Not everyone should be a leader, and that’s a good thing
(This article first appeared in People Matters) For over a decade, the corporate world has echoed one feel-good mantra: “Everyone is a leader.” You’ve seen it on onboarding decks, leadership programs, and LinkedIn posts. It sounds inclusive, empowering and, frankly, misleading. Let’s get honest. Leadership isn’t for everyone. Not because people aren’t capable but because […]
Why most L&D programmes fail before they even begin?
(This article first appeared in Economic Times) Despite best intentions and increasing budgets, most Learning & Development (L&D) programs struggle to create sustained impact. Why? Because many organizations jump straight into training for skills, skipping the very factors that determine whether the learning will stick at all. Think about what L&D typically looks like: an […]
Gen Z Isn’t the Problem — You Are
GenZ isn‘t the problem, you are. Here are some common myths associated with them: They are rude and entitled Because they are assertive and speak their mind? You have been conditioned not to and hence the assertiveness seems rude. They lack resilience Because they take leaves on mental health grounds? You also did but called […]
Why I Show Up Even When I Don’t Feel Like It
I don’t like holding daily stand-ups for my team, at least 10% of the days – days when I am simply not feeling up for it. But I miss attending just 1% of them – when I am out of office or when the sky is falling due to some other burning issue. So what […]
The Quid Pro Quo Illusion
What if the worst trade you ever made… is one you don’t even remember making? There are many ways to live a bad life – chasing the wrong goals, ignoring your intuition, staying in comfort zones. But one of the worst can be summed up in three words: Quid. Pro. Quo. It looks smart in […]
The Domino Effect of a Small Setback
In the last two weeks, I messed up. An ankle injury that’s been bothering me for a while just… wouldn’t get better. So I finally decided to get some examinations done. But nothing conclusive came out of it and that put me in the zone of uncertainty. No workouts. No workouts → no motivation to […]
Why True Humility Isn’t About Being ‘Nice’?
Humility is not being nice. It’s not about saying “yes” to everyone or pretending to be modest. That’s insecurity in disguise, not humility. Real humility is clarity. Clarity that your current position is a mix of some hard work and a lot of luck: the birth lottery – where, when, and to whom you were […]
The Courageous Side of Genuine Care
Caring genuinely is NOT just about remembering birthdays. That’s being sweet which is different from being caring. It is also not a shrewd tactic to get things done faster. It is not even about trying hard to make your team like you more – most leaders fall prey to this. It is simply the way […]
Building Trust at Work: The Most Valuable Currency in Leadership
Trust is the most important currency at work. As Patrick Lencioni mentions in his book ‘Five Dysfunctions of a Team’- “Teams who lack trust conceal weaknesses and mistakes, hesitate to ask for help, jump to conclusions about the intentions of others, hold grudges and dread meetings.” So, how do we build trust? The first thing […]
Your Team Mirrors You — For Better or Worse
Why is modeling the way the only way as a leader? Because humans are wired for coherence, not commands. Not convinced? Let me produce some evidence. Back in 1961, psychologist Albert Bandura conducted a groundbreaking experiment that forever changed how we understand learning and behavior. He showed that children don’t just learn by direct rewards […]
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