How Self-Awareness Transformed My Response to a Mistake
We all make mistakes, but how we respond to them is what truly defines us. As a Hogan-assessments certified coach, I’ve spent a lot of time understanding how personality traits shape behavior—especially under stress. Yet, no amount of theory can prepare you for that sinking feeling when you realize you’ve messed up. The Moment of Realization Recently, I missed a critical client meeting. The realization hit me hard, and for a moment, my thoughts spiraled: The Inner Conflict My first instinct? Blame myself. I even thought about coming up with an excuse—something, anything, to deflect the situation. But then I stopped. That’s not me, and I knew it. So, I took a deep breath, sent an apology, admitted my mistake, and proposed a reschedule. Was it easy? Not at all. Owning up felt uncomfortable and left me feeling exposed. But here’s the thing: I’ve learned that authenticity matters way more than perfection. The Role of Awareness Thanks to Hogan, I understand how my personality influences my reactions. Being high on skepticism and dutifulness, I tend to overthink and self-blame. Without this awareness, I might have spiraled into negativity, wasting hours questioning my worth. Instead, I focused on learning from the situation. This experience also reminded me of a powerful moment during a client debrief. Midway through our session, they exclaimed, “Wow, this is so me!” They had just discovered how their high scores on Aesthetics and Power in the MVPI shaped their preference for high-visibility roles and environments that foster creativity. However, this also made them unconsciously biased toward people with polished presentations, often overlooking the brilliance of less “formatted” ideas. Similarly, another leader reflected on their personality profile: high “Reserved” on the HDS and low “Sociability” on the HPI. These traits made them naturally inclined to limit interactions and work alone, especially under stress. While this coping mechanism might seem harmless, as a leader, it had created the perception of them being “absent.” They believed they were always available for their team—but their detachment under pressure sent a very different message. What I Learned These stories reinforced what I had learned from my own mistake: self-awareness is transformative. Here’s what I took away: Moving Forward Here’s the truth: awareness is only the first step. What you do with it is what really matters. By understanding my personality, I’ve learned to approach mistakes with honesty and focus on solutions instead of spiraling. And watching my clients transform their leadership styles has shown me just how powerful self-awareness can be. Even as a coach, I’m constantly reminded that there’s always room to learn, adapt, and do better.
Finding the Perfect Knowledge Partner: A Guide to Elevating Your Team’s Growth
Developing your team is one of the most impactful long-term investments you can make as a leader. But when it comes to selecting external knowledge partners to guide this journey, the process can feel daunting. How do you ensure your investment is aligned with your goals and delivers results? Over the years, I’ve grappled with this question and honed a process that balances intuition, data, and collaboration. Here’s how you can do the same. Where It All Began Almost 10–12 years ago, I found myself leading a team and striving to help them grow into superstars. I wanted to reward their performance, especially when financial hikes weren’t always an option. Development, I realized, was a powerful alternative—a long-term investment in their careers. But I was stuck with questions: I turned to friends, consultants, and mentors for advice. One piece of guidance stood out: Root your decisions in data and evidence, but trust your intuition. This advice transformed how I approached team development—and how I choose external partners today. The Key to Team Development: A Well-Defined Process The questions I wrestled with back then form the foundation of my approach today. A good external partner should not replace your process; they should enhance it. Here’s the process I follow: 1️⃣ Clarify Your Goals and Priorities Before even considering an external partner, take the time to define what you’re aiming for. Are you looking to develop specific skills, instill behaviors, or improve overall team performance? Get clear on what success looks like and how you’ll measure it. 2️⃣ Use Data and Evidence Gather insights from your team’s performance, feedback, and aspirations. This data will inform the development areas to focus on and ensure you’re making objective decisions. 3️⃣ Individualization Matters Remember, no two team members are alike. What works for one person may not work for another. The development initiatives you choose should be flexible enough to cater to individual needs while aligning with overall team goals. How to Choose the Right External Knowledge Partner When you’ve clarified your process and goals, the next step is to find the right external knowledge partner. Here’s how to ensure you make the right choice: 1. Evaluate Expertise and Alignment Look for partners who specialize in the areas you want to develop. Ask them how they customize their approach and ensure their methodology aligns with your focus on long-term growth. 2. Define Success Together Communicate your goals and success criteria clearly. A strong partner will co-create a roadmap with you rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution. 3. Test Their Process Ask potential partners about their diagnostic methods. Do they conduct interviews, use data, or provide tools for assessing needs? Ensure their approach complements your process of balancing intuition with evidence. 4. Look for Collaboration The right partner won’t just deliver solutions—they’ll adapt, iterate, and grow with you. Flexibility and openness to feedback are key traits to look for. 5. Start Small Begin with a pilot project to assess their impact. This allows you to gauge their fit and effectiveness before committing to larger initiatives. 6. Check Cultural Fit A good partner will respect your organization’s values and culture. They should align with your team’s work style and bring ideas that enhance, not disrupt, the environment you’ve built. Why This Matters Choosing the right external knowledge partner isn’t just about ticking boxes—it’s about finding someone who amplifies your vision for your team. The partner should understand that their role is to empower your people and ensure every development initiative contributes to individual growth and organizational success. I’ve made mistakes in this process, but each one taught me something valuable. Today, I’m confident in my ability to choose partners who align with my process, deliver measurable results, and help my team thrive. Your Turn If you’re navigating the journey of team development, remember this: a clear process, rooted in evidence and intuition, is your best guide. And the right external partner? They’re the ones who’ll respect that process and enhance your efforts. How do you approach selecting external partners for your team? I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn from your experiences. Let’s share ideas and build better teams together.
