“A leader. . .is like a shepherd. He stays behind the flock, letting the most nimble go out ahead, whereupon the others follow, not realizing that all along they are being directed from behind.”  — Nelson Mandela, former President of South Africa The best definition of leadership is the act of motivating other people toward a common goal. Good leaders should build a vision, set clear goals and directions, and map a dynamic path forward for their team or group. Leaders showcase a strong personality, and maintain strong interpersonal skills. This allows them to efficiently inspire others t ..read more

Managing people is never easy, but the job of a leader becomes even more difficult when team members are openly hostile to each other. Healthy conflict is part and parcel of every organisation. However, undercurrents resembling actual hatred or resentment can heavily impact effective collaboration and hinder productivity. And, often, managers struggle to find the right way to help resolve such issues among their direct reports. They fear getting too personal, or not personal enough to make a difference. So, what to do? How to help your seemingly defiant team members find common grounds? There ..read more

We are living in extraordinary times, and it comes with equally extraordinary share of challenges. The organizations and the L&D ecosystems are witnessing an unprecedented shift in how we used to operate. The organizations that are still thriving are the ones who could quickly navigate their way through these times. They were ale to re-organise their business processes, customer interactions, and adopted technology in a huge way. When going through such massive changes, the obvious pressure and onus of navigating these changes falls in the lap of the leaders and the L&D team of the or ..read more

*All images are created using Canva Pro In the post-pandemic era, innovation and entrepreneurial spirit will reign supreme. Not only individual leaders but rather, organisations across the board will have to step up their game. But, how can traditional organisations bring about such extensive radical changes effectively? The answer lies in a threefold approach – Developing an irrefutable sense of higher purpose for both the organisation and individual team members; and taking guided strategic decisions and implementing practices in accordance with the defined purpose. This further requires a c ..read more

Blair Sheppard – Global Leader, Strategy & Leadership at PwC released his ‘Ten Years to Midnight’ book back in August 2020. And after almost two years of a global pandemic, it remains as relevant as ever. The book talks about a supposed timelines of 10 years that the world leaders have before it’s too late. The timeline focuses on 4 urgent global challenges and possible strategic solutions for them. Sheppard urges leaders to act fast, even as the the 70 years long social-economic progress triggered by the Marshall Plan unravels in front of their eyes. What is the Marshall Plan? *All image ..read more

Cross generational team work can allow for an eclectic, but inspired flow of ideas and varying perspectives. However, leaders often struggle with managing such a culturally and often, technologically diverse team. The challenges faced take different forms like clash of authority, inherent biases born out of generalised stereotypes, and so on. And, as a new generation of technological driven Gen Zers enter the workforce, managers will have a tougher time maintaining and empowering inter-generational teams. Each new generation, from Gen X to Baby Boomers, to even millennials bring very differen ..read more

The future of organisational landscape looks LIT! The latest generation entering the workforce in the near future is about to reinvent leadership and work styles, alike. With values as their guiding star, Gen-Zers are here to revolutionise everything we know about the corporate world. As the first digital native generation, using technology to influence the world around is child’s play to them. And, like with any inter-generational shift, leaders are going to reinvent their styles in accordance with the new kids on the block. With an alleged attention span of less than 7 second, Gen Z is noth ..read more

The following blog has been contributed by Marcus – Editor, founder, and dating coach for men at MarcusNeo.Com. Unlikely bedmates, Marcus and FocusU share one common interest. It’s our passion for enabling action through inspired frameworks. His methods and courses continue to enable thousands of men find their most confident selves by honing their relationship management skills. And, in the following article, he shares insights on how leaders, across industries, can benefit from effective relationship management skills. What’s Relationship Management? As the name suggests, relationship manag ..read more

Reflecting back on the early nineties, when I began my career as a medical sales rep, I was a shy youngster, who wouldn’t like to stand-out. However once, very early in my career, I stood up to the interviewing board of Sun Pharma, when they were selecting for an 8-member team (across India) to discuss clinical studies with doctors. For Lucknow HQ, a place where I belonged to, we were two nominees. The board went with my experienced colleague. I was heart-broken. Then I came to know that one of the other HQs (Jaipur) was still open. I went back to the board and asked them: since they had said ..read more

For most organisations, the pandemic brought to surface unexpected talent, creativity, and resilience. Many mid-level employees stepped up and took charge of the situation. They handled the unexpected challenges with unprecedented creativity and a strong bias for action. These entrepreneurial team members have really changed the game for everyone, everywhere. Regardless of the size of the organisation, these team members showed initiative and devised innovative solutions, employing cross-functional resources to optimise the productivity for all. However, with the situation normalising across ..read more