Category Archive: Leadership

Feb 03

10 Things Most Successful People Say Every Day

There are many roads to success, however there are some commonalities between what the most successful people say every day. Jeff points out what most successful people say every day.

If you want to make a huge difference in someone’s life? Here are things you should say every day to your employees, colleagues, family members, friends, and everyone you care about:

1. “Here’s what I’m thinking.”

You’re in charge, but that doesn’t mean you’re smarter, savvier, or more insightful than everyone else. Back up your statements and decisions. Give reasons. Justify with logic, not with position or authority.

Though taking the time to explain your decisions opens those decisions up to discussion or criticism, it also opens up your decisions to improvement.Authority can make you “right,” but collaboration makes everyone right–and makes everyone pull together.

2. “I was wrong.”

I once came up with what I thought was an awesome plan to improve overall productivity by moving a crew to a different shift on an open production line. The inconvenience to the crew was considerable, but the payoff seemed worth it. On paper, it was perfect.

In practice, it wasn’t. So, a few weeks later, I met with the crew and said, “I know you didn’t think this would work, and you were right. I was wrong. Let’s move you back to your original shift.” I felt terrible. I felt stupid. I was sure I’d lost any respect they had for me.

It turns out I was wrong about that, too. Later one employee said, “I didn’t really know you, but the fact you were willing to admit you were wrong told me everything I needed to know.”

When you’re wrong, say you’re wrong. You won’t lose respect–you’ll gain it.

3. “That was awesome.”

No one gets enough praise. No one. Pick someone–pick anyone–who does or did something well and say, “Wow, that was great how you…”

And feel free to go back in time. Saying “Earlier, I was thinking about how you handled that employee issue last month…” can make just as positive an impact today as it would have then. (It could even make a bigger impact, because it shows you still remember what happened last month, and you still think about it.)

Praise is a gift that costs the giver nothing but is priceless to the recipient. Start praising. The people around you will love you for it–and you’ll like yourself a little better, too.

4. “You’re welcome.”

Think about a time you gave a gift and the recipient seemed uncomfortable or awkward. Their reaction took away a little of the fun for you, right?

The same thing can happen when you are thanked or complimented or praised. Don’t spoil the moment or the fun for the other person. The spotlight may make you feel uneasy or insecure, but all you have to do is make eye contact and say, “Thank you.” Or make eye contact and say, “You’re welcome. I was glad to do it.”

Don’t let thanks, congratulations, or praise be all about you. Make it about the other person, too.

5. “Can you help me?”

When you need help, regardless of the type of help you need or the person you need it from, just say, sincerely and humbly, “Can you help me?”

I promise you’ll get help. And in the process you’ll show vulnerability, respect, and a willingness to listen–which, by the way, are all qualities of a great leader.

And are all qualities of a great friend.

6. “I’m sorry.”

We all make mistakes, so we all have things we need to apologize for: words, actions, omissions, failing to step up, step in, and show support… Say you’re sorry.

But never follow an apology with a disclaimer like “But I was really mad, because…” or “But I did think you were…” or any statement that in any way places even the smallest amount of blame back on the other person.

Say you’re sorry, say why you’re sorry, and take all the blame. No less. No more. Then you both get to make the freshest of fresh starts.

7. “Can you show me?”

Advice is temporary; knowledge is forever. Knowing what to do helps, but knowing how or why to do it means everything.

When you ask to be taught or shown, several things happen: You implicitly show you respect the person giving the advice; you show you trust his or her experience, skill, and insight; and you get to better assess the value of the advice.

Don’t just ask for input. Ask to be taught or trained or shown. Then you both win.

8. “Let me give you a hand.”

Many people see asking for help as a sign of weakness. So, many people hesitate to ask for help.

But everyone needs help. Don’t just say, “Is there anything I can help you with?” Most people will give you a version of the reflexive “No, I’m just looking” reply to sales clerks and say, “No, I’m all right.”

Be specific. Find something you can help with. Say “I’ve got a few minutes. Can I help you finish that?” Offer in a way that feels collaborative, not patronizing or gratuitous. Model the behavior you want your employees to display. Then actually roll up your sleeves and help.

