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In simple words, showcasing expertise in a certain area through any medium of communication is Thought Leadership. This phrase is very loosely used, and associated word dropping is done during  conversations in corporate corridors, with stakeholders and decision makers an individual or firm intends to influence. For corporate professionals, thought leadership is showcasing their expertise in the line of business, technology, industry, sector, function and so on. The medium of showcasing is also many: Blogging, Whitepapers, Articles, Books, Speaking Engagements, Video, Audio, etc. the majority of the mid to senior leaders in the corporate sector are aware of this concept and its impact on their career. Yet, many do not take any action in this direction for some of the reasons like: 1. Confidence: Am I really the authority on this subject? Well, if you are doing well in your field, chances are you are. A tech architect working in a narrow domain of software development using open source platforms, let’s say Property and Casualty insurance field, probably is one of the few professionals in the world knowledgeable about this subject. Confidence emerges naturally when you determine your niche, or micro niche. 2. Fear of Ridicule: “People may not like what I write. I may fall short of expectations of some or many people.” This fear compounded with shaky confidence, sabotages this imitative right in the beginning and does not let a person start. Did you realise that many people who present scientific papers are also challenged?  Some people will like what you are trying to convey and some people will not. At least the people who like your thoughts on a particular subject matter will tend to gravitate towards you and the people who do not, would probably come forward [...]

It’s been researched and established that BEI (Behavioural Event Interview) is the most reliable form of interviewing to predict the likelihood of success of a person at a particular assignment. Assessment centers are the best form of selection of people, but the cost, time and resources needed for the same make it difficult to implement the same in most of the situations. “Tell me something about yourself.” “Please take me through your background.” “What are your career aspirations?” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” etc. are very typical questions used in most interviews. Repeated studies and experiences do not help much to assess the competence of a person for a particular job. Despite against such interviewing methodology, Why is it that most hiring managers and HR managers do not adopt the reliable interviewing methodology of Behavioural Event Interview. A quick survey done by M2S Consulting revealed that almost 99% of the Hiring Managers did not use BEI (Behavioural Event Interview) in their selection and recruitment process.  Surprisingly 27% of the HR professionals were not even aware of this methodology. The balance were aware,  24% were using adapted version of BEI and the balance 49% through awareness of the same never used BEI or its adapted version for assessment of  recruitment at leadership level. Only 2% of the professionals surveyed were trained in BEI. This data essentially points out that interviews are being conducted using interview methodologies that are far less reliable than a proven system. According to a study conducted in USA, 46% of the new hires fail in the first 18 months of their jobs. Considering the state of scenario, is it not very urgent to start implementing a structured Behavioural Event Interview process? Hiring  top talent in India or elsewhere a significant challenge. A suboptimal hiring results in suboptimal performance. The value of a bad hire [...]

It feels great to receive a call from a recruiter in a company or a headhunter. The phone call is music for the years or is it really? Somewhere deep down the psyche you feel you are wanted, required and sought after. And if the caller happens to talk about the opportunity in companies in which you always dreamt of working, the mind and the body wishes to hear more about the opportunity. The rational mind suddenly weakens, and the emotional mind takes over. “You should always keep your options open and listen to the headhunter about the opportunities he/she is referring to. You never know when a great opportunity will knock.” said a CHRO of one of the largest Indian conglomerates to me. It kept me wondering, if this person, who is responsible for hiring and retaining the top leadership talent within the group spread across multiple sectors would walk his talk when he evaluates his current or future employees. Yes! You should keep yourself open to the opportunities. The good ones come only once in a while. But despite being a headhunter, I would advise majority of the candidates not to change the job. Some of the situations/ circumstances when professionals think about changing a job are: I have hit the ceiling; there is no growth. My organization is going through tough times. Retrenchment will happen. Let me change before I am told to find another job. The restructuring will hit my position. I have been short changed by my management for promotion/increment. I am not being given my dues. I find my boss unreasonable, unprofessional, etc. etc... There is no challenge in the role any longer. I no longer enjoy it. [...]