The Coach and Artist in me

I have come across a lot of conversations in my professional fraternity regarding Authenticity. This is more so when we are in a lock-down  where a lot of questions on being genuine, transparent, true to self and others is spoken about. While I started putting my thoughts together on this subject, I thought I should also reach out to my friends, colleagues, academicians etc. and understand what their definition of the term ‘authenticity’ is. Also, in this process I will put down my thoughts on the subject. Sharing a story, one of my senior colleague said that one will always find three kinds of people and he compared them with temple elephants. The first category is the slog elephant the one that you would find moving logs all day and since they take interest in their work, they are used in every piece of work by the mahout. The next set of elephants, he named as circus elephants, the one who is jumping around, super active and knows when and where to be present. The third set ...

  We say the first impression is the last impression. Does this principle apply same in the conversations that we have with others? should our first conversation be our last conversation or can our first conversation be the beginning of the long lasting, enriching and contributing relationship. I have picked ‘Conversation’ as my topic for this write up as I am looking at it beyond my coaching practice and in every activity where I am involved with others. When I limit my focus of conversation to an outcome, I am only listening to what is being said on the subject and I focus on what I believe I know about the subject. In such situations, I either get into giving or taking. I am either a winner or a taker. I either decide to take it or leave it. Deep conversations are mutual and everyone is a winner. Both the members or group of members share, involve, participate and experience similar feelings and similar involvement. Deep conversation creates a space for me to open up and del...

In my last blog I had said that when your beliefs become bigger than what they should be, you need to let them go. I also said that we need to let go of things that stop us from being free to look at things with new perspective. The impact of carrying things in us and making it a part of us keeps us away from the possibilities that are there at that moment. Beliefs are of two kinds, ones that are limiting and ones that are empowering. Beliefs that elevate our self-image are our empowering beliefs. These beliefs help us accept the change happening around us and helps us participate in the change. As we open up to these beliefs, we experience new possibilities, new opportunities, new potential and creativity. The beliefs that limit us, root from our insecurities. These insecurities tend to grow within us over the years as a result of our experiences, the unpopular ones. Beliefs are also shaped up by people around us. When I was young I used to hear my elders say ‘Lie that is said t...