As I was scrolling through Instagram; a graceful kathak dance caught my attention. As I paused to watch the reel, I realized that it was a male dancer. I loved everything about the dance… except a man dancing in a style typically associated with women.. My first reaction was that of disgust!! My initial reaction … Continue reading Recognizing biases
Tag: #culture
Our biases…
As I was scrolling through Instagram; a graceful kathak dance caught my attention. As I paused to watch the reel, I realized that it was a male dancer. I loved everything about the dance… except a man dancing in a style typically associated with women.. My first reaction was that of disgust!! My initial reaction … Continue reading Our biases…
What do you spread – doom or cheer?
I remember my early days as customer support engineer. A product that we had launched with a lot of fanfare, positioned as one of the best in the market, had some inherent technical problems. We sold it in large numbers; all the new products were failing in the customer sites. No one could identify the … Continue reading What do you spread – doom or cheer?
The Six Faces of Micromanagement
I once worked with a manager who expected me to report progress thrice a day. And send a detailed report end of the day. I wasn’t a rookie; I had 15 + years’ experience and was managing a team. Here’s are the 6 faces of micromanagement: Seek frequent updates: either you send the updates or … Continue reading The Six Faces of Micromanagement
Not my problem
Is your employee focusing on solving the problems that directly impact his or her workflow, and ignoring all others? Such a person is labeled as siloed or self-centered. However, it is worth considering the possible reasons from the employee’s perspective. What if the person is - Overwhelmed with sheer volume of challenges and hence forced … Continue reading Not my problem
Kill the hierarchy – flip the script
“I will check with my superior and let you know”, said Sid. By superior, he meant his manager.At times, team members are also referred to as ‘subordinates’Aren’t these words – superior and subordinate – undermining equality; laced with assumption that manager is inherently better than the employee.Does being higher up in hierarchy necessarily make someone … Continue reading Kill the hierarchy – flip the script
Demystifying Culture
Couple of weeks back, I interviewed a candidate. He spoke about his experience on developing a learning culture. I asked him, “What is culture?”He said, “it’s the behaviours and decisions made leaders and employees”What more?“It’s the physical layout, structure, even the system.”OK, anything else? He thought and finally said, “belief that learning is important.”He made … Continue reading Demystifying Culture
Who is the puppeteer?
Who is the puppeteer? Ever wondered why we pour our hearts and souls into personal projects while work projects sometimes feel like a chore? Here are three likely reasons: Personal projects are like our babies. We choose them because love them. It's all about that "I want to" rather than the "I have to." They … Continue reading Who is the puppeteer?
Toxic high performers are charming
Picture this: Sonia, your star performer, the one you've pegged for a senior role, seemingly has it all. She tackles the toughest tasks with aplomb, consistently exceeding expectations. You are surprised go see her 360-degree feedback: her team members and peers have a vastly different perspective. The feedback paints a troubling picture - Sonia is … Continue reading Toxic high performers are charming
Microculture
Have you ever felt helpless about the culture in your function or office? Wringing hands in frustration? Wondering what to do? Unable to shift it?I was inspired to do otherwise by nature. This is the picture of my balcony, a tiny patch of green serenity, within the vast expanse of the densely populated Mumbai, a … Continue reading Microculture
Perspectives 