Category: Teams

  • 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…

  • People are different; don’t treat them the same

    People are different, yet leaders have a hard time treating them justly. Most have a broad-brush approach that’s ‘fair’ and uncontroversial. And given that leaders are almost always in the spotlight, who would want to ruffle feathers or wrestle with other people’s opinions and judgment of their leadership in their right minds. No wonder treating…

  • Yeah, but…

    “Yeah, but…” is a conversation killer. It suppresses emotions, creativity, and an opportunity to understand the other person better. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve completely switched myself off during a conversation because the other person said, “yeah, but….” Why? Because that’s the point when a conversation transforms into a monologue in which…

  • How many rounds of interviews are enough?

     As you know, LinkedIn is my go-to social media outlet because it’s the only platform that makes sense*. And I love it when professionals generously share their points of view, hoping to make an impact in their little way.   But if I were, to be honest, the juice is in the conversations that follow these…

  • 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…

  • You don’t need 8 hours to hire a potential candidate!

    I spoke to someone the other day about the need for efficient recruitment and selection processes. She mentioned how her company (a major global player in… I’ll leave it at that) make the candidates go through 6-8 rounds of interviews and assessments to vet out the cream of the crop. It was puzzling yet painful…

  • How do deal with team members and peers who say they want to grow but don’t want to listen to you?

    Now and then, I strike up an interesting conversation with one of my team members or peers outside work, where I discuss some of the challenges they’re facing at the workplace. While most people are just okay with whatever is going on, some don’t want to commit to a solution. Often, I have a conversation…

  • Positioning and growth

    Humans naturally aspire to grow, develop, and evolve. Yes, there are anomalies but in general, seeking growth is an integral part of who we are and what we do. Here’s the trickiest part of growth — it’s hard to measure it yourself. At least not accurately. A person’s development is usually acknowledged and recognized by…

  • 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…

  • The victorious leader’s guide to building teams

    Everyone knows that a thousand-mile journey starts with the first step; if you’re a leader, you can’t make that journey alone. You have to have a team working with you to help you achieve your vision for the organisation. However, building a strong team isn’t as easy as hiring a bunch of people to do…