A peer who was introduced by a friend not so long ago, subsequently became a friend said that “He considered me his mentor”

Whilst this pleased me no end, it also raised the above question in my mind. Over the past 20 odd years, I have had the opportunity of working with a lot of bright sparks, who have eventually moved on to different organizations, industries or geography.

However it has been a constant source of pride that they have kept in touch with me & vice versa, calling upon when the need to bounce of ideas, thoughts becomes strong.

And so this friend asked me how was I able to manage, keep the connection live and more importantly Did I not feel insecure, it set me thinking, to write down some thoughts that may be useful.

1) I have always accepted the fact that I am not a Star but an actor.
2) I am a Snob & hence prefer to be surrounded with intellectual bandwidth.
3) I avoid comparing responsibilities, accountability, package with peer group.
4) I do not stifle growth by using the personal loyalty card.
5) I definitely keep the professional & personal element separate, becomes easier for decision making.

From an organization perspective it is important to see that the seniors allow exceptional talent to flourish, since if they become insecure & ignore it, the death knell sounds. If not so drastic then it would be a organization based on mediocrity rather then meritocracy.

Do let me have your thoughts.

Don’t get tempted by what others are doing and saying but, if you look closely, you should recognize that talk are reality are not always the same.

If we do not create our reality, it will create us. Living is all about making conscious choices, and not living on auto pilot mode

Some thoughts on Networking, Social Media in Financial Express

God creates all Men equal, once out of the womb, he starts playing favorites

2009 ended with a healthy me, however continuity, consistency, constancy are the key & decided to continue it whole heartedly. Made some points that I would update once a quarter, so here goes:

1) Start a health file
January - Completed & decided that would opt for Bi annual checkup beginning this year.

2) Enhance Health Insurance
January - Evaluated & decided to enhance when it comes up for renewal in April, though luckily have not had to make use of it.

3) Have yogurt daily
January - Am a bit of lactose intolerant, however have begun trying it out at least 2-3 days a week.

4) Maintain a food diary
January - This is happening post the discipline my doctor enforced from November & hope to continue it.

5) Snack more
January - This is happening, quantity is going down, whilst number of times has come up to nearly 4-5 which is a good sign.

6) Get a new haircut
January - Quite a good idea, however let’s see how things go

7) Drink 2 litres of water a day
January - Am practically there, if not everyday, at least 5-6 days a week. The target being 3 litres a day by 31st march.

Exercise for 30 Minutes 5 days a week
January - For the past month, have just found excuses, however am convinced that cannot avoid/delay it any longer.

9) Cut 100 Burn 100 calories
January - Cut is happening, Burn is where the problem lies.

10) Junk old Stuff
January - Thanks to the weight loss, the wardrobe is looking spacious, plan to do that to the other storage place also.

11) Add olive oil to kitchen cabinet
January - Done & at least 50% of the cooking is in olive oil.

12) Spend 15 minutes unwinding after work
January - A practice that is happening, but at a slower pace then would have wished for.

13) Spend more “ME TIME”
January - At least one day in the weekend, this seems to be the case.

14) Master a new skill
January - This requires thought.

15) Count to 5 before reacting
January - Once upon a time it was 10 & now it is 5, guess am improving:)

16) Avoid brooding over losses
January - The most difficult to do & probably needs the most priority.

All of us who have worked for quite a while, always have to give the Pink Slip many a times, reasons too vary. It is never an easy task to do this but it has to be done. Over the years I have had to do it personally a lot of times & believe me it is never easy.

However, over time I have realised that doing so with “Grace” is the best way & have also personally drawn up what I refer to as Appropriate etiquette for communicating bad news/handing out pink slips.

Bad news in face to face meetings only with Human Touch - I never ever believe in giving bad news by telephone, email or via. As the Boss Man to your direct reportees, it is their right to hear it from you straight & without embellishments AND never use 3rd person…’Management has decided; Boss has decided etc’. It just demeans the whole communication and relationship.

Privacy This is another important criteria whilst imparting bad news. Yes even in these days & age of open offices also. If need be take him/her out for coffee or wait till the office is empty.

Spend time Nothing is cut & dried that you announce, get up & walk away. Spend some time, share good thoughts.

Extend Support Unless it is a ‘Termination’ for serious offense, always extend support in terms of reference, help to connect with people etc. It really does not cost anything much.

Keep in touch This is one thing I believe in strongly. There is no need to be apologetic about the whole thing & avoid facing or meeting them or even avoiding their calls. They are your good will ambassadors and there is every chance that a time may come when they would be able to assist.

What are your thoughts on this? Do share and add to these.

I am always asked, how do you manage to recruit people without paying them the Sun, Moon & earth - that too in Retail.

I do not have many points or gyan on this, except that I am Upfront:

I tell people you’re in a very competitive industry.
I am always honest with them.
I tell them that I am Not right everyday, neither do I expect them to be. As long as they are 6/10 times and keep me informed about the others, it works for me.
The reason this works, because in the retail business, you’ve got to be right every single day. There is extremely high day to day intensity associated with retail.

All great leaders Gandhi, Mandela, Washington, were all ordinary individuals, who took a decision to wriggle out of comfort zones. They took a decision to challenge themselves & the world around. Took a decision to look beyond themselves, to get involved, to make a difference to the lives of millions of people around & that is what is required from everyone.

These questions are not nuclear science or invented by me, but learnt along the way of my professional journey, read in a variety of books, articles of Management gurus, still relevant in today’s world.

1) What is the new opportunity that we as an organization are not seeing?

2) How might we learn from others - competition & non competition?

3) Can new trends in how people work/communicate open up ways to improve our organization?

4) What is my ‘Best’ today & how do I enable my team to do their ‘Best’ today?

5) If we were starting from scratch, how would we design it?

6) When a meeting is flat & perfunctory - What’s on people’s mind that is unsaid? What’s wrong? What’s going on?

7) What’s the craziest idea that just might work?

What are the most damaging barriers facing us & how do we obliterate them?

9) What do I need to ensure my team understands my driving philosophy & passion?

10) What’s possible today that was not possible last year/month?

11) Is my team focused on doing what matters the most?

I would love comments & additions to the list to make it more comprehensive & encompassing.