Practical, daily leadership

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At age 65, I have varied and rich experience of leadership & management. 26 years in the army and about 18 in the corporate world. I have authored book - leadership for Colonels & Business Managers - which covers 6 themes of daily leadership. More details on http://www.innovatorsandleaders.com/leade…

Alok Asthana


    • Mar 21, 2024 LATEST EPISODE
    • monthly NEW EPISODES
    • 6m AVG DURATION
    • 46 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Practical, daily leadership

    Ecstasy, or the laundry after it?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 10:28


    My understanding of life- from different perspectives.

    Life is nothing else but just a Denial of Death

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 21, 2024 5:41


    My views on life

    Jaago mere dost.

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 2, 2024 4:36


    Ek zimmedar Indian se ek Fauzi ki appeal.

    Hopeful of India improving because of possible loss of BJP? Don't be.

    Play Episode Listen Later May 10, 2023 5:09


    India won't improve even if BJP loses. This is so because the subjects. 140 crore Indians, won't change just because the top man does.

    The myth of greatness in medieval India

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2023 15:17


    A trading company with 35 employees in London office at time of battle of Plassey, ruled India with money from Indian moneylenders and soldiers from India. Wows

    Lack of corruption or improvement in Per Capita GDP

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 6, 2023 5:50


    If there be one thing that people must want it should be better Per Capita GDP of the nation. But citizens fall for topics like corruption and some more. If they are so stupid, they'll never get good governance.

    The strange need of mass Leaders to be Cruel

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 31, 2023 8:55


    Here I explain why Mr Modi is so successful and Mr Rahul Gandhi is so unsuccessful. It is all a question of the mental state of followers who need a strong ā€˜Father', in front of who they can be helpless.

    Does it make sense to criticize the government in today's India?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 6:04


    Well, we need to think about it in several ways.

    ą¤•ą¤æą¤¤ą¤Øą„€ ą¤øą¤®ą¤ का काम ą¤¹ą„ˆ ą¤®ą„Œą¤œą„‚ą¤¦ą¤¾ निज़ाम ą¤•ą„€ ख़िलाफ़त करना

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 27, 2023 5:44


    काम का काम ą¤•ą¤°ą„‹, suicide ą¤Øą¤¹ą„€ą¤‚

    In awe of your Prime Minister? Hear this.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2023 10:48


    You own India, not he or she. They are just managers appointed by you. Simply understand this and all will be well.

    Air pollution in India

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2023 1:24


    How people trivialize on important aspects, including Air pollution.

    The Red Pill on India and the Indian Army 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2023 5:16


    Since about 2015, the system is working overtime to show that India is a No. 1 country and the Indian Army is very powerful. That is nowhere the case.

    The Red Pill on India and the Indian Army 2923

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 2, 2023 5:16


    India and the Indian Army are being officially touted as No. 1, since about 2015. This is a myth, very aggressively promoted by the system, in order to hide its pock marks.

    Air pollution in India. Who is to blame?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 3, 2022 2:20


    The air in Indian cities is, in most cases, around 80 times more polluted than laid down by international standards. Given the scale, can there be anyone other than the Indian Prime Minister who should be blamed for it?

    Morbi bridge disaster, India - Will it change things?

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2022 12:49


    India has witnessed a terrible accident on 30 October in which 141 people died in a collapse of a bridge, renovated just 3 days back. Will this help India get out of its unprofessionalism in everything? Seems not.

    Why and how genes proliferate

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2022 3:17


    Not because of desire to proliferate surely.

    Why are army trainers not professionally trained in their craft?

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 23, 2022 5:54


    My problem with PM Modi

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2022 7:41


    The real problem is not mis governance but the softer aspects if his mental make-up - his total indifference towards his reputation.

    Why do I stop being good

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 13, 2022 7:51


    Why indeed? Mostly because I think too much.

    Nationalism, Army and other such nonsenses

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 10, 2022 12:56


    Should you kill because you are expecting to do so, for any reason? Then you are a mercenary.

    Categories are big problem

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 28, 2022 8:24


    Categories are concepts - cut &dried. I'll not live by them.

    What every leader needs

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 2, 2021 11:50


    Here I cover my approach to teaching leadership skills - What every leader needs. All of us need these skills, because we all are leaders in some sense or the other. Some lead teams in their organisations while others lead their families. I clarify here why I prefer the foundation of my teaching to come from psychology and sociology, rather than Case studies and biographies of successful leaders. I also show how I cover the needs of leaders at all stages - from the first time leader to the CXO.

    The expectation-mindset gap can ruin all projects of management and coaching.

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 3, 2021 4:56


    Many managers and coaches jump into advising or penalizing, the moment the other person acts contrary to their expectations. While they know that no person does anything against his perceived self-interest, they fail to take this into account. If only they took some time to get to know how the other person justifies that act to himself! The key lies there.

