Do you ever walk into a meeting and instantly feel like all eyes are on you? You mispronounce a word, lose your train of thought, or someone disapproves your idea — and suddenly you imagine a panel of silent judges. Psychologists call this the Spotlight Effect — the tendency to think people are paying way … Continue reading Spot-light effect
Category: Musings
Boomerasking
"Ever had someone ask you a question… only to hijack the answer?" That’s boomerasking — when curiosity is just camouflage for self-promotion. Last evening, an ex-colleague called me out of the blue. We hadn’t spoken in 5 years, so I was pleasantly surprised. He asked, “What’s your son doing? How is he settling in the … Continue reading Boomerasking
What if you are not as good as you think?
In 1999, psychologists David Dunning and Justin Kruger tested people on humor, grammar, and logic — then asked them to guess their scores. ↳Those who scored the worst were the most confident. ↳People in the 12th percentile believed they were in the 62nd percentile. This wasn’t just bad guessing — it was a blindness to … Continue reading What if you are not as good as you think?
Why your idea may be rejected, how to get YES next time?
Say, you are working on a project and hit a new idea that will make the work smarter and better. You are excited and share it with your manager. He listens to you attentively and says “No, may be later.” You might feel frustrated or unseen, even doubt the culture of your organization. What if … Continue reading Why your idea may be rejected, how to get YES next time?
Fixing vs Listening
Last week I conducted a poll: your team member bursts into your room visibly shaken. “I need to talk,” she says, holding back tears. What will you do? 76% respondents said they will listen to her attentively. 24% said they would offer solutions or advice based on their experience. Well… here's the twist from real life. While many know … Continue reading Fixing vs Listening
Self-interest & Shared-interest
“One Glass Won’t Hurt… or Will It?” Once upon a time, a king wanted to understand how deeply his citizens cared for others—not just in words, but in action. He came up with a plan. He placed a massive cauldron in the courtyard and made an appeal: “Each of you bring a single glass of … Continue reading Self-interest & Shared-interest
Different people. Different choices. Different outcomes.
What you do after work can change your life…Let me share three real stories. Different people. Different choices. Different outcomes⭕ Ravi works with a MNC. Tired, he comes home after work and heads straight to the couch. He watches TV, scrolls through social media, eats dinner, and tells himself he’s too tired to do anything … Continue reading Different people. Different choices. Different outcomes.
Curiosity and open-mindedness
Guess what was the first use of a telescope? Not laboratory, but as a toy for children! In 1607, Hans Lippherhey, a Dutch spectacle maker put two lenses inside a cardboard tube. This simple gadget made faraway things look closer. It quickly hit fairs across Europe. Children loved playing with it. Couple of years later, … Continue reading Curiosity and open-mindedness
Can too much discipline break a habit?
Professor Katy Milkman from Wharton conducted a large scale field experiment in 2017-18 in collaboration with 24 Hour Fitness, a gym chain in the US. It involved over 2500 participants across multiple locations. The experiment focused on the question: Strict schedules or flexible routines: What builds lasting habits? 🔬 Participants were randomized into two groups, … Continue reading Can too much discipline break a habit?
Monday Morning Meeting
Do you like Monday morning meetings?I do as a manager! For me, it is a good way to kick-start the week: take a quick progress update and discuss priorities for the week.I shifted away from Monday morning meetings, when I got feedback from a team member few years back. She said, “Padma, let’s plan our … Continue reading Monday Morning Meeting
Perspectives 