9. Nothing.

Sometimes the best thing to say is nothing. If you’re upset, frustrated, or angry, stay quiet. You may think venting will make you feel better, but it never does.

That’s especially true where your employees are concerned. Results come and go, but feelings are forever. Criticize an employee in a group setting and it will seem like he eventually got over it, but inside, he never will.

Before you speak, spend more time considering how employees will think and feel than you do evaluating whether the decision makes objective sense. You can easily recover from a mistake made because of faulty data or inaccurate projections.

You’ll never recover from the damage you inflict on an employee‘s self-esteem. Be quiet until you know exactly what to say–and exactly what affect your words will have.

10. “I love you.”

No, not at work unless your wife works with you !, but everywhere you mean it–and every time you feel it.

This article is written by Jeff Haden and is posted on Inc.com; Jeff has written more than 30 non-fiction books, including four business and Investing titles that reached #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list. @jeff_haden

Keep the faith!

Jappreet Sethi

3 comments

Oct 27

7 Leadership Lessons from – The Sinking of Titanic

Some of you may have watched the iconic American Movie Titanic starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet .The Sinking of the Titanic provides invaluable lessons of leadership.

“We have struck iceberg … sinking fast … come to our assistance.” On a cold evening in 1912 that message came blistering across the airwaves. Before they tapped the last bit of Morse code, those words became the epitaph over the lives of the 1,200 people lost on the Titanic. The ship was doomed as it slowly sank into its watery grave.

Why did the largest, most advanced ship of its time sink?

Those of us who study history or remember the movie- Titanic may know why. It wasn’t the iceberg that caused the disaster. It is clear in my mind the real cause was failed leadership.

Leadership is Responsible

Leadership is responsible for everything the organization does or fails to do. Leadership is more than a wooden figurehead. A leader is not a position, job title, or in this case, the captain of the ship. Leadership is not about power, ego or pride. Leadership is ever-present, touching, motivating, talking, checking and removing barriers, training, preparing, breathing and moving about.

The Titanic’s ill-fated voyage was Captain E.J. Smith’s retirement trip. He was headed for the easy life. All he had to do was get to New York. God only knows why he ignored the facts, why he disregarded seven iceberg warnings from his crew and other ships.

The Titanic still rests on the bottom of the ocean, but we can resurrect the truth and apply a few lessons learned to help us become better leaders.

The Biggest Is Not the Best

Today’s businesses must change course quickly. It took over 30 seconds before the Titanic turned away from the iceberg, but by then it was too late. The larger an organization becomes, the greater its inflexibility. The more difficult and cumbersome it is to steer, to direct and to change course. Large businesses soon grow into huge bureaucracies where rules, regulations, policies, procedures and “I need permission to make a decision” become the norm.

The Truth Changes

The Titanic was unsinkable, so they thought. The ship designers were so confident in their ship they only had enough lifeboats for half the passengers. The thinking that made us successful yesterday will cause us to fail tomorrow. Our unlearning curve must be greater than our learning curve if we are going to succeed.

Technology Makes a Poor Substitute for Authentic Leadership

When technology fails, leadership must prevail. Years before the Titanic’s voyage Captain Smith said, “I cannot imagine any condition which would cause a ship to founder. Modern shipbuilding has gone beyond that.” Many businesses today have placed the wrong people in charge. They are not leaders, but managers. So when disaster strikes, who is going to step up and lead? Or will your technology cause you to shipwreck and pull you under?

Leadership is About Training and Development

As the stern of the Titanic lifted out of the water, the crew and passengers struggled with the lifeboats. There had been no drills, no rehearsals, and the crew stood unfamiliar with their responsibilities. The boats were improperly loaded and only one went back to try to recover survivors. A good leader helps people improve their skills so they can become more productive.

What Lies Below Is More Destructive than What Is On Top

The greatest dangers lie unseen below the surface. That night in 1912 the water was smooth like glass — and deceptively dangerous. The iceberg lurked below. Like steel fangs, it tore at the rivets along 300 feet of the Titanic’s hull. Those below, the crew and steerage, felt and saw the damage first. Like a gasping breath, the steam billowed above as chaos reigned below. Then and now, those who know what’s wrong with your “ship” are those below decks. Those people on the frontline usually have the best ideas and solutions to your problems. Consider asking them for their ideas and suggestions before catastrophe strikes.

