Story for some and not for everyone

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Story for some and not for everyone
Repeatedly, we make the mistake of following the traditional path to making a change happen by doing the following. We find the problem. We figure out a solution. We tell the story of the solution aka marketing our solutions. Where in this process do we ask ourselves the question, “Who is the audience?” Now, you may turn around and say, the story…
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Data Storytelling : What you can see, but they can’t!

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Data Storytelling : What you can see, but they can’t!
The most basic rule of data storytelling: I must tell the story that only I can see, but they can’t. Chris is 28 years old and working as a data analyst for an e-commerce company. Everyday, her computer screen is filled with numbers that she analyses. When asked what exactly is her role in the business? Her response is, “I make meaning…
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Who will I work with?

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Who will I work with?
Its 11.30 PM, I am lying on my bed and thinking through the week this has been so far. We have delivered a lot of work this week which has required us to collaborate with vendors, partners and suppliers. These interactions have shaped my views about the people we work with. When you are time pressed, you notice more, say less and …
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Bystander’s or doer’s story?

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Bystander’s or doer’s story?
When we see great work done by others, we tell ourselves either one of these stories: Story 1: We call this the bystander’s story, where we justify someone’s ability to do great work by telling ourselves that she has done great work … because she has established herself a long time ago. because she has a team supporting her. because she looks…
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Why Do We Need To Say It Like That?

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Why Do We Need To Say It Like That?
Sure we get disappointed with things in life but does that level of disappointment justify our choice of words? When food doesn’t taste good, our reaction is, “It’s awful!” When a student doesn’t do a good job with her homework, our reaction is “It’s terrible!” When there’s traffic on the road, our reaction is “It’s horrendous!” The words we use to express…
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Corporates Should Not Create Compulsory Courses!

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Corporates Should Not Create Compulsory Courses!
At the start of each year, corporate organisations generally allocate a certain budget for learning and development. To ensure this budget is used effectively, a learning needs analysis is carried out. Workshops are designed. Learning partners and venues are carefully chosen. The courses are then rigorously socialised to get optimal number of participants. However, the most important thing seems to be amiss…
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Can You Take A Selfie Of Taste?

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Can You Take A Selfie Of Taste?
A muskmelon purchased from Sembiyika, Japan’s oldest fruit shop, costs anywhere from 20,000 yen ($200) and above. A Sembiyika mango costs 10,000 yen ($100) per piece, and these high prices have caused many to shy away from purchasing these fruits, let alone consuming them. Unless one skins the fruit, cuts it to pieces and consumes it, he or she will not be…
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How do professional relationships survive crisis?

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How do professional relationships survive crisis?
Over the years, I have built a strong, professional relationship with Jeff. He helps with all the printing work for my business. He is an  individual with varied interests and his life beyond work often becomes the topic of our conversation. When the pandemic hit, all printing work went out of the window, and there was no longer a need for me…
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When do I deliver my best work?

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When do I deliver my best work?
If I say, early mornings, you’d probably say, “I know that already!” because mornings are known to be the best time for most people to deliver their best work. However, I would like to dig deeper and share what most people don’t realize. I do most of my work that demands cognitive focus (what Cal Newport calls “deep work”) in the morning.…
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Online success is not corporate success

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Online success is not corporate success
I am watching videos of corporate leaders such as Indra Nooyi, Meg Whitman, Ginni Rometty and Sheryl Sandberg to learn how successful women communicate? There is a clear link between these women’s online success and the vulnerability they demonstrate. Their vulnerability creates connection. So, it’s tempting for one to think, “I am also going to be vulnerable because that is what leads…
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