The Painted Sky

26/09/2025

It's been over a week since our workshop at the Global Design Thinking Alliance in Izmir, Turkey. And we have spent some time reflecting over what transpired on that magical morning (in one of most beautiful training venues we have been to).

The 2 most inspiring elements from that facilitation experience were:

💥1) how our participants connected over the inspiring stories of from around the world was most moving.

How Indian examples like Living Root Bridges of Meghalaya and Kathkuni Houses of Himachal Pradesh and of Dry Stone Walls in Ireland brought out Turkish examples Cave Homes in Cappadocia and Konaklar architecture in Safranbolu. Showing how is the universal connector and trigger for sharing and inspiration.

💥2) how the young cohort leveraged their local knowledge and AI-enabled research abilities to be creative in their interpretation of the methodology and in their ideation impressed me the most.

We focused on 6 (water and sanitation) and targeted the bottle. The ideas the cohort came up with were both radical and provocative, and were results equally of their ability to imagine what's possible and the uniqueness of the Seventh Generation Thinking methodology that changed the lens and allowed for informed .
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Seven Generations Thinking is conceptualized as a way to reimagine , to draw inspiration from the past to improve the future. It's aim is to create a pedagogy that's informed by timeless wisdoms that never forgot the good of the people and the planet while contemplating profits.

In our work we also see it as a crucial driver for and , and for that looks at longterm benefits over immediate, and harmful, gains.

11/09/2024

Will AI Take Away Our JOBS? '
The Answer is complex, to say the least.
In February this year, Tomer Cohen, the Chief Product Officer at LinkedIn had said that “Our data shows that more than half of the jobs in India will be affected by AI.”

An earlier McKinsey’s report estimated that by 2030, automation could displace between 9% to 26% of current jobs in India, depending on the pace of adoption. And another report by the World Bank cautioned that while AI and automation will create new jobs, the transition may lead to short-term job losses, particularly in routine and low-skilled occupations.

A report by NITI Aayog itself suggested that about 23% of jobs in India could be lost due to automation and AI by 2040.

So will AI take away your job? Or are you convinced AI won’t affect you at all?

The reality likely lies somewhere in between… And we need more clarity

We are coming up with a live this September 14th, 2024, at 12:00 PM (IST).

Join Smitha Rao, Head - Leadership Development Practice and coach at The Painted Sky, along with Rohan Nabar, Vice President - Group Head, Talent Development & Learning at Quess Corp Limited, for an engaging discussion on the critical role of Emotional Intelligence in navigating today’s rapidly changing AI-driven world.

This is one conversation you won’t want to miss—insights, strategies, and actionable takeaways await!

05/08/2024

Last Saturday Anirban was the speaker at the hashtag hashtag program in Bangalore (hosted by Rethinkingux at the beautiful Expedia Group office). A gathering of designers and design leaders, it was a brilliant day of interactions between different stakeholders from the industry, some excellent knowledge sharing and invigorating discussions.

Anirban spoke on the '3 Es' that we promote in all conversations on the future: how everyone (not just designers) must prioritise on Ethics, the Environment and the Empowerment of people.

At the end he brought in the perspective to talk about developing in designers (with the strong point that in the 18 years of The Painted Sky, 18 designers have not shown up for skill trainings whereas thousands of other professionals have upskilled themselves)...

After joking about the 56 skills apparently needed for the future (cognitive overload alert!!!), Anirban called out the 10 MOST ESSENTIAL that all professionals, and particularly designers must work on developing to stay relevant, make their mark and perform and progress in their careers:
1) High Impact
2)
3) Skills
4)
5) and
6) (with all stakeholders, not just users)
7) (and related areas of )
8) (so crucial in a VUCA / BANI world)
9) (for the bigger picture, beyond own space)
10) (to grow)

Designers, like all professionals, must focus on their development beyond just technical skills, to be heard, get more included in leadership conversations and decisions and get the necessary seat at the table. And to stay relevant.

25/07/2024

Anirban will be the keynote speaker at Rethinkingux Convoke on 3rd August!

His focus at this community forum will be talk about what he constantly pushes with clients at The Painted Sky - the 3 E's of modern business: Ethics, Environment and Empowerment, and how Design and can promote and prioritise these for success.

