Reflections - Series #2 | Skills and Values

Skills and Values

In this series I've attempted to throw some light on skills and values that could serve us well in our daily lives.

1. Learning the value of money - Can only happen by putting self in challenges which involves earning and taking care of people.

Case in point - I was cushioned with enough pocket money during college, funded international education from parents, and comforts made me sloppy and trivial, so i needed a jolt to wake me up. Becoming an entrepreneur at 27 (loan payments, salaries, vendors) and getting married at 24 (self-respect, earning & expenses planning) was my wake-the-hell up phase in life!

2. Facing criticism as early and as soon as possible - This can be life changing and helps build new perspective. Especially building responsibility for self and our actions. I learnt this the hard way and got hit many times due to this.

Case in point - Customer ridicules ad rejections during sales calls at HP, criticism from bosses, vendors, peer criticism at jobs, all helped throw fresh light upon myself and my capabilities to develop new skill sets, patience, focus on improvement so that own Identity could be built.

3. Building self-reliant teams - This has been one focus which has helped me and my team evolve. Because, lot of times we're comfortable doing things ourselves because it's just faster! However this isn't sustainable in the long run.

Case in point - At Decathlon, my elevation took a beating to seek new projects abroad, why? because i hadn't yet built a capable replacement for my job and role, and was trying to rush through. It does have a cascading effect in due course almost always. It's wise to develop capabilities within your team from day 1, and if you don't see this happening replace your team even until you get there.

4. Patience, especially when things are fuzzy - All good things take time. I've learnt this the hard way, and although I still struggle with this, I'm still work-in-progress on this front.

Case in point - Getting jumpy into grabbing an opportunity, especially when the fundamentals aren't set becomes futile. Any idea or point of view, needs to be tested and re-tested on ground until you've cracked a clear execution guideline. Whenever we're threatened with over-thinking, or a sales pressure, or an external stakeholder push, it's important and take a step back to see if the urgency push within system is worth or not. More often than not, any priority being pushed on is self-inflicted and doesn't have any bearing. Worth reflecting on this!

5. Being Organised - This has come to my rescue and served me very well in life because I've been organised. This is a skill to develop and nurture daily i feel. Not easy, by extremely important.

Case in point - The Merits of this quality far outweighs the opportunity loss without it. This is one specific skill set i believe i've worked on and honed over the years, and this has been largely acknowledged by peers, managers, family, and external stakeholders. This garners a sense of respect for you because you're organised. It's a way of showing that you care, honor the timelines and what you have committed to the other person!

What are some of the reflections that comes to your mind that could be of value to the community? Do share your thoughts here.

Thanks for the read!

#skills #values #criticism #selfdevelopment #respect #beingorganised

Sharath