Fostering a Growth Mindset in Students

Four roles. Seven years. Still there. The real question is why. Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer at Cleartrip, gives a direct answer: autonomy. The freedom to experiment, pivot, and try something entirely new within the same organisation. She is clear that it was the culture, specifically the accessibility and psychological safety to learn through doing, that kept her engaged across such a long and varied tenure. This challenges the assumption most companies carry into retention conversations. About 65% of professionals in India are actively exploring new roles. Compensation is typically treated as the primary retention lever. But Singhal's story complicates that directly. She acknowledges that better-paying opportunities existed. The deciding factor was something a salary band can rarely capture: the freedom to reinvent a career from within, repeatedly, without starting over elsewhere. When she stepped into a larger, more complex role at Cleartrip, the transition came with a steep learning curve. What made it manageable was a culture where making mistakes is part of the process, where leadership is genuinely accessible, and where the expectation of arriving fully formed is replaced by the expectation of learning fast. That shift in expectation changes everything about how a career transition feels. Rather than performing competence from day one, employees are encouraged to demonstrate curiosity and own the outcome. That is a fundamentally different environment to build a career inside, and it produces a fundamentally different kind of commitment. For organisations trying to understand why retention programmes keep underdelivering, Singhal's story offers a clearer diagnosis. Freedom, ownership, and genuine support for growth are the retention levers that matter most. They are also the hardest to build. Flipkart has been building them, quietly and deliberately, for years. #Flipkart #TalentRetention #CareerOwnership #PsychologicalSafety #Leadership https://lnkd.in/dph9-8SV

Finding optimism 🌈 Since publishing my piece on optimism in conservation (https://mongabay.cc/fscDRz), I’ve heard from many who are finding it tough. I’m not an expert, but here are ideas that might help in the right situation. Treat optimism as a method, not a mood. Narrow the frame, pick levers you can pull, and build habits that keep effort tied to consequence. Pair near-term actions with a clear view of power and policy; some problems require coalition pressure or litigation. Start smaller. Define your sphere of control for this week, this quarter, and this year—co-defined with the people most affected. Write it down. A bounded problem can restore agency. Set minimum viable wins. Choose outcomes you can verify and include process and relationship outcomes—trust, consent, functioning local institutions—not only what’s easy to count. Where feasible, baseline, measure, and mark completion. Keep a “wins ledger.” Record the result, evidence, partners, and enablers. Store it securely, minimize sensitive details, obtain consent before sharing, and redact anything that could expose people to risk. Pair every problem with an action. When you brief a bleak trend, add one concrete step a specific person can take, and where possible include resources or introductions. Build a portfolio of time horizons. Balance quick wins with medium projects and one long bet. If capacity is thin, rotate emphasis over quarters. Strengthen your coalition. Map who benefits, who decides, and who can block. Practice reciprocity with substance: budget transparency, shared credit, and paid roles for community partners. Install guardrails. Run pre-mortems, set “kill criteria,” and name trade-offs early. Plan exits with communities and donors so off-ramps don’t leave partners exposed. Manage your information diet. Schedule when you absorb grim updates and when you gather ground truth. Protect attention for decisions; minimize non-actionable noise, recognizing frontline actors can’t always opt out. Rehearse setbacks. Write simple if-then plans (if funding drops 30%, we pause X and prioritize Y). Address burnout rooted in hostile policy or broken funding cycles, not just mindsets. Care for people. Rotate high-stress assignments, normalize debriefs, and protect time off. Time in nature isn’t indulgence; it’s maintenance. Grief and anger are valid signals; channel them into action. Tell small stories well. Show cause and effect in a specific place, credit the full cast, and share enough detail for others to copy. Publish what didn’t work and why, and note what context made a tactic transferable (or not). Codify what worked into checklists or agreements. This is a menu, not a mandate. There is evidence for simple tools like if-then plans, checklists, and pre-mortems; use what fits. None of this denies the scale of loss. It aims to build the conditions to keep going. Optimism, practiced this way, is discipline in service of durable results.

