Arman Consultancy

21/06/2023

One of the challenges that often comes up for leaders is when they get to lead people who are older and more experienced than them. Or, they get promoted and therefore get to lead people who were previously their peers. This plays out quite often for emerging leaders and middle managers. The dynamics of this relationship is quite different compared to one where someone leading the team has more experience and has never been their peer.

There are more instances these days of people leading their peers or more experienced people. And if you find yourself in this situation, it's important that address this mindfully. So you can win the confidence of your team members and form a strong, working relationship that serves the team in the long run. In my recent newsletter on LinkedIn, I talk about a few ways to do this. Keen to hear your thoughts on this.

One of the challenges that often comes up for leaders is when they get to lead people who are older and more experienced than them. Or, they get promoted and therefore get to lead people who were previously their peers.

07/07/2022

AskArpan: Someone recently asked me this question- “What elements of culture makes a team successful?” There are many aspects of a winning culture, however I thought of sharing 3 powerful elements in this video. As a leader, you get to play a key role in building these elements, and thereby creating a culture of success.

I’d be keen to hear your thoughts on how these elements play out in your space. What other elements do you think contribute to a culture of success? Link to the video can be found below:

https://youtu.be/mH5xlLveiog

Someone asked me recently, "What are the elements of culture that make a team successful?" As a leader, you get to play a key part in shaping a winning cultu...

03/05/2022

Looking forward to delivering a virtual masterclass on ‘High Impact Project Leadership’ as part of the PMI Melbourne conference on 15-May. If you are curious on how you can enhance your capabilities to lead and manage a project and deliver great value to your organisation and stakeholders, here is your chance to join an engaging and empowering virtual session. Book now to secure your place!

Masterclasses are an into your future, so take a little bit of time out of your Sunday to level up!

If you're managing a team, engaging with stakeholders, or leading a project, Arpan Roy's (Arman Consultancy) 'High Impact Project Leadership' Masterclass is for you. Earn 4 PDUs over 4 hours and learn from Arpan key outcomes such as:
1. Greater confidence and clarity to engage team members and key
2. Ability to create a culture of , trust and collaboration, which results in greater value added to stakeholders
3. Improved solving abilities, which is pivotal for building their personal as well as project

Join Arpan now to become a high impact project leader: https://melbourne.pmi.org.au/conference/?page_id=1584

07/04/2022

Delighted to be presenting a masterclass at the PMI Melbourne Conference next month. Looking forward to delivering a session filled with loads of insights and great value for the attendees.

The topic of my masterclass is ‘High Impact Project Leadership’- a highly valuable session for project managers and project leaders who are looking to lead their projects with greater confidence and impact. Keen to attend? Early bird tickets are available till tomorrow. Book now to secure your spot!

A huge thanks to the team at PMI Melbourne Chapter for the opportunity to serve the Project Management community.

Have a read through the available digital masterclasses below! All masterclasses will be hosted virtually, on Sunday, 15 May. Masterclasses are purchased via Eventbrite, but are separate to your conference registration. Ensure you purchase a ticket for both if you would like to attend both. A timing...

23/09/2021

Here is an infographic that most leaders can relate to. From all the leaders I've worked with, the ones who I remember or who've had a huge impact on me, were great with each of the following attributes:

1. Providing a safe place to grow, or providing psychological safety at all times
2. Being helpful with career progression advice and opportunities
3. Having my back and looking out for me in the most difficult situations
4. Appreciating my efforts
5. Giving me opportunities to grow as a leader, and mentoring me at various times
6. Encouraging me to think big and play a bigger game
7. Showing me the way, and what's possible
8. Making me feel like I am a valuable team player, and that I have so much to give
9. Not holding my mistakes against me, but encouraging me to learn from them

Most importantly, they've helped me believe in myself, and my ability to deliver. That has made me a better professional, a better team player and a better leader. As a leader, this is what I strive to live by. I'm so grateful to all the amazing leaders that I've been fortunate to work with.

Have you had a leader who's had a huge impact on you? What do you remember them for? As a leader, how do you get to have an impact on others?

13/09/2021

Picture this scenario- someone you respect and trust tells you that you aren’t good enough for something and you’ll never make it. How do you respond to that?

At that point, you either accept what you’re told and change your path. Or you acknowledge their input, yet back yourself to keep going. Basically, write your story on your own terms.

US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez is a great example of someone who chose to back herself, believe in her abilities and inspite of others telling her that she wasn’t good enough.

And sometimes that’s what you need to do- have the drive and determination to push through, regardless of what others think or say. In such situations, the only person’s opinion that ultimately matters is yours. You choose how you want your story to play out. You choose what you tell yourself when someone says that you aren’t good enough.

Have you ever been told that you aren’t good enough? What have you told yourself in those moments?

01/09/2021

I saw this image recently, and for me, there are so many different ways to interpret this:

1. We all have our own perspective on things. While my perspective may be different to yours, it’s important to hear and acknowledge each other.

2. We all have our beliefs, perceptions and a view of the world based on our experiences. Sometimes, it helps to stop and consider why someone else’s perception and beliefs are different to yours. This goes a long way in showing empathy with others, and understanding others. This also helps us shift our focus from who’s right, to what’s right- which is so important in resolving conflicts and arguments.

3. When we communicate with others, it helps to gauge how people have received your message. The biggest mistake we often make with communication is assuming that it has taken place. Maybe others have understood your message differently, or not understood it clearly. Maybe they’ve brought in their perceptions while communicating with you. It always helps to pause and checkin with others.

How do you embrace diversity of opinion?

19/08/2021

After their innings, Indian batters Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami walked back to the pavilion where they were, to their surprise given a cheerful welcome by the whole team. The pair had put in a heroic effort, by going over and above their specialist roles (as bowlers), to take their team from a potentially losing position to a dominant position.

