The xMonks Drive

L eadership is one of the hottest topics around. Every few minutes, a new leadership-related blog, podcast, opinion piece, or article is out. Almost anyone can refer to themselves as a leadership coach, and many people from various areas of life do so. However, a lot of them endorse unevaluated and unproven notions. A successful leader never stops learning. Tune in to the podcast episode to learn...

The festive season just got over! And I am sure you had a great time with your family and friends. What each festive season or to say good or bad times teach us that --Connections Matter. There could not have been a better time to discuss more deeply on the matter. My guest, Pat Hedley joins us to offer hard-earned wisdom about the true spirit of making a connection. One being learning and sharing...

You are more than your title, but some problems do come along with these titles. What are the problems which only CEOs face and can relate to? How does one go from an HR head to a full-time CEO? So when everybody around you is doubting you, how do you build faith in your team, and in your stakeholders? That's the story of Amit Malik. In this episode, let yourself experience the power of accep...

We grow into the adults, we needed as children. Does that come into our way of becoming leaders?  The truth is life happens to all. Jerry Colonna adds that in between life happening and decisions we make, one cannot be a strong leader unless one allows oneself to grow, and this can only happen by leading a life examined. Hear more of life and leadership with Jerry in this episode of The xMonks Dri...

Can listening as a core discipline bring transformation in systems?  Hear from the author of Transforming Systems—Why the World Needs a New Ethical Toolkit and the former member of The Planning Commission Of India and the learning factory himself, Arun Maira. The episode contains the wisdom of exemplary leadership, living, listening, kindness and special bits from Arun’s core memories.  In This Ep...

How does one walk the path of giving hope of life to people, while losing his own brothers to suicide? That is Dennis Gillan for you, folks!  The xMonks Drive brings to you the story of Dennis Gillan who turned his misery into a mission. Listen to him, as he takes us on his personal journey of being a reluctant warrior, masking his grief for 16 years to establishing his own suicide prevention foun...

Every business is bound to go through instants of ambiguity as it evolves. During that process, leaders who can guide employees through difficult situations and show them how to handle recurring issues can have a significant impact.  In this episode with Umar we will explore ways to look at today's challenges through the lens of adaptive leadership. Umar is a growth and transformation managem...

The ability to communicate eloquently and effectively is a skill. However, relatively few of us are aware of this or actively work to hone this skill.   One of the crucial elements of communication is ‘listening.' Unless we are good listeners there is no way we can be effective communicators. However, the human mind is fickle and fleeting. Every 7 to 10 seconds, our minds wander, our listenin...

Have you ever wanted to fly an aircraft and serve your nation?  This time on The xMonks Drive we have with us Retd Air Vice Marshal Nicodemus Manohar Samuel to talk about his journey as a pilot in the Indian Air Force. This podcast attempts to raise awareness of the remarkable Indian Air Force . Samuel has superannuated as an Air Vice Marshal from the Indian Air Force after a career spanning 36 ye...

Some people are born on third base—they inherit money, marry into wealth, or win a lottery. The rest of us must hit base (and occasionally strike out) in our quest to amass our own money. And this is what a true entrepreneur's journey involves. However, the question is: How far would you go to sate your thirst for knowledge and become an Indian solopreneur? This podcast with Purva Aggarwal (F...

You may have heard of mindfulness , or the capacity to be fully present in the moment, which can offer a variety of advantages. According to general mindfulness research, these advantages range from reduced stress and sadness to elevated levels of focus and happiness. But what does mindfulness really mean? And how can you spot it and make use of its many advantages? One method to fully experience...

Life doesn't come with a manual, and no matter how long we spend "in the womb," when it's time to go out into the big wide world, we still don't seem to know what's going on. And occasionally all we need is someone to talk to. Prayer is a way of getting in touch with the essence of things, more so than simple talk, despite its own strength. It is the best listener you...

