CATEGORY:CEO Chat

WHAT PRISONS DID YOU BREAK OUT OF?

Your article, “Four Monkeys & An Elephant” opened my eyes! I recognized at least three beliefs that are currently restraining me. Could you share with us some of the prisons you have had to break out of?

MORE THAN I CAN COUNT!

Darryl, thank you for your note, and I hope you free yourself soon!

I have broken out of more prisons I can count. Every time I think I am done, I find one more rope around my leg, holding me back! Here are some of my prisons I have identified and escaped from  –

– I was generally unwilling to accept change

– I believed that I could not master financial subjects

Even if these two were manageable, the ones that follow were difficult – both to accept and to break out of.

– I felt terribly inferior because I thought I was short

– I felt extremely superior because I thought I was smart

– I indulged in dismissive behaviour with subordinates

Each break-out took time and effort – first to understand the layout of the behavioural labyrinth, and then to gradually scale the walls and make my escape.

It was scary difficult. I turned back often. I was fortunate that I had a mentor guiding me and being patient when I stumbled or stopped.

Each escape made me happier and freer, and the outcome is amazing!

At all times, I remember Robin Sharma’s words, “Stop being a prisoner of your past. Become the architect of your future.”

What about you? Do share your break-throughs!

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WHAT LIFE LESSON SHOULD I LEARN FIRST?

Hi Shesh, the CEO Chronicles are a big hit in our office! Yesterday, while discussing your latest post, one question came up – what life lesson do you feel is really important for us to learn first?

THAT YOU HAVE FIVE SUPERPOWERS

Hey, Rajat, thank you! This is a difficult one. There are so many equally important life lessons that it is impossible to rank them!

May I instead share with you five superpowers that are already in you, and need you to learn to use them?

1. Self-belief.

What we believe about ourselves is a powerful force. Believe in who you are and what you can do.

2. Focus.

On what you have and what you want. You win a race by running, not by looking over your shoulder.

3. Action.

If you act, you will progress. When you progress, everything becomes possible.

4. Choice.

Respond, don’t react. Every choice you make, makes you.

5. Gratitude.

No one owes you anything. Be grateful for everything you receive.

Every one of us has access to these superpowers. They are yours to use or ignore.

Will you test them out today?

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HOW CAN I BREAK FREE?

Hi Shesh, “Four Monkeys & An Elephant” set me reviewing my own blind beliefs. Which leads to a question – how can the elephant ever escape its mental bonds? How can I break free?

ALL IT NEEDS IS A NUDGE

Thank you, Purvika. The two fables got me thinking, too.

What if a new lab assistant walked up the steps and took a banana? Would that break the monkeys out of their belief in a past practice they had inherited?

What if an activist encouraged the elephant to strain forward and snap the rope? Would that cause the elephant to re-evaluate the power of its bond?

I believe so. Usually, all it needs is a nudge.

This is where good bosses, mentors and coaches can play a vital role in professionals’ lives. They can help spot constraining cultures and beliefs. They can nudge people and organisations to test and question these, leading to gradually freeing them from these constraints.

I have benefited tremendously from bosses and mentors helping me free myself. They pushed me to re-look at aspects that I had given up on. They led me to look at horizons I had thought forever beyond my reach.

Why don’t you try a mentor or a coach? All it takes is a nudge.

Go ahead. Break free today!

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WON’T HELPING OTHERS IMPACT MY WORK?

Hey Shesh, in your CEO Chronicles articles (particularly, How Do I Get A Promotion?) you encourage us to be helpful to our colleagues. But I have my tasks to complete, too. How will I manage my time?

IN GIVING, WE CREATE

Hi Gopi, I hear you. Let me share a secret…

You may recall Parkinson’s law which states – “work fills the time allotted to it”.

There is another lesser known, unnamed law – “helping expands the time available to you”.

How does this law work?

We don’t realise this, but every time a colleague comes to us, and we help them, we learn a little about what they are doing and what they need. Every time there is a project that we contribute to, we understand its various components, and how they interact.

Each time we contribute, we learn and know more. This makes us (without our noticing it) better at what we do. We find new hacks. We modify our output to better fit the need of the recipient. Perhaps, we plan a little further ahead. Or, we tweak an archaic process to make it more effective.

Little by little, we become faster, smarter, more efficient.

As a result, we find that by giving time, we have created more time.

The more you help, the easier it will be to complete your tasks.

Try it out – you will be surprised!

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THE IMPORTANCE OF NETWORKING

Hi Shesh! In your CEO CHRONICLES articles you speak of the importance of networking. Could you give me a real life example?

A NETWORKING STORY – APRIL 2018

SHOULD I SHARE MY CAREER GOALS?

Dear Shesh, in your article, “Six Steps To Promotion”, you recommended that I set goals and share them. However, my boss is quite insecure. Won’t he feel threatened if I share my ambitious goals?

YES, IN STAGES

Hi, Tapan, important point! Many professionals face this situation. How do we manage?

First, if you don’t share your goals, they will lose their impact. Only if I know your goals can I help you achieve them.

Second, your boss is likely to be instrumental in your progress on your career path. If he doesn’t know your aspiration, he can be more of a hindrance than a help.

So, your boss is insecure. No problem. Just slice your goals into milestone stages and share with him the initial stage that will not threaten him.

Let us say that you are a finance executive and you want to be a CFO. As a CFO, one of your tasks will be to implement and sustain a robust MIS.

Share this with your manager.

“May I help in the weekly MIS collation and reporting?” generally receives a positive response. Now, you are on your way.

Any big goal can be converted to a series of smaller milestones, each of which will be unthreatening and easy to accept by your supervisor(s). You will also be seen to contribute value, thus earning goodwill.

Step by step, these small stages will add up and take you steadily closer to your ultimate goal.

As George Herbert said, “Do not wait; the time will NEVER be right. Start where you stand, and work with the tools that you have at your command, and better tools and paths will be found as you go along.”

Do you want to try this out?

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WHY IS ANYTHING WORTH DOING SO DIFFICULT?

Hi, Shesh, this is Irina. Thank you so much for sharing your experience and knowledge through CEO Chronicles.

I have a question – why are the things that are really worth doing so difficult to do? For example, take the four steps you have described in your articles, “Six Steps To Promotion” and “How Do I Get a Promotion?“. While each of those steps is very valuable, none of them are easy to implement.

IT IS THE DIFFICULT THINGS THAT ARE WORTH DOING

HOW CAN WE MAKE LIVING WITH GRATITUDE A HABIT?

Morning, Shesh, thanks for the great ‘radical advice‘! I have a question – how can I make gratitude an integral part of my life?

RECOGNISE THAT EVERYTHING WE GET IS A GIFT