Life Archives - Page 5 of 7 - Sincera Consulting

Five Strategies for Staying Ahead and Aware – Happy In The Now

by sincera | Dec 2, 2012 | Career, Life, Managing Yourself, Productivity

Our attitude toward life determines life’s attitude toward us ~ Earl Nightingale

Snooze or dismiss…? We wake up mechanically each morning and let the alarm clocks and our calendars govern and rule our lives without realizing the immense influence these things have come to have on us…. and not the vice-versa? In the early ages – we started by inventions and discoveries to make our lives easier and simpler, but now in this day and age, we have reached a precipice ….and it seems that these have instead controlled and engulfed us. I remember an incident just last month when my son asked me if I could attend his Award Function at school for achieving a Straight ‘A’ report card, instead of having an elated instantaneous response, I heard myself saying “sure I’d love to… please can you tell me what date / day it is so I can confirm after checking my calls and appointments for the day”. The sheer possibility that I may not be able to join him in his celebration wiped out the look of joy from his eyes.

That moment was enough to jolt me out of my trance and carve out some guiding principles for Staying Ahead and Aware to prevent such a recurrence. Hope these resonate with you as well :

Staying Ahead and Aware Strategy #1 : Look towards the Future:

Dwelling in the past or crying over split milk has never paved the way for anyone. Only when we are ‘pushed to the wall’ at a point of no return, do our eyes finally open and we see paths that never seemed to have existed before and we are able to STOP mulling over ‘why’ and ‘what ifs’ of past happenings and take reins of ‘how’ and ‘who’ can hold our hand from this point in our life to keep on moving forward. Watching the movie ‘Zookeeper’ with my lil’ one, I was reminded anew of a profound life’s lesson: ‘We have to stop living in the past and look towards the future’. So simple and so right!

**Staying Ahead and Aware Strategy #2 : *Learn from around you:***

Learn each day from your peers, your boss, your spouse or even your child. Yearning for learning…. can lead to earning and I don’t mean just $$$! Any person who feels “I know it all”, has no craving or passion and hunger for more knowledge each day from every facet of life, is living with blinders in a fool’s paradise. So keep your eyes and ears open – watch, absorb and tread on …..smarter and wiser.

Staying Ahead and Aware Strategy #3 : See the Rainbow:

Though everyone around me warns me that Life is ‘Black ’and ‘White’ or at the most a pale shade of “Gray”, I suggest to them to not miss the exuberant hues associated with each day. While driving back from work, maybe your favorite song comes up on the Radio and lightens up your day. Unanticipated joys can add color to a seemingly boring day.

Staying Ahead and Aware Strategy #4 : S…mile..S:

The longest word in English dictionary – with a ‘Mile’ between the two “S” and the only curve that can set the hardest things Straight…. Even in the worst of days, simply your child’s smile can be just enough to forget the tussle with your boss earlier in the day. Or gifting your team member with one can motivate them to take on the toughest of challenges. Easy, hassle free, inexpensive yet much underused tool.

**Staying Ahead and Aware Strategy #5 : *Stop Nitpicking***:

Instead of always finding faults and errors, take a moment to appreciate the hard work and enthusiasm of the person(s) completing assigned task(s). To ensure that criticism is accepted without resentment – make it a positive one, as that always – nurtures. A good leader feels pride watching their teams being successful – having triumphantly and safely led the team like the Pied Piper even in turbulent times of immense competition.

Don’t stop, don’t let anyone stop you. The ladder of your life, of your success or failure is in your hands. As they say… ‘thrill is in the chase’, so make your journey and that of those accompanying you on the path, a memorable one for Staying Ahead and Aware in the crowd and reach your destination with joy.

Today’s post is written by Toshina Sethi – a special friend and an amazing woman. This is her very first blog post and both of us would love your opinion, encouragement and thoughts. What strategies do you use to stay ahead? What insights have you recently gained in the middle of your busy life ? What has worked for you and what hasn’t? We would love to know!

Picture courtesy : http://www.flickr.com/photos/tweedledeedesigns/4932424821/

The Journey from Employee to – Five Mind Shifts that I need to work on

by sincera | Sep 9, 2012 | Business, Business Operations, Career, Life, Management, Managing Yourself, Performance, Productivity

Thomas Carlyle said – Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see farther.

