeps an object moving in the same direction (or remain stationary) unless … Continue reading Overcoming cognitive intertia
Mad over tulips
Say you love tulips, how much are you willing to pay for a tulip bulb?Will you pay a price which is equal to buying a house?In the 1600s, people in the Netherlands did exactly that during the period called ‘Tulip Mania.’ The prices of tulip bulbs shot up, not because tulips were actually worth that … Continue reading Mad over tulips
Pen or Pencil
Last week, I wrote about how our brain works when we write by hand and why it enables better thinking.Is there a difference between writing with pen or pencil?I prefer pencils over pens. I wondered if there was any reason behind it… I asked Google (and ChatGPT), but didn’t get any neurological reasons.Here are the … Continue reading Pen or Pencil
Rest isn’t lazy
Rest isn’t lazy!Life can get overwhelming—whether it’s deadlines, social commitments, or just the constant notifications pinging on mobile devices. When our minds don’t get a chance to recharge, we experience mental fatigue.Last week, I conducted a poll on signs of mental fatigue, here's what people had to say:👉 38% said feeling overwhelmed: making even simple … Continue reading Rest isn’t lazy
How writing helps
Do you find your thoughts flowing more easily when you are writing by hand than typing? If yes, we are alike! It turns out there is a neurological connection between thinking and writing. Here’s why putting pen to paper can actually make us think better: Writing is akin to giving our brain a workout. While … Continue reading How writing helps
Our unconscious is smart!
I was waiting to catch the flight back to Mumbai. An elderly lady dressed in a simple cotton sari was brought in a wheel chair. She sat next to me.In a couple of minutes, she frantically started looking for something in her bag. I asked, “Aapko kuch chahiye? Mein madad karoo?”. (Are you looking for … Continue reading Our unconscious is smart!
Out of office, into life
Time off from work is precious; yet, many of us feel tethered to it. When I took a short vacation couple of weeks back, I decided to do things differently, thanks to the insight from a poll I conducted last month.I asked how people truly spent their time off. Surprisingly (and encouragingly), only 5% of … Continue reading Out of office, into life
Perspectives 