    HR people should learn this from gym trainers and surgeons

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 20, 2021 5:53


    HR people, in dealing with weak employees, act like nurses - using the love and welfare approach. This is all wrong. In dealing with weakness, they should learn a trick or two from gym trainers and, finally, from surgeons.

    Groupthink- How to recognize, avoid and counter it in groups and organizations.

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2020 6:40


    Too much consensus is not always a good thing. Mostly it is due to a belief among members of a group that it is better for them to not be seen as the one who rocks the boat. Here are tips to recognize, avoid and counter it.

    In an unjust governance system, are the powerful people actually having the last laugh?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 19, 2020 7:36


    An unjust system creates a feeling in citizens that he is not obliged to sacrifice anything, as the people in power are not sacrificing anything. That mindset is very harmful for a country and a society. When the citizen is also a soldier, this mindset can have extremely harmful effects.

    Getting Benefits by Leaving them out

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 2, 2020 7:26


    Normally, we feel the need to do something, eat something, read something for getting benefits. However, most benefits come by releasing i.e. letting go of something and keeping your life, stomach and your mind empty. Amazing results by doing less or nothing.

    In What Ways Can We empower individuals who are not part of any organisation, with real leverage over governance and politics.

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 1, 2020 5:29


    Today, public opinion is mostly shaped by those working under some organisation and are prepared to take up strikes, hate-speeches etc. The crores who too have an opinion but are prepared to only put down two lines on social media, and no more, are unable to affect public opinion. This is due to lack of the right instruments and tools. So, what can we do about it?

    Don’ts and Do’s for citizens wanting to reclaim their Democracy

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 20, 2020 8:44


    Here is one Don’t and two Do’s for fellow citizens, in their quest to reclaim their democracy.

    India MUST follow through on the sacrifice by 106 soldiers

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 27, 2020 6:54


    On night 15 Jun at Galwan, Ladakh, 106 soldiers of Indian army made a lot of sacrifice on a mission ordered by India. Now, we must seek closure to this case of a failed mission, at exorbitant cost. Many options available, as set out in this podcast.

    Very poor citizenship by Indians

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 11, 2020 6:43


    Covind 19 has, once again, shown that Indian citizens are ready to cry, but not fight.

    Nourishing ALL parts of a Group

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 11, 2019 6:01


    A group exists primarily to perform a task. So, task completion needs of the group as supreme. However, the task can be completed only if there is no sand in the system. So, the next need is to maintain the group. Since the group is merely a collection of individuals, it can be maintained only by looking after the individual needs of individuals.

    Would you much rather be loved, or respected?

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 21, 2019 7:31


    For a leader, this is always the dilemma. Here are some research based facts that'll help you make the decision. This is the summary of chapter 8 of my book ' Leadership for Colonels & Business Managers'.

    A critique of SrimadBhagwat Gita of Hindus

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2019 9:24


    The book, SrimadBhagwat Gita, is considered by Hindus to be most holy. It is also seen as useful practical advice for living one's daily life. It is with respect to this second aspect that I am commenting here.

    Why deny yourself to yourself?

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 6, 2019 8:40


    Most of the times, we spend time in ideas, not feelings. Ideas are ways to enhance communication through language, which creates a digital reality. In doing so, we deny the reality of feelings and sensations, which are integral to us and analogous in nature.

    My Rediscovery of India - Part 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 4, 2019 10:02


    These are my few learnings about the history of India, about which I had pretty wrong notions. Reading Sri Nehru's book - The discovery of India - opened my eyes. This is Part 1, covering 3 issues. In other episodes, I'll cover more

    Should leaders endeavor to be loved or respected?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2019 5:31


    Leadership requires making the decision whether the leader is trying to be loved or respected. There is no absolute dictum on this. However, once you are able to clarify the situation your group is in presently, particularly in terms of Productivity, Satisfaction and Development, you can get a good answer to this question Much more in my book - Leadership for Colonels & Business Managers - on Amazon

    Discipline - Air Force and Army - Difference.

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 26, 2019 3:46


    How to Praise and Reprimand

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 9, 2018 6:15


    This is partial summary if a chapter of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers.

    How not to end up doing work of your subordinates

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2018 4:10


    A summary of chapter of same title from my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers. The topic is also known as Monkey Management.

    How to Delegate

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 2, 2018 4:39


    This is episode 6 of the series if podcasts, covering chapters of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers. The book is available on Amazon

    Feedback - The breakfast of champions

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 27, 2018 4:18


    Summary of ch 2 of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers ( www.innovatorsandleaders com/leadership)

    How to motivate

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 26, 2018 3:21


    Summary of ch 2 ( How to motivate) of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers. A video cast, too, is available.

    Avoid giving equal treatment to unequals

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 24, 2018 3:00


    This is from ch 1 of my new book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers.

    The 6 themes for training middle managers

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 22, 2018 4:19


    These 6 themes constitute the basis of my new book - 'Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers'

    Episode 1

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 21, 2018 4:53


    The very first episode of Get more out of machines or men?!

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