Three ‘rules of engagement’ for talk, which the author lays down, are: communicate constantly, listen attentively, and separate issues from people. Costs of undercommunication far exceed those of overcommunication, he cautions.

There may not be many formal courses in listening, so the following four tips can come in handy: “Let go of your own agenda — at least for the time being — and don’t interrupt. Focus on the speaker, by physically looking at the speaker, maintaining eye contact, and giving him/her your undivided attention. Encourage the speaker, both verbally and non-verbally. Discuss the content, by summarising it, paraphrasing it, and demonstrating understanding of it.”

Recommended read to hone your consulting skills.

Time management is the undergraduate school of time, and what leaders need is a graduate degree in time, say John K. Clemens and Scott Dalrymple in Time Mastery: How temporal intelligence will make you a stronger, more effective leader ( www.macmillanindia.com).

Stop thinking of time as something to be chopped up and managed, and start viewing it as a strategic tool, the authors urge. “Time isn’t a management problem. It’s a leadership opportunity.” People with high levels of temporal intelligence aren’t slaves to time. “Instead, time works for them.”

The first of the six strategic insights the book lists is that you can harness the power of the past, present, and future, rather than be obsessed with the present and getting lost in the tactical now of time management.

D. Murali

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