3rd August
Bangalore

13/05/2024

An employee might be great at marketing, sales, admin, or accounting, but that doesn't mean they'll be good at leading and developing a team. In fact, it can be a problem.

I once promoted my best worker to a manager role, hoping she'd do as well there as she did in her old job.

But she struggled a lot.

Confused, I asked, "What's wrong? You don't seem to get this."
She just said, "I never wanted to be promoted."

The problem wasn't her; it was me, her leader.
I hadn't trained her for management. I didn't give her clear expectations, so she wasn't ready for the new job.

Making sure new leaders are ready for their roles is really important.
Most organizations learn the hard way that you have to prepare people for leadership before giving them the job.

Sadly, she left for a different company because we didn't help her enough. We lost a great worker because we didn't give her what she needed to succeed.
It seemed like a good idea, but we actually set her up to fail.

Building a good team and culture is a big part of running a business. And to grow your business, you need to grow your people.

So, before you make someone a leader, or as soon as they become a leader, make sure they're trained and ready for it.

At The Painted Sky, we offer a workshop exclusively for first time leaders of managers. It’s a 6 module long workshop and can go up-to 6 sessions in 6 weeks.

To know more about this workshop send us a DM or write to us at [email protected]

PS: Sharing a pictures from one of our recent training sessions for first time managers.

09/05/2024

Many senior managers find themselves wondering: If data is such a game changer, why is it so hard to extract any value from it?

Extracting value from data requires putting the right people, structures, and processes in place.

But where to begin?

At The Painted Sky we have designed a program to equip leaders (even those with no coding experience) with knowledge to apply Business Data Analytics in their domains. These programs are a must for every professional to be prepared for a fast changing data dominated world!

Led by our seasoned facilitator, Krishna Mohan MS MBA , whose expertise stems from designing and delivering workshops on data-driven decision-making for major organisations in India. With deep expertise and experience in the field, Krishna empowers managers and leaders to seamlessly integrate data and emerging technologies like AI, crucial for staying competitive in today's dynamic environment.

From improving spend efficiencies to to identify gaps and opportunities in to to enhancing and effectiveness.

To know more about this program reach out to Mallika Patil, ACC or write to [email protected]

04/05/2024

Imagine a CEO.
Is it a man?

Imagine a feminist.
Is it a woman?

Imagine someone crying in the office.
Is it a woman?

Imagine someone leaving early to pick up their kids.
Is it a woman?

Imagine a nurse.
Is it a woman?

How can we eliminate conscious & unconscious biases?

Start by admitting that there is implicit bias in all of us. You have to name it to tame it.

After self-awareness, comes education, recognising our own prejudices and challenging them. It's about embracing diversity and promoting inclusive practices, creating a fair and equitable world for all.

Are you conscious about your unconscious biases?

To know more about our workshops on biases reach out to Mallika Or write to us at [email protected]

PS: Sharing a picture of our CEO, Khanna , MCC from one of her workshop.

20/03/2024

A dialogue that started with and the but became more about . Anirban Bhattacharya, partner at The Painted Sky in conversation with Rethinkingux

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7175703535756484608/?actorCompanyId=2037303

19/03/2024

Launching in July... the 5th cohort of our clients International Coaching Federation accredited course with

Write to its at [email protected] to know more.

01/12/2023

RethinkingUX is thrilled to introduce our distinguished guest for today, Capock Hatpin. Anirban, a luminary in , , and , brings a wealth of experience and insights from his 28-year journey.

Join us with our founder and advisor Mayur Chaudhary as we delve into the world of non-linear, creative problem-solving with Anirban, Partner at The Painted Sky, where art-based methods nurture curiosity, creativity, and confidence.

👉 Talking Points:

1. Unraveling "The Painted Sky's" unique art-based approach
2. Workshop facilitation responsibilities and things to avoid
3. Design Thinking for Sustainable Development
4. Design Thinking's impact on social change and community
5. Leadership's role in fostering innovation and sustainability
6. Advice for emerging leaders integrating Design Thinking and sustainability

and much, much more.

🚀 The Golden Circle is back with another enthralling episode. RethinkingUX is thrilled to introduce our distinguished guest for today, Anirban Bhattacharya...