There is so much discussion in the world today around the use and misuse of power – both in our workplaces and by the individuals we consider ‘leaders’ of our very own businesses, societies, and institutions, it should come as no surprise that our comprehension, acknowledgment and practice of the concept seems obviously and greatly lacking in its essence. In our dictionaries, power is broadly defined as “a person or thing that possesses or exercises authority or influence”.  This generally accepted definition suggests ‘power’ is more about ‘doing’ and when we engage in use of power; we’re utilising our authority to get…

Read More

In our ‘Dispatch From Davos‘ write up last week, we shared about the Fourth Industrial Revolution being referred to as “the greatest transformation” human civilisation has ever experienced. The reasons? The Reach. Unlike any other industrial evolutions we have experienced, this time, with current technological advancements, we are able to go way beyond simple dimensions of ‘doing.’ In other words, technology is not just evolving the way we do business. For example, how we manufacture and produce things; it is actually evolving the way we consider and use our planet’s resources, the way we bond,  the way we learn, and the way we work…

Read More

Almost two years ago now, I read two books that changed my life for ever. So far, I have only talked about one from Dr. James Doty. The second book (and I have been waiting on purpose to announce) is called Emotional Agility by Susan David of Harvard Medical School. In her book, Dr. David so eloquently reveals the unspoken about the power of our emotions and profoundly describes how by turning inwards and through deeper understanding of all our being, we can gain strength to become a better version of ourselves. When one reflects on what’s lacking in our…

Read More

Last week, I had the honor of being one of 600 women taking part in sessions at the World Economic Forum. As much as I loved joining the important conversations (and having no bathroom lines – a first!), I have to admit I found it impossible to take in all the information and digest at once. Nevertheless, if you were to ask about my biggest takeaway, I’d say that we humans are far more complex than we give ourselves (and each other) credit for and, if we want to fully embrace the changes ahead, we first need to go back…

Read More

By Fateme Banishoeib Last week at the World Economic Forum 2018, I heard infamous Yuval Noah Harari speak on a topic very dear to all our hearts: The future of humanity. Of course, we, as Whirling Chief community are most interested in how the future of humanity will evolve in relationship to work, work experience and work places. Following his talk, when asked about who should be the owners of data and data regulation in the 21st century, Professor Harari very humbly said “I don’t know”; then he continued to say “… perhaps we should ask scientists and experts and poets – especially…

Read More

Following our post ‘Forget Diversity, Are We Ready to Talk Inclusion‘ on Monday, I was approached by a dear colleague and was asked whether I, a “credited business person” naturally interested in further growing her business should speak/ share on topics we do via Whirling Chief. I loved the question so much, I wanted to share some of our exchange unedited because it opens such an exquisite window into the future and our mission… Special thanks to our colleague who graciously agreed for me to share their portion. Colleague: “Are you not scared that people would take you as a,…

Read More

Good morning everyone! Talking about a new taxonomy for leadership and people management practices, we are onto another taboo subject today: Diversity. The definition of diversity is simple – it means having variety of a kind. The way the word is used in the industry we find, however, problematic. We say, for example, that we want diversity in the workplace. What does that mean exactly, though? Do we want different kinds of opinions in the system? Different looking people? People of different race, gender, and ethnicity to be present? Do we want different sexes? What is it that we seek…

Read More

When was the last time you took time to educate yourself to the contrary view? Majority of us grow up with liberal ideas (by the way of our education systems) and consider ourselves ‘enlightened’ when we reach what we consider an acceptable level of education or experience. None at any time – unless we come across a spiritual leader or a person of wisdom we care to listen – tells us that idealism holds standards of perceived reality, which is limited to our mental qualities. Or that true evolution comes from intersections of diverse views because physically, at a hormonal…

Read More

In our first blog of 2018, we re-emphasized our commitment in making work experience better for more of us. In that, we listed five ways we can improve our conditions, the first being ‘vocabulary’. We believe deeply that we need a whole new vocabulary in business, in leadership and for our management practices. Today, we want to talk about one of those words we feel needs to drop from our dictionary. It is called ‘competition’. People will tell you there is ‘healthy competition’ and ‘unhealthy competition’. We find all forms of competition to be hostile. They may seem friendly on…

Read More

Caring is our default mode as human beings. Caring not only ignites our reward system, our brains produce oxytocin we feel lifted in spirit and useful in relation to others. According to the latest research by University of California, social connections at work have big impact on productivity and behavior reports. Researchers for Gallup found that having strong social connections at work makes employees more likely to be engaged with their jobs (at task level) and produce higher quality of work, and more importantly, less likely to fall sick or be injured, (here for research). We asked Dr. Sinan Canan,…

Read More