Many professionals find themselves in 'gilded cages,' enjoying financial stability yet yearning for autonomy and fulfilment. The traditional corporate structure often imposes limitations, restricting creativity and personal growth. Transitioning to a Portfolio Executive role allows you to choose projects that align with your passions and values, breaking free from conventional constraints. This shift rejuvenates your career and leads to a more fulfilling and balanced life. By intentionally selecting engagements that resonate with your core beliefs, you can escape the confines of traditional roles and craft a career that truly reflects your aspirations. This autonomy empowers you to set your schedule, pursue diverse interests, and maintain a healthier work-life balance. Moreover, as a Portfolio Executive, you can collaborate with various clients and industries, broadening your experience and professional network. This diversity enriches your skill set, enhances your marketability, and opens doors to new opportunities. Embracing this path requires courage and a willingness to step outside your comfort zone, but the rewards of professional freedom and personal satisfaction are well worth the effort. What steps are you taking to achieve greater autonomy in your career? #business #startup #careerchange #entrepreneur #personaldevelopment

Mentoring is one of the most powerful relationships we can build. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of mentoring some truly remarkable individuals—both formally and informally—and it’s been one of the most rewarding parts of my career journey. It’s not just about offering guidance or helping someone overcome challenges. It’s about nurturing leadership, elevating others and fostering a culture where everyone feels like they belong, where every voice is heard and where everyone is empowered to succeed. Earlier this week, we celebrated MentorHer Day, marking not just the conclusion of many mentorship journeys, but the start of something far greater. Since the programme’s launch in 2018, we’ve mentored over 1,000 women, helping them step into leadership roles, broaden their skills and grow in confidence. And the impact doesn’t end there—together, we’re creating a ripple effect of empowerment that will resonate far into the future. This isn’t just a programme—it’s a promise to help women dream bigger, aim higher and achieve more than they ever thought possible. Listening to the personal stories shared on MentorHer Day, I was deeply moved. These are my three key takeaways – and not just about what mentorship gives, but what it asks of us:         • Mentorship can build lifelong relationships When the formal mentorship relationship ends, the bonds and connections formed during that time don’t have to. Cultivating authentic, personal connections—a safe space where mentees can be open about their dreams and aspirations—can build relationships which grow into enduring bonds and friendships that transcend the workplace. • Mentorship is a two-way street The real beauty of mentorship lies in its reciprocity. Every time I mentor someone, I gain fresh perspectives—not just about them, but about myself and my own leadership style. Mentorship holds up a mirror, allowing us to see where we, too, can grow and improve. No two mentorships are ever the same and that’s what makes mentorship so much fun! Some of my best mentorship moments have happened outside the traditional office setting – treadmill meetings or a cozy coffee shop where the usual hierarchy fades away and both mentor and mentee can contribute equally to the journey.  • Mentorship is about paying it forward The true power of mentorship lies in its ripple effect. When mentees become mentors themselves, they create a legacy of empowerment—passing on the confidence, tools and sense of possibility that encourages the next generation to achieve even more than they once believed possible. That’s the true power of paying it forward.    To all mentors and mentees, you are the heartbeat of initiatives such as these. You’re not just creating opportunities—you’re helping shape futures. Thank you for being part of something so impactful. As I said on stage: Let’s keep making waves.

A mentor provides invaluable guidance, wisdom, and support that can help you navigate the complexities of your career. They offer insights based on their experiences, helping you avoid common mistakes and accelerate your growth. With a mentor, you gain a trusted sounding board for ideas, strategies, and career choices, allowing you to learn from their successes and failures. Their feedback challenges you to think critically, enhances your problem-solving skills, and helps you become more self-aware. A mentor’s perspective can push you to think outside the box, offering a fresh outlook on challenges and opportunities. They also help you stay focused on your goals, offering advice on how to balance ambition with practical steps. A mentor encourages you to take calculated risks, push past your comfort zone, and grow with confidence. Beyond guidance, mentors can provide invaluable connections, introducing you to new networks and opportunities. Having a mentor isn’t just about career advancement; it’s about personal growth. They help you build resilience, emotional intelligence, and leadership qualities that will serve you throughout your life. A mentor helps you stay grounded during challenging times, reminding you of your values, goals, and long-term vision. When facing obstacles, a mentor offers encouragement and helps you maintain the right mindset to overcome setbacks. This relationship goes beyond career advice; it’s a partnership rooted in mutual respect, trust, and a shared desire for growth. With a mentor’s guidance, you can unlock your true potential, make better decisions, and navigate your career path with clarity and purpose. In the end, having a mentor is an investment in both your professional journey and your personal development.