Leadership Looks Beyond the Horizon

A good “Captain” is constantly on the lookout for shifting trends, submerged rocks, storms and icebergs. Wal-Mart founder Sam Walton identified and met a need while other retailers did not. Apple saw the need for the iPod while others were still happy with CD players. The vision of the Sony Walkman existed in Akio Morita’s mind well before it entered the mind of the competition. Get the picture? Be on the lookout, scanning the horizon for the next wave of change instead of waiting for it to hit you in the face.

This article is a version of the original article written by Gregory P. Smith on his website. As founder and President of Chart Your Course International Inc., Smith helps executives and business owners accelerate individual and organizational performance and navigate through increasing rates of change.

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

1 comment

Aug 19

Justin Bieber is in You – Believe It !

Justin Bieber is in You Believe it Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber, Justin Bieber echoes in the hall where he makes an appearance. Justin Bieber has 43 million Facebook fans, 22 million twitter followers and 2.9 billion YouTube view and has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. Recently, for a show in Dublin, Beliebers snapped up 28,000 gig tickets in 30 minutes. Mega star Bieber never forgets his fans and recently Google reported that Justin Bieber was the most searched celeb online.

The story of Justin Bieber
Justin Bieber is a story of a commoner who believed in himself. His belief in himself made him become from no one to the highest paid celebrity of 2012. Bieber believed in sheer hard work and doing what he is good at. He found his true love- Music and pursued it passionately; He did what he loved and loved what he did.

Bieber was born on March 1, 1994 and raised in Stratford, Ontario. Bieber’s mother, Patricia Mallette, was 18 years old when she became pregnant. Mallette is a single mother and had a series of low-paying office jobs. Justin Bieber grew up in a low-income housing In Stratford with her.

During his childhood, Bieber was interested in hockey, soccer, and chess; he often kept his musical aspirations to himself. As he grew up he started doing what he loved, Bieber taught himself to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet. Bieber never learned how to play instruments formally as his single mother could not afford the expensive tutorials.

Bieber asked for help, and it is said that the local church got him his first set of instruments; God helps those who help themselves. All you need to do is to ask for help and believe in yourself and the almighty god, and it’s done.

Justin Bieber at the young age of 12, he sang the song “So Sick” by Ne-Yo, at a local singing competition and came second. He was brimming with confidence; he made the best use of what he had and did not worry about what others had!

It did not matter to Justin Bieber if he could not get the expensive music training classes, it did not matter to him, if he did not have access to elite clubs to stage the performance. He made the best use of what he had – Friends and family, he would audition and play for them. His mother used to record all his video programs and post it on YouTube. Many people watched these videos, and they loved it.

While searching for videos of a different singer, Scooter Braun, a former marketing executive clicked on one of Bieber’s 2007 videos by chance. He loved it and traced Justin Bieber’s house, contacted his family and wanted to be his manager. Bieber was only 13 years old that time. Justin traveled with Brown to Atlanta and did his first big performance “U got it bad.” Thereafter, Brown became his manager and signed his first contract with Raymond Braun Media Group, A JV between famous songwriter Raymond Usher and Scooter Brown. In 2008, Usher signed Justin to Island Records and after that; there was no looking back for Justin and his mother.

Justin Bieber has a personal motto, and that is very touching and heartwarming. It’s “Family First.”

Lessons from Justin Bieber’s story

Believe in the almighty – everything happens for good.
Do what you love & love what you do.
Believe in yourself and shape your destiny.
Make the best use of what you have, stop worrying about what you don’t have.
Family & Friends come first.
Stay connected with your audience – love them, and they will love you more.
Never give up, Never give up, Never give up.
Find a mentor

The discography of Justin Bieber consists of three studio albums, one extended play, eleven singles, twenty-one music videos and three promotional singles. Justin Bieber has released his latest album Believe recently, and you can follow him on Twitter @justinbieber

You were born to be some body, maybe a vet, maybe a hero, maybe a care giver. What ever it is you were born to be some thing special and if you believe you can achieve – Justin Bieber

What is holding you back from discovering the Justin Bieber in you, can you look at what you have and make to best use it rather than wasting time on what is not yours and sulking about it. Take control and shape your life or else one fine day you will discover that you merely exist and don’t live!

