Girish Menon

'Change Your Thinking to Change Your Life'. Here's a cent on what differentiates Ordinary from the XtraOrdinary - It's what you set Your Attention to (Focal is Causal) Ordinary folks discuss/talk about other Folks Good Folks discuss/talk about Events & Happenings XtraOrdinary folks discuss/talk about Ideas, Growth, Execution & how we can make wherever we are better than before. #thinking #growthmindset #mentorship #coaching

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In the journey of leadership, amidst the myriad qualities, there is one which stands out- 'the ability to ignite and nurture an inspiring vision.' 1. Most times this shapes the course of history, brings positive reforms and transforms aspirations into reality. 2. I feel- this also distinguishes extraordinary leaders from the rest. Who comes to our mind when we speak of such leaders? Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Maya Angelou, Mother Theresa, Mahatma Gandhi, Barak Obama, Steve Jobs, Malaya Yousafzai, Martin Luther king, Abdul Kalam Azad, Kiran Bedi, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey... this list may be endless but the quality is one- an Inspiring vision!! 3. Leaders who go down in history are not those who use their authority/ power for personal gains or drive a biased perspective. 4. They are the ones who give us hope of a better inclusive #futuristic progressive tomorrow and encourage us to dream our biggest dreams. 5. They have the ability to transcend the present, guide positive action, and rally people towards a collective purpose. This very inspiration is what we refer to as 'finding purpose and meaning in everyday work.' 6. Finally... 'Inspiration' has the ability to transform a dull everyday to a daylight of fulfilment, joy and excitement. "None ever accomplished anything by virtue of a perspective, without the power of a collective voice." Hence, let me know your thoughts so we can build on this... #Leadership #Futuristic #Inspiration

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A rather nice thing happened to me last Friday. As we were winding up after completing an employee engagement festive quiz for a corporate client in Kolkata, a senior participant came up to me and said, "Souvik, I really enjoy your quizzes. You ask questions from things that are known to us, yet often unknown to us in some way. I always felt that quizzes were difficult and questions were asked on nerdy subjects, but your quizzes have changed my perceptions. This is the third year you hosted this quiz for us and I have liked them every year. Also, I like the way you encourage the teams to attempt your questions and you look genuinely happy when someone gets it right. Hope to participate in your quiz next year too." Thank you Sir for your nice compliments and I also hope to see you next year. You made my day! As a quizmaster, I have always believed that most questions in a quiz, if not all, should be from topics which majority of the participants have heard of. And, this is something I try to incorporate in every quiz I do. Also, I am REALLY happy when my questions get answered as a correct answer always shows a connect among participants, audience and quizmaster. Thank you Sir for your kind words, they will serve as encouragement for my future quizzes. #Quiz #Quizmaster #TriviaTales #employeeengagement #funatwork #corporatequiz

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𝙏𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙒𝙖𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜: 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙨𝙘𝙪𝙨𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙨𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙨𝙨. 𝙄𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙪𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩. Another life lost. 42-year-old Tarun Saxena took his life after enduring severe work pressure and mental distress for 45 sleepless days. His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the harsh reality many employees face—pressure to meet unrealistic targets under toxic workplace conditions. Workplace stress is not just a side effect of ambition, it’s becoming a killer. This is not the first, nor sadly will it be the last, if we don’t change how we treat our people. I’m deeply disturbed by how easily some organizations push employees to the brink, all in the name of “productivity.” Where is the humanity in that? Too often, incompetent leaders push people to their limits instead of guiding them. Targets become more important than the well-being of the individuals working tirelessly to achieve them. This is a systemic failure that HR, leaders, and organizations at large need to address immediately. HR, the supposed guardian of culture, is frequently reduced to nothing more than paper-pushers. Culture, leadership, and well-being have become words that we say but don’t act upon. We need to shift the conversation from “meeting targets at all costs” to achieving those targets humanely. How? By implementing compassionate leadership, setting realistic goals, and most importantly, creating an environment where employees feel psychologically safe. It’s time to stop glamorizing burnout. Success should never come at the cost of someone’s mental and physical health. Leaders, this is your wake-up call. You are responsible for the well-being of your teams. It’s your duty to eliminate toxic workplace practices and focus on creating psychological safety. When employees are healthy, they are productive. It’s not rocket science. Begin by • Start normalizing conversations around mental health. • Train managers to lead with empathy, not fear. • Foster a culture of feedback, where employees can speak up without fear of retribution. To anyone suffering from extreme workplace stress: 𝙉𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 𝙤𝙧 𝙞𝙣𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, and 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧—𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙨 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙤𝙡𝙪𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. The aftermath of such a decision leaves your loved ones in a limbo of pain, while those responsible for toxic behaviors go unchallenged. By taking that step, you allow workplace bullies to get away with their actions. 𝙎𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙪𝙥 𝙩𝙤 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙨𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩, 𝙨𝙚𝙚𝙠 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙧𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡-𝙗𝙚𝙞𝙣𝙜.Your life is far more valuable than any job. https://shorturl.at/jGgaH #MentalHealthMatters #WorkplaceStress #Leadership #PsychologicalSafety #WellBeingAtWork #WorkplaceCulture

