Life Acumen at Work
Vinod Wadhwani, an executive coach, shares insights from his coaching sessions with corporate leaders. He focuses on the specific leadership challenges they face and offers perspectives to help them grow. The podcast aims to provide tangible benefits to both leaders and their organizations.
Episodes
What Shaped Your Successful Corporate Career
Preview: We tend to remember our corporate career success as a story of effort, judgment and capability. But that is rarely the whole story. Timing matters. Context matters. Relationships matter. Opportunity matters. So do the people whose contributions may no longer appear in the version of the story we tell ourselves.In this episode of Life Acumen at Work, we explore how success can distort memo
Is Speed Hurting Your Decision-Making
Preview: What if moving faster is not always a sign of better leadership? In this episode of Life Acumen at Work, we explore the hidden cost of speed - what gets lost when decisiveness, urgency, and constant motion become virtues in themselves. From the difference between reversible and irreversible decisions to the impact of speed on dissent, reflection, and learning, this episode asks a deeper
The Leadership Shadow You Cast
Preview: The Leadership Shadow You cast - This episode is about the gap between the leader you intend to be and the leader people learn to navigate. Because every leader probably has two leadership styles. The one we intend to practice and the one other people actually experience. And the gap between these two is worth examining.Resources Mentioned:McKinsey & Company — research on role modelli
What Can't AI Replace
Preview:What Can't AI Replace? - What if the real leadership challenge of AI is not learning what machines can do, but becoming clearer about what only humans should do? In this episode of Life Acumen at Work, we look beyond productivity, automation, and smarter decision-support to explore three responsibilities leaders cannot outsource: context, accountability, and relationship. As AI become
Is "FIRE" an Exit Fantasy
PREVIEW:Financial Independence, Retire Early - What if FIRE is not really about money - but about the life you’re trying to escape? In this episode of Life Acumen at Work, we look beyond spreadsheets, savings targets, and early retirement dreams to explore the deeper leadership question underneath: what are you postponing until you feel “free”? For senior leaders, founders, and high achievers, the
Is Your Career Future-Proof
Preview:You did everything right. You studied hard, built a successful career, earned the title, the credibility, and the rewards. But in a world where people live longer, careers last decades longer, and AI is reshaping work, a new question emerges: Is the career you built still enough for the life ahead? In this episode, we explore why the traditional career ladder may no longer be sufficient, a
The Hidden Cost of Success
The Hidden Cost of Success: This episode explores the hidden vitality cost of ambition - the patience, presence, humor, and energy leaders often lose long before burnout appears.Resources:Leading Off: A leader’s guide to strengthening employee health‘You’ve got to find what you love,’ Jobs says | Stanford ReportHalf of Workers Around the World Are Struggling with BurnoutPodcast Description:On Life
How to See Beyond Positions
How to See Beyond Positions:When a tough conversation gets tense, it often stops being about the real issue - and turns into a quiet battle over who will “blink first.” In this episode, you’ll learn how capable leaders get trapped defending a position, why that kills discovery and alignment, and the simple shift that lowers the emotional temperature fast: stop asking “How do I get them to agree?”
Stop Negotiating Your Position
Stop Negotiating Your Position explains how positional bargaining turns problem-solving into a contest of credibility, slowing decisions and damaging trust - especially for senior executives who must preserve relationships beyond the deal. Using examples (Infosys board crisis, Camp David Accords, Disney–Pixar, and Oracle–PeopleSoft), it contrasts positions (what you demand) with interests (why you
Redefining Success in the Second Half of Your Career
Picture this: You're standing at your office window on a quiet Friday evening, looking out at the setting sun. You've just closed a major deal, and by all traditional measures, you're at the peak of your career. You have been through the ruthless climb up the corporate ladder, the sacrifices, the wins, the losses, the political battles, the strategic victories. You've built the
Adapting to Tech Disruption as a Senior Leader
Imagine you're a senior leader who has navigated market shifts for decades. But suddenly, you're confronted with technologies that don't just change how business operates, but fundamentally redefine what's possible. The question isn't just how you'll adjust – it's whether your leadership can transform this disruption from a threat into your organization's gr
Creating a Culture of Accountability
What is a culture of accountability? How crucial it is for leaders to model accountability? What environment makes accountability thrive? In FocusHow do we, as senior leaders, foster a culture of accountability? How do we navigate the complex web of human emotions, corporate politics, and bottom-line pressures to create an environment where accountability isn't just a buzzword, but a way of l
Building Business-Savvy Executive Team
