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On working with like-minded people
I’ve long believed that having like-minded people around makes our lives much more bearable, personally and professionally. Although, I would err on the side of moderation, especially if you care about a high-performance culture at the workplace. If that sounds odd, hear me out because you’re either confused or are pretty comfortable in your current…
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A person first, a professional later
I had a profound conversation with a fellow professional the other day on what truly makes people perform at the highest level. And unlike most discussions on this topic, we didn’t bother to discuss skills, knowledge, and attitude — attributes that make up most of all theories, including peer-to-peer studies, on employee engagement and high-performance.…
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Build routines around your life, not the other way around
The struggle around routines, motivation, and clarity on the direction one wants to take in life are real. But mindlessly mocking others isn’t going to help, even if your gurus have you convinced that success leaves clues. The proven way to accomplish any achievement is to understand oneself truly. Nothing more. Nothing less. Having a…
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Internal communication isn’t about creating content or sending newsletters
One of the biggest misconceptions of leaders, managers, and even marketers across organizations is that they think of internal communications as a role reserved for junior people. Marketers consider it a stepping stone to the big leagues, marketing to other businesses or a target market. Most leaders think that internal communications are about rolling out…
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Driving an effective organisational communication strategy
As much as I hate cliches, the one about “culture eating strategy for breakfast” is the bitterest, most accurate, and yet the most ignored. And this is particularly the case in the world of organisational communication, where leadership teams spend countless hours coming up with the perfect “strategy” that aligns with their vision. Only to…
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Stop obsessing about your morning routine
Most success wannabes are addicted to tweaking, refining, and “optimizing” their morning routines. Because they’ve been sold on the idea that “successful people are a product of their habits and routines.” While that might be true, none of the successful people is as obsessed with their morning routines as those who chase success. Ironical. Full…
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Do the opposite: the career edition
If every instinct you have is wrong, then the opposite would have to be right. Jerry Seinfeld Sure, it’s not ideal to take everything a comedian says seriously, but the punchline above (and the context in which Jerry said it) was an exception. And throughout my career, and later through the art and practice of…
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Book recommendations: May 2022
I’ve got two this month: What got you here will not get you there (Marshall Goldsmith) I think it’s a foundational book for not just leaders and managers but for any competent professional who wants to grow and do meaningful work. The author makes a strong case that most professionals hold on to awful character…
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So, the streak has ended
Now, truthfully, I saw this coming years ago but was happy it didn’t happen sooner. I have been behind my posts for months now. And as you know, once behind, there’s only so much you can catch up on unless something is on the line. That’s rarely the case with a blog, personal or professional.…
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Manager vs leader
I know you have had your share of “manager versus leader” debates, articles, studies, info-graphics comparisons, and even memes! It’s overwhelming. And I don’t want to burden you with more proof or my perspective on this pointless debate. Yeah, leadership is sexy. Everyone wants to be a leader, and nobody wants to be “just-a-manager.” I…