Can you actually teach culture at your company? How about putting the company’s core values in places where everyone can see? And what exactly is culture?
These questions are not that easy to answer. But starting out with the right set of questions can help build a strong foundation for company culture: What culture do we want for our people? What should we strongly encourage and strongly discourage? Who can be our “culture ambassadors” within the company?
The graduate is an obsolete word now.
As technology changes industries, people and work, a degree will not be enough for you to sustain or stay competitive. With AI set to create jobs as well as replace mundane jobs, we need to stay on top of our game. This means colleges and universities cannot promise you anything once you leave campus. Many promises were made before but few degrees delivered. Now the work is in your hands. You have the tools to build the work you love doing everyday. Continuing education will keep you young, hungry, and mostly ahead.
The freshman is the present word now.
Recently, I attended a startup summit where a panelist stated that the word “ecosystem” is overhyped. Instead he suggested we should start using the word forest rather than ecosystem. Each forest is different-the soil, the territory, the trees etc.
What does Nepal’s startup forest look like at current? What are your thoughts?
If you really want to make things happen, start by putting them down on the calendar. Once the task or activity or plan is in the calendar, you will most likely address it. If you don’t put it down on the calendar, you will be busy doing things that you did not even plan for or was not even in the priority in the first place.
Some markets are very small and having good relationships with the key players means access and success. It’s best to know the right people who move the needle. You could be very talented yet if you do not build good relationship with the movers, you wouldn’t get too far. Your goodwill and reputation pays dividends in a relationship economy like ours.
Even the best preparation can sometimes not be enough to achieve the results you wanted. There are things that are out of your control. Other times, you know you could have done better in certain areas. Reflection is a key part of moving forward.
The honest self reflection is what’s important. We could flatter ourselves with all the praise yet it won’t make us better or help us improve. If we are genuinely looking to improve, we have to cut the bullshit and be honest with ourselves. What you tell yourself will most likely come out to be true. As the quote goes, whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.
The policy goes like this. A new employee joins Zappos and then he or she is provided a four week training. Zappos then offers the new employee money for the hours worked plus some bonus to quit. Yes, I typed it right. “To Quit”
The reasoning behind this offer is that Zappos wants to attract the right talent to be part of their culture, not someone who is only motivated by money. “Zappos wants to learn if there’s a bad fit between what makes the organization tick and what makes individual employees tick – and it’s willing to pay to learn sooner rather than later. (About ten percent of new call-center employees take the money and run.)” Read more about the Pay to Quit policy.
Every day is an opportunity to move the needle. To make an impact. To make your work slightly better than yesterday.
A lot of times we leave the important stuff to someone else; to someone who has the authority to make decisions. Those people are usually busy with other stuff. We need people like you-people who care. The people who care are the ones who move the needle.
Here’s to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.
The best advice she ever received. That’s what Miki Agrawal said.
Sapiens, the book by Yuval Noah Harari is an insightful and interesting read. As I come close to finish reading it, I have gained some new perspective on major developments in history. I recommend reading the book to gain the whole context and understanding.
A few thought provoking points from the book:
Ignoramus: Modern science is based on the Latin injunction ignoramus – ‘we do not know’. It assumes that we don’t know everything and no concept, idea or theory is sacred and beyond challenge.
Modern science flourished in and thanks to European empires. When people started admitting their ignorance that they do not have all the answers and that there is so much more to know, it made them compelled to seek new knowledge and make new discoveries.
Scientific research can flourish only in alliance with some religion or ideology. The ideology justifies the costs of the research and in exchange, the ideology influences the scientific agenda and determines what to do with the discoveries.
Above points taken from Sapiens A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
Identifying problems is easy. For the most part. If you’re honest and open minded about the situation/circumstance/result, you can find room for improvement in almost about anything.
You can’t take an international standard and apply it strictly around the world the same way. The challenge lies when a framework designed by the “international experts” does not accommodate the local circumstances or takes the local culture into context. Having a standard framework in which everyone can agree on a certain thing is a good starting point. The major drawback of these frameworks is when the local circumstances are very much different than what the experts had planned for.
It’s better to take the framework and to customize it to local needs/ circumstances. When the execution of the plan or process faces hindrances, it’s best to be in a position to suggest alternatives as well.
Professor Carol Dweck, Lewis and Virginia Eaton Professor of Psychology at Stanford talks about her groundbreaking work on developing mindsets. She emphasizes the power of “yet” in helping students succeed in and out of the classroom. What a beautiful concept!
Chances are that you are contemplating whether to take the plunge or stay where you are. Chances are that you are deciding whether it’s worth the risk or not. Chances are that the voice inside is telling you to give it a try and live with the results.
We have dreams. We have goals. We have choices. I strongly believe that it’s better to take the plunge when you passionately feel it. There is no right time for everything. The guilt inside of you that will arise if you do not take the plunge now will most likely outweigh even the worst case scenario. It’s much better to live with the results and the comfort of knowing that you did try than keeping it all in your head. Go for it. Take the plunge today.
Positive feedback makes us feel good. We feel like we’re walking on air when we hear good things about ourselves. Yet positive feedback does not help us get better or grow professionally. We need constructive feedback.
Here’s a good article How To Take Constructive Feedback Like A Boss
I use to watch And1 basketball show on TV and then on YouTube. Grayson Boucher or more commonly known as “The Professor” was a regular in those And1 clips. Glad to hear his story on Tedx Talks. I like the last part of his presentation where he shares three learnings from his life experiences: proving yourself everyday, hearing “No” isn’t the end of the road and seek your passion because often that’s where you’ll find your purpose.
How are your listening skills?
Are you listening more than you are talking?
Are you attentively listening to your team?
Richard Branson talks about how important listening skills are in our daily lives. Kobe Bryant says on leadership that “to be an effective leader, you have to be a really good listener and focus not just to what’s being said, but to what’s not being said.”
I have put Bruce Lee Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee’s Wisdom for Daily Living by Bruce Lee in my reading list this year. I’m glad to have found this video of him which makes me want to read the book even more.
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