Wheel of Life: Balancing Decisions for Well-Being
One of my friends was contemplating a job change and had two enticing job offers on the table. Using the Wheel of Life, he assessed various dimensions including Career Growth, Work-Life Balance, Compensation, Company Culture, Location, and Personal Development. As he evaluated Offer A, he realized it offered a significant career advancement and a competitive salary, but the commute was longer. That would impact his work-life balance. On the other hand, Offer B provided a better work-life balance and was closer to home, but with slightly lower compensation and fewer growth prospects. Reflecting on his priorities, he weighed each dimension and realized that while career growth and compensation are essential, maintaining a healthy work-life balance and proximity to family were equally important, if not more. He decided to go with Offer B. It aligned better with his overall life goals and values. Using the Wheel of Life helped him gain clarity and confidence in his decision, ensuring that he chose a job that not only advanced his career but also his overall well-being and satisfaction in life. So, what is the wheel of life? The Wheel of Life originated from the Buddhist tradition, symbolizing the cyclical nature of life. It’s a visual representation divided into segments representing various life domains. Originally used for spiritual reflection, it’s now widely utilized in coaching for self-assessment and goal-setting in diverse life areas. It visually represents various aspects of one’s life, typically depicted as segments of a circle. Each segment corresponds to a different life domain, such as career, relationships, health, and personal development. By assessing and rating satisfaction levels in each area, individuals gain a comprehensive snapshot of their current life balance and areas for improvement. The concept of interconnectedness within the Wheel of Life emphasizes the understanding that various aspects of our lives are interconnected and influence one another. When we assess different life dimensions on the Wheel of Life, such as career, relationships, health, and personal development, we recognize that these dimensions are not isolated from each other but are interrelated. For example, if someone experiences dissatisfaction in their career, it can have ripple effects on other areas of their life. It may impact their relationships with family and friends due to increased stress or time constraints, their health due to elevated levels of anxiety or burnout, and their personal development as they struggle to find fulfillment and meaning in their work. Conversely, improvements in one area of life can positively influence other areas. For instance, enhancing one’s physical health through regular exercise and proper nutrition can lead to increased energy levels and improved mood, which may positively impact their career performance and relationships. As a coaching tool, the Wheel of Life fosters self-awareness by prompting individuals to reflect on their overall life satisfaction and identify areas of strength and weakness. This heightened self-awareness serves as a foundation for setting meaningful goals and creating action plans to improve areas of dissatisfaction. By visually mapping out their life domains, clients can prioritize their goals and take proactive steps towards achieving a more balanced and fulfilling life. Seven steps to using the Wheel of Life By following these steps, you can use the Wheel of Life to help you make decisions that keep your life happy and balanced. “To delve deeper into this tool and explore its potential, feel free to contact me at shweta@cyg.today. Alternatively, visit cyg.today to discover how you can change your game today.
From Solo Act to Team Leader
Almost 15 years ago, I stepped into the role of a manager. My first time being a first time manager – it was both exciting and scary. It was like entering a new world in my career. I had more responsibilities, and everything felt uncertain. Very uncertain. Suddenly even my wardrobe was supposed to be powerful! In this edition, I am sharing my personal journey as a first-time manager, delving into the emotions, struggles, and pivotal lessons learned at that time. The first few months My first stint into the role of a manager while I had 4-5 years experience as a HRBP under my belt. I was part of the Corporate HR team and was given a team of Freshers (right from campus) to train and lead. My team was responsible for managing the HR life cycle (Hire to Retire) for Corporate Team + one smaller business unit. These new team members were completely new and my role was to train them and also get the deliverables achieved. Till now I used to be a one person in a does-it-all role. So my excitement at having a team to lead was sky high. Remember those early days, when we thought “Ab to kaam nahin karna padega” because now I was a manager. That’s what we used to think about our managers (at least I did, till I became one) 🙂 The initial excitement faded very soon. The three of them kept coming to me every 15 minutes or so, asking for some clarification or other. And I kept thinking – I have told you once before, why do you keep coming to me. I started comparing how efficient I was in their role. I was quite irritated. To top it off, my manager kept checking in on their progress with me. In my second or third 1-o-1 with my manager, when he asked about them I said, “they have only increased my work, the time that I used to take to complete was far less than answering their questions.” My manager laughed, and said, “You need to start delegating and reviewing and not sitting with them to do it. Have a daily call to assign and take reports of the tasks. And limit access to yourself. Then can speak to you at the beginning and end of the day, and push them to find their own ways.” I started to conduct “daily stand ups.” That’s what we used to call them. It made my life easier since there was a defined time in which we were meeting and they had to come prepared to ask their questions / doubts whatever they wanted to ask. I now started to like this new territory as there was time for me to think ahead since the immediate tasks were taken over by them. I started to think about how I can improve the processes. I