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

The author uses real life stories to demystify the day to day Human Resources Challenges we face at work. His HR Blog – Human Resources Blog endeavours to simplify the HR jargon.

3 comments

Aug 15

Failure is an opinion not Reality – Story of 360 million web hits -Susan Boyle

How long can you dance to someone else’s tune, it’s time that you try dancing to your own tune. Go through the records of most successful people and you would see a common thread; all of them were branded as failures at one or another time in their life’s journey.

They could have sulked, cried and taken the opinion of the few zombies to their heart and relinquished their pursuit. The victorious choose a different way; they see failure as an opinion and not a reality. Abraham Lincoln said “Always bear in mind that your own resolution to success is more important than any other one thing .”

Susan Boyle is a story of a commoner – not highly educated middle-aged woman in an ordinary dress, unknown outside her small village in Scotland, who by her sheer determination catapulted herself in five minutes onto an international arena mostly reserved for those who meet a carefully promoted standard of elegance, glamour & fashion.

The clip of her audition in Britain’s Got Talent has been viewed 360 million times, more than any other video in history. Her debut album titled “I Dreamed a Dream” was a super hit, along with her subsequent releases she has sold more than 14 million albums worldwide.

Who is Susan Boyle?

Susan Boyle was a small town girl raised in the unknown town of Blackburn, Scotland. Her Father was a miner and veteran of the Second World and her mother was a shorthand typist. Susan Boyle was the youngest of nine siblings – four brothers and five sisters.

It is said that Susan was briefly deprived of oxygen during a difficult birth resulting in a learning disability. Boyle says she was bullied as a child, and was nicknamed “Susie Simple” at school. In an interview she told one newspaper that her classmates’ jibes left behind the kind of scars that don’t heal.

She had not had an easy life, for most of her adult life she was unemployed and earned a living by performing at local churches and pubs. Nevertheless she won numerous awards at the local level. Boyle never married, and she dedicated herself to care for her ageing mother until she died in 2007 at the age of 91.

It is said that Boyle abandoned an audition for The X Factor because she believed people were being chosen for their looks. She almost abandoned her plan to enter Britain’s Got Talent believing she was too old, but her coach O’Neil persuaded her to audition.

Susan Boyle says that she entered the musical career to make her mom’s wishes come true and pay tribute to her. That was her calling – so it didn’t matter what other were saying about her looks, age or societal status. She was focused on what she wanted and overturned all the odds to make a new life for herself.

If you watch the audition video you would notice the sneers, looks, judgments, and assumptions that nearly everyone makes – including the respective judges when Susan Boyle comes to stage. Susan Boyle in her audition declared to the judges and audience that her dream was to become a professional singer. Everyone frowned including the judges. This does not unnerve her, in fact it makes her will stronger to give her best!

Within 7 days her audition video had been watched more than 66 million times. Within three years she had sold 14 million records and earned more than US $25m. Is anybody laughing at her now?

Click Here to - Watch the Susan Boyle – Video

7 lessons from Susan Boyle’s story

Don’t make age an excuse for not doing something great
Never give up , never give up , never give up
Believe in yourself from deep within
Find yourself a coach
Dream big and make it big!
Be focused on what you are doing, don’t let other’s comments derail your plans
God gives everybody talent, all of us are gifted one way or another – discover it

Human spirit is indomitable by design; we set our targets high or low. What is stopping you from dreaming and making it big in life like Susan Boyle? . Always remember the famous quote by Vince Lombardi ” The difference between a successful person and others is not a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather a lack in will.”

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

2 comments

Jul 28

How Becoming a Leader Can Help You Get a Promotion

Many companies today are looking for leaders, not just managers, to take on greater roles within the organization. As a result, competition for higher-level positions can be fierce. Leaders have the ability to inspire others and foster teamwork, which leads to achieving results. No matter what your current position is, becoming a leader can help you stand out and increase your chances of securing a promotion.

