Dealing with Dissent

#LivingStories
When Snapdeal’s Rohit Bansal made unflattering comment about talent in India,  Flipkart’s Sachin Bansal disagreed and tweeted,  “Don't blame India for your failure to hire great engineers.  They join for culture and challenge“.

Coach perspective
It may be perfectly OK to have an opinion that may not vibe with your colleagues. But how you handle the opposing point of view is an art.

Try doing
Speak to the person directly. If you two can't seem to find common ground, consider going  to a sound third party to defuse the situation.

Tell
How do you deal with people of a different opinion than that of yours?

Image: Otis

Sweet Spot for Peace of Mind

#LivingStories
Beyond a certain point , money is not something you live for, feels Kumarmangalam Birla. “If I didn't have the money to buy the two works of art that I want,” he elaborates, “I'd feel pretty bad about it, but more than two  works of art and two holidays. I've no need for money.”

Coaching question
What are the things you would want to buy, after which you'd feel you do not need any more money?

Try doing
Practice cutting down on your needs and limiting your wants. Aim to choose the sweet spot between your Needs, Wants and Lacks.

Tell
How do you view your lacks?

Image:Ian Brown Lee

Yes Is A World

#LivingStories
“Find a way to say yes to things”, says Eric Schmidt,  executive chairman, Alphabet. “Say yes to invitations, to a new country, yes to meet new friends, say yes to learn something new. Yes is how you get your first job and your next job, and your spouse even your kids.”

#MyLearning
E.E. Cummings couldn't have put it better when he said, “Yes is a world & in this world of yes live (skillfully curled) all worlds”. Truly, saying yes can open the door to so many exciting and unexplored worlds!

Image: Improvised life

Acts of Kindness

#LivingStories
“If you are unemployed and need an outfit cleaned for an interview, we will clean it for free”, says a sign outside the establishment of In The Bag cleaners. Below this is a personally signed note from Team Leader Dave Coyle, which says,  “When times are tough, we will help you look your best.”

#MyLearning
Reading the sign aroused a mixture of emotions in me - a slight constriction of the throat followed by a sunny feeling which Wodehouse would have described as, “The bird’s on the wing, the snail's on the thorn,  God’s in his heaven, all's right with the world“. If those my emotions, one can only imagine the feelings of the receiver of the act and the giver.

Each of us, whether In business or employed, have the capacity to do an act of kindness to those who are less privileged than us. It does not cost much, but can be immensely gratifying and emotionally rewarding to both the giver and the receiver of the act.

Sensitive Leadership

#LivingStories
When Shikha Sharma, MD and CEO, Axis Bank, moved to a new office, she took some radical decisions. Everybody, including the seniors in the organization, had desks of the same size. She was trying to demonstrate to the company the need to be more open.

#MyLearning
Symbolism in organization has a subtle and elusive nature but few organization members fail to notice differences in the size of offices and desks, quality of furnishings, parking privileges, and use of titles. Thoughtful leadership means being sensitive in dealing with the differences for organizational good.

Image:Jokeroo

Peace of Mind

#LivingStories
The governor's residence in Mumbai is a sprawling 47 acre ecosystem of rich biodiversity, filled with peacocks and other creatures. Two decades ago, to control the snake population, an officer released a pair of mongoose. Their progeny is now endangering the peacock population by breaking their eggs and eating their chicks.

#MyLearning
Our bodies ecosystem is  a self-regulated system operating in a state of perfect balance. Into this balanced system, we release the ‘mongoose’ of emotional stress, which uncontrolled, is often liable to endanger our peace of mind.

Image: Deviant art