had more people to share and have some lighter chat time. This new arrangement added more responsibilities on me. I started to ask for more from my manager and he was happy to delegate things to me since he became confident of me managing the current responsibilities well. This added to my personal and professional growth. As a manager, I started to feel very happy with how I was handling this phase. The first difficult conversation Very soon, I had a challenge when one of my team members complained about the behavior of the other.That she was rude to them and did not cooperate. Now the other two were from the same college and probably had ganged up. I tried to listen to both but thought since the other two are from the same college, it wasn’t going to be much help. I was not able to understand what was happening and I felt that going to my manager for such a small thing might make him think negatively about me. So I tried to talk to all three separately to understand and then got them all together to clear the air and get an agreement on the way ahead. This got sorted and they started to deliver as required and agreed. At the end of the year, from one of the two team members I got this feedback that they felt that I am biased towards the third one. Wow, that just hit me out of the blue!! I then brought this up with my manager, and he helped me realize that – I did the first thing right by talking to all three, getting an agreement on the way ahead. But I didn’t connect back again with each one of them. Maybe a follow up check in would have helped all three more. The first time feeling overwhelmed In another instance, one of things that I learnt while leading the team was managing time. This was the first time the concept of time management made sense to me. I remember one of the days I was working late in the office and my manager checked in to see what was happening. When I mentioned my to-do list, he was aghast. He said, “I didn’t know that you were so overworked.” He told me to go home, and that we will speak the next day. The next day he asked me to share how I made a note of work that needed to be done. I showed him my diary (those days there was no “one note” etc). He asked “how do you decide what needs to be closed today?” And I said in the sequence as it comes, and also depending upon who’s going to ask me for an update when. He asked me to create a list of activities that were pending. And then to write the dates by which they needed to be closed. Further on he said, “If you don’t know the dates, then first check with the stakeholders when they are looping you in. Align your priorities for the week
How Coaching Transformed the Way I Approach Life
As I sit down to reflect today, I can’t help but feel immense pride in the journey I’ve been on. Coaching has not only transformed the way I approach life but also shaped me into the coach I am today. The steps I took years ago, though uncertain at the time, have become the foundation of who I am now—both personally and professionally. The Realization: I Wanted More A couple of years ago, I found myself at a crossroads. On paper, everything was perfect—I had a good job, my kids were growing up well, and I was enjoying time with family. Yet, there was an inner restlessness, a longing for something more. I couldn’t put my finger on it at first. Was it career growth? A personal passion? A need for deeper fulfillment? All I knew was that staying where I was didn’t feel right. That was when I decided to take a leap and enroll in a coaching program. But I also knew what I was signing up for—coaching requires you to be vulnerable. It often brings you face-to-face with inner truths and patterns you might not be ready to confront. I was aware that some parts of this journey could be uncomfortable, even overwhelming. Still, I felt like I was ready. Ready to look inward, challenge myself, and explore what lay beneath the surface. Taking that step wasn’t just about finding answers—it was about opening up to possibilities and giving myself permission to grow. The decision wasn’t easy, and it felt like a big investment of time and money. But I knew that if I didn’t take the first step, I’d never uncover what I was searching for. The Journey: Peeling Back the Layers Coaching didn’t provide instant answers. Instead, it was a process of exploration, reflection, and self-discovery. Through sessions with my coach, conversations with peers, and structured exercises, I began to ask myself tough but meaningful questions: At first, it felt like peeling an onion—every answer uncovered a new layer to explore. The journey was emotional and messy. Some days were filled with excitement and clarity, while others brought frustration and doubt. One of the most important lessons I learned along the way was to manage my emotions better. Instead of blaming situations or getting upset, I started focusing on what was in my control. I worked on shifting my reactions, which had a ripple effect on how I approached challenges at work and in life. The Transformation: A New Perspective Recently, I met an old friend after 4–5 years, and something she said struck a chord: “You’ve changed. You’re more patient, you focus on solutions, and you seem to look at the bigger picture without getting stuck in today’s struggles.” Her words made me pause and reflect. She was right—I had changed. Coaching had given me the tools to: Coaching hasn’t just been about finding the answers to “what’s next.” It’s been about building the mindset and skills to thrive through the uncertainties of the journey itself. The Ongoing Journey Today, I’m still exploring, learning, and growing. Coaching remains my anchor, giving me bursts of energy and clarity on days when self-doubt creeps in. It’s taught me that progress doesn’t have to be perfect—it just needs to continue. For anyone feeling that inner longing for something more, my advice is simple: What About You? If you’ve ever felt that longing for something more—whether in your career, relationships, or personal growth—pause and reflect: Transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but it starts with a decision to try. I’d love to hear your thoughts or experiences in the comments—have you taken a step like this? What’s holding you back from exploring your next chapter?