Qualities of Workplace Leadership

A leader is someone who motivates, unites and guides others towards a common goal. Leaders are usually highly effective communicators who are competent, trustworthy and organized. They are also often charismatic and inspirational. In order to be recognized as a leader in your workplace, you should seek to exhibit the following:

Honesty – this builds trust with your co-workers and superiors
Passion – enthusiasm and excitement are positive and contagious, which draws others to you
Commitment – a strong work ethic and discipline make you highly productive and can create a favorable impression of you in others
Goals – by setting and working toward goals you show others that you are able to strategize and execute work to accomplish something meaningful
Humility – giving credit where it’s due and emphasizing the team’s efforts instead of just your own makes people more inclined to work with you and go the extra mile

In addition to the traits listed above, leaders are also adept at planning, strategizing, managing change, solving problems and creatively addressing opportunities and difficulties.

How to Show Your Leadership Skills

Most jobs offer opportunities to exhibit leadership qualities, no matter what the level or job title is. Below are a few key opportunities that you can use to demonstrate leadership skills and set yourself on the path to promotion:

Day-to-Day Work: By developing and maintaining a high standard of quality and productivity in your own work, you show that you’re ready to take on more responsibility. The absence of a good job performance will likely mean that you will be passed over for other opportunities to develop and display true leadership qualities.

Take on a Project: Projects can be one of the best ways to show leadership skills. You can volunteer to participate on projects or create your own opportunities by looking for steps you can take to improve a process or output. No matter what your role is on the project team, you should seek to exceed expectations. Meet or beat deadlines, show yourself to be a team player by giving credit to others when appropriate and offering a helping hand when needed, and produce work or results with excellence.

Assume a Formal or Informal Leadership Role:

If you’re in a supervisory capacity, your leadership quality may be judged mostly on your team’s productivity and quality. By helping your team set and achieve goals, prioritize work and maintain or improve quality, you can show that you’re ready for higher levels of responsibility. Even if your current position isn’t supervisory, you can still exhibit leadership qualities, which can positively influence co-workers and position you as a role model.

By implementing these suggestions, you can develop and demonstrate the leadership qualities that will help set you apart from other employees and can get you noticed when an opportunity for career advancement arises.

This guest post was provided by Jessica Edmondson who discusses online education in the business leadership and management industry.

Thanks

Jappreet Sethi

1 comment

Dec 30

Redefine Your Limits – Live to your Full Potential

We are limited by the beliefs we set in our mind, history shows that successful people are able to break these shackles and unleash their potential. The difference is the “ T ” between Can Do and Can’t Do. The “ T ” is your Thought.

Achieving your Potential

Steve Jobs was one of the best examples of breaking free of boundaries set by human mind; he questioned the traditional thoughts and his failure and unleashed his potential to create history.

Steve Jobs said in his autobiography:

I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life. [...] Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did .We limit our growth by putting limitations and glass ceiling on them and tell ourselves that I cannot go any further.

Where do these Self Limiting Beliefs come from?

These beliefs may have a represented a valid limit in the past, like your inability to write a speech when you were a toddler. As you grow you learn / unlearn skills and progress in life, it would have been logical to move beyond the original limitations set by you. Incidentally for some of us, this does not happen and we continue to hold on to them.

Failures are building blocks of success and not meant to be chains of trauma which will never let you live that way you wanted to live. Life will throw brickbats at you and it may be a different one each time, don’t accumulate all of them in note book, some of them may not repeat. Like Steve Jobs you can make your greatest failure into your greatest success.

Thoughts which ground you to do the same things day in day out and blame destiny for it will never allow you to live fullest to your potential.

The Flea Experiment

Put Fleas in an open transparent jar ,they can jump extremely high and are fully capable of jumping right out of the jar. Then if you put a clear lid on the jar, the fleas jump and bump their heads on the lid feeling the pain. The fleas eventually realize that they are unable to escape the confinement of the jar . Over the next hour or so the fleas give up and only jumps to the brim of the jar. Its a very Intelligent way to adapt to situation and avoid pain.

