These are my top 3 traits of #leadership. What are yours? #innerlogue #k...

Can Entrepreneurs take a break anytime? #entrepreneurlife #keepgoing #in...

Work on your BIG IDEA...But First?

Matt had an epiphany. A big idea.

In his mind it was as big as the first landing on the moon or the launch of the first iPhone. So he decided to sit down, switch off from the rest of the world, with just one thought;

‘Without great solitude no great work is possible’ – Pablo Picasso

But when he tried to ride solo, he tanked. He truly believed in the Nike Way (you know – just do it with the swoosh). But failed. Again and again.

The good news is that Matt is not alone in this dilemma. Many of us have felt like him. The bad news is that a lot of us succumb to the circumstances and choose not to do anything about it.

We get so used to our routines, it’s difficult to unshackle. We give in to our coffee cravings, trending tweets, multi-tasking and mediocrity. So when the time comes to follow our dreams, we become Matt - scattered and all over the place.

Don’t take me wrong. We need routines, habits and discipline to get things done. But when any of these stand in the way of following the path we want to pursue, – it’s time to breakaway. Or in the words of Tom Peters:

If it ain’t broke, break it (or someone will do it for you.)

However, before we do anything drastic and breakaway from tradition, the question remains - how do we pick up the pieces and help Matt?

In my opinion, once we are clear of what we want to do, the first step is to learn to be comfortable in our own skin so that we are able to listen to our inner voice, our trust that our inner gauge will guide us.

To do this, part of the solution lies in embracing solitude from time to time.

Yes. Solitude. Now one might think that being alone might hurt our ability to collaborate, and run with the herd. On the contrary, research shows that working on solo projects can do wonders for our confidence and creative ability. Additionally, this habit can make us better contributors and collaborators.

Because collaboration is more than just being part of the team. It’s about bringing something unique to the conversation. And this only happens when we have been able to stand out of the crowd every now and then.

Also, we must understand that solitude is different than loneliness.   

Sherry Turkle in her book Reclaiming Conversation draws a great distinction between the two. She defines, loneliness as the pain of being alone, and solitude as the glory of being alone. Easier said than done, understanding this distinction can be a great start towards achieving something extraordinary.

In a nutshell, solitude works up a silent revolution inside you. It’s loud but only you can hear it – if you choose to. It’s a revolution not a movement. A movement can stop, but a revolution is forever.

This silent whirlpool is best described by Ann Purcell as The Silence Revolution. She writes,

‘Fulfillment is based on successful action. Effective action is based on powerful, comprehensive thinking. A powerful thought force is based on inner silence, just as the most powerful ocean waves arise from a swell from the ocean’s depths. The more we can experience the state of silence in the depths of our being—the place from where all thoughts originate and take shape—the more successful we will be in our undertakings, whether we are an introvert or extrovert.

Matt broke down because he didn’t understand how to handle this silent revolution inside him. He was brave enough to - at least try. Many of us don’t know even try. And the ones who do – very few of them survive.

And the few who survive, find their True North. And finding your True North is not something we have done. It’s something we keep on doing. 

InnerGauge

HR Leadership , 23rd Feb 2016 - Avari Towers Lahore

Think Retooling NOT Retiring...

I know. The picture doesn't portray the retired life. There is no beach, sunset or cocktails.

I got inspired to write this blurb after being interviewed on a TV Show about planning to retire..and in my view this is what retirement looks like. The journey continues till the last breath...So what come to your mind when you think of retirement or better yet...how do you plan for retirement...?!?

To me there are three things...

1....Look after your health...Eat right and exercise...by exercise I am not talking about the 6 pack...just be fit enough to feel good and have a routine or habit to to workout 2 to 3 times a week..

2....Have a piggy bank. Every month put something away in a pension fund, insurance policy. Depending upon your risk appetite - invest in dividend yielding stocks...

3....Last but not the least, think retool not retire. I bet you have special skills like IT, Writing, Finance, Gardening. Figure out what you are passionate about..and practice your craft and explore the freelance and on-line world..,before you know it, you will start earning extra. There are so many success stories of free lancers. Why not you?

'I miss you boss' - the lonely/loyal subordinate

It's an age old phrase 'When the cat is away the mice will play' - which is fine. But if you are not even playing, and just  being miserable, because the boss is not there to tell you what to do....you need help...not from someone else but from yourself.

Last week I met two executives who face similar problems with their team. One of them is an advertising executive, and she got back from her annual leave and not to her surprise - the team didn't get anything done while she was gone. 

The other executive is a CEO of one of the leading NGOs, and she was telling me that her team focuses more on her coordinates while she is out for meetings to raise funds instead of getting things done at their end.

If you happen to fall into any of the above categories, and can't function without a boss then the only person you are damaging is.....yourself. 

Sure, you can always say that I am not empowered enough or I don't have the authority. But guess what there is always someone who gets everything done, while you are being miserable or wasting time stalking people on Facebook. 

You know this person. He is probably sitting in the next cubicle who you might refer to as 'The Favourite'. 

The favourite, has the ability to influence the boss, negotiate deadlines, even takes time out to make presentations for the boss and in the process gets the promotion you wanted, and the increment you wanted.  

So stop hating the favourite, and learn something from him. If your ego doesn't allow you to, then look for a mentor and beg them to coach you in acquiring habits of successful people. 

But wait a minute. He is the favourite not because of her work ethic or ambition to succeed but for reasons that you and other office colleagues have brainstormed. And while I must appreciate your competency to brainstorm - unfortunately the end result doesn't do anyone good. Not to mention that you have wasted more of your precious time.

So here is the thing. Stop wasting your time. If you are not empowered to make decisions while your boss is not in the office - improve your skill set or acquire a new skill. Maybe open up a new tab next to your Facebook and start looking for ways to become better every day...but whatever you do...stop missing your boss and get on with your life.....