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“ Crossing the boundaries” . March 14 th 2012. My life My Choice. Let’s get started…. The most important work that you will ever do is on yourself as a human being. AND The biggest boundary you will ever cross is your own mind. My life My Choice. Is this you?.
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“Crossing the boundaries” March 14th 2012 My life My Choice
Let’s get started… • The most important work that you will ever do is on yourself as a human being.AND • The biggest boundary you will ever cross is your own mind. My life My Choice
Is this you? • I am in my forties- I used to love challenges- but now I fear whether I can pick up new skills and build new networks?... • I seem to have good team in place- but why is it that the decisions that we take go wrong many times? • I have a location constraint and I do not speak Hindi but otherwise I am topping in my job. • I am a woman – but I consider myself a professional first. I wonder whether there is a glass ceiling out there? My life My Choice
Defining ‘boundary’ • When was the last time that you did something for the first time in your life? My life My Choice
What is common across? • Salman Rushdie • Mother Teresa • Sonia Gandhi • Narayana Murthy • M S Dhoni • VidyaBalanYOU CANNOT CROSS THE SEA MERELY BY STANDING AND STARING AT IT.. My life My Choice
Consequences of poor boundaries • Role un clarity • Compassion fatigue • Potential for ‘splitting’ on teams • Client professionalism compromised My life My Choice
Consequences of tight boundaries • Communication suffers • Risk averseness sets in • Low motivation to perform • Limited opportunity to learn new things My life My Choice
Mid life Choices My life My Choice
Middle age is the time when… • We feel we understand ourselves better… • We feel we have probably achieved our initial set of professional and financial goals.. • We feel we are in the process of building a stable family structure… • It is also the time we can ‘re-set’ the agenda for the rest of our lives. • TIME TO CROSS SOME BARRIERS… My life My Choice
How did we choose our first careers? • Did we ‘choose’ at all?! • Decision based on salary and perks opportunity rather than basic understanding of one’s own strength or passion areas • So once these goals are met, what next? • But the question remains- is it too late to try something new? My life My Choice
Not as easy as it seems.. • Evaluated myself in terms of :- What have I been good at- What do I enjoy doing- What do I need at this point of time in my life • Self –assessment by Marcus Buckingham • Analysis and communicationInfluencing people My life My Choice
Career options… • Public Relations Role • Sales and Marketing Role in a company • Training and Consultancy • Teaching My life My Choice
TEACHING My Mid life Career Choice Professor and Head of Department-Chennai Business School My life My Choice
Why teaching? • Utilises my natural strengths the best- academics and communication • Takes forward my work experience • Allows me flexible time as a home maker • Am more of myself at work..there is no divide My life My Choice
Teaching- boundaries to be crossed? • Work environment( team versus individual) • Social life setting • Lifestyle/ Pay • Student relationship building( task versus people) • ‘Staying updated’ on my specialisation area • Gender bias versus corporate My life My Choice
My journey… • As a student- Analytical skills-Engineering to Management • As a sales and marketing professional-Adaptability-Gender ratios-Age biases-Travel-Food-Language • As a home maker-Empathy-Religion-Culture • As a teacher- Sharing knowledge-Action to knowledge My life My Choice
Which boundaries to cross? • Those you believe will take you forward as an individual • Challenge is exciting • Self belief driven • Least abrupt in process
Consider this… • ‘Lack of ability to implement new learnings’- one of top three reasons why new products fail.. • ‘Flatter world’- one of the pre requisites to globalisation of companies • Diversity- one of main agendas in all international conferences today • Corporate - looking for correcting gender ratios • ‘Global Etiquette’- part of educational institutional curriculum • Market research agencies- increasing usage of eclectic groups for new concept discussions • ‘Blink’ and ‘Bonsai Manager’- Power of intuition
Boundaries are.. • Meant to be crossed. • Crossing them makes you stronger and more skilful. • Always learn the lessons on the journey while crossing. My life My Choice
Ships are safest in the harbour butthat is not what they are meant for..