Abhijit Bhaduri’s Blog
I write about careers, skills and the world of work. The cartoons and sketches are mine.
The Dark Side of the Gig Economy
The new world of work is still run with old laws. Uber, which started in 2009, now has more than 7,00,000 active drivers in the United States alone, which is nearly three times the number of taxi drivers and chauffeurs in the country in 2014. Gig workers have flexibility but no paid sick leave, no time off and certainly no pension. The government may need to legislate the labor platforms where there is an urgent need redefine labor laws. The laws must not stifle innovation but must certainly prevent exploitation. It is time for new rules.
Make Sure Your Resume Survives The Six Seconds Test
Just as headlines act as filters that help us make quick decisions about which news items to spend time on, the summary of your resumé should catch the attention of a recruiter almost instantly. Recruiters must scan quickly through hundreds of resumes every day. So if your summary isn’t powerful, chances are you won’t make it into the Yes basket. You have to survive the crucial six seconds test.
Is engagement the cause or the effect
If someone has been hired to do a job, shouldn’t they just do their job? While a lot of employees will do the bare minimum they need to do to keep their jobs going, there is a small percentage of employees who hit the ball out of the park.
They file for patents, contribute more and are evangelists for the brand. According to Bain and Company, companies like Apple, Netflix, Google, and Dell are 40% more productive than the average company. That amounts to a disproportionate impact on the bottom line.
The Four Jobs of a Boss
Being the leader of people is an honor. The leader must ask every day, “Am I worthy of discharging my responsibility? Do I have what it takes to lead them today?” That means doing these 4 tasks without fail.
Just Post-It
These yellow Post-It notes are an essential part of my life. I have used these yellow thingies to write welcome notes and bid goodbye. To share a word of appreciation for my team members. To say thank you for great work done. Several appraisals and many bosses later, my team members still have the fading thank you notes and cartoons on their desk.
Building Leadership Development Programs
BCG estimates more than 4,000 companies with formal corporate universities across the world. The former Chief Learning Officer (CLO) of BBC, Nigel Paine’s new book explores what it means to choose a high-investment option like GE did. What makes Crotonville relevant even today? If a company wants to invest in leadership development is it necessary for them to invest millions of dollars and build a clone of Crotonville? Is that the only approach to leadership development?
What does it mean to live in Perpetual Beta
Software developers release "unfinished code" and constantly add new features after that. That's called the Beta version of the code. But living like that perpetually is not for the faint hearted - unless you are Brian Chesky, CEO of Airbnb. In that case you will decide to disrupt yourself. He says, “If we don’t grow past what we originally invented, what leads to your success leads to your death.” He has cut himself off from his existing business and building his next gig.
The new language of leadership
The leaders cannot engage employees until they start levelling with them as equals. They have to stop looking at employees as fans who have gathered to watch the leader shake hands or make a brief appearance. The new media is all about two-way communication, conversations and deep engagement. They have no choice but to learn the new rules. That means rethinking the power equation between leaders and followers.
Introduction to Storytelling by Pixar
I am a fan of Pixar's storytelling style. I don't know if you have ever read their famous 22 rules of storytelling? If you have not, you must. Some of the tips are really super useful to newbies like me who are fascinated enough by the magic to want to be a magician. But for now one has to be grateful that I am getting to read the magician's book of spells before he returns. I make a quick note of rule number 2 in the Book of Spells.
What To Do When Machines Do Everything
Machines already embedded into everything we do. How can we stay ahead? The book suggests five approaches that form the acronym AHEAD.
Half Pants Full Pants
If you have read Malgudi Days, you will love reading Half Pants Full Pants. It will make you think of your childhood. In retrospect, those wonder years were truly magical. This book captures the magic of wearing half pants and the exasperation of dealing with adults who wear full pants. He says, “The book is set against a backdrop of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Apart from the excesses of childhood madness and adventures that we indulged in, the book captures nuances of social mores, traditions and mindsets of South Indian Brahmins in a small town.”
Can we teach people the way we teach machines?
Affectiva has gathered more than a billion data points to learn how human emotions differ based on the device, the content and of course, the individual viewer. These data points are then analyzed based on inputs from psychologists and experts. The machine tries to identify emotions in real time. The human experts coach the machine and tweak its algorithm and help it improve. Why don't we teach humans with the same rigor.
Who is your disruptor?
It may be time to heed the advice of Sun Tzu, “If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” That advice certainly holds true in the digital age.
Let 2017 be about Digital Mindsets – not HR Tech
Firstly, this year, let HR take a boundary-less view of data. Go beyond structured data to unstructured data sources. Throw in data from all sources till you cannot use Excel to do analysis any more. You have to invest in Artificial Intelligence.
The tech sector is disappearing
Technology is becoming like electricity — it is invisible. Its presence does not draw attention any more, but it periodically strikes like lightning, leaving behind a trail of devastation. Unable to keep pace with fast fashion and the consumers’ preference to shop online, The Limited shut down 250 stores in 2017. 460 outlets of Sports Authority went out of business in 2016. PacSun, Aeropostale, and American Apparel filed for bankruptcy in 2016. Macy’s has just slashed 10,000 jobs and shut 68 stores. All sectors are tech sectors. All jobs are tech jobs.
HR has an expertise problem to fix
HR needs to go beyond its role as a "touchy-feely" only function. The HR team must be able to design an amazing employment experience based on research, evidence and science. The real role of HR lies in shaping the culture of the organization, finding ways to attract and develop top talent and to be a futurist for the organization. Being able to design the right experience is the real value of the function. That needs expertise.