BROADCASTS.com

Published: Feb. 28, 2021, 4:54 a.m.

Welcome to Sridhar’s newsletter number # 28 & Podcast (Click Play button for Audio version of the Post). Appreciate you being here, so we can connect weekly on interesting topics. Add your email id here to get this directly to your inbox (https://sridhargarikipati.substack.com).

Do subscribe over Apple Or Spotify podcast (Minimalist techie Or on Spotify ) or hear it over email you received through my subscription (https://sridhargarikipati.substack.com) or on my website.

This weekly newsletter is mostly about the article, books, videos etc. I read or watch or my views on different topics which revolves around my head during the week. Now, let us dive into this week’s reads.

1. How to Avoid Climate Disaster

Bill Gates sure has a unique position in this world, his blog site gatenotes.com is something I visit very often as he shares many good book reviews and gives great insights into many aspects of climate change. Currently what is going on in Texas state due to freezing temperatures many parts of state have power blackouts. Social media has created a war on type of energy sources, Wind, Solar are set to failed in such below zero temperatures and few claiming the Coal should make a comeback to be primary energy source. Climate change science has become a joke with many speaking about it without facts, too much social media access for everyone is misleading to share right information. This misinformation is what leading to create left- and right-wing people, red and blue state people, basically dividing people on most basic topic as well. You want another example of it? Get opinion on taking vaccines with people around you, you will be shocked to know with group of people saying Yes to take a vaccine and Other as No, even with a solid information out there, still we have divided people. This plague is what used in politics which pushes many countries climate change agenda every election year. Around same time in the week, Gates has released this book. I am currently reading sample, waiting on my library copy for full read.

Bill Gates explains his vision on climate change by first focusing on providing electricity to every home in the world where currently people live without electricity. Initial sample chapter shared many facts which would surprise you with the fact sheet. Gates shows how the dangers of climate change are not just sea level rise and increased temperatures, but also increased droughts and wildfires, more severe storms, and an increased cost of food. My reason to pick this book and your reason also should be is, Bill Gates has shared his precise insights; in terms of Research and Development goals, and how to make change economically feasible.

Read the book.

Or If you are interested to know what you can do to fight climate change.

* Reduce your home emissions through major appliances.

* Be Proactive in talking about climate in all your groups, look globally what are best measures and hit your local political party as well with tons of information.

2. Authenticity

From Wiki, Authenticity is a concept in psychology, existential psychiatry, existentialist philosophy and aesthetics. In existentialism, authenticity is the degree to which a person's actions are congruent with their beliefs and desires, despite external pressures to conformity. In simple words, throwing yourself into situations which are not comfortable, does not match with your values, principle, the core you and you make your way up step by step. We all face this in our careers as we move up in career ladder, we would need to work with bigger teams, not just talk your thing, we need to change our communication to sync with larger audience.

I will take my own example, in projects when I work in teams, I am very cautious. Reason is my personality. I know me and very much aware of feedback when it comes to myself. Specially working in teams, I try to keep my personality in backseat. The reason is when I work with my personality, I expect everyone in my team to be on same speed with me. In such case, I need to ignore my historical self and make sure I am reading the room, is the next person really getting what I am sharing? Since last 11 months, I had greater need to do my authenticity checkup often. As in few audio meetings, noticed that I did talking for entire meeting length. As other person is not in front of me, I needed this authenticity checkup more than ever. This is called authenticity paradox, when you find yourself facing a choice between being yourself or doing what it takes to be effective.

Listen to below video for more on this, explained really well.

3. Traffic Light for Learning?

When you must learn something new, complete unknown, it puts you in very uncomfortable position. This is the place, where your next actions will take you to overcome the situation and make yourself comfortable. How about using traffic light analogy for this situation?