Picture this, a founder CEO struggling to build a business savvy team? What exactly does it mean to have a 'business savvy' team? How to build such a team?In FocusHow do you nurture holistic business acumen among your top-tier leaders?How do we help executives develop the breadth of understanding, needed to navigate the complexities of modern business?How do you balance this kind of broa
Navigating Career Crossroads
Whether you’ve been a C-suite leader for just a few years or a seasoned veteran of many years, there comes a time when you reach a pivotal moment. A moment where you're faced with critical decisions that could reshape not just your career, but your legacy. Have you ever paused, to wonder, if the path you’re on, is still the right one? Or maybe, you’ve considered stepping away, but are not sur
Why "Effective Feedback" Critical for Leadership Growth
Many senior executives struggle to get effective feedback from their team. That’s a pivotal challenge leaders face constantly. When leaders don’t receive clear insights, into their strengths and areas of improvement, it can create a cascading effect, that ultimately impacts team performance.In FocusHow can leaders effectively break down the barriers that hinder candid feedback from their teams? H
Prevent "Burnout" in the Workplace
The World Health Organization has officially recognized burnout as an occupational syndrome. According to some estimates more than a third of employees' experience burnout intermittently, with nearly 25% feeling it recurrently or constantly.In FocusWhat is Burnout?Does, each one of us experience burnout differently?Why is burnout so pervasive and what triggers it?What is Employability?“Role o
How Do I Hone My Persuasive Communication Skills?
Persuasion is not to be seen as tricking or forcing other people to your point of view, it is to be seen as understanding what engages and opens other people up to new ideas and insights.In FocusHow do you define persuasion? How does engagement influence persuasion?What is physical and temporal proximity?What are some techniques for increasing engagement?What are some of the behaviors which come i
Why you must build bridges with your boss?
Many middle managers make the mistake of relying too much on their job performance, consequently leave too much to chance and fail to effectively manage their careers.In FocusAre modesty and quiet work not virtues in the corporate world?But doesn’t good performance help you secure your job?Is there a weak link between job performance and promotion?Great job performance by itself is insufficient an
Why do you feel dissonance despite having career success?
Recent research on people’s life satisfaction by social scientists suggests, that in general, life satisfaction follows a “U” shape. It starts at the upper range in youth, bottoms out in 40s, and then picks up again in older age. In FocusWhy do you feel anxious despite being successful?What are some of those specific things that start to get in our heads when we hit the 40’s?What does your definit
Is your manager undermining you?
Bad managers are the top cause of unhappiness in the workplace. According to a survey by an HR consulting firm, more than 50% employees leave their jobs to get away from a bad boss. Everyone who’s had a bad manager knows what it can do to your stress levels and job satisfaction. In FocusKeeping you in an off-balance statePassing along second-hand criticismIntimidation – turning a simple request in
How to overcome distraction and regain focus at work?
Is multitasking a strength? Are human beings good at it? Or is this a delusion that majority of us have fallen for?In Focus:Where do we start in this distracted world to regain focus?How can you slow down in a world which takes pride in speed?What are the costs attached to constant switching?Does constant switching makes us slower?How do we fix this urge to constantly switch?What damage can Intern
Making and keeping new year's resolutions!
There is usually a lot of optimism this time of the year as the world slows down and people get time to reflect about what actually matters. Amid this hope what resolutions are people making for the new year and how to keep them.In Focus:Many people set personal and professional goals this time of year. Why choose new year to set resolutions?New years resolutions can be as fleeting as fireworks, o
Why is our attention span decreasing?
A study by Professor Michael Posner at the University of Oregon found that if you are focusing on something and you get interrupted, on average it will take twenty-three minutes for you to get back to the same state of focus. Another study of office executives found that most of them never get an hour of uninterrupted work in a typical day. If this goes on for months and years, it scrambles your a
Why candor in organizations so important?
Candor is not just about telling the truth. It requires openness, sincerity and some degree of vulnerability. Lack of candor is not just remaining silent, it’s deceit by omission, which means that an element of honesty and truth is intentionally ignored IN FOCUS: When we say there is lack of candor in organizations. What does it mean?Why is candor so important in the workplace?How can organizati
Why many of us give up new year's resolutions?
IN FOCUS: Many people set personal and professional goals this time of year. Why choose new year to set resolutions?New year’s resolutions can be as fleeting as fireworks, one study found that about 25% give up after 2 weeks and only about 12% actually achieve their goal. Why is that most of us fail at sticking to new year’s resolutions?How do we get our new year resolutions become a reality?Wha
Is critical feedback important for high-performance?