It has been a few months now since I handed over my employee badge and stepped on to the road less travelled of entrepreneurship. Still surviving and never been happier !

My last blog on this topic elicited a lot of interest and questions and I thought it would be a good idea to take stock of what I have seen so far and share what I have learnt on this journey. While I did know when I started out that my life is going to change in a BIG way, what I probably had not realized as much was that most of the change would have to be in my mindset – my thoughts and approach to situations. HBS professor Howard Stevenson in his book – Breakthrough Entrepreneurship – defined Entrepreneurship as “Entrepreneurship is the pursuit of opportunity without regard to resources currently controlled.” And that certainly is a great definition in my case. As a micro-entrepreneur, my access to resources is certainly limited and I am learning how to be resourceful, identify the resources that I do have and find access to the resources that I don’t have.

So here are the five mind-shifts that I have realized I need to make and work on:

Resource #1 Time – Time is more valuable than Money: It took me around a month to realize that “time is money” is an advice best ignored as it is a definite trap. I had broken up my working hours into slots that I planned to sell. Then I realized the only way to make more money from my work is to make more time to work. And then days and nights, weekends and weekdays all started blurring into each other pretty soon till I was at a point where I lost track of all time. There are just not enough hours in the day for the work that I want to do and the kind of success that I want to achieve. Lesson learned – I need to learn the art of saying “NO” and also need to systemize my work to achieve scalability. Think about the outcome I want and then work backwards breaking it up into tasks and checklists and documenting all of it so that I create repeatable processes that clients and my team can use to deliver identical results every time–especially when I am not there. This is about moving from the “no one can do it better than me” mindset to “enabling and creating capabilities outside of me” so that I can free up my time and attention for the next level of challenges and opportunities.

Resource #2 Finances – I am my safety blanket: The luxury of a pay cheque at the end of the month is gone – so also is all the benefits and savings towards a pension that got automatically taken care of by my employer. So now the responsibility lies solely with me to ensure that I plan my finances in such a way that I am keeping aside some of the money for the future. Never being very good with personal finances, I have had to give considerable thought to this especially when one of the golden rules of entrepreneurship is to have a nest egg for living expenses and emergencies for at least one year before expanding the business or your lifestyle. This will need a lot of juggling and some level of discipline in me to achieve.

Resource #3 Ability and Skills – I am solely responsible for MY performance and growth: No more annual performance appraisals and goal setting by managers (that’s actually a relief as I have never believed in them anyway). And there is no option of learning on the job as you are expected to deliver from day one as a consultant. So, if I have to grow, it is unto me to take charge of my learning curve while balancing the two points above – time and finances. I am reading up on goal setting – 30, 60, 90 days plans that will work well for me and my business. I have also created a goal poster for myself to help me visualize my success and urge me forward. I had never imagined that I would end up spending so much time on this area ultimately considering that this was an area I never gave much attention to as an employee.

Resource #4 Technology and Tools – I am my support function: The life-lines of calling up the IT department or admin to take care of my IT or admin needs is over. I have to build up my own support structure so that I don’t waste my precious time on tasks such as creating invoices, backing up data, setting up a LAN, etc. – all business critical functions but not my core competency. I need to concentrate on my strengths and take help on or delegate my weaknesses. Hence the need to investigate the right set of tools and technology to improve my productivity. I also have to look at functions that can be delegated or outsourced with ease so I am keeping a checklist of things and documenting the processes that I need to outsource in the near future instead of trying to do it all myself. That’s another change in thought process that is important in making a smooth transition from employee to entrepreneur.

Resource #5 Being Visible – I am my marketing and sales engine – and that means that I have to move from being an introvert to someone who doesn’t shy away from marketing and legitimately promoting myself – the biggest mind shift that I have to make. This is probably something that I should have been doing as an employee too but I always thought that my work would speak for itself (and it did to some extent). Recognizing my value myself and ensuring that others know it too, never under-selling and pushing back or forward as needed is critical for my business growth. Confidence comes from action is something that I now realize too well – so my to-do list is now almost full of actions that I need to take to make me and my business visible. Sacha Chua – a fellow entrepreneur sums up it up very well in her sketch note here.

