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 →

A tool for enhancing your effectiveness

What if there was a tool that could reveal your hidden strengths, help you crush your blind spots, and make you a better person and professional. Enter the Johari Window (developed by Joseph Luft & Harry Ingham), a simple 4 part framework answers two questions: What do you know about yourself? What do others know … Continue reading A tool for enhancing your effectiveness →

Curiosity – Keeping it alive

Sit with a five-year-old for 30 mins and you will end up fielding questions like:· Why is the sky blue?· Why can’t I fly like birds?· Where did I come from?· If fish can breathe under water, why can’t I?· Why is sea water salty?As you struggle to find the answers, maybe even desperately Google for responses, more follow-up questions … Continue reading Curiosity – Keeping it alive →

Titanic ignored 5-6 iceberg warnings – why?

What can we learn from it?Titanic stuck an iceberg and sank to the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean on the fateful night of 14 April 1942. The ship’s wireless operators received multiple warning messages about icebergs from six other ships in the region. The messages started flowing in from 9 am on 14 April, including … Continue reading Titanic ignored 5-6 iceberg warnings – why? →

Time flies – or does it really?

It seems like yesterday or at most a week when we welcomed #2023. And here we are welcoming newyear2024 ! How did these 365 days / 52 weeks / 12 months go by?However, it’s not always like this! There are times when minutes feel like hours. I experienced this couple of months back at Ross … Continue reading Time flies – or does it really? →

The Power of ‘I’

Same garden, same pot, same soil! Yet see the difference in the two hibiscus flowers blooming on the same morning! Not just in size, but in terms of texture of the petals as well. This demonstrates the power of an individual. Living, studying, or working in the same ecosystem, some flourish, some just about survive … Continue reading The Power of ‘I’ →

Our comfort with discomfort

Few weeks back, our team met for an informal catch up. With the Mumbai rains lashing on the glass windows, our conversation drifted to comfort food. We all described what we loved and intuitively go for in such weather – varying from hot Maggi to vegetable khichdi…. The word ‘comfort’ stayed with me that evening. … Continue reading Our comfort with discomfort →

Attention to Details

Several years ago, I worked with a #leader who was passionate about attention to details. Go to him with a document that has few typos, or inconsistent font, bullets, words, data and he will push the document back to you with a smile and say, “I am sorry, I can’t go through this note. It’s … Continue reading Attention to Details →

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 →

Paradox of Continuous Learning

World around us is changing fast. The only way to excel, or may be even survive in times like this, is to continuously learn. When I reflect on times when I stopped or paused my learning, I observe two common themes: I thought I know a lot about the subjectOr I got disheartened that it’s … Continue reading Paradox of Continuous Learning →