Putting purpose first – Part 2
Each one of us is capable of living by our purpose. But how does one do that? In this blog the author shares lessons from John Mackey, the entrepreneur behind Whole Foods.
BE DO HAVE Three innocuous words? Or are they?
BE Do and HAVE are three of the most powerful words in our life. Successful leaders ask themselves who they need to or want to BE before they start DOing. They almost always follow BE DO and then HAVE – in that order. What happens if you flip the order?
Unlearning to learn
Unlearning plays a big role in life, especially while learning new skills or changing careers. In this piece, the author talks about three key skills he needed to acquire to become a good coach – the power of listening in, the value of great questions and the importance of focusing only on the positive. That however, involved unlearning what corporate life had instilled over the last decade or so.
Want to be convincing? Try something counter-intuitive
Which is more persuasive – a confident, assertive pitch or an unassuming question? Counter-intuitively, questions have the power to be more persuasive – in selling, negotiation and leadership. Coaching too leverages the power of questions to create the space to find one’s answers and create conviction in them.
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?
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.
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.