The Interview IQ: Great Questions for Candidates to Ask
Over the years I have interviewed thousands of candidates. Some have been highly impressive, some good but the majority of candidates were mediocre. There is plenty of advice out there on how you should dress, behave and prepare for these job interviews. But, looking back I found that the majority of candidates that I hired […]
Welcome to HARDtalk
I bet you all have a tough question you want to ask your boss. Something that will help explain why he or she is doing what they are doing and the reason behind their thinking. I would like to increase the stakes and say that the same question is on the lips of many of […]
What Women Want … At Work
There has been a lot of talk in the past about how to motivate ones employee to perform better and whether the motivational factors for women are different from those for men. The number of women being added to the workforce in Pakistan has increased considerably, enough to ask – how many of us actually […]
Ladies and Gentlemen Serving Ladies and Gentlemen
Last week I had the pleasure of staying a couple of nights at The Ritz-Carlton in Shenzhen, China. It was a fantastic experience, made memorable by the tremendous service of The Ritz-Carlton team. Here are just two examples from my stay, which made me think, “Now That Is Great Service” Heading to my room, I […]
Why Don’t I Praise People Enough?
I had a funny realization recently. I have no problem heaping praise on my two-year-old son – every time he utters a new word, finishes his food or kicks the ball I am clapping, cheering and hugging him till he tells me in this funny two-year-old voice; ‘stop it papa’. So if I do it so […]
Your To Don’t List For 2013: How Not To Engage Talent
The beginning of the year is always about ones New Years resolutions and what you want to accomplish in the upcoming year. Recently I read an article in the New York Times that suggested; instead of making your “To Do” list, make a “To Don’t” list. I thought that was a brilliant idea, as you […]
2012 – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
The end of the year is always a moment to reflect back on how the past year has been. Here is my 2012 list of Good, Bad and Ugly: The Good: I had a stellar year with my business growing more than 100%, my hours in the air up by 25% and I quadrupled the […]
Happy Holidays
What Would You Do Today, If The World Ends Tomorrow?
With bemusement I am following the news reports about the doomsayers claiming that according to an ancient Mayan calendar the world is coming to an end tomorrow, December 21st 2012. The theory started with claims that Nibiru; a supposed planet discovered by the Sumerians, is headed towards Earth and destined for a disastrous encounter. This […]
Breach of Trust
I am soon celebrating my 6th anniversary of running a business in Pakistan. Before I started on this journey, one of the main professional worries I had was whether clients would actually pay for services. Till now, my worry had proven to be completely misguided. In all these years I have not once had a […]
