Episode 18: Autonomy
“You can either tell me what to do, or you can tell me how to do it. But you can’t tell me both, Sir” recounted my friend Nate Boaz, citing the words of a soldier during his days in the defense forces. Nate has a distinct take on life and leadership, having served in war […]
Episode 17: The missing link for healthy habits
A quick Google search on “habits” returns over 3.6 billion results. From articles to videos to podcasts to books, there is a plethora of information, and our desire for forming good habits knows no bounds as we constantly seek help from peers, coaches and trainers. Yet, there seems to be a chasm between our intention […]
Episode 16: The foundation for unstoppable performance
As a Human Resources leader, I have dedicated my three decade career to exploring human potential and fostering high performance in individuals and teams. In the early years, it appeared that performance was driven by education and relentless hard work. However, as complexity and scale increased, effective collaboration emerged as a crucial factor. Serving as […]
Episode 15: Why I show up on your feed
“He who has a why can bear almost any how”, said the famous German philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche. Some time back I was asked why I do these videos and what I am hoping to achieve. Here is my why…
Episode 14: Principles for sustained high performance
The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn well and work well, and contribute to their community.” Our research in Sapien Labs, drawn from over 1.3 million people who have taken the Mental Health Quotient (MHQ) […]
Episode 13: How to pay people without performance ratings
“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.” Thomas Edison. In my recent videos, I explained why performance management systems have failed. I also outlined the six universal truths that drive great performance. So how can these principles be applied in organizations? I believe that performance management ought to be architected to […]
Episode 12: Six universal truths of great performance
“We have always found that, if principles were right, the area over which they were applied did not matter. Size is only a matter of multiplication table.” Henry Ford. One of the most significant assignments in my career was leading the re imagination of performance management in my company. There was growing disenchantment with the […]
Episode 11: A short history of performance management
Ever heard of rank and yank? Stack ranking? Forced rating? If you’ve been in the corporate dance, chances are you’ve waltzed along the bell curve during annual performance reviews. The irony? The “top” (of the curve) is smack in the middle – the realm of the average performers. If that’s where you ended up, your […]
Episode 10: Smartphones harm kids. What can parents do?
“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors. We borrow it from our children.” [Various] Sometime in my late teenage years I made a decision to not have children. I had grown up with a debilitating condition of asthma, which I wished not to pass on to another human life. Contemporary parenting is thus […]
Episode 9: The social self. And why it matters
“Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual. Anyone who either cannot lead the common life or is so self-sufficient as not to need to, and therefore does not partake of […]