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🌟 Here’s a quick and lively scoop about my recent experience attending the SHRM India Annual24 Conference virtually this time! It was an incredible opportunity to gain insights from industry leaders on a wide range of crucial topics, all from the comfort of my home. 💡 One standout session for me was on #Outcomation (Outcome + Innovation)—an inspiring approach to roadmap creation and future planning. The strategies discussed were not only thought-provoking but also incredibly valuable for driving success in our organizations. 🏡 One of the topics they discussed that I found particularly fascinating was on : #Fostering Family-Friendly Workplaces for the Future to be impactful. It emphasized the importance of creating inclusive environments that support and uplift all employees, which is vital in today’s work culture. 🤝 Another key theme that really stood out to me was the significance of #Networking, #EmployeeProductivity, and #Prosperity, as well as the #evolving strategies needed to stay Future Ready in today’s changing world. While I can’t cover all the amazing topics discussed, I’m grateful to SHRM India for such an experience. As I reflect on these discussions, I’m excited to embrace this era of learning and upskilling. It’s a great time to focus on becoming a better version, both personally and professionally! Let’s continue to grow and support each other on this journey! 🙌✨ #SHRMIndia #Leadership #Innovation #WorkplaceCulture #FamilyFriendlyWorkplaces #Networking #ProfessionalDevelopment #ContinuousLearning

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Talking about Career Shifts with Gopal A Iyer Gopal is a powerhouse with 20+ years of experience in the HR domain. Recently, he shifted gears and took on the role of COO at a consulting firm. We spoke at length about the need for professionals to explore more career opportunities than the path they have always followed. We both agreed that entrepreneurship is a path that more and more people should consider taking. There's clearly a slow down in hiring in most knowledge sectors, owing to multiple reasons, including - elections in India and US, global economic uncertainty, advent of AI and much more. I showed him how we help organizations to improve employee engagement by leveraging on the power of corporate gifts and merch. He recently started a podcast called Career Shifts and interviewed Prabir Jha on his first episode. Gopal - big thanks for visiting our OffiNeeds.com operations centre. I loved showing you around and learnt a lot from our conversation. It's always exciting to meet a LinkedIn connect whom you admire a lot, in-person. Did you meet up with a LinkedIn connect recently? Tag that person and let me know how your experience was... #networking #employeeengagement #brandbuilding #corporategifts

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What a match to experience and profound learning. Snapshot of my learning. What is yours? Share & Inspire us!

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Anant Chaturdashi: A Moment for Reflection and Growth As we bid farewell to Lord Ganesha on this Anant Chaturdashi, I’m reflecting on the valuable lessons this 10-day festival teaches us—both personally and professionally. In my role in HR, these lessons deeply resonate with how we build people, culture, and growth within organizations. Embracing New Beginnings: Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, teaches us to see challenges as opportunities for growth. Whether it's a new hire, a shift in company strategy, or personal development, I’m reminded that every transition brings a chance to evolve. Resilience and Adaptability: Ganesha’s departure symbolizes the impermanence of life, a reminder that change is inevitable—whether it’s in the business landscape or team dynamics. As HR professionals, our role is to help people navigate these changes with resilience, providing support and tools for personal and professional growth. Wishing everyone a blessed Anant Chaturdashi and continued success in all your journeys! 🙏 #AnantChaturdashi #Skill&will #Coaching#Leadership #Resilience