Later on when the lid is removed the fleas will not jump any higher. It continues to believe that it cannot get out of the jar and stops trying. The barrier has vanished physically but mentally it still present and hard coded.

And further more each flea is totally convinced that it is trying to escape just as hard as they can. But they are wrong! There was a barrier, but it’s no longer there!

So what are your Self Limiting Beliefs?

It is difficult to think outside the set beliefs. We use our beliefs to predict the future as connection is old data and experiences. You must look at things differently, Try to identify your self-limiting beliefs and see how you can break free of them.

How long have you been jumping just to the height that keeps everybody happy, without taking the risk of trying that little bit harder? Occasionally it may be worthwhile to bang your head against the limit; you may discover that the barrier is no longer there.

We all have our self-limiting beliefs, look at things you would want to do but have a coding that you cannot do it. Then re-look at the environment and your resources. Maybe you have acquired new abilities that will make you succeed this time. Knock the ” T ” off.

Jappreet Sethi

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Dec 03

Munnabhai, Gandhism And Corporate India

It is a sad statement on India that in recent times, Gandhi’s teachings only found a contemporary platform in Bollywood’s ‘Munnabhai’ film series. That said, we have to give due credit to Sanjay Dutt for underscoring Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals to a generation that seems to have forgotten them.

The ‘Gandhigiri’ that Sanjay Dutt’s character Munnabhai colloquially refers to is, in fact, the philosophy of Gandhism. Gandhi’s philosophy was based on three basic tenets – ‘satya’ (truth), ‘satyagraha’ (the path of uncompromising truth) and ‘ahimsa’, which pertains to Gandhi’s tenet of nonviolent resistance. It is a powerful philosophy that literally changed the course of Indian history.

So, does it all end with a series of formulaic Hindi movies? Not really. If we think about it, the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi have contemporary relevance in today’s business environment as well. In a company where Gandhian principles underlie a workforce’s perception of work, social ethics, moral discipline and human relations, nothing much can go wrong.

In fact, India does have many organizations with work cultures that reflect the essence of Gandhi’s teachings. Multinational corporations hoping to leverage India’s booming business potential are well advised to understand them.

Compassion and diplomacy have their place even in the hardest situations of corporate life. Guided by Mahatma Gandhi’s principles, the art of negotiation assumes almost magical hues. To illustrate – we know that Gandhi boycotted foreign goods not only to defy the British, but also to boost to the local Indian economy by promoting the use of ‘khadi’ and other indigenous products.

However, his philosophies shone through when he traveled to the affected Lancashire mills and spend time will the mill workers on his next British trip. True to his principles, he explained to them why he was doing what he was doing – and his gesture won the day.

By making himself accountable in this way, Gandhi practically demonstrated the very essence of corporate social responsibility. In fact, CSR in India saw its beginning in the Gandhian concept of holding companies through a trust instead of by individuals.

Today, the Gandhian concept of ‘ahimsa’ – or non-violence – still has the power to transform even the worst of boardroom conflicts into cooperation. Contrary to certain Western schools of thought, ahimsa in business negotiation and conflict resolution is far from passive and submissive. In fact, it is a most courageous route. This baseline Gandhian concept of ahimsa, from which all of Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophies originated, requires one to be serious, to accept reality and to be ready to make sacrifices.

Gandhism is not an obsolete social concept, and it is certainly more than just a populist gimmick to sell a movie franchise. It remains a revolutionary tool in an increasingly mercenary business environment. Some of the best corporate institutions in India, such as Tata, were inspired by Gandhi’s philosophy. All of us can adopt and harness its power. After all, when we speak of globalization, we are speaking of integration – not fragmentation. And integration is what Gandhi was all about.

Jappreet Sethi

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Sep 17

Career Tips For Aspiring Women Achievers

We are finally seeing the entry of women in board-level positions at leading multinational companies. However, the numbers are not stacking up as anticipated – many businesses continue to have a less-than-balanced equation in terms of gender diversity in leadership roles.

