When we think of executive presence, what often comes to mind is the way a leader carries themselves—how confidently they walk into a room, how well they speak, the gravitas in their voice, or how sharply they are dressed. While these external markers do play…
In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, being a subject matter expert is crucial for success. However, knowledge alone isn’t enough to excel in senior leadership roles. Communicating with authority, particularly when presenting differing opinions, is an equally important skill. This trait becomes more crucial when your…
In the dynamic landscape of modern business, the role of executive coaching has emerged as a powerful tool for personal and professional development. Senior leaders, including those in the c-suite, are increasingly recognizing the profound impact of coaching on performance and growth. However, for many…
Have you ever thought about how your way of thinking affects your work? This story will show you how changing your mind can make a big difference. Here’s a story about someone I worked with. He was a top leader who often got angry and…
Its 2024, first week of a new year! The air is filled with anticipation and the promise of a fresh start. It’s a time when aspirations for a better future take center stage. Amidst this excitement, there lies a profound opportunity to harness the transformative…
Exploring into the intricacies of creating value in conversations, I recall a dialogue with a senior leader grappling with the challenge of leaving a lasting impact on his interactions with the CEO and other Board Members. His perception of value creation was anchored in the…
During my interactions with clients, I often find them sharing their anxieties, struggles, and challenges. It’s common for individuals to experience anxiety, particularly in the face of current challenges and an uncertain future. When confronted with such situations, I have a favorite question that I…
One of the most common bottlenecks that many senior leaders face in their growth journey to CXO levels is the need for a better network – An Extensive and Effective Network! Let’s explore the pivotal role networking plays in a leader’s career advancement, the misconceptions…
“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space lies our freedom and power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our happiness.” – ― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People We can create that…
In today’s fast-paced world, senior leaders often struggle with a common concern – their inability to be fully present in the moment. Despite appearing engaged in conversations, their minds wander to other pressing matters, hindering their effectiveness and connection with others. This pervasive issue is…
Recently I joined a 16 km river rafting ride in the Ganges. This journey which lasted for around 2 hours, was full of adrenaline rush and subsequent deep insights. There were ten rapids of various intensities throughout the journey. The one which was of the…
Have you observed yourself saying yes when you want to say no? It is common amongst many leaders to say Yes when they want to say No. It could be at work when your significant client (external or sometimes even internal) says, “this is extremely…
Introduction Executive Presence is a highly misunderstood word in the industry. Different people have different definitions of Executive Presence. Some people think it is charisma, and others believe it is about interpersonal skills. Definition of Executive Presence According to Sylvia Ann Hewitts, who has written…
Lost, Exhausting, Depressing, Speechless, and a lot more are words I hear from many of my ex-colleagues, friends, and family when I ask them about the Year 2020. Everyone can relate to 2020, even if we forget the struggle considering time is the best healer,…
Three troublesome inner dialogue patternsIntroductionAs human beings, we all have a habit of talking with ourselves. This self-talk or inner dialogue can either be positive or negative. The positive internal dialogue helps us move forward and overcome life’s challenges.However, the negative inner dialogue hampers our…
Eight powerful ways to stay above the office politics Introduction The people of any organization are supposed to be productive all the time. However, sometimes, things like office politics consume a lot of people’s time. The question is, can we avoid it? What can one…
Work-Life Balance: A Need for Modern Day Leaders Most of us spend too much time on what is urgent and not enough time on what is essential – Stephen Covey. We all come into the world with limited time. Each of us only has 24…
Why Can’t One Learn enough? “There’s one investment that supersedes all others: Invest in yourself. Nobody can take away what you’ve got in yourself, and everybody has potential they haven’t used yet.” – Warren Buffet. As successful executive leaders, we come across many situations every…
Leadership growth for women in challenging times It is a known fact that women today have achieved laurels in every field. They have shown that they can make successful leaders with outstanding leadership qualities. As the famous quote goes, “Follow not the crowd, let the…
Seven reasons why leaders experience slow growth in the career Despite superior technical competence, leaders sometimes experience slow growth. Most leaders generally grow very fast up until middle to senior middle level and then post that hit the ceiling. At this stage, they feel very…
Fifty percent of the world’s population is of women. However, when it comes to women’s representation at top positions, the statistics are not very optimistic. In the corporate sector, the percentage of women at C-level jobs or board seats is only 15% or 16%. Out of…
Challenges always require change. We cannot successfully overcome any challenge without making changes in our thoughts and actions. COVID -19 was one such challenge in 2020, where we faced the deadly disease, lived with anxiety, depression, lay-offs, business shutdowns, pay cuts, no hikes, no promotions, and…
When it comes to seeking help from someone like taking coaching or counselling some people feel resistance. They feel that it is a sign of weakness because they perceive taking help as a sign of them lacking something in their personality. As a result to…
In our work environment, sometimes, we wonder why things are not going the way they are expected to despite best efforts from us. There are times, when we are misunderstood to an extent that our sheer intent is being questioned. People start labeling and judging…
I was talking to a client (director in a Big 4s consulting firm). He shared that Of late he has observed a growing tendency in his stakeholders, of not fulfilling their commitments on time and also being unapologetic about this. He was very frustrated and…
Sometimes one feels suffocated in the work environment.Primarily because there are no growth opportunities, organizations are going through a rough patch due to downsizing, a lot of politics in the organization, severed relationships with higher-ups, so on and so forth. This results in constant stress,…
By Kshitij Sharma, PCC A few days back I was talking to a senior leader of an NGO. While referring to seeking donations for the organization, he said: “we need to catch these rich fellows who have a lot of surpluses”. I immediately became judgmental…
By Kshitij Sharma PCC Each day when leaders walk into their workplace, they not only carry their physical being but also bring along their state of being. It’s their state of being which determines their success through the day. When they operate from a lower…
In the modern day corporate world one of the most dreaded and hated words is feedback. It’s interesting that it’s like that bitter pill which nobody likes, be it the receiver or the giver. In my over two decades of corporate experience as a learning…
In this rapidly changing corporate world, you are always exposed to newer challenges every day. This leads to an ever-increasing need for the constant professional development of a corporate employee. Especially as you climb up the corporate ladder, there is an increased appreciation of the…
In this rapidly changing corporate world, you are always exposed to newer challenges every day. This leads to an ever-increasing need for the constant professional development of a corporate employee. Especially as you climb up the corporate ladder, there is an increased appreciation of the…
Sometimes we have seen that despite having high potential one doesn’t climb-up the ladder of success in the corporate world as expected. It leads to a lot of frustration and the individual starts to look around to find the reason. In my two decades of my experience as…
Fulfillment at work? Is it really possible? Are there people who actually look forward to going to work on Monday? These are few questions that I frequently come across from a score of corporate employees. Over a period of time, it has become a norm…