They then charged out and bowled India to a famous victory over England at Lord’s. Not that they needed extra motivation to perform, but you get the feeling that the gesture by the team, welcoming them like heroes, must have lifted them up.

That’s the power of appreciation. A person who feels acknowledged and appreciated does more than what’s expected. That’s where leaders can make a difference to their team’s morale and performance- by taking the time to celebrate and appreciate their team members’ efforts.

When you appreciate others, you send them a message that “your efforts matter, and I value what you bring to the table”. That can often be a difference between people going the extra mile and people wondering what’s the point of making an effort. It could be the simplest of things, and the smallest of gestures, but a little appreciation can do great wonders.

After all, a high performing team is one where leaders make their team members feel valued. As they do so, it rubs off on the whole team, and they celebrate each other’s efforts.

How do you appreciate others and make them feel valued?



Pic- The Indian team celebrating their win in front of the Lord’s honours board.

12/08/2021

A team member from an offshore location in India joined our team in Melbourne. We were quite excited to have him over. He was technically strong, was a quick learner and was a great team player. A few weeks after he joined, something seemed off. He was rather reserved and wasn't his usual self. At that point, I thought of checking in with him.

In our chat, he confided that he was concerned about getting things wrong. While his role was similar to the one he worked on while in India, this was a client facing role, and that was a big shift for him. He was apprehensive about not doing things as well as he did from offshore, especially while dealing with the client. For him, the stakes had gone up and he wasn't sure if he could keep up.

I then assured him "You know, it's ok to feel that way. The fact that you are concerned about getting it wrong tells me that you care about what you do, and that's a great quality to have". I added "You have strong technical skills and you are eager to learn. Remember to focus on that. Because that's what the client sees, that's what the client expects. So I am confident that you will deliver". That seemed to cheer him up, and I also coached him for a period of time to help him work through any concerns he had. And he did great. He was one of the best performers of the team, and the clients were always glowing in their praise for him.

For any leader, the biggest barrier in their effectiveness is when people hold back and don't open up. To any concerns, to any mistakes made, to anything that stops them from enjoying their work. This is where leaders need to meet people where they are, and understand what's going on in their world. To understand, not judge.

Empathy is a great way for leaders to cut through this barrier. When leaders are prepared to meet people where they are, it sends a message saying "I care about you, you're not alone". When you meet people where they are, you also understand how you can help them better or enable them. That's a huge impact you can have on others around you.

How do you meet people where they are? How does showing empathy help you make a difference?

10/08/2021

An analogy that sits well with leadership is that of a lightbulb. Think of what a lightbulb does, it converts electricity to light. By doing what it is supposed to, it creates an environment where people can see clearly and are able to do their work, have a great experience. Without it, you can’t see your way through, you may not have a good experience and you might eventually leave the room.

Leadership works similarly. It involves translating or simplifying the bigger picture of the organisation to goals and tasks, that people can relate to and understand what is expected of them. What happens when leaders don’t do this well enough? People aren’t clear enough on what they need to do, or how they can be of value. Over time, that could frustrate or demotivate them, and eventually they leave the organisation.

If there is one specific area of leadership where this analogy most applies to, it is the middle management of any organisation. It is responsible for anchoring most of an organisation’s change and strategic initiatives. How well an organisation does in terms of implementing change and strategy often comes down to how empowered and engaged their middle managers are.

Last week, I had the pleasure of facilitating an online workshop for The Leadership Institute (ANZ) on the topic of how people in middle management roles can build their leadership capabilities and add greater value to their organisation and their stakeholders. A topic highly relevant for people who make up at least 30% of the workforce.

I loved how the attendees were eager to learn and participated wholeheartedly. There were lots of discussions, strategies and even a few laughs through the day! I trust they received heaps of value and insights from the workshop.

I am grateful to The Leadership Institute for the opportunity to serve the audience, and I look forward to working with them again soon.

20/07/2021

A professor entered a classroom with a glass full of water. He then asked the students, "How heavy is the glass of water?" The answers across the room varied, ranging from 7 oz to 25 oz. The professor replied that the actual weight of the glass with water doesn’t always matter but how long you hold the glass is what matters.

If you hold the glass for a minute, you won’t feel much weight. But if you hold for 10 minutes, you will feel a little more weight and it gets heavier for you with hours. If you hold it for the entire day, then your hands would go numb and pain.

Similar is the case when you carry stress with you. If you think about it for a while and leave it, then there is no problem but if you think about it for hours, it starts becoming a problem and it becomes worse if you sleep with it.

People often wonder if stress is good or bad. What really is good or bad is our ability to deal with it. Whether we hold on to it, or focus on the things that matter. At an unsettling time with lockdowns and uncertainty, dealing with stress can be rather challenging. What's important to remember is not to carry it with you at all times. Ask for help, reach out to someone, have a conversation with a loved one, do something that energises and refreshes you. In the process, you tend to enjoy the present moment rather than be distracted and worried.

What does letting go of stress mean for you?

15/07/2021

There is often a gap in the results that we aspire to, and what we actually achieve. Most of us would have experienced that gap at some point, some do so more often. Do you relate to this?

If you do, my latest article in Thrive Global might help. This article looks at 5 key factors that help you become a high achiever in any area of your life. The purpose of sharing this is to help you reflect on the areas of life where you want to improve your results.

I trust that you find this insightful and valuable. I look forward to learning how this resonates with you. Link to the article mentioned below.

Thrive Global



Link to the article:

The Dynamics of Achieving what you want Here’s something to think about: What shapes our success? Why are some people more successful than others? What can someone do to turn things around if he/she isn’t doing too well? Whether you actively think of questions such as these or not, I know that o...