Productivity | Monday 8am

Monday 8am

Be your whole self

Did you really know it all along?

The meteoric rise of a stock. The surprise victory of a political candidate. The instant success of a new product. Sometimes we say – “I knew it all along”. But did we really? Memory is a tricky thing. We think of it as linear and well-organised, but it’s fragmented and incomplete. And that makes it…

Making it work as a working parent (Co-authored by Neha Parekh)

The demands of both work and parenting are rising. People are working longer hours. More women are entering the workforce globally. There is constant pressure to spend quality time with your children. So, how should we manage our careers and parenting responsibilities? I am very pleased that Neha Parekh has written this week’s message, sharing…

The lure of instant gratification can lead you to make the wrong choices

Live each day as if it were your last. I’m sure you’ve come across this statement often, be it on inspirational posters, during talk shows, or even from well-meaning friends. Forget about tomorrow, we hear; just enjoy today. It sounds profound – but if you really think about it, this might not be the best…

Don’t be a rambling leader

We all complain about people who talk too much, but few of us think we fall in this category. If people become restless while you’re still speaking or don’t have much to say when you’ve finished, then you’re probably guilty of rambling. But don’t beat yourself up! The reality is that most people have a tough time being…

Giving (and seeking) advice the right way

As leaders, we are frequently asked for advice from our peers, colleagues or team members. Many of us also love giving advice even when not asked :). Think about it – have you taken the time to reflect on how good you are at giving advice? No matter how noble your intentions, your counsel will…

Pre-mortem might save your project from failure

Have you ever looked back at a project that went horribly wrong and asked yourself, “What on earth were we thinking? How could we not have seen this coming?” Hindsight is 20/20. When examining past events, you have a clearer perspective – you can see exactly what went wrong, and how you could have prevented…

Stop wasting your team’s time

Some years ago, with my previous employer, I was assigned to work on a project in Singapore. During my first week there, on a Friday, I casually remarked to one of the analysts who was working with me that it would be interesting to understand some market analogies for a particular issue that we were…

The value of having sitzfleisch

As leaders, we tend to focus on breadth and try to become more adept at multi-tasking our way through a wide variety of issues. However, over time, our attention spans can get distracted by this juggling. Left unchecked, some of us become less focused. Our ability to concentrate, our cognitive abilities and our productivity can…

Post 377 – our responsibility

On September 6, in a landmark judgment that many of us had long awaited, the Supreme Court of India scrapped Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalised homosexuality. “History owes an apology”, as Justice Malhotra so aptly summed it up. People across India celebrated the judgment. However, this is just a start. We…

Judging others but excusing ourselves

Think back to the last time a colleague failed to meet a deadline or showed up late for a meeting. In all probability, you immediately judged them: “He is such a slacker. Terrible work ethic!” Now, remember a time you failed to meet a deadline or showed up late for a meeting. I’m sure you can think of…

The importance of teaming

Earlier this year, many of us watched with bated breath as a massive operation was underway to rescue 12 young boys and their football coach, trapped deep inside a flooded cave in Thailand. After two tense weeks, all 13 were successfully extracted through the four-kilometre-long underground tunnel. This superhuman feat was pulled off by a…

Consider taking micro-vacations

For many of us, taking a vacation is a great way to recharge our batteries and feel rejuvenated. The challenge is that the benefits from a vacation don’t last long. The American Psychological Association (APA recently released a report (cited in an article in Psychology Today magazine) that suggests that the positive effects of a vacation dissipate…

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