Without doubt, it is still an uphill climb for women achievers who have set their sights at the top. After the deconstruction of the women’s liberation mind-set of the late ’70s, there seems to be a lack of both purpose and opportunities. Women realized that Mother Nature never meant to be men, and that their essential femininity is in fact their greatest strength. However, they also discovered that it takes more than strength to break into certain time-enabled silos.

The corporate world – especially in developing countries – still seems to be more geared more towards male domination at the top. Women who deem themselves of suitable caliber to breach these vaults need a clear strategy. Here are some tips for aspiring women achievers:

Chart Out A Clear Course Of Action

Take a dispassionate look at where you are today, and decide on where exactly you hope to land up within a certain time frame. Without a clear goal, all your efforts will be futile. Don’t set your goals without considering your existing or future family responsibilities. The pursuit of your career goals should not entail giving up on other important aspects of life.

Discuss Your Goals With Your Manager Or A Trusted HR Representative

Every company has different nuances wired into its employee growth equation, and you may not be privy to these. It is wise to discuss the way forward with someone who can advise you on your company’s policies and corporate culture. This will clarify your thinking and give you more objectivity.

Evaluate The Challenges

Ask yourself the following questions:

Who else is in line for the promotion you are seeking? What are their abilities and weaknesses?
Who are their connections and how did they build them?
How can you leverage someone else’s abilities to manage your limitations?
What can you do to have your candidature noticed even in the presence of these contenders?

Build A Personal Network Of Influential Men And Women Within The Company System

Construct and grow your network and then leverage your contacts tactfully. While many would view such a course of action as office politics, there is really no substitute for strategic thinking. Arrange to meet these people in formal and informal settings, and offer innovative ideas that will get you noticed. Also establish what their business objectives are, and how you may be helpful in fulfilling them.

Begin To Dress Like A Winner

Women have a much harder time dressing for success than men, and there are fine lines that must not be crossed. If your dress code is rather casual now, you need to gradually adopt a more formal look. The key concept is ‘gradual’, since a sudden change of dress code may proclaim your aspirations and goals too loudly. You do not want to invite antagonism from other aspirants to the higher echelons of company leadership.

Ensure That Your Achievements Are Noticed By The Right People At The RIght Time

This does not mean shouting them from the roof-tops – again, you do not want to antagonize the competition. You can do this more subtle and focused ways:

Copy your manager on a mail thanking a client for awarding you a contract
Schedule a meeting with your business head – ask him or her what would be the best way to build on a recent success
Ask about what achievement awards you may be entitled to, and make sure you send in your candidature
Keep a track of your achievements in your diary and use it for your mid-year or year-end review.

Do not allow yourself any feelings of entitlement. Nothing succeeds like success – it is your triumphs that will get you to the top, not the fact that you are a woman. Above all, beware of token positions that many companies create merely because of political correctness. These are dead-ends from where there is no upward trajectory at all.

Jappreet Sethi

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Aug 27

Gender Diversity – Women In Leadership Roles

Why is gender diversity at the workplace important? One could cite any number of politically correct reasons. However, those have already been done to death by others. Also, they are not necessarily why gender diversity at the workplace – especially in leadership positions – is essential.

Our workplaces need gender diversity because men and women are, by nature wired differently. In other words, each gender comes with some unique capabilities (and also ‘incapabilities’). This has a direct bearing on leadership abilities. To elaborate on this:

Man lives and operates by logic and reason, while woman is also driven by emotion and the heart. This is, in fact, the more dangerous and therefore more courageous path. Man tends to choose the rational path because it is usually also the safer one. Woman chooses the dangerous path of emotions and sentiments. (This is why women have always found it difficult to live in a man-made society driven by the safe paths of reason and logic.)

The qualities that define a woman are trust, sincerity, truthfulness and authenticity. In times of conflict, such as in war, these qualities do not work well. History has been defined by power struggles and wars, which is where the man’s abilities to be forceful, devious and ruthless served a larger purpose. This is why it now appears to be a male-dominated world.

However, man’s strengths are far more primitive than those of woman. As humanity evolves, it emerges that man’s qualities are those that shaped the past, while woman’s qualities are those that will shape the future. Both serve their purpose, so there is no question of one gender being superior to another. However, there is a subtle difference in abilities. This difference is the one we perceive between what abilities it takes to build a city, and the ones needed to build a society.

