Let's Get Real Quotes

“Most of the time your employer doesn’t really care about your career. All you are to them is a skilled and loyal resource. So don’t expect HR to regularly track a file marked “X’s Career.” Grasping this harsh reality should be the beginning of change.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Soft skills are taken for granted — they are mostly intangible and not tangible technical stuff that you can pick up from a specific course or qualification. Paradoxically it’s also soft skills that are the most valuable and transferable.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“You must invite honest and accurate feedback. Surround yourself with people who care and aren’t afraid to speak up to you directly, face to face.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“The old practice of doing your job and keeping your head down doesn’t work that well anymore. As an experienced professional, you must be out there and if you are not visible you might as well not exist. And if you are looking to change careers or jobs, visibility is not a luxury — it’s a necessity.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“You must actively manage your career because otherwise things won’t just happen. Hope is not a strategy.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Yes, it can be quite agonizing to walk away from what looks like a great offer. But what you must grasp is that if you proceed you could end up working in a culture that is totally out of whack with your values and that can wreck you mentally and physically. No offer is worth that price.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Self-awareness is the foundation of meaningful change. Know thyself.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“What exactly are values? Values are not your skills or knowledge but things that you acquired unconsciously since childhood. You may think that you can change yourself enough to cope with the demands of a career. Be careful because it’s much easier to acquire skills than to change values. Hence the importance of matching your values with the, organizational culture.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Before you hire, ask yourself how much your hiring decision is linked to the ways the candidate is similar to you.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“One of the invaluable byproducts of self awareness is that you know your values.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Admit that you are a jerk or becoming one. Like I said, the reaction will be shock, denial, anger and then finally acceptance. Self awareness at this level is extremely tough and hence quite rare.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Blow your trumpet bigly aka talk the walk.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“You take criticism personally. This is because you have an ego the size of North America,”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“I was able to control my ego and not let that get in the way of getting what was probably some of the best advice of my life.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“In my book, it’s far better to have 100 connections who are highly attracted to you than to have 10,000 connections who simply like you. Those hundred followers will spread the word with uncommon zeal plus these true believers will be intensely loyal to you and what you believe in.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Because most societies and companies reward compliance. They do that because when you comply:
1. Your behavior is predictable.
2. You are not a threat to anyone because you are “normal.”
3. People don’t feel inferior because of your special aptitude or attitude.
4. You are easier to understand because you are like everyone else.
5. Companies find it much easier and efficient to apply one standard set of policies and procedures irrespective of your attitude or aptitude and hence prefer those who fit in. This also allows them to scale.
So, you can see that being “normal” is mainly for the benefit of others, not for you.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“But, as I’ve told you before that’s not enough. The perception of you as a doer is good, but you should also be a talker. Because it’s not
enough to do stuff, you’ve to show that you’ve done stuff. There’s a lot of competition and bosses have no time to get into who did what
and when, hence only those who stand out will be picked up for plum jobs, promotions, and so on.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Look, the clock is ticking. Life is too short. Too precious to reinvent the wheel or squander your potential.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“The fact is that Planet Earth is overloaded with highly qualified and uber experienced folk who are rubbish in the triple wisdom- have a dim idea of who they are, can’t manage themselves well and are middling at managing others. They rose up the ranks powered by mostly technical skills but now that’s far less important. They have entered their comfort zones but what got them here most certainly won’t get them there and what will take them further are some tough behavioral changes.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“So, I’ve had the benefit of experience. But experience alone means jackshit. You only get wiser if you are relentlessly curious, think deeply, can be honest with yourself and have a strong dose of humility.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Each of us is unique but we are really not that different as we think (though our ego tells us we are so special). Which means that there are a ton of common career issues and that should be a huge relief. Because then you don’t need to break your head to find solutions since someone has already been through different versions of Heaven and Hell and picked up a few valuable tips along the way.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Don’t spend time in the average zone which is what happens a lot of the time when you don’t quit your job for something better.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Perhaps it’s time you stopped looking at work or money or reputation as the biggest source of achievement. Perhaps you can now measure your worth by how you help others and contribute to the community or how well you are growing as a person, both mentally (e.g. self-awareness and calm) and physically (eat healthier, train hard, and gain a shredded body).”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Feel grateful. There are always things that are relatively quite good in your life that you never paid attention to because you were always comparing your expectations and comparing yourself with others. Gratitude is helpful because when you feel like shit due to all the errors and omissions in your life you can pull out the Book of Blessings and feel grateful. That “attitude of gratitude” (such a cheesy phrase but so accurate) will jack up your sense of satisfaction.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Yes, a mid-career crisis can be a hellish time. But it can also be a chance to introspect and reevaluate your values, behaviors, preferences, strengths, and weaknesses. It’s quite exciting when seen from that perspective. It’s like a second chance.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Look, you should be brilliant at work. You really should. Focused, diligent, determined, collaborative, bold, visionary, purposeful, impactful. Your work must be the standard by which they judge others. But don’t get obsessed with it, even if you’re amazing. Have some humility. Be approachable. Laugh at yourself. Expect mistakes; don’t be too hard on yourself or others. Don’t be a self-righteous ass.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“It’s extremely unlikely you will be magically transformed from a mediocre or average people manager to a Satya Nadella or a Ratan Tata. You will often revert to type and repeat your bad behaviors. But if you become aware of this retrogressive behavior and can reduce the frequency and severity of this you can change over time, not overnight.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“You must want to change. That’s the starting point. You must want to be a leader and make a lasting positive impact on lives. You must want to grow the division or company. You must be able to see an incredible power that will be unleashed if you become a better people manager. That’s the start. Without this foresight and motivation, you can attend as many leadership development programs and read as many self-help books as you want but they won’t move the needle.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“A brilliant jerk is one who is highly competent but whose attitude doesn’t align with company culture. If you end up hiring one by mistake, don’t keep them around for too long because they represent a living and breathing violation of the company culture, and you look like a hypocrite.”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager

“Sit down and make a list of your values. Then look at your day and see whether most of what you do at work reflects those values. If your values are (for example) well-being and family but you are consumed by your work then clearly you aren’t living your values, are you?”
― Binod Shankar, Let's Get Real: 42 Tips for the Stuck Manager