So are you in the same boat? What shifts did you have to make in your entrepreneurship journey? What else do I need to re-learn? I would love to hear back and learn from your experiences.

Pic courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/uggboy/5383116954

Five Working Principles for Business Operations Performance Management – In Gratitude and Honour of Seth Godin

by sincera | Jul 15, 2012 | Business, Business Operations, Career, Leadership, Life, Management, Managing Yourself, Performance, Productivity

Isn’t it strange (in a good way) how sometimes someone who you have never met or interacted with can have such a profound impact on your life and work? I think it was two years ago when the CEO of one of the places that I have worked in quoted Seth Godin in a discussion. I went and looked him up and wow – did he make me think! Seth posts every day and almost every single one of his posts have made me take a step back and take a close look at one or other area of my life and work. If you already follow him, then I am sure you have also experienced this – if you haven’t yet, then I suggest you go and subscribe to his blog here – I can confidently say that your thought processes will never remain the same.

This blog is a compilation of five of his posts from 2012 only (and it was very difficult choosing five, I may need to do a follow-on post) that can inspire you to change the rules of the game in business operations and management:

Working Principle #1: Ask Why Often – Why ask why?

“Why?” is the most important question, not asked nearly enough.

Hint: “Because I said so,” is not a valid answer.

Why does it work this way?
Why is that our goal?
Why did you say no?
Why are we treating people differently?
Why is this policy?
Why don’t we enter this market?
Why did you change your mind?
Why are we having this meeting?
Why not?

Working Principle #2: A Path which may look like a shortcut may not actually be a shortcut – Quick shortcuts (in search of)

There aren’t many actual shortcuts.

There are merely direct paths…

Most people don’t take them, because they frighten us–too direct, I guess. It’s easy to avoid the things that frighten us if we wander around for a while. Stalling takes many forms, and one of them looks like a shortcut.

Things that look like shortcuts are actually detours (disguised as less work).

Working Principle #3: Identify and focus on the Leak First – Insatiable

Long-lasting systems can’t survive if they remain insatiable.

An insatiable thirst for food, power, energy, reassurance, clicks, funding or other raw material will eventually lead to failure. That’s because there’s never enough to satisfy someone or something that’s insatiable. The organization amps up because its need is unmet. It gets out of balance, changing what had previously worked to get more of what it craves. Sooner or later, a crash.

More fame! More money! More investment! Push too hard and you lose what you came with and don’t get what you came for.

An insatiable appetite is a symptom: There’s a hole in the bucket. Something’s leaking out. When a system (or a person) continues to demand more and more but doesn’t produce in response, that’s because the resources aren’t being used properly, something is leaking.

If your organization demands ever more attention or effort or cash to produce the same output, it makes more sense to focus on the leak than it does to work ever harder to feed the beast.

Working Principle #4: It is not about You, it is about the Outcome -The quickest way to get things done and make change

Not the easiest, but the quickest:

Don’t demand authority.

Eagerly take responsibility.

Relentlessly give credit.

Working Principle #5: Caring Enough is a competitive advantage in your hands – “It’s not business, it’s personal”

It’s too easy to blame the organization and the system and the bottom line for decisions that a person would never be willing to take responsibility for.

Whenever you can, work with people who take it personally.

And finally a bonus one from Mr. Godin that I can’t just resist putting in here – It’s never too late…….to start heading in the right direction.

There are many new initiatives that I started on and new directions that I took in the last year inspired by Seth’s daily doses. Who inspires you ? What blogs do you follow that are a must read for you? What do you think of the five principles above? Have you tried them at work ? What other posts from Seth have you found thought provoking? I would love to hear back and learn from you.

Five Reasons why I just said Bye-Bye to a Great Job

by sincera | Jun 23, 2012 | Business, Business Operations, Career, Life, Management, Managing Yourself

OK. I did it – I just quit my job as an associate vice president in a super company where I worked for the last eight years. No, I don’t have another job offer in hand. No, I haven’t won the lottery or got a huge inheritance either. And no, I still have my wits around me. Why then am I leaving the security of a well-paid corporate job out of my own choice? The answer (and it took me around a year and a lot of self-examination to arrive at this) is simple – I want to WORK HAPPIER. In the last one year, I have made being “Happy in the Now” the guiding philosophy of my life and work being where the largest chunk of my time goes into, need I say more?

