Joe had suffered from really bad headaches for the last 20 years. He eventually decides to go and see a Doctor. The Doctor says, ‘Joe, the good news is I can cure your headaches. The bad news is that it will require removing your testicles. You have a very rare condition, which causes your testicles to press on your spine and the pressure creates one hell of a headache.The only way to relieve the pressure is to remove the testicles.’ Joe is shocked and depressed. He wondered if he had anything to live for. He had no choice but to…
Team meetings; future-ready agenda to hold productive meetings
Blah blah blah… that is how the Chairperson opens most meetings where they talk and talk and talk, without significant impact on solving the most pressing issues that caused the meeting in the first place. Meetings take a long time because everyone wants to say something and in the process, lots of noise and less value. Some leaders want to call people for a meeting to just give them instructions. In these kinds of meetings, people are likely to sleep off. For real, I have attended meetings where the brain evaluated the options available – sleep or continue listening and…
Culture audit: why your organization needs one
Before a culture audit, you need to understand the current culture at any organization. The right culture provides a foundation for high performance. Do not start speeding before you define the destination. A culture to put in place a strategy is critical. If you just wake up from the bed and begin running in any direction, the chances that you will end nowhere are very high. Speed without direction is useless. First, define the direction and begin running towards that direction. The strategy provides the right direction. And culture gives the discipline to drive safely on the road. Why do…
The linkage between strategy and culture
Strategy asks leaders to make choices of how they will win in the medium and long term. The focus is on how to play to win fairly in a sustainable manner. If you are a football team, you want to win upcoming and future games as well as stay competitive in the next 3 to 5 years. That is called the short, medium and long term game. The same applies to your business or career. You want to be able to create and sustain value in the short, medium, and long term. You do not want to be a leader of…
How to get a job easily this holiday season
It is that time of the year full of opportunities. If you have been out of action for the last two years, now is time to reset and get close to folks who could easily transform your career. The easiest way is to position yourself as a reliable person. Don’t be picky. Many middle and high-end folks are planning to travel to their villages or out of the country for holidays on a family trip. Meaning, many don’t have someone to leave at home as a security guard or to care for their house and property. How do you get…
The linkage between risk management (ERM) and strategy
The primary objective of all business leaders is to grow stakeholder value. That means the organisation must not only make money but do so in a sustainable way. Sustainable growth means the business is run in a way that facilitates success today and in the future. Let us take the example of human capital. You hire qualified and experienced people today who bring value to the organisation instantly. Such a great hire will deliver success in the short term. However, if the organisation does not have an adequate human capital development strategy to help staff continuously learn and upgrade skills…
