Professional
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Farewell to the APAC CEO
As I entered the conference room to join the farewell party of one of our youngest staff, Neelima, an energetic and passionate software tester, I was mentally preparing myself for hearing the Farewell Speech. This was standard protocol and I expected this to be a standard meeting. I had to get home quickly, after this meeting, to attend to Toyna, who was running high fever. Everyone one in the team was happy for Neelima as she started a new phase in her life. She was getting married and moving to new regions. We shared the cake, ice cream and some light hearted jokes. With that we immediately came to the…
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Success, the root cause behind Failure
Since the last few years, I have been harboring a dream. A dream which defines a purpose for my life. As I go to bed each night, I vow to take out time for my dream the next day. I promise to prioritize it above everything else. I promise to make it work, no matter what the odds are. The next morning chaos of breakfast, lunch boxes and exam revisions seamlessly intertwines with the chaos of meetings, phone calls and approvals by the evening. Was there an afternoon in between, I don’t seem to have noticed? As I step down from office at 7 PM, I curse myself for not living my…
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Ladies in Charge
I happened to answer the office LAN Line number and was greeted by an overconfident female Sales Representative of an Insurance Company. She introduced herself quickly and immediately requested for her to be connected to “Sir“. I was confused. I checked, “May I know who you need to speak to?” She responded, “The Manager in Charge please.” I responded, “Well! I am a Lady and I am the Manager in Charge” Silence for 2 seconds. She fumbled a little thereafter but managed to explain the requirement and I connected her to our Admin department. I couldn’t help but muse that even in today’s world, the underlying assumption is that it is…
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Failure is the Biggest Teacher
I learnt today – Failure is a far more powerful teacher than success!! Perhaps for the first time in my life, I am feeling immensely proud of having failed. I would have never learnt so much if I had succeeded.
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Death of the Farmer buried in the Farming Vision
I sat through a high energy leadership session at a leading IT company, hearing future leaders talk about their dream; the one thing that wakes them up every morning; the one thing that doesn’t let them sleep at night. I was juggling between other office notes and chat messages on the side, expecting this to be just another vision mapping exercise. I thought I knew what most of them wanted – settle in USA, buy a Ferrari, and a home in Hollywood. Isn’t this what this generation is really working for? Isn’t this why they slog at their desks 24 * 7, have zero family life and have children who…
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My story of becoming the India CEO of KINDUZ
It was 10:30 in the night. My manager and I had just completed our individual set of meetings over the phone. We still had a few hours of work ahead of us before we could call it a night. Thankfully, the children had slept on time today, allowing me the luxury of focusing on work uninterrupted. We sat down on the living room couch to catch our breath and talk about something that had been playing on our minds for some days. The lego blocks were scattered on the carpet ahead of us and the room bore the tired look of having hosted children throughout the day. But that was…
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Cairo, I love you!
What is the first thing that comes to mind when we think of Egypt? It is not the Pyramids. It is not the Nile. It is the political instability. As I prepared to join my husband on my first business trip to Cairo, I had the same sentiments in my mind. I didn’t really care so much about visiting the Pyramids. I cared more about returning home safely. Friends and family requested me not to go. Once they realized that I am not going to change my mind, they showered me with safe travel checklists and advice – carry a spare phone, dress conservatively, don’t venture out alone, etc., etc. I took…
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There is no shame in being a Working Parent
In the past, I have often felt guilty when my children screamed for attention in the middle of late evening office conference calls. No matter how hard you try and avoid such calls; lets face it, we all end up getting into those just to connect with folks who are unreachable during the day. I have apologized profusely for the interruptions and begged to be ignored for a while. For a long time, I have even considered myself incapable of being a good professional as long as I had children by my side. 10 years of juggling children and work, and yet rising in my career, has taught me one…
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Network with the Second Level Supplier
I have learnt that in order to find the right resource for your project you should create a relationship with the suppliers who provide resources to the resource you need. For example: When searching for a cook for my household, we approached agents, bakeries, and sweet shops but did not get any response. After all these people consume the resource in demand (in this case a cook) themselves. So why would they pass on their own valuable resource to me. Then one evening, when I was buying vegetables with our neighborhood Green Grocer, I broached the subject for a cook with her. She thought for a while and said she will let me know. We…
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Vendors are like your own Children
Handling unprofessional vendors is very similar to handling your kids. On a typical day, this is how the conversation between me and my kids go: Child: Mama, I want to have a Yogurt now. Mom: No, but it is almost lunch time. How about you have it after you have finished your complete lunch nicely. Child: Nooo! But I want it right now. Mom: But you know the rules; we don’t eat snacks before lunch. It will spoil our appetite for lunch. Child: Nooooooo!!!!! You never listen to me!! You don’t even love me!!!!! Mom (hands crossed, trying to hold back the rising frustration, taking deep breaths and waiting for the…