Can we be authentic at work?
There is magic waiting to happen when we can truly be ourselves at work. But is it always possible? Does authenticity jeopardise success?
Putting purpose first
Purpose can play a powerful performance-enhancing role for individuals, and for organisations. This is supported by neuroscience, and by research on company performance. Yet, there is distance to go.
There is brilliance beyond fear
If we have to live our full brilliance as leaders, we have to learn to fight our fears. To know them, to see them, and then to cast them aside and forge on. So how can we do that? These are some ways that have worked powerfully for our clients.
What I learnt about ‘delusional dreams’ from Sal Khan
This weekend, I heard Sal Khan (founder, Khan Academy) at a virtual conference about the future of education. I was inspired by his continued belief in what he calls ‘delusional dreams’. This is what I learned.
Leadership is a journey that starts everyday
I have learned that leadership is not defined by roles and designations. It is not about traits, but about actions. And it’s a journey, not a destination…
Reinvent the yin with a yang
Whether you are inventing at work, or reinventing yourself, reach out to those least like you, and perhaps you will find your breakthrough. There are numerous examples across disciplines that demonstrate the role of diversity in creativity.
How to increase the odds of success? Dream
When we want to help others, it is tempting to advise them on what they ‘should’ do. Doesn’t usually work. The book “Helping People Change’ has some wonderful lessons on what does work – useful for leaders, doctors, coaches, teachers, parents – or in fact, anyone who works with other people.
Lessons from a 9-year old, part 2: Perfect is truly the enemy of good
How many times do we stop ourselves from doing things because we worry we won’t make a success of them? And so we don’t even try. Small things, and very big ones too. Like career transition.
Focus on the positive
A focus on the positive activates that part of our brain that makes us more creative, open to possibility, filled with an excitement to get even better. And when we focus on the negative, we tend to justify or negate, not change. It actives the body’s stress response. The fight or flight mode.
Loss. Reinvention.
Mid-career transitions – times when we choose to change our career track – can be incredibly hard. Not the least because as we do this, we lose a part of our identity. In the in-between phase, we can no longer define who we are.