So in answer to the question I have heard quite often in the past week – “why would you do something so crazy?” – Here are the five reasons why I am trading security for risks:

Reason #1: Getting out of the “Comfort Zone” – I realized that I had become too comfortable and in my view, being too comfortable is a sure path to getting stuck and becoming mediocre pretty soon. I knew I could do more, much more than the challenges that my current environment set for me. So, a new environment made more sense. Of course this was not easy as I had to think through and get real on:
Security (myth as it doesn’t exist anymore in corporate world)
No other Option (myth as there is always another option)
or Thinking I am better off than most (again a myth, as there is no such thing as better, you have to be the best for yourself)

Reason #2: Personal Growth or Enrichment – This is about moving from a “been there and done that” feeling to a “can’t wait to get my hands on it” feeling. Hikes, promotions and awards though satisfying lose their sheen after a while when you weigh them against what it takes out of you. I have reached a stage where what makes me the happiest is when I get to try something new and succeed at it or the contentment of getting a job well done. The pursuit of lifelong learning is a reward in itself.

Reason #3: Flexibility or Independence – Ahh – the freedom of being able to choose your own assignments, be totally accountable to yourself and go after only what your own gut/heart tells you – can there be anything more liberating ? Add to that flexibility in schedules, setting your own priorities and deciding your business goals – scary but so exciting. I do realize that this makes me the only person to blame if I fail but hey – what’s life without a bit of adventure? Sure, my failure is only mine but so will be my success 🙂

Reason #4: Earning or Giving Back Potential – This one is a pure economic consideration – stay in a secure job and I know almost to the exact amount what I will earn next year, the year after that and so on – a guaranteed income no doubt but only so far that it can go. Weighing this against the possibilities (yes, you gotta be a little optimistic here) – well, the sky is the limit 🙂 . My mom’s continuing near death experiences has reinforced the fact that time is precious and there is a lot that I can and need to do to give back to the community. I have plans to leave the world a little better, make the lives of a few a little easier and there is a lot that I should and could be doing already. Grandiose, they may be but I need to convert these into reality sooner rather than later.

Reason #5: The Entrepreneurship Bug – Doing something of my own has always been a recurring dream/theme in the back of my mind almost all my life. I have very definite ideas about starting, running and succeeding in a business and have worked for others in putting these ideas into action my entire career. It was high time I think that I took the gauntlet myself. Micro entrepreneurship allows me to experiment in being agile, innovative and moving between doing and managing while limiting my risks. So yes – this is the pursuit of my dream and my passion.

So putting my businesswoman hat on now, if you are looking for someone to get things done in your business – look no further. I can manage your operations so that you can manage your business. I have covered the areas of my specialties in the various posts that I have written on this blog so far and you get a glimpse of my professional profile here. Call me your super-temp, interim COO or your brain on rent – I am available to execute your strategy through operational excellence.

Tell me what you think about my decision. Has this been playing on your mind too? What would motivate you or what stops you from following your dream?

Five Rock n Roll Songs that can help you…Rock and Roll – “Rock n Roll ain’t noise pollution…..

by sincera | Jun 2, 2012 | Life, Managing Yourself

…rock n roll ain’t gonna die”… I was 18 when I heard the song for the first time on my trusty Sony Walkman (yes… I was born in the 80s and no one around me was spinning wax anymore 🙂 ) and as Brian Johnson crooned along the crunchy guitar riffs, I thought to myself – three decades after the term was coined, it was still going as strong as when the young brothers wrote that tune and it sure as hell will see the end of time along with cockroaches and the likes of Lemmy Kilmister (Hint : “Aces of spades” )… C’mon you’ve gotta hand to it to the man for standing strong through years of abuse.. for being cool and making kick ass music 😉

It started as a hobby, which slowly turned into an obsession and ended up as a way of life for me – A LIFESTYLE ! ! And I’ll bet all the money in the world that my fellow rockers out there agree, no matter when or where they were born. The power of the genre comes from the timeless truth the artists sing about. The truth about life, about love, about death.. and everything in between. It’s uncanny ability to influence cultures around the globe and to transcend all boundaries of age, race and language is nothing short of a phenomenon.

