I have a friend who isn’t much of a reader. In fact, he believes reading is a waste of time and tries to convince me of this whenever we meet 🙄 I imagine many younger people these days would agree with him. A zen master once said, “The shortest distance between a human being and […]
How Environment Shapes Success—More Than Talent
It is challenging to achieve success in an environment dominated by failure. Whenever there is an overall negative sentiment in a business or for that matter in an industry or even a country, it is difficult to overcome. Unfortunately, there is so much of this negativity in all aspects of life in the land of […]
The Voice Within: How Self-Talk Shapes Our Reality
The other day, during a game of tennis I observed that I was frequently cursing myself for playing terribly. Each bad shot prompted me to use four-letter words in my mind, though I admit occasionally they would come out loud! Of course it didn’t cross my mind that perhaps my opponent was a much better […]
Rethinking Talent: Are We Hiring for the Wrong Skills?
I have been trying to help some clients identify talent for middle and senior management roles recently. But I keep coming up with gaps between what they require and what is available. On the other hand there are some exceptional people who are available but it is difficult for them to be a good fit […]
The Hidden Wisdom of Those Who Refuse Power
In one of my previous organisations, a senior leader surprised us all by quitting his job and retiring the day he turned 50. We couldn’t imagine why anyone would make such a drastic decision. He was one of the most respected people in the organisation, and we were sure he was on his way to […]
Why Entrepreneurship Isn’t the Freedom You Think It Is
Do employed people think about being their own boss? I meet many smart, young, energetic individuals who are always wishing to own a business. Many of them work for good organizations and many have even built a side gig from something they are passionate about. This is no different to when we were young. The […]
The Digital Escape and the Reality We Avoid
I am not sure if everyone feels it, but I struggle living in two parallel worlds these days. When we exist in the digital world, life seems so easy. Food delivery services will bring you whatever you are craving for and E commerce suppliers will make things coming to your house very easy. You can […]
Beyond Success: Finding Meaning Through Inner Guidance
Over the years, I have had the privilege of working with senior leaders across various organisations, both in my professional career and now in an advisory capacity. These are outstanding individuals who, on paper at least, possess all the requisite attributes; prominent titles, significant responsibilities, and an outwardly successful demeanor. However, when you dig deeper, […]
From Amateurism to Excellence: Reviving True Professionalism
As a society, our culture wants us to conform and follow a laid-down path in life. Innovation requires breaking out of this, which means facing our worries about failure, criticism, and the potential negative impact on our careers. Here is an intriguing experiment; HR managers everywhere should record the start times of all meetings and […]
Freedom of Thought: The Rarest Skill No One Teaches
In one of my previous organizations, the annual appraisal/potential assessment form had an unusual section. It wanted to know if the person being assessed was an ‘independent thinker’. It was unusual because businesses don’t usually allow for much independent thinking! To my mind, an independent thinker is someone who has their own ideas about what […]
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