Skills Inflation
For a long time we clapped for talent. Then we learnt that talent indeed is overrated but skills can be acquired by making an effort. As a result, some of us started clapping for the effort that went in to acquiring a skill. That clap became a motivating factor for many to acquire skills. The digital world contributed towards to skills acquisition…

Obscure
You developed the courage to show up on LinkedIn. You worked hard on your maiden post and finally pressed, post. Now, the wait begins, you will repeatedly check the data on likes, comments and views. It is human to do that.May be you will also notice someone else’s average or below average post getting plenty of likes and views. You are now…

The three paths to success
Path 1: It would be foolish to choose a path that guarantees no success. But many of us do. To declare that only when COVID-19 vaccine is available, you will restart your work is kind of foolish. Path 2: Many have travelled this path. It is also littered with stories of people who never made it to the end. This path is…

Am I being my authentic self ?
A writer says, “I really don’t feel like writing today.” A swimmer says, “I really don’t want to practice today.” A corporate professional says, “I really don’t want to go to that meeting today.” A child says, “I don’t feel like doing homework today.” A leader says, “I don’t want to explain stuff today. ” Are all these people being their authentic…

First Instagram post
My 13 year old daughter posted her first set of photos on Instagram this week. It was interesting to notice that soon after she posted, she garnered 134 likes and 64 comments. Now, she is only a teenager and not a content creator but before she starts looking for validation in these social media driven numbers, it was important for me to…

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…

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.…

Indispensable
I have known Sam ( not his real name )  for a decade now. He is a good friend. In many of our conversations, I have tried to allure him to work for me. He is that good! Last year for family reasons Sam took a year off. He is now in the process of looking for a new job. He is…