Navigating the early stages of a career can be both exciting and challenging for young women. Having a mentor during this critical time can make a significant difference. Here’s are a few reasons why mentorship is so important: 1. Guidance and Advice: A mentor provides valuable guidance and advice based on their own experiences. They can help young women navigate complex career decisions, avoid common pitfalls, and make informed choices that align with their goals. 2. Building Confidence: Starting a career can be daunting, and self-doubt is common. A mentor offers encouragement and support, helping young women build the confidence they need to take on new challenges and seize opportunities. 3. Networking Opportunities: Mentors often have extensive professional networks and can introduce their mentees to key contacts in their industry. These connections can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and career advancements. 4. Skill Development: Mentors can identify areas for improvement and provide constructive feedback. They can also recommend resources, training, and experiences that will help young women develop the skills needed to succeed in their chosen field. 5. Career Advancement: Research shows that individuals with mentors are more likely to advance in their careers. Mentors can advocate for their mentees, recommend them for promotions, and provide insights into career advancement strategies. If you’re a young woman navigating your career, consider seeking out a mentor. Their guidance, support, and insights can be invaluable as you work towards your professional goals. And if you’re an experienced professional, think about becoming a mentor. Your experience and wisdom can have a profound impact on the next generation of leaders. Please reach out and I can help match you with a mentorship opportunity that works for your schedule. Together, we can create a supportive network that empowers young women to achieve their full potential. #nationalmentoringmonth #mentoringmatters

Why managers should let employees ‘pitch’ themselves for promotions. Some companies are reimagining performance reviews by allowing their employees to pitch for their own promotions. This approach not only empowers employees to take control of their career paths but also creates a more fair, motivating, and engaging workplace argues Vickie Yanjuan Chen CEO and Founder of Avia. Chen maintains this approach not only empowers employees to take control of their career paths but also creates a more fair, motivating, and engaging workplace writing in Fast Company. When employees are given the chance to advocate for their own career growth, they feel more empowered and in control, boosting morale and fostering a sense of autonomy and ownership over their careers argues Chen. For example, at her company employees can pitch themselves for promotion once per year in addition to their regular review, providing two opportunities for advancement annually. Promotion evaluations include a set of criteria that guides both leaders’ nominations and employees’ presentations to ensure credibility. SET CLEAR STANDARDS AND RIGOROUS EVALUATION  It can’t be a free-for-all where employees can pitch themselves for promotions whenever they please and where decisions are made subjectively. As such, the following elements are critical for companies to put in place to make pitching for promotions effective: - A preset and communicated cadence of when promotions can be pitched: This can be semiannual or quarterly, and what works best for each organization depends on its size, structure, and needs. - Clear guidelines for what qualifies someone to be promoted: These must be transparent, applicable across the organization, and accessible to employees in the company handbook. - An unbiased panel of judges and a presentation component. Demonstrating one’s skills and management or next-level readiness is critical and should be done before a group comprised of people that the team member works with regularly and those with whom they don’t overlap daily. This helps eliminate the influence of personal preferences and levels the playing field. - Feedback for employees that don’t make the cut. Clear feedback is valuable in giving employees direction about what they need to work on to get to the next level, rather than leaving them feeling like the path forward is murky. - Expectations for the new role for those who are promoted. Setting people up for success is key, so if someone is promoted, leaders must give them the tools to perform well in that new position.  read more below: Fast Company #performancereviews #career #careermanagement #promotions #interviews #recruitmentandselection #newwaysofwork #feedback #expectationmanagement #reimaginingwork https://lnkd.in/eC-HH2eg