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Dry promotions The idea of dry promotions is that while an employee gets a new and better role and desgination at work which comes with added pressure and responsibilites, his/ her salary remains unchanged. Office peacocking Many companies have now switched to a hybrid or complete work from office set-up. However, employers are still struggling to convince employees to come back to office. And so, many companies are increasingly using the 'office peacocking' way to lure employees back to office. They are renovating offices to bigger and better designs, upgrading the kitchen, canteen and break out areas, switching to better furniture-- all in the hope of making the work place look and feel more fancy so that employees return to office. This is commonly known as 'office peacocking'. While this trend has been there for a while, it has picked up more post the pandemic. Coffee badging With many companies and employers expecting their employees to be back in office-- be it for hybrid or full time work model-- many employees too have found a way around it. In fact, it has given rise to the 'Coffee Badging' culture at many workplaces. Many employees often go to work to make their presence felt, grab a coffee and then leave either to work-from-home or remotely for the rest of the day-- this is termed as 'Coffee Badging'. Shadow policies Many companies have now switched to full-time work-from-office set-up. However, it is often noticed that some managers allow work-from-home off the record to a few employees, which is against the company's policies. This practice is casually called 'Shadow policies' at the workplace. Ghost work While AI has taken over many jobs, some companies are still sticking to humans when it comes to reliable work. We are referring to the term 'Ghost Work' which is used when work is being performed by a human, however the customers believe that it is being done by an automated process. The term 'Ghost Work' was first coined by Mary L. Gray, an anthropologist, and Siddharth Suri, a computer scientist, in their 2019 book titled 'Ghost Work: How to Stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass'. Quit Tok While TikTok is banned in India, the social media platform is quite popular in many other countries. In the past few months, a trend called #QuitTok has gained much attention and momentum among many people. Opposite of 'Quiet Quitting', in Quit Tok an employee records the exact moment when they resign-- be it over Zoom or in person-- and how their employer reacted. This was first posted by Christina Zumbo, a former Australian government employee, back in 2022 and since then many employees have resonated with her and followed her footsteps. However, 'Quit Tok' can also backfire in certain cases as such employees can be refused from being hired or re-hired by their previous companies in the future.

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is it only me? I get a nauseous feeling everytime I see another women centric program labelled She or Her? I find it patronizing as if the org is doing a great favour to women by uplifting them thru this training or that platform or some other initiative. While the intention behind these programs may be to uplift and empower women, the true impact lies in addressing the systemic biases and barriers that hinder their progress. What would be truly impactful is 1) Checks and balances to ensure there's no bias in selection or pay decisions. 2) Ways of working which allow for flexibility so that care givers of all genders are able to balance their personal and work life. 3) Productivity focus and mechanisms that shift the focus towards productivity and tangible results, rather than relying on impression management or subjective evaluations. 4) Fostering a culture where it's acceptable for employees to take time off or adjust their pace during personal or family-related needs, such as menstrual cycles or supporting a spouse/child/elder I am now repulsed everytime I see the terms Female CEO, Diversity hire or a bunch of special initiatives which do the exact opposite of inclusion. They label people and draw the focus away from what they truly bring to the table beyond their gender or sexual orientation. It literally should not matter. It's 2024, dear corporates! Having said that, under-representation of women is a indeed a real issue. I'd love to hear stories of how the root cause is being addressed through systemic changes.

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I thoroughly enjoyed discussing recruitment strategies, tools, and culture-building with Gaurangi S . Tune in to explore our conversation, starting with the first question, where we discuss the changing landscape of recruitment over the past decade. We'll explore how organizations are embracing innovative strategies and tools to enhance their recruitment processes. #recruitment #culture #HRLeaders #EVP #CandidateEngagement

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Along with my colleague Bhaskar Das, I facilitated a client workshop with their top team. The HR head is a keen OD practitioner as well, and was (as per his note) learning from us along the way. Facilitation skills are learnt over time and each of us need to develop our own style. But some core concepts are useful to remember. At Think Talent Services, we tend to use some principles in facilitation, as in much of our Talent Management work. 1. The Carl Roger's philosophy : Help the helpee help themselves. (Our translation: Any individual or team must set their own agenda and actions, and work through the path themselves, with some nudges and insights from facilitators) 2. The Flow Model : Happiness comes from a deep immersion in one's work and challenges, and should be in the zone of stretch capability. (Our translation: The individual's or team's capability is a key ingredient in the equation of optimal performance, and must be examined with an clinical eye of external facilitators. There is no point in taking any team down a garden path) 3. The facilitator must first think of the client and the effectiveness/outcome of their work than creating an impression of goodness only. (Our translation: Sometimes facilitators can get caught in their own worldview, survival needs and the need to be appreciated as a facilitator, and can lose the larger purpose) We work with many clients and have a pool of great facilitators who work as part of our extended team. They all have their own styles, akin to leadership. There is no one facilitation style, one has to learn to develop one's own style and be comfortable with it. Not all those who come across you as a facilitator will 'like' that style, and many will love it, and find it useful. So choosing one's own path as a facilitator and coach is key to effectiveness. Here is a video about different styles of "orchestrating". This is one of my favourites and has helped me learn a lot in working with teams, as a leader, and as a facilitator. #facilitation #leadership #topteams Saurav R Mohanty Supreet Malhotra Rustom Vesavevala Shivin Tikoo Bhaskar Das Joe Chacko https://lnkd.in/gK3iq9Wm

