I was a teenage coder in the 1970s, and learned BASIC, COBOL and Fortran, and of course, embraced a whole slew of other languages along the way until today. But I did not ever envisage a career in coding. When I faced the worst recession in 1980s, I was hoping for a job in chemistry. But a laboratory job with a quasi-government lab ended my interest, and I went on to pursue a career in marketing, business development and consulting. That direction paid off, even today, and will easily carry me forward to retirement. I always had the knack of foresight, thankfully.
Tag: leadership Page 1 of 12

Yes, a movie can have revelations for business, entrepreneurship, marketing, branding, and leadership. The latest craze is Top Gun Maverick, featuring the long-awaited return of Tom Cruise reprising his role as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell, a test pilot and then Top Gun instructor for a suicidal stealth mission. It is a great adrenaline rush for many of us aviators, and many who aren’t. So, what did I connect the film with in terms of business and leadership?

The basics of management are often supplanted by “sexier” jargon, ideologies, or fads, especially in the 21st century. However, are the basics dead? No. The simplest ideas are sometimes the litmus test for leadership and management.

All too often, we slip into communication, in writing or in speaking, that do not communicate as directly a meaning we intend. In a world where attention span is short and hearing is bad (figuratively especially), speaking and writing directly certainly has merits, if we want our audiences to actually respond.

I saw a post online by an executive, advising career upstarts NOT to only apply for jobs that they qualify for fully. I concur. I am adding a couple more tips for young graduates, upstarts, and even middle-level executives hunting for jobs in this crisis.