enabling achievement
When I lost my father a couple of years ago, the day went by in a haze and I don’t remember much about it. But I do remember that a friend was by my side throughout the day as I took part in the funeral rites. I also remember that he did not offer […]
The Value of Empathy Read More »
Leaders need to be able to work with all kinds of people. The ability to identify those who matter, understand how they can influence the outcomes you care about, and getting a good read on them is critical to your success. Getting a good read on a colleague isn’t terribly hard but it takes time
In the 19th century in the United States, early settlers from the East Coast traveled by horse-drawn wagons to claim land in the “Wild West”, in territories such as Oklahoma, Kansas and so on. When resting at night, and during the daytime too, these settlers formed a tight circle with their wagons to protect themselves
Circling the wagons Read More »
Colin Powell, the retired Army General and former US Secretary of State, said, “The day soldiers stop bringing you their problems is the day you have stopped leading them.” It seems obvious that managers need team members to speak up. By virtue of their position, managers don’t always know all that is happening on the
Do your team members speak up? Read More »
Why do we complain so much? We know it isn’t good for us. Our health, our career and our relationships all suffer when we give in to this habit. And a habit it is for many who don’t realize that a ‘glass half empty’ mindset has become their default setting. Some of us use it
Are you a famous grouse? Read More »
(Mutatis mutandis is a Medieval Latin phrase that means “the necessary changes having been made”) It is often said that management and leadership are not for the faint-hearted. They are also not for the simple-minded. We learn from experience that no two employees are the same, no two clients are the same, and so on.
Leaders are expected to live in the real world, to make decisions based on evidence and where necessary, seriously weigh the counsel of experience. Effective leaders know how to read people and when they are being sold a bill of goods. Such street-smarts are indispensable in a world filled with hype, exaggerated claims and outright
This essay is by Sridhar Krishnan. Visualise a typical IT project. Now, picture the project manager. What comes to your mind? For most people the stereotypical image of a project manager is one of a harried individual scooting around with a project plan, attending project reviews with the client, moderating an endless stream of team
The project manager, an architect of projects – Sridhar Krishnan Read More »
This essay is by P C Raguraman. Most people expect to grow professionally and this is both normal and healthy. This growth is typically evidenced by a larger role with increased responsibilities and greater stature, especially at senior levels. Unfortunately, this growth is often desired without any proper planning and consequently, expectations are frustrated. The
On Achieving Professional Growth – P C Raguraman Read More »
This essay is by G N Radhakrishnan. It started in the late 1990s when I was designing a training program on communication skills and I intuitively requested my client to allow me to take up a half day review with the participants, a few weeks following the program. At that time I was particularly keen
An Interventional Approach to Learning and Development – G N R Read More »