Few weeks back, I came down with food poisoning. I was not ill enough to stay in bed, so I decided to go to work. At the end of the day, I was surprised at how little work I could get done. Productivity as a concept has its roots in economy; it is the ratio … Continue reading Personal productivity – Complex interplay of individual and org culture
The 12 hours in Terminal 2
17 -18 Jan 2023 – the 12 hours spent in Terminal 2 Mumbai – will remain etched in my memory. 28 ABGites were set to fly to Colombo for annual Planning and Budgeting meeting. Weeks of thinking, brainstorming, and planning were about to culminate into even richer conversations and final plans for FY’24. The excitement … Continue reading The 12 hours in Terminal 2
Question with disclaimers
Few days back, a colleague walked over and said, “this might be a silly question, but I want to ask if……….?” Why do we tend to add a disclaimer before asking a question: a simple question or unnecessary or trivial question or even complex question. Contrast this with how children ask questions; uninhibited and straight … Continue reading Question with disclaimers
Carpe Diem!
Last week I had taken a short break for Christmas in a lovely resort in Kolkata. One morning, sitting in a comfy lounge chair under warm morning sun, I was reading Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah (a gripping tale set in the background of 900-days siege of Leningrad during World War II). Suddenly out of … Continue reading Carpe Diem!
Thoughts
Every day our brain processes about 6000 thoughts. That’s a whopping number of thoughts! Ever wondered what these thoughts lead to? I am reminded of the famous quote by Henry Ford, “whether you think you can, or you think you can’t, you are right’ Indeed, our thoughts determine what we do, who we are … Continue reading Thoughts
The HOW and WHEN of Psychological Safety
Psychological safety in organizations is an oft discussed subject today. A key element of psychological safety is the ability to freely share a contrarian thought or idea; disagree with our co-workers, manager, or seniors. To build a psychologically safe workplace, we expect our co-workers and seniors to be open, not wedded to their ideas and … Continue reading The HOW and WHEN of Psychological Safety
Learning or Performing Mode
“Are you in learning mode or performing mode?” I recollect our master facilitator call out every time we began a practice session. We had to say aloud, “I am in learning mode” Initially, I wondered about the difference it would make. Gradually, it became obvious; while in learning mode, we were willing to experiment and … Continue reading Learning or Performing Mode
What commands respect – you or your position?
We all want to be respected and valued! It’s an inherent desire of most human beings. I still remember the day I became a team lead, a manager for the first time. I was elated and rushed to share the good news with my father. He was already gravely ill but was fully conscious and … Continue reading What commands respect – you or your position?
Reinventing our Careers
Few centuries back, careers used to run in families. A famer’s child would mostly take up farming, an artisan’s children would take up the profession, so would an apothecary’s progeny. This changed with access to higher education, industrialisation, and faster, easier modes of travel. People started going into professions different from that of their parents. … Continue reading Reinventing our Careers
What are our strangler vines?
Learning from my recent visit to forest continues…. Here’s the picture of a tree enveloped by a strangler vine. A strangler vine, while starting as small plant in the beginning, quickly envelops large trees, sucks up the nutrients and eventually causes the death of the host tree. I have seen several strangler vines and trees … Continue reading What are our strangler vines?
Perspectives 