All Round Information at Your tips

  I have seen the above image in many leadership development engagements and there are many videos used to buttress the fact that people can see different things, take different positions, and yet still be both right and wrong.   Depending on where you stand and how you think, what is seen above can be the number six or nine; it can also be the small letter bee or gee.   “Seek first to understand, then to be understood.” - Stephen Covey   In the above quote lies one of the most difficult responsibilities of humankind.   To truly understand, you must first realise that it is possible that you are wrong. This is the central theme of science, it is a structured way of confirming doubts, not beliefs. At its core, it seeks first to understand all that is, questions inconsistencies, raises doubts, confirms doubts and then starts the cycle again.   How many times have we argued a position with extreme conviction and later found out that we were wrong? For me, many times, and interestingly, it

The first time one of my coaches asked me if I had a Walk plan , I quickly answered “Yes”, assuming what he asked was Work plan . He repeated the question, this time clarifying that he did not mean a Work plan but a Walk plan. I was taken off guard. It was basically the first time in a long while that I was jolted into consciously thinking about how I walk around my work area. Most of what is required in shop floor excellence is shop floor presence. A walk plan has helped in no small way in ensuring there is a conscious decision on where I want to go, why I want to be there, who I want to talk to, what I want to check, when I plan on being there and how I assess impact. Like most planning, designing a walk plan sounded pretty easy, until I actually started. I realized that even though I have never been distant from the shop floor, putting a plan for being there on paper was quite a bore. It starts with mapping out the mandatory meetings you must be in. Plug them into your calendar, wit

Perspective There is a difference between “Dear Osasu” and “Osasu dear”. Both phrases mean the same thing, but one is a greater signal of care.  This is why I think one little change we can make around discussions on work-life balance is to flip the arrangement and start discussing life-work balance . After all, which comes first?  Talk The safest means of transportation has a lot more safety talk than others.  What is the prevalent talk in your Organisation?  What is the prevalent coffee/tea room, cafeteria, whatsapp and pre-meeting talk?  To understand the underlying culture of an Organisation, listen to the prevailing talk. Self sufficiency In the bible, none of the people raised from the dead had a story worth telling in later chapters. It has made me continually ask, what was the point in the second chance? The only answer I see, is improved credibility of the prophet involved. However, there is a lesson in greatness with The One who raised Himself from the dead. His story has an

“A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again.” - Alexander Pope Sound travels faster in denser mediums. If you attend enough meetings, you will gain enough knowledge to “sound” intelligent. You will lack originality and continue to regurgitate only what you have heard, without any understanding of your own. It is easy to tell such people apart. They hate to be asked “Why?”, because they lack the required experience, sensitivity and understanding to clearly articulate their point of view. Just as they swallowed what they heard hook, line and sinker, they expect same from all. They assume their approach is smart, so fellow smart people should not ask any questions from them. They should just get it. Um, No, actually, as you learn, more questions arise, fewer answers are absolute and as the reality of how much you do not know and still need to seek hits you, humility

I go through a unique kind of pain when I remember the passing of my loved ones, but the pain reminds me of the reasons I miss them so much. They loved me without pre-conditions. They believed so much in me, I had no choice but to rise up to their expectations and in the process, pleasantly surprise myself. They kept their eyes on me and their ears ever willing to listen, even when they obviously had their hands full. When I remember them, I realize there’s so much more to give to those in my care. For what I have been freely given can only grow, by sharing.  I am sometimes unhappy at work. Yes, it is not always exciting. Sometimes, you have to be less self to stay sane. In those times, I think of my journey, the people that have shaped me and those I have shaped. It is really interesting that when one looks back on a career, it is the quality of our connections that matter, not performance indicators. I put a call through to a former associate in a distant land and the joy that call b