Is there someone in your organisation who harms others?

I am currently reading Reimagine Inclusion, by Mita Mallick, and here is a powerful passage that caught my eye:

“I have watched too many leaders fall into this trap: protecting and allowing an individual to continue to work in their organisation who has a pattern of hurting and harming others. Leaders will do so at the expense of losing other employees. They will do so at the expense of losing the trust of their teams.”

This is a fascinating read – and everyone who aspires to be a people leader MUST read this book.

hashtagLeadership hashtagBeAccountable hashtagInclusion

Posted in DE&I, Leadership, Personal Development | Comments Off on Is there someone in your organisation who harms others?

Friends – give people the opportunity to help you!

Oftentimes, we fail to accept help from others because we don’t want to impose on them, or we don’t want to put them out.

But, have you considered how good the person will feel because they have been given a chance to assist?

So, DO NOT DEPRIVE others from the opportunity to feel good about themselves. Let them help you.

Don’t always make it about what you want (or don’t want). Learn to be gracious and allow others to have purpose, too.

hashtagLeadership hashtagBeBetterEveryday

 

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A small thought for senior managers – say your people’s names!

When there are Town Halls and questions are posted on Chat or Slido by the people for the leaders to answer, please do this:

Acknowledge the PEOPLE asking the questions. Say this:

“Thank you Ritesh Prasad for this question: blah blah”

Don’t just say:

“The next question is on blah blah blah….”

If your people have taken the interest to pose their questions with their names, then the least you can do is say their name. This fosters goodwill, and demonstrates an interest in your people.

Small action – big impact.
hashtagLeadership hashtagBetterCommunication

 

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Have you reached your Value Apex in an organisation? Then it might be time to leave.

https://thedailywtf.com/articles/up-or-out-solving-the-it-turnover-crisis
Posted in Leadership, Personal Development, Small thoughts | Comments Off on Have you reached your Value Apex in an organisation? Then it might be time to leave.

Do you know if you are likeable? Or if you have a growth mindset? What if you want to know if you are a sociopath?

My friend Patrick Bradley introduced me to this set of tests – allegedly with scientific rigor to them.

So I’ve had a fun morning learning that I am:

😁 pretty likeable (no surprises there)
😮 a little bit narcissistic (I felt I deserved good things to happen to me)
👍 not at all racist (I knew this in my bones)

Here is a fun way to learn about yourself, friends!
#SelfAwareness #BetterUnderstanding #KnowYourSelf #Leadership

https://www.idrlabs.com/tests.php
Posted in Personal Development, Small thoughts | Comments Off on Do you know if you are likeable? Or if you have a growth mindset? What if you want to know if you are a sociopath?

How much of what you do is ‘fake work’?

So a couple of weeks ago, Rajan Singh introduced us to the concept of ‘fake work’.

This is the drudgery of doing stuff that provides little value to anyone, and which depletes your soul even as you engage in it.

You know what I’m talking about.

💠 that report no one asked for but which has been sent to everyone for ever

✳ that meeting that could have easily been an email

✴ that pre-meeting meeting

🛅 that mandatory training to tick a box

And so on. It’s time to question this – and push back on ‘fake work’. Your soul will thank you.

hashtagLeadership hashtagBetterWorkHabits

 

Posted in Personal Development, Productivity, Small thoughts | Comments Off on How much of what you do is ‘fake work’?

Friends, tell me this: What does the BEST version of YOU look like?

Could it be someone who:

⤵ is never quick to anger

⤵ thinks before they speak

⤵ is measured with their words

⤵ is always ready to help others

⤵ is considered to be kind and thoughtful

⤵ assumes that others can be trusted

⤵ aims to limit their uncharitable thoughts

⤵ doesn’t need to always have the last word

⤵ doesn’t feel the need to be right all the time

Do you know that you CAN be your BEST self, starting right NOW?

All you have to do is decide how the best version of you THINKS and BEHAVES in every situation.

Then start being this way. Go on – do it. You know I’m right about this. 😇

Posted in Communication, Personal Development | Comments Off on Friends, tell me this: What does the BEST version of YOU look like?

Learn how to answer this interview question: Tell me about yourself.

Friends – it’s highly likely your job interview will start with this question.

Do you know how to answer it in a way that helps you stand out?

I came across this helpful video that shows how to answer this question with confidence, poise and eloquence.

hashtagInterviewSkills hashtagCommunicationSkills

https://lnkd.in/gQewzifp

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Do you have leadership presence? Do you know how to get it?

A friend was given feedback that she does not have “leadership presence”.

My friend:

🧡consistently demonstrates a strategic mindset
💙 respectfully challenges poor decisions
💛 speaks up in meetings when needed
💚 is friendly, courteous and hardworking
💜 is well-liked and respected by others
❤️ is intelligent

When she told me this, I thought about the senior leader who had said this about her.

I came to the conclusion that the senior executive who provided this feedback had a WARPED view of leadership.

I wondered what leadership looked like in HIS MIND. We won’t know of course, because the nebulous feedback was indirectly passed on – and there was no actionable insight in there.

It was needless, unkind and counterproductive. But how do we address this?

By holding people accountable when they make such allegations. Any such claim should be followed up with: TELL ME MORE.

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Friends, who are you trying to control right now?

😮 Your direct reports?
😣 Your children?
😮 Your spouse?
😏 Your peers?
😥 Your friend?
😑 Your relatives?

Why? Three things for you to think about:

1️⃣ Have you asked yourself WHAT you hope to achieve by controlling the behaviour of others?

2️⃣ Are you even AWARE that you are trying to control them?

3️⃣ If we are HONEST with ourselves, we will see that our rationale for what we tell others to do is not because it’s the right thing, but because we LIKE control.

Controlling others never works. Seek to control yourself.

Posted in Small thoughts | Comments Off on Friends, who are you trying to control right now?