I know what you’re thinking….. Another stoner’s blog about Rock history… or Top 100 artists.. Or Top 500 songs. … NADA! ! It is a fanatic’s blog about 5 songs which changed his life 😉

I am gonna go out on a limb here and say that these tracks have taught me and will probably teach you more about human emotions and life than any silly shrink-esque self-help book out there – and will do that without any pretense. Oh.. also, the sheer musical genius will blow your effing mind.

So here goes… and if you don’t catch my drift…. THINK AGAIN! !

5) Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) – Ranked 163 on the Top 500 songs of all time by Rolling Stone, this track has had one too many controversial interpretations. It sorta gives you an inside look into Freddie Mercury’s complex personality. Funny and energetic on the outside, but deeply insecure about his life and childhood inside. Although Mercury never really explained the meaning of the song, it is clear that the song is about a murderer who is being haunted by his demons, and describes the events leading to his execution. It has also been said, that Mercury tried to describe the 5 stages of grief as the song goes through the verses – Denial, Anger, Depression, Bargaining and Acceptance….. (Basic Human emotions… ring a bell??? ).
Somewhat dark lyrically, the composition on the other hand is sheer genius. One of most diverse rock n roll tunes of all time, the intro to the song starts with harmonies, leading to a ballad style verse, with a gut busting guitar solo, which then transitions to a pseudo-opera style midsection leading to a sinister hard rocking guitar riff…… BLOW YOUR BRAINS OUT YET??? There is just so much going on in this song musically, you’ve got to have a keen ear to keep up. Nonetheless you WILL head-bang, even if you’re tone deaf… m/.

4) Imagine (John Lennon) – Inspired by a poem written by Yoko Ono in 1964, this was a song which defined John Lennon as an artist post The Beatles. This track has been included in numerous “Most influential songs of all time” lists by journalists from around the world. What started as a part of the anti-war, peace movement, for many fans this song also helped them get through Lennon’s untimely death. The beauty of the song lies in the simplicity of the lyrics. What appealed to me most was the thought of a world without governments, religions and material possessions. No hate, no war – Only Love and PEACE ! ! The simplicity is also clear in the composition. The haunting piano intro followed by Lennon’s soulful voice, singing about an ideal world – About a dream, yet to be realized.

3) Time (Pink Floyd) – The fourth track on Floyd’s most iconic album “Dark side of the moon” (One of my all-time favorite Rock albums). To me it’s simply a song about time passing by, and one trying to keep up. It’s about how you never prepare for what’s coming, and only realize it when you’re in the middle of it. The highlight of the song is the introduction with the chiming clocks, which represent the weight of time that each one of us feels with every passing day. Each clock was recorded individually in an antiques store and synthesized together as a quadraphonic by Alan Parsons, who till date is considered to be one of the best audio engineers of all time.

2) Freebird (Lynyrd Skynyrd) – Released as a single in 1974, is one of most popular songs by the southern band Lynyrd Skynyrd. A tribute to Dwayne Allman (from the Allman bros. band), this song to me personifies freedom –Freedom of expression, Freedom to fly like a bird, freedom from worldly ties, and freedom from reality. After all Rock n Roll is all about freedom, isn’t it?? And that guitar solo…. voted as the third best guitar solo of all time (second to ‘Comfortably numb’- which BTW changed my life in a whole other way ;)), is one of the most technical guitar pieces of all time. The use of triple guitars is impeccable and is one of the most recognizable solos of all time.

1) Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin) – Does this song need an introduction?? It doesn’t matter if you are a wannabe rocker or a Rock n Roll nut, for most of us it is the BEST SONG IN THE WORLD by the biggest band in the world. Released as a part of the Led Zeppelin IV album, this track still tops numerous ‘Iconic Rock n Roll songs’ list. It was conceived by Page and Plant, while they were spending time in a remote cottage in Wales. According to Page, the music was written over a course of time as individual guitar pieces, which came together to form this sectional track.
Lyrically, this song takes me away from life, feeds my imagination about what could be out there. As far as I know, there is no set interpretation to the song and is said to have been inspired by Robert Plants readings about antiquities and occult beliefs in Celtic Britain. Musically, it blows my mind every time I listen to it. As a musician, this track single-handedly changed my approach towards musical composition. The blend of the acoustic and electric guitars, the flute harmonies, Plants haunting vocals – Everything just fits and still gives me Goosebumps every time I listen to it. To me, the song embodies all the emotions in Jimmy Page’s most famous quote – Power, Mystery and the Hammer of the Gods. m/

So that’s it!! ! Now, I know that there are tons of other tracks which many would relate to as life changers. And I completely agree. Hell!! I have a whole playlist of them, but these 5 songs probably mean the most to me. They have cheered me through my bad days and made the good ones really memorable.

Comrades!! Go ahead… chime in, tell me if you are a Rock n Roll fan, tell me if there was an album or a song which you heard over and over, till you busted the CD/Tape/LP and had to buy it again… and am sure everyone has had that situation before MP3s were born 😉
So, until my next whim… PEACE OUT!!! V!!!

Today’s guest Blog post is by Shashwat Mohapatra – a long time Rock n Roll fanatic who dreams in binary. A Software field engineer in New York City by day and a rock star the rest of the time, he has been the vocalist and guitarist for a few bands that definitely are not in the category of “noise pollution”.

So, do you rock n roll too ? Which track would you like to add to this list ? Shashwat and I would love to hear back from you.

Five Life Skills that can Give Wings to your Career

by sincera | May 12, 2012 | Career, Life, Managing Yourself, Performance, Productivity, World of Work

“Life skills” are defined as psychosocial abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. They are loosely grouped into three broad categories of skills: cognitive skills for analyzing and using information, personal skills for developing personal ability and managing oneself, and inter-personal skills for communicating and interacting effectively with others. Mastering these life skills will not only make you successful at work and life, but more importantly will make you immeasurably happier too!

Here are the five Golden Life Skills that have made my work and life a fascinating journey:

Life Skill #1: Listening – It’s not just about your auditory senses. That of course is the first step. But what makes a difference is how much of it you absorb. When in your first job, everything is new, everything is exhilarating and everything is exhausting. The learning curve is superbly steep. Listen, Observe and Absorb- the golden rules to internalizing your work. Listen with your entire being, hang on to every word being uttered, and in no time you would have mind mapped your role. But do remember that this is an on-going process to grow!

“Every person in this life has something to teach me–and as soon as I accept that, I open myself to truly listening.”~Catherine Doucette

Life Skill #2: Initiative – Go that extra mile to try out things, even if it is something you thought you could never do. Chances are that you will be treading on ambiguity and unknown territories all the time, since it’s your first job. So it would only do truckloads of good to say Yes, more than you say No. Take the plunge! Having taken innumerable head dives myself, I can tell you that the results are immensely gratifying!

“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step”~Martin Luther King, Jr.

Life Skill #3: Relationship Building– This is one of the key factors to convert your job into something that you look forward to, instead of viewing it just as work. Building personal connections with colleagues always adds that extra zing to your day and keeps the workspace stress free. And on days that are blue, these relationships help you sail through, keeping your productivity intact. They have the potential to last a life time too!

“Remember, we all stumble, every one of us. That’s why it’s a comfort to go hand in hand.”~Emily Kimbrough

Life Skill #4: Resilience– Since we are learning perpetually and alternating between baby steps and giant leaps, we are bound to falter. But, this is the nature of the game. Take a moment, pick yourself up and get going. You’ll only get better. Be it our work or relationships, when we bounce back, it’s always with renewed vigour to prove ourselves and shine. Keep moving.

“The bend in the road is not the end of the road unless you refuse to take the turn.”~Unknown

Life Skill #5: Giving Back– It is said that the more you give, the more you get back. When you give your 100% and more to your work, what you are also doing is expanding your own horizons to grasp more and thus in return adding value to yourself and your organization. This is an iterative process. Since my first job luckily has been in the social sector, I can see the direct results of my work in the smiles of the children I work with. It is a heavenly feeling.

“You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give.”~ Unknown

Today’s guest post is by Nilisha Mohapatra.

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