Leadership in Matters that matter
By Alok Asthana
At age 67, I have varied and rich experience of innovation ( including TRIZ) and leadership - 26 years in the army and about 18 in the corporate world. I have two books - 'Leadership for Colonels & Business Managers' and 'Reclaim your Democracy'. I am a deep thinker, very influenced by Nicholos Taleb on randomness. Feel strongly pulled to do something for my country and my people.
alok.asthana@gmail.com. +91 9821677859, Thane 400607, India
Leadership in Matters that matterSep 09, 2018
00:00
06:16
Ecstasy, or the laundry after it?
My understanding of life- from different perspectives.
Mar 21, 202410:28
Life is nothing else but just a Denial of Death
My views on life
Mar 21, 202405:41
Jaago mere dost.
Ek zimmedar Indian se ek Fauzi ki appeal.
Mar 02, 202404:37
Hopeful of India improving because of possible loss of BJP? Don’t be.
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.
May 10, 202305:09
The myth of greatness in medieval India
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
Apr 29, 202315:18
Lack of corruption or improvement in Per Capita GDP
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.
Apr 06, 202305:51
The strange need of mass Leaders to be Cruel
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 ‘Father’, in front of who they can be helpless.
Mar 31, 202308:56
Does it make sense to criticize the government in today’s India?
Well, we need to think about it in several ways.
Mar 27, 202306:05
कितनी समझ का काम है मौजूदा निज़ाम की ख़िलाफ़त करना
काम का काम करो, suicide नहीं
Mar 27, 202305:45
In awe of your Prime Minister? Hear this.
You own India, not he or she. They are just managers appointed by you. Simply understand this and all will be well.
Feb 05, 202310:49
Air pollution in India
How people trivialize on important aspects, including Air pollution.
Feb 03, 202301:25
The Red Pill on India and the Indian Army 2023
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.
Feb 03, 202305:17
The Red Pill on India and the Indian Army 2923
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.
Feb 02, 202305:17
Air pollution in India. Who is to blame?
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?
Nov 03, 202202:20
Morbi bridge disaster, India - Will it change things?
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.
Oct 31, 202212:49
Why and how genes proliferate
They just ‘happen’ to proliferate under certain conditions, not because of they ‘desire to’ or ‘act so as to’ proliferate They don’t have consciousness.
Aug 09, 202203:17
Why are army trainers not professionally trained in their craft?
Why indeed!
Jun 23, 202205:54
My problem with PM Modi
The real problem is not mis governance but the softer aspects if his mental make-up - his total indifference towards his reputation.
Jun 13, 202207:42
Why do I stop being good
Why indeed? Mostly because I think too much.
Jun 13, 202207:51
Nationalism, Army and other such nonsenses
Should you kill because you are expecting to do so, for any reason? Then you are a mercenary.
Jun 10, 202212:56
Categories are big problem
Categories are concepts - cut &dried. I’ll not live by them.
Apr 28, 202208:24
What every leader needs
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.
Jul 02, 202111:50
The expectation-mindset gap can ruin all projects of management and coaching.
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.
Feb 03, 202104:56
HR people should learn this from gym trainers and surgeons
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.
Jan 20, 202105:53
Groupthink- How to recognize, avoid and counter it in groups and organizations.
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.
Dec 31, 202006:41
In an unjust governance system, are the powerful people actually having the last laugh?
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.
Aug 19, 202007:36
Getting Benefits by Leaving them out
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.
Aug 02, 202007:27
In What Ways Can We empower individuals who are not part of any organisation, with real leverage over governance and politics.
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?
Aug 01, 202005:30
Don’ts and Do’s for citizens wanting to reclaim their Democracy
Here is one Don’t and two Do’s for fellow citizens, in their quest to reclaim their democracy.
Jul 20, 202008:44
India MUST follow through on the sacrifice by 106 soldiers
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.
Jun 27, 202006:54
Very poor citizenship by Indians
Covind 19 has, once again, shown that Indian citizens are ready to cry, but not fight.
Apr 11, 202006:44
Nourishing ALL parts of a Group
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.
Oct 11, 201906:02
Would you much rather be loved, or respected?
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'.
Sep 21, 201907:31
A critique of SrimadBhagwat Gita of Hindus
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.
Sep 05, 201909:24
Why deny yourself to yourself?
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.
Aug 06, 201908:41
My Rediscovery of India - Part 1
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
Jul 05, 201910:02
Should leaders endeavor to be loved or respected?
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
Mar 06, 201905:31
Discipline - Air Force and Army - Difference.
Jan 26, 201903:46
How to Praise and Reprimand
This is partial summary if a chapter of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers.
Sep 09, 201806:16
How not to end up doing work of your subordinates
A summary of chapter of same title from my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers.
The topic is also known as Monkey Management.
The topic is also known as Monkey Management.
Sep 07, 201804:11
How to Delegate
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
Sep 02, 201804:39
Feedback - The breakfast of champions
Summary of ch 2 of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers ( www.innovatorsandleaders com/leadership)
Apr 27, 201804:19
How to motivate
Summary of ch 2 ( How to motivate) of my book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers. A video cast, too, is available.
Apr 26, 201803:21
Avoid giving equal treatment to unequals
This is from ch 1 of my new book - Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers.
Apr 24, 201803:00
The 6 themes for training middle managers
These 6 themes constitute the basis of my new book - 'Leadership for Colonels and Business Managers'
Apr 22, 201804:20
Episode 1
The very first episode of Get more out of machines or men?!
Apr 22, 201804:53