Who we are is how we lead. It’s not just about what we do in the world when it comes to leadership; it’s also about who we are. Take a minute to consider whether it is possible to divorce one's identity from the roles we play. I don't believe so. You need to have a solid understanding of who you are as a person and how to use that knowledge to your advantage as a leader. You may assess y...

The world needs women leaders - from running big organisations to running countries. Gender-equal leadership will prompt a more efficient and integrated society. Nevertheless, despite the fact that women enter the workforce in relatively equal numbers to men, their ascent to the top can be more difficult and slower for them. But this did not stop Mrs. Sangeeta Talwar . She broke the barriers and t...

Humans are social beings who crave connections, trust, and belongingness. People strive to connect with other people about ideas, feelings, and experiences that matter to them and that they may share with others because they don't like to feel alone in what they are experiencing. Thus, building communities becomes crucial for fostering connections between people and creating the infrastructur...

Systemic Coaching throws open a vast arena where the coaching is not just about how a team works together but also how it can mean a lot of different things. There is a lot of talk about "systemic" these days, but is there really a consensus on what it means in the context of coaching? We delve into leadership coaching and how systemic thinking may be used in coaching in this episode wit...

As a child, Kevin was taught to be polite—to say “please” and “thank you” like all the kids are. You could say that he learned a cursory form of gratitude at an early age. But take a pause and think for a moment, is being thankful and being grateful the same thing? This is what Kevin talks about in this ultimate gratitude podcast. So if you want to discover the true power of gratitude and embrace...

Seeking a radical purpose in life is something that humanity has been aiming for, since centuries. But humanity must undergo a radical revolution in the way we see ourselves, nature, and our mission. We need to change the paradigm so that we can fully express our willingness to work together and have an impact as a group. This is what we discuss in this podcast. Learn what led Jose to the point in...

What is Compassionate living? Have you wondered?  Is it a way of living where one's mind and heart are both open to understanding others' experiences, or is it our shared connectivity with all life, where one acts from that place of informed caring? Compassion is not that simple and sometimes often confused with empathy and sympathy. But all these terms are different. Come explore with u...

Do you find it difficult to say NO ? Many of do we feel that we are obligated to say yes all the time. But have you really wondered how much does it cost when you end up saying yes to everyone every time..when you want to say NO actually… Saying no is never easy, but it can be particularly difficult after accepting a commitment. You can be concerned that walking away will sever relationships, make...

Life has given us gifts that we cannot even imagine. Life gives us messages to aline, realign or even reorient itself and we often even miss them or misinterpret them. But these messages bring out the best in us. In this episode, I talk about one such incident that left a huge impact on my life. Gaurav has a decade of rich experience in the professional services industry as a Facilitator, Coach, a...

 What if I ever come to you and ask you about the wildest dream you would want to live before you say goodbye to this life. How would you respond to that?  God's desire for us is that we fulfill our purpose. But are we doing that? Skip has tried to answer this question. Listen to this episode and explore topics around friendship, connection, and purpose. Skip Lineberg is highly creative, visi...

What does it mean to give and be a Go giver? For me personally, giving is a way of life, like a purpose and our actions should reflect that way of life. In this episode, Bob Burg joined us on The xMonks Drive to explain giving. Let’s hear from the master about how he came up with this concept of giving and how can this be applied in the business context today. Bob Burg shares how a subtle shift in...

What is Metaverse ? Is it just a buzzword, the next internet, a video game, or an idea?  It's been nearly six months since Facebook announced it was rebranding to Meta and would focus its future on the upcoming “metaverse.” But what does metaverse mean to you? Join this episode of The xMonks Drive with Dr. Mark van Rijmenam and unveil the future talking to you. Dr Mark van Rijmenam is a futur...

“God could not be everywhere, and therefore he made mothers.” Isn't this true, god made angels and sent them on earth as our mothers.  In this special episode on The xMonks Drive, I celebrate the three most important women in my life. Listen to this episode and celebrate motherhood because life doesn’t come with a manual—it comes with mothers. Gaurav has a decade of rich experience in the pro...