POINT OF VIEW: There seems to be a belief among managers that critical feedback is essential to push out complacency and drive performance in employees. But behind this belief we may be overlooking a fundamental question “Should managers point to weaknesses or nurture employee’s strengths to drive performance?” What is the issue with feedback reviews if they are used to improve performan
Can human beings be reliable raters of other human beings?
POINT OF VIEW: 360-degree reviews are well entrenched in performance review systems of companies, then why the skepticism around their utility? Does our evaluation of others tainted by our own understanding of abstract qualities like "assertiveness", "business acumen" etc? Does it mean 360-degree reviews are meaningless and companies will eventually move away from them?
Do feedback reviews help employees perform at their best?
IN FOCUS: What is the issue with feedback reviews? Isn’t it that we humans crave feedback? If feedback is perceived as a threat, how do managers point to employees when they are not performing well? And push them to do better? Won’t employees prefer the manager tell them something that they are doing wrong rather than what they are doing right? 360-degree reviews are well entrenched in pe
Why leaders need to be mindful how they are treating employees?
IN FOCUS: What is workplace incivility? And what kinds of behaviors in the workplace can be seen as uncivil?Why is workplace incivility so prevalent?If leaders know that treating employees with respect is critical, why is then they struggle to demonstrate it?Do leaders need to tread carefully on how they are treating their employees?What can leaders do to demonstrate respect?Related Episodes:#8
How to handle our inner critic?
POINT OF VIEW: Many successful executives get worn down with putting on a mask of confidence while burdened with internal feelings of incompetence. How can they navigate this duality?The inner critic in high achieving executives can be quite strong. How can one treat his or her inner critic?Related Episodes:#14: Better Things Happen When We View Ourselves as Work in Progress#13: Reprogramming O
Better things happen when we view ourselves as work in progress
POINT OF VIEW: What can one do to alleviate the negative effects of Impostor syndrome?How can people with Impostor Syndrome, overcome intense performance pressure, they build on themselves? Related Episodes: #9: The Pitfalls of Impostor Syndrome#15: How to handle our Inner Critic?#13: Reprogramming Our Internal Compass to Overcome Imposture Host:Vinod Wadhwani is an executive coach and fa
Reprogramming our internal compass to overcome impostor syndrome
POINT OF VIEW: Learning Vs. Performance MindsetIdentifying consequences through series of “what” questionsReframing and correcting negativity bias – simple techniques to overcome impostureRelated Episodes:#14: Better Things Happen When We View Ourselves As Work-In-Progress#15: How to handle our inner critic? #9: The Pitfalls of Impostor SyndromeHost:Vinod Wadhwani is an executive coach and facil
How to overcome impostor syndrome?
IN FOCUS: What can one do to alleviate the negative effects of Impostor syndrome?How can people with Impostor Syndrome, overcome intense performance pressure, they build on themselves?How can one program his or her internal compass to overcome Impostor Syndrome?People having Impostor Syndrome put on a mask of confidence though internally tend to have deep feelings of incompetence. How to navigat
How do leaders with impostor syndrome impact their organizations?
POINT OF VIEW: Does perfectionism play a role in Impostor Syndrome?The underlying traits that researchers connect with Impostor syndrome; perfectionism and Neuroticism; seem to be a dangerous combo. You seek perfection, but you’re also neurotic, which probably makes you anxious, when you don’t achieve perfection. Seems like a vicious cycle? How do leaders with negative imposture syndrome, impac
What is Impostor Syndrome? Is it Real?
POINT OF VIEW: What is Imposter Syndrome? Is it real? What are some common thoughts and feelings, exhibited by people who seem to have Imposter Syndrome?Do events and experiences, in an individual’s formative years, have a bearing on developing Impostor syndrome in adulthood?Related Episodes:#11: How Do Leaders with Impostor Syndrome Impact their Organizations?#12: How to Overcome Impostor Syndr
The pitfalls of impostor syndrome
IN FOCUS: In a survey of senior corporate executives on what are some of their deep-seated fears, researchers found that the biggest fear among these c-suite executives was the fear of being discovered to be incompetent, also known as the “impostor syndrome.” Host: Vinod Wadhwani is an executive coach and facilitator. Vinod founded Life Acumen LLP with a mission to help corporate executives w
Why high-achievement oriented employees do not "speak up" in the work-place?
IN FOCUS: Increase in fear of speaking up in the work place is a worrying trend as it may not only hamper innovation, productivity and performance but could also lead to circumstances that may cause more corporate debacles in times to come. In this episode we will discuss How do speaking up and high achievement orientation stack against each other and Are high achievement-oriented employees a r
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