When you know the impact of your work …

A couple of decades back, researchers studied 84 chambermaids in 7 hotels in the US. Despite working on jobs that involved hours of physical work every day: lifting mattresses, pushing carts, bending, stretching, walking long corridors, the chambermaids believed most of them did not get enough exercise. Participants were divided into two groups. The first … Continue reading When you know the impact of your work … →

When you resent…

Alia joined her organization as a trainee six months ago. She puts her best into her work. But lately, she is frustrated. Her manager seems partial — constantly appreciating others while barely acknowledging her work. Sid recently began working as a fashion designer. He was presenting few design options to the team when his manager … Continue reading When you resent… →

How work gets done

One person works. Five people review. Everyone’s busy — but nothing really moves. I have seen this play out several times in organizations. One person — let’s call him Akarsh — is deep in the work. Focused. Careful. Trying to connect all the pieces. Above him are three people: each with “inputs,” “thoughts,” and “guidance.” … Continue reading How work gets done →

Where did the hour go?

It’s Thursday evening. You finally have one free hour. No meetings, no looming deadlines, no chores to close or planned catchups. You tell yourself — I will just sit quietly and relax. But an hour later, you don’t feel refreshed. Not even close. You feel oddly restless — as if your mind never really took … Continue reading Where did the hour go? →

Stages of Learning

I still remember my first few months of making formal presentations. I cluttered my sentences with hmms, cleared my throat every few minutes, and stood with my arms locked across my chest. I had no idea I was doing any of it. That’s the first stage of learning: unconscious incompetence. You don’t know what you … Continue reading Stages of Learning →

Slip of a thumb

I remember this project from years ago. One task on the critical path was delayed. I got anxious and kept following up with the team member responsible. My phone buzzed, a WhatsApp message from this team member popped. It said, “I am so bugged with Padma. She is just driving me nuts with her follow-ups. … Continue reading Slip of a thumb →

The art of war

Your manager gives feedback “You need to be more assertive in meetings,” You know you spoke up plenty. The feedback feels unfair and you want to defend yourself. You have two options: Option 1: Dig your heels in.You argue your case, explain why the feedback doesn’t make sense, and walk out feeling like you “won.” … Continue reading The art of war →

Verfreude

I feel really happy as I plan my vacation: the searching, making bookings, or even just marking the dates on calendar. At times, the build-up feels even better than the trip itself. For a while I wondered if I was the only one… turns out, I am not. The Germans even have a word for … Continue reading Verfreude →

What is your Relational Energy

We have all experienced it, at times without having the words to describe it.👁️‍🗨️ Experience 1: You present an idea to your manager. He listens, encourages you, and adds thoughtful suggestions. You walk out motivated and ready to do more.👁️‍🗨️ Experience 2: In a cross functional team meeting, you suggest an idea. Several members in … Continue reading What is your Relational Energy →

MUM Effect

We see ourselves as honest communicators. In a poll I conducted last, 97% said that they will pass on a negative news. However, experiments and real life scenarios indicate the opposite. When it comes to delivering bad news—whether telling a colleague their presentation flopped, warning a friend about a mistake they made, or informing a … Continue reading MUM Effect →