A lot of managers or team leaders think highly of occasionally soliciting negative feedback. They identify negative feedback with a sense of transparency, honesty and brutality needed to succeed in business. Some tender this by providing negative feedback as a companion piece to something positive just before dropping the bombshell. However, studies have confirmed that both these approaches are cases of poor talent management practices. Negative feedback is usually followed by the employee going “shopping for confirmation” where he/she approaches others in the team to validate the views received. This is only when the work system is such that one needs to regularly engage with the feedback provider, but if that is not necessary, one simply tends to avoid company. Only engaging in positive feedback may also not work, but is usually better as people want to feel valued. Fortunately, most business managers are not buying into this philosophy and increasingly ingraining it to their appraisal systems. This problem gets further enhanced due to the ubiquitous presence of social media at present.

Source:https://hbr.org/2018/01/negative-feedback-rarely-leads-to-improvement

Uploaded Date:06 February 2018

Unlike a job, a career is an upward trajectory. While a few top ones, make it right to the apex in their respective fields, the majority get locked down into competitive conflicts. Some people even succeed on the back of their team members’ work. There is what is known as the Matthew Effect where people not long back were either peers or only a level below now struggle to find the other who has leapfrogged ahead in position and likewise status. With each milestone being covered, a destructive infighting could commence among the other people to compete on who would ride on the coat-tails of this person’s success. Another occurrence could be resentment on this lucky few, so an outburst. Truly good talent management implies using the Mark Effect which is more democratic as it is about bringing the entire team together towards a solution. Despite the best of intentions, one must be aware that not all would want to bask in reflected glory, but many may instead show insensitive behavior. One must strive hard to remain classy.

Source:https://knowledge.insead.edu/career/the-risks-of-rivalry-in-a-winner-focused-world-exclusive

Uploaded Date:06 February 2018

A lot of people often ask about how to find the purpose of their life. There is even a dubious quote attributed to Mark Twain confirming the futility of life. Yet, the purpose is not some Eureka moment, but indeed how one chooses to live life by. This is the first of three major misconceptions surrounding purpose in life. The second is that people consider purpose a one-off moment in life. In reality, it is a constant endeavor to do what one truly sets out to. This is true about humanitarian causes as well as intellectual pursuits. Also, purpose need to arise from a single source, but maybe from multiple such as family and work could both be reasons enough. A third such misconception is that purpose remains static throughout. Understanding one’s evolution in purpose is also a sign of one’s talent management abilities. Things will keep evolving, and one cannot be pigeonholed to things that were of interest long back.Source:

Source:https://hbr.org/2017/10/you-dont-find-your-purpose-you-build-it?utm_campaign=hbr&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social

Uploaded Date:06 February 2018

Studies across the world have demonstrated how proper nurturing of employees leads to improvement in innovations being implemented and increase in productivity. Such adequate talent management however needs to be accompanied by some similar people-centric programmes to ensure proper change management. One of them is a catalytic leadership to motivate people and add purpose to their lives. The hierarchy must inculcate an agile process of working. Employee engagement must continue simultaneously. A different approach needs to be adopted to leverage the conditions prevalent in the digital era. These approaches have led to improvements in four specific trends which are purpose, speed, inclusiveness and a transformative behaviour. To do all this, companies must look beyond traditional linear thinking. Formal accelerators may be periodically used to impact speed. Meetings must be held with a purpose in mind. Technology must be leveraged to enhance the effectiveness of corporate communications. An overall digital-savvy culture needs to be promoted. And finally, existing social triggers must be utilized to effect positive behavioural change.

Source:https://www.bcg.com/publications/2017/change-management-organization-digital-era-change-runs-people-power.aspx?linkId=44591697

Uploaded Date:19 January 2018

While education is necessary to trigger wisdom, one does not necessarily lead to the other. While the right knowledge allows business leaders to process information, wisdom enables one to take holistic decisions. Wise people tend to have an advantage on both cognitive and emotive patterns. As they can see the bigger picture more clearly, the are able to get a better view of the corporate strategy or the bigger picture. They do not get fooled by simplistic black-and-white thinking. From an emotional angle, they tend to exhibit greater empathy, humility and compassion as they are more introspective and reflective. Age does not necessarily imply acquisition of wisdom. Formal corporate training involving executive coaches, educators, mentors and psychotherapists can go a long way in expediting emotional self-regulation and mindfulness. Professionals must take care to exhibit their authentic selves in absorb traits that will lead towards such open-mindedness.

Source:https://knowledge.insead.edu/blog/insead-blog/why-wisdom-cant-be-taught-6456

Uploaded Date:19 January 2018

Self-awareness has become one of the most talked about topics in the corporate world at present. Studies have made us understand that improved self-awareness leads to better decision-making, forging stronger relationships and more effective corporate communication. This in turn leads to better leaders and happier employees, reflecting in a higher bottom-line for companies. There exist two kinds of self-awareness. One is internal self-awareness where one is better able to monitor own inner world. Here the concerned person has clarity over his/her reaction, passions, ambitions and values. The other is external self-awareness which includes one’s understanding of others’ perceptions about himself/herself. There is no direct co-relation between possession of the two types of self-awareness. Introspectors are those with high internal but low external self-awareness. Some are Aware of both forms of self-awareness. Others are Seekers, who are low on both. And the Pleasers have low internal self-awareness but high on the external understanding. Contrary to usual understanding, increased experience and power actually reduce the ability to gauge self-awareness. This is because most people on reaching a certain position, stop taking in feedback on themselves. The best of leaders were those who gauged adequate business intelligence on how people perceive them. Funnily enough, introspection does not necessarily lead to enhanced levels of self-awareness. This is because while introspecting, most do not do it the right way as the human mind isn’t generally rational.

Source:https://hbr.org/2018/01/what-self-awareness-really-is-and-how-to-cultivate-it

Uploaded Date:19 January 2018

Stress is an unfortunately ever-growing malady in the modern world. Greater introspection has resulted in understanding that eliminating stress goes a long way in reducing other diseases as well. This is because a lot of the cures rely on psychological recovery. Experiments were conducted testing the placebo theory where patients recovered in spite of taking harmless but fake medicines, just because they were able to convince their bodies about the good effects of the said drugs. There is growing disillusionment regarding western modes of medical care. While it has benefitted millions, chronic pain is increasing. Even public funded institutions such as the National Institutes of Health (NIH) are at present overwhelmingly reliant on the intake of physical drugs. This study was conducted after detailed analysis from huge chunks of data warehousing done. It revealed that a middle path ought to be developed combining conventional western medicine with mind related training. And this changed approach needs to be undertaken from the top echelons through bodies such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

Source:http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/chronic-stress-a-case-of-mind-over-matter/

Uploaded Date:19 January 2018