Woman should never try to imitate man, because imitation is always imitation – never equality. There are unique qualities of female leadership that the most effective women leaders possess:

Women leaders are more assertive and persuasive
They have a stronger need to get things done and are more willing to take risks than male leaders
Women leaders are more empathetic and flexible, as well as stronger in interpersonal skills than their male counterparts. This helps them to read situations accurately and take information in from all sides
Women leaders are more effective at bringing others around to their point of view, because they genuinely understand and care about where others are coming from
Women leaders demonstrate a more inclusive, team-building leadership style of problem solving and decision-making
Women leaders are more likely to ignore rules and take risks
Women are more capable of turning challenges into opportunities

The leadership style of women is not simply unique but possibly also more valuable in business. The male approach of domination as a leadership style is becoming less and less popular. There is a new growing appreciation of the traits that women use to keep families together and to organize volunteers to unite and make change in the shared life of communities.

These qualities of shared leadership, nurturance and doing good for others are today not only sought after but also required to make a difference in the world. The woman’s way of leading includes helping the world to understand and be principled about values that really matter.

Jappreet Sethi

6 comments

Aug 08

Are You A Manager Or A Leader?

It is a known fact that people who do what they are good at are happier people. As a happy adjunct – happier people tend to be better at what they do! Interestingly, the amount of satisfaction that qualified people derive from their jobs depends on whether they are managers or leaders.

“Is there an essential difference?” you may ask yourself. “After all, managers lead people, don’t they?” Technically, this may be true. However, the fact is that managers are people who know how to get things done. They operate best when they surround themselves with people who have vision. They serve a vital and useful purpose, but managers are not necessarily highly creative people. Rather, good managers keep whatever processes already exist running smoothly.

Leaders, on the other hand, are creators. They are people who know precisely what to do, and they operate best when they surround themselves with people who can help them create. In a corporate setting, the act of creation may lie in opening up new business avenues or revamping current ones to make them more profitable.

For leaders, the job they do is a matter of passion, and they have the ability to use their passion to energize others. Observe anyone in your company in a leadership role. On phone calls, in meetings, or even next to the water cooler, they act passionately – and others follow suit. They have a specific vision, a specific game-plan and the capacity to organize combined effort to create something new.

To identify whether you are better at a manager’s job or are indeed leadership material, you obviously need to have a very clearer picture of your abilities. Your company’s employee review is one way of finding out; however, it may not always be an accurate representation of your abilities. If the company review lacks sufficient depth, it may only be able gauge how effective you are at what you have chosen to do. It may not be able to identify leadership abilities.

There are various assessment modules and aptitude tests that can give you a very accurate picture. If you have ever experienced even a twinge of career frustration because you feel you are able to do a lot more, it makes sense to avail of them.

Over the course of our lives, we make and achieve specific career goals because we want to advance ourselves. In the process, it is possible for us to subconsciously convince ourselves that the work we do is good and that we are successful and happy. However, many people in managerial positions find themselves in situations that challenge these assumptions. At such points, they no longer love what they’re doing – and they soon lose their effectiveness.

Are you among them?

One possible reason for this could be that you have frustrated leadership abilities. You may have true passion for what you do, but are stuck in a manager’s position that limits these abilities. At such a point, it is worthwhile asking yourself if you’re in the right job at all. Changing this status quo would require a major change of mindset, because we tend to burrow ourselves into our comfort zones.

On the other hand, the passion that burns in a person with leadership qualities will make him or her challenge the status quo. If you genuinely feel you can do justice to a leadership position, you will muster the courage to ask for one within your company. If this proves ineffective, you will quit and find a job that is equal to your abilities. However, do all you can to establish that your leadership aspirations are not based on illusions of grandeur, but rather on real passion and vision – and the aptitude to back them up.

In the final analysis, both managers and leaders serve a vital purpose in any company’s scheme of things. Both can safely be said to be indispensable in their own right, and no company can function without either. Find your calling and answer to it. The trick is be able to assess your calling accurately.

Jappreet Sethi

3 comments

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