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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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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…
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Don’t let gossipmongers ruin your company’s culture
Everyone loves to gossip, but nobody likes to admit they do. It’s a fact. And I don’t care if you’re shaking your head right now. Understand the true definition of gossip as per the dictionary: a person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others rumour or report of an intimate nature a chatty…
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Why not make performance parameters transparent?
Following my rant of CTC and how passionately I despise the term and the concept, I would be remiss if I didn’t express how I feel about “performance bonuses.” The component is one of the most highlighted and inaccurate figures in your compensation and benefits package. In almost all cases, performance bonuses are listed as…
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On fair compensation and pay
Compensation is a sore area for employees, managers, and leaders alike. And over the years, I’ve realised that: employees can’t get enough of what they’re earning — they always want and feel like they deserve more, for both obvious and not-so-obvious reasons managers want to squeeze every penny’s worth from their employees so they can…
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Things that hurt us, instruct us
I’ve been a lifelong fan of Ben Franklin and M. Scott Peck. And boy, they both have something you must remember always: As Benjamin Franklin said, ‘Those things that hurt, instruct.’ It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but actually to welcome problems and actually to welcome the pain of…
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Clinging to the past
If you think blaming ourselves or others is terrible, let me assure you that deflecting blame onto events and people from the past is just as bad. I’m a highly context-driven person, so history is essential to my day-to-day and future decisions. The trait also allows me to think and reflect deeper. However, as a…
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Winning too much
I once asked my friend about his “greatest weakness”, if any. And he coyly mentioned “winning too much” and how it has ruined many relationships in the past. Of course, that got me curious, and I encouraged him to elaborate further. He mentioned how competitive he’s been all his life and how that streak set…
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The not-so-obvious ways to have a more in-depth conversation with anyone
I rarely peruse through the New York Times for management and leadership insights. Not that I don’t expect any from their incredible panel of award-winning journalists, but the idea of finding a useful piece (for me) amidst all that content feels like an arduous task. Every once in a while though, I bump into something…