To be human is to be part of a group in one way or another. And in most cases, belonging to a group also means having to take some collective decisions. Have you ever observed people keeping their thoughts or opinions to themselves because they differ from that of the group? Have you ever refrained from challenging a certain decision …
The Curse of Knowledge
It happened four years ago. But I still remember it as if it is happening right now Maybe I was so embarrassed that my brain captured a live video and saved it safely. I was working with a start-up company as an HR and I was sent to Delhi along with my IT team of seven people to pitch our …
The Psychology of Self-Handicapping: Why Intelligent People Sometimes Sabotage Their Own Success
The concept of Self Handicapping was introduced by Edward Jones and Steven Berglas in 1978 to answer the question of why people tend to sabotage success or outcomes they seem to value the most. It refers to putting a barrier to one’s own success where in an event of failure is attributed to a lack of ability being diminished because …
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder and the Fear of Being a Fool
Having an eye for detail puts the task in focus, but when the eye refuses to blink, the entire picture is blurred. This is a glimpse into how individuals with Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD) struggle to finish tasks at hand. OCPD falls under Cluster C of personality disorders and includes symptoms that often tend to interfere with normal functioning, …
Emotions at Work: The IQ of Emotions
We need people in our workplace who can connect with others, who display empathy and understanding, (and) who understand emotions. More than ever, emotional intelligence is not just a ‘nice to have but a core capability for the future.’’ -Pip Russell, Strategy, innovation, and commercial operations vice-president, Schneider Electric (Capgemini, 2022) Intelligence is what helps us learn, process, adapt, and …
Corporate Social Responsibility and Corporate Social justice
Corporate social responsibility is a self-regulatory check for businesses to be socially accountable to their local and global community, customers, and stakeholders. It is based on the concept that businesses have a responsibility to do good. There are four main types of CSR activities; Environmental Responsibility: Research has found that just 100 companies are responsible for more than 70% of …
The Gig economy & Group dynamics
The Gig Economy has been placed on number #4 on the Society of Industrial & Organizational Psychology’s (SIOP) Top 10 Workplace Trends. Internet, the sophistication of digital tools, shift in the nature of career aspirations, values, etc. of the Millennials & Gen Z, people not being bound by geographic locations are some factors leading to this boom of the gig …
Wellbeing in Workplaces for 2022
This article addresses the need for well-being initiatives in the workplace as a silver bullet for thriving organizations. It covers highlights from 2021 that lay the ground for setting processes in organizations supporting positive mental health as an outcome. Lastly, I offer suggestions on creating a baseline to address these issues. 2022 is still a year of recovery from the …
Importance of Self Awareness in the Workplace
Self -Awareness is our recognition of ‘SELF’, our Character, our Strengths and Weaknesses, our Desires, and our Likes and Dislikes. Socrates once said: ‘To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.’ “The capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically.” Self-awareness is having a clear perception of who you are, …
Fostering an Open Culture for Team Effectiveness
Openness, Trust & Psychological Safety Openness is at the core of the concept of psychological safety. This concept was spoken about by Harvard’s Amy Edmondson in a 1999 journal article where she spoke of it in context to team learning and performance. She defined it as an absence of interpersonal fear and where people can speak up about work-related topics …