While solving a problem, it is first necessary to define a problem clearly. It seems like a no brainer but we often overlook the obvious. Take, for instance, the problem of growth. What does growth mean to you? Does growth mean the next designation? More people reporting to you? Increasing […]

The troubled king visited the monastery of a famous monk. “There’s an epidemic in my kingdom”, said the king. “The rains have failed this year and the farmers are in distress! And now our neighbouring state is attacking us! What should I do, O wise one?” asked the king. The […]

In a recently concluded training program, a young participant (who had been nominated by his manager to attend the program) had a question,” What’s the use of learning this skill if we don’t have the opportunity to use it in our current job?”   Many executives, both young and tenured, […]

Often, at gatherings real and virtual, I hear talk of illustrious siblings, cousins and other relatives and friends. We love to talk about their intelligence in business or politics. Their smart thinking becomes a subject of case studies and eventually, the stuff legends are made of. Even children are not spared. […]

One of the most frequently used, over used and often abused phrases in corporate jargon is ‘soft skill’. To the uninitiated, it appears to mean a set of behaviours- all aimed at developing a pleasing personality, about being ‘nice’ to people. Many professionals I meet in training programs seem to […]

There is a child in all of us. It comes out every time we see a rainbow or every time we eat our favourite sweet. It comes whenever we meet a childhood buddy or when we read our favourite comic….but it never comes out in the workplace. And why should […]

A terrible calamity befell us at work the other day. I needed my usual mid morning dose of caffeine. I went up to the coffee vending machine and pushed the right buttons and…..no milk! Just when I needed my coffee badly! It took me a while to calm down, get […]