Recent reports from China highlight the growing strain on entrepreneurs, with suicides tragically underscoring the weight they carry. Despite contributing significantly to GDP and jobs, many lack safeguards when ventures fail, leaving them financially and emotionally vulnerable. In India too, our microentrepreneurs face a similar weight. With limited access to credit, unpredictable regulations, and skill gaps, many operate under constant stress. Their mental burdens may be invisible, but they’re very real, especially when you consider that in 2020, suicides among small-business owners jumped by 30%, from 9,052 in 2019 to 11,716 according to NCRB data. One solution lies in building strong support systems. Mentorship offers not only business guidance but also emotional resilience. At Bharatiya Yuva Shakti Trust (BYST), we have seen this first-hand. During COVID-19, while thousands of enterprises struggled to survive, more than 80% of BYST-supported businesses stayed afloat because of sustained mentoring and handholding. Entrepreneurs leaned on their mentors for problem-solving, confidence, and perspective, proving that guidance and empathy can be as critical as finance. As we expand opportunities, we must focus on protecting the minds and lives of those who dare to dream. #EntrepreneurMentalHealth #MentorshipForResilience 

Think you can or think you can’t—either way, your team believes you. Have you ever noticed how your team seems to echo your exact sentiments, even on days when your confidence level is at "I just spilled coffee on my white shirt"? Spoiler alert: they're not reading your mind (probably). But they are reading your mindset. As a leader, you're under constant surveillance—& no, not just by compliance. Your team pays closer attention to your emotional cues than you might realize. According to emotional contagion research published in HBR, a leader’s emotions don't just trickle down—they flood. Your mindset sets the emotional tone, shaping your team's beliefs about what’s possible. Think about it: If you walk into a project kickoff believing it'll be a disaster, guess what? Your team subconsciously puts on their "disaster helmets." Congratulations—you just became the director of your very own self-fulfilling prophecy drama, with a Rotten Tomatoes rating of 0%. Conversely, if you genuinely believe success is achievable—even when the odds feel stacked higher than pancakes at brunch—your team’s collective confidence will surge. Psychology calls this the Pygmalion Effect, a fancy term for "your team rises (or falls) to your expectations." Research by Rosenthal & Jacobson revealed that when teachers believed students were high achievers, their students performed significantly better—even if those expectations were randomly assigned. Imagine applying that power intentionally in your leadership. But hold on. This doesn't mean faking blind optimism & shouting motivational clichés like a gym instructor at 5 a.m. Genuine belief isn’t blind; it's grounded in authenticity, action, & resilience. It's about acknowledging reality, then rallying your team around the conviction that together, you can handle it. Here’s how you can harness this psychology intentionally: • Check your vibe before your tribe: Pause & ask yourself, "Is my current mindset empowering or sabotaging my team?" • Use positive realism: Acknowledge challenges openly, then clearly outline why you believe they're solvable. • Lead by example: Your words matter, but your actions matter more. Demonstrate through behavior that setbacks are merely detours, not dead-ends. Remember, your team's mindset mirrors yours—whether you want it to or not. Your doubts become their doubts, your confidence becomes their confidence, & your enthusiasm becomes their rocket fuel. Think you can or think you can’t? Either way, you're right—& your team believes you. Choose wisely. #Leadership #Management #Business #Team #Mindset

Autonomy is one of the key drivers of wellbeing at work, but it’s often misunderstood. Autonomy isn’t “do whatever you like.” It’s the freedom to make decisions within clarity, support, and feedback. True autonomy only works when people know what they’re working toward, have the tools to succeed, and get feedback that helps them grow. Without that, autonomy can turn into uncertainty and chaos, which helps no one’s wellbeing. Think of it this way: How autonomy: choosing the method or process (e.g. how a goal is achieved). When autonomy: choosing timeframes or flexible work patterns. What autonomy: choosing priorities or focus areas. Giving all three at once, without clear goals or support, doesn’t create freedom, it creates confusion. So before offering more autonomy, ask: 1. Do people know what success looks like? 2. Do they have the tools and support to get there? 3. Are we checking in to reflect and adjust? FYI: Research shows employees who experience high autonomy report significantly higher job satisfaction and wellbeing. Autonomy matters, but only when it’s done with clarity, support, and feedback.