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How many reportees can one effectively manage? Balancing efficiency and effectiveness hinges on the optimal span of control—the number of employees reporting directly to a manager. While traditional models limited managers to 6-10 direct reports, today's leaner organizations often see managers supervising 15-20+ employees, averaging 19. Factors like workforce mobility, advanced communication technologies, and flatter structures enable this shift, challenging Lyndall Urwick's classic theory of an 8-report maximum. Experts now recommend capping spans at 15-20 to ensure effective coaching and oversight, with the ideal typically around 10 or fewer direct reports. Tailoring this span to your specific business needs is crucial for maximizing productivity. Before expanding a manager’s span, audit actual bandwidth and streamline workflows to prevent overtaxing. What has been your organization's ideal span of control? Share your real-world best practices! #organizationdesign #manager

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Dear People Pro! Are your Teams feeling safe enough to go all out, to ace their BIG Goals? In this pic is a 3 minute read you may be looking for.. ** DYK Ravi Sundaram leads the BELBIN Accreditation Course - 2 Day In Person Physical Class - Mumbai - on July 26 - 27th? To know how Belbin can be of value in your People Practice, or to enrol, DM me #leadershipdevelopment #diversityandinclusion #learninganddevelopment #personaldevelopment #psychologicalsafety #employeeexperience

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Dear People Pro! Are your Teams feeling safe enough to go all out, to ace their BIG Goals? In this pic is a 3 minute read you may be looking for.. ** DYK Ravi Sundaram leads the BELBIN Accreditation Course - 2 Day In Person Physical Class - Mumbai - on July 26 - 27th? To know how Belbin can be of value in your People Practice, or to enrol, DM me #leadershipdevelopment #diversityandinclusion #learninganddevelopment #personaldevelopment #psychologicalsafety #employeeexperience

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From my climbing expeditions to the Everest Base Camp and Mt. Kilimanjaro, one of my irrefutable learnings is that if we are MENTALLY FIT we feel physically energized too; else one experiences a listless fatigue in both one’s personal & professional life. Further, in continuation to my thoughts on EMPLOYEE WELLBEING shared last week, it struck me that of all the different aspects of Wellbeing, MENTAL WELLBEING strongly and visibly impacts all the others. Be it coping with stress, building relationships, being productive or making meaningful contributions, mental wellbeing is strongly linked to happiness. At work, an emotionally stable person is able to interact well with one’s colleagues, take their support, cooperate with other functions, and even lead a team through challenges. Thus, it is essential for each one of us to be mindful of our mental strength, and consciously work towards improving it through means such as: ➡️ Techniques such as writing Gratitude Journal, Positive Manifestation or Journalling. ➡️ Engaging in some form of physical exercise on a regular basis. ➡️ Mindful eating and getting adequate sleep & rest. ➡️ Identifying & indulging in a hobby. ➡️ Talking to someone you trust. Finally, it is vital to find one’s North Star, one’s purpose and guiding light. This needs to be more than just one’s career goals - something higher, more enriching & fulfilling – for the larger good, more than one’s limited self. How do you work on your Mental Health? What is your guiding light? Do share. #mentalwellbeing #manifestation #gratitude

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I often hear my friends/colleagues saying they find it difficult to communicate with locals when they travel to South of India - Hindi or English is not widely used specially by the front line workers there While am an Indian from the south I don’t find it difficult despite not knowing any of the regional languages (surprising but yes) And I say so coz I believe that when people have the right intent they find ways to find a solution - even if it means understanding each others body language, understanding those key words etc In corporates, most people fight over emails marking the whole world in CC but the ones with the right intent find ways to “CLOSE”open items and drive “RESULTS” #intent #HR #corporate #HR INTENT MATTERS and helps you grow in life (personally and professionally as well)

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Risk, curiosity, wonderment, spontaneity, delight, sweat, blood, tears and so many experiences that embody the true human spirit - all rolled into one. What a journey! This one's a special milestone 💙🩵 Muchas Gracias to the #OGTribe, you know who you are 😎 Wouldn't have done it without you! Check the service stack out : http://tribefortalent.com/ Big Thanks afaqs! for the feature. #TribeForTalent #TribeConsulting #HR #LaunchDay

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Introducing XSEED 2.0: A new enhanced Self-Development journey I’m thrilled to share that we have recently launched the first pilot batch of XSEED 2.0 (Excellence in Skill Enhancement and Employee Development) for Odisha Cluster towards the end of August with 28 eligible employees. Subsequent modules are planned for October including one batch of TTT. This is the revamped version of XSEED 1.0 and built on the foundation of ALERT behaviours of Shillim. We are planning to cover eligible employees across HIL in phases with added focus on leveraging internal resources. #Learning&Development #Continuous learning #Shillim #ALERTBehaviours

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