Specially into my 30’s, I noticed that I would need little more push to myself to learn new things when compared to my 20’s. Not sure if it is of distractions or family commitments or what not, for sure I see myself differently now than in my 20’s. So, I use traffic light analogy. In the tech sector, every now and then you will be in work situations where new tools get introduced to your project or you must upskill to new coding languages. This is the red light, once you get the red light, it is completely upon you to turn this red light into green light. If your scared to get started or really do not know where to get started. Use your networking skills here, reach out to someone who is subject matter expert in it or google it out or use LinkedIn to reach out. Person expert in it, would be able to give your right guidance. When I really do not know anyone, simply google it, check out few free videos to get the gist of it. Once that initial hiccup is out of your way, you would get little comfortable with the situation, as now you know at least few basics and you know what you would need to look further to learn in detail, this is your yellow light. For the next step in your learning, you require Uninterrupted focus of yourself.

An adult in need to learn some new skill, require Uninterrupted focus on skill they are trying to learn. It can be short 15 minutes at first, but slowly take breaks take this short uninterrupted time to 30 minutes and then 60, 90 minutes so on. Once you master your time management to allow yourself to these learning timeslots, you are on your path to Greenlight.

This is my traffic light approach for learning any new skill, do share in comments what is your approach for learning new things?

4. Stop ignoring microaggressions and their harm at workplace

Do you notice at your workplace, there will be at least one person who will constantly ignores to work with you, they ignore your feedback, or they ignore your talking even in a wider team meetings? Yes, these are the people who intentionally do this to you. They cannot show aggression or ignore you for whatever personal reason they have in mind, as they will become bad in front of all. so, they do all their things silently. Few will take it even further that they can ignore your talking, your feedback even in the larger team meetings silently. You will be knowing it, but it will be invisible to all other team members. This is a problem of micro insulting or showing their slight aggression for whatever reason they have in their mind, basically forcing you to make it harder to work with them or in your team.

This can happen to anyone, more seen for people of color, shape, gender etc. 

Working with such people over long period of time is like death by thousand cuts.

* Working with them, changes your behavior and let you quit. 

* It Impacts your day-to-day experience, physical health, and physiological well-being. 

Do make a note of your feelings when this happens, if it impacts you, then for sure you need to take steps here. First most thing is, your feelings matters and do care for them for your own wellbeing. So, when this happens you will be the first person to notice, if someone else is paying attention, then others can also notice this. I would say, we all play a role how one is treated within the group. Once you notice this, take a deep breath, make sure you are emotionally strong at the time, to confront the offender back. Do note, you cannot initiate verbal war here, you need to have proper agenda when dealing with such people, as they can simply ignore your statements saying they did not mean anything wrong and you are overreacting. Here is how you can start your conversation,

* Respond back quickly asking questions like, pardon me, can you please help me understand what you meant earlier.

* Listen well, do clarify back their perspective, explore their intent to move further.

* have your conversation as one Team, Focus on the situation, never on the individual person.

* Open conversation will help other person see if they have done something wrong.

* Respond in way of curiosity, like can you explain it more. 

If this did not happen to you. In our diverse culture these things happen a lot, it is just a matter of noticing it. It is individual or team responsibility to make these invisible things visible. When such thing happens, do not take side right away in midst of the situation, rather offer support to the person who got hurt later. Show them your support, that you did noticed it and be their ally. Ask them how you can be supportive and help your team member feel psychologically safe in a team.

So, stop ignoring microaggressions and their harm.

* Start pushing back. 

* Continue creating safe spaces for entire team. 

Saying again, your experiences matter. 

That is all for this week. See you again.

Do subscribe over Apple or Spotify podcast if you prefer audio version of these posts and hey will talk more there than these posts (Minimalist techie) or hear it over my website (https://sridhargarikipati.substack.com).

Do let me know in comments or reply me over email to share what is your view on this post. So, Share, Like, subscribe whatever these days’ kids say :-)

Stay Connected, Share Ideas, Spread Happiness.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sridhargarikipati.substack.com