Maximise Potential

The story of Panera Bread has resonated with me. I highly appreciate the leadership of Niren Chaudhary. They lost half the business once the dining was closed due to the current crisis. However they took massive action and initiated a grocery initiative within two weeks as a way to address the need for groceries. This is what is known as taking advantage of a white space opportunity. I listened to his interview on the Masters of Scale podcast (link  Podcast ) and he explained the main mission of Panera Bread was to provide healthy food that supports the wellness of its customers. Now I am really impressed by an idealistic mission which is backed by a responsible leader like Niren. The things he says leaders need to do well are to be calm in the midst of a crisis, take complete accountability and use the stress positively. I will be closely following this story and it could turn out to be a great one. The article that explains this is here.  Panera Bread . Resilience is t...

I have read quite a bit on stoicism and I can say it is a wonderful approach to life. The books I have read on this are Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and A Guide to The Good Life by William Irvine. Here is my summary of learning and you can consider these 9 keys as an introduction to stoicism. Your interpretation of events  – You will not be surprised with this one. As Shakespeare said “There is nothing good or bad thinking makes it so.” What this means is everything in life happens and it is your interpretation of events that is the key to staying relaxed. It is the meaning you give to events that make all the difference. For example I am overweight by 10 pounds and I can stress about it all I want but it is a fact. All I can do is continuing exercising daily and doing even more to reduce further. Basic point is to reevaluate what meaning you are giving to everything. Of course some of the things happening right now is not in our contro...

Abraham Maslow turned the field of psychology on its head. He studied healthy people instead of studying the opposite. His pyramid which is famous put the hierarchy of human needs and at the top of the pyramid was something called self-actualization. This is all about actualizing your highest potential and leads to lasting fulfillment. He also mentioned that all these people appreciate truth and beauty. He identified several characteristics that make up a self-actualized person that can help all of us on our journey of life. Here are my favorite ones with my take on each. They accept themselves as they are  – All of us should accept ourselves just as we are. This is the key to happiness. Each of us is unique and we all have unique talents. Once you accept yourself the way you are the entire world opens and you feel great about yourself. They resist enculturation  – This ties into your uniqueness. They resist all attempts of society to define what they should be ...

This is one of the most stressful times for sure by any stretch of imagination. It can also lead to anxiety. We might have planned some vacations for this time and a lot of other things which cannot be done now. The only way to go through this phase of our lives is through relaxation. A relaxed mind will enable us to navigate the tides of uncertainty much better. So, my aim with this article is to give simple suggestions to stay relaxed and make the most of this time of uncertainty. At the same time, I also share strategies which can reduce our stress levels and enjoy life more. Stress is one of the leading causes of depression and considering the pace of our modern lives we should pause and reevaluate our lives on a constant basis. As Mahatma Gandhi said  “There is more to life than increasing its speed.” I am sure for all of us the pace of our lives whether we like it or not has reduced. Here are some simple strategies to be relaxed, stay happy and enjoy life in general. ...

I have read many books during this lock-down across various topics like technology, business, success and leadership among others. Most of them are business books which is my preferred genre. Here are the 20 books I liked reading so far in 2020. Restoring the Soul of Business by Rishad Tobaccowala  – This was totally inspirational to me. One of the best business books I have read in recent times. There are excellent ideas on how business cannot be just about spreadsheets. Meaning is very important to having people engage in their jobs. Leaders who are humble, inspirational, empathetic, honest and vulnerable will win. There are also some ideas on how to build a personal brand including developing a niche and having a story that resonates. I liked some ideas on time management as well. The key is to eliminate the non-essential activities and focus on the few things that are very important to you. Overall a thoroughly inspiring read. Joy at Work by Marie Kondo and Scott ...

In times of crisis like this we look to leaders for inspiration,hope and direction. The last word is the key as the first thing to suffer in a crisis is direction. Leaders have a guiding vision for the future and turn to hope when others can only see mud. Lets hope in this time of enormous crisis it also unearths true leaders who can navigate the turbulent times and move us into a greater future however distant that may seem at this time. Everyone has their own definition of leadership. Mine is simple it is about dreaming big, inspiring others and leading by example. Leaders really do dream big dreams think of Martin Luther King, Gandhi, Roosevelt, Churchill among others. The current business landscape requires more leaders who are willing to chart new seas and deal with change in a world that has not only flattened but also eliminated geographical boundaries. The 21st Century leader needs to pack the following traits in their repertoire. Leaders are made and of course they are ...