In this episode of Story Talks, we welcome Sona Sherratt of Ashridge where she designs, teaches and client directs on several executive education programmes with clients such as SAB Miller, Swarovski, Heineken, Erste Group Bank, Avis, Beazley Insurance Group and Continental. Sona has designed and delivered senior leadership and general management programs for clients around the world. Sona has co-authored a book entitled ‘50 Biggest Management Dilemmas Solved’ which was published by Pearson in January 2014.
Together we discussed an area close to her heart, something she’s been researching and writing about extensively as part of her doctorate: Psychological Safety. This is a broad word that we broke down in terms of benefits and the consequences of not creating a psychologically safe working environment.
We covered a lot of ground, managing to discuss the concept of “quiet quitting”, the “big resignation”, the “trust equation”, and leadership challenges in a VUCA world (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, and Ambiguous.)
We break these down and leave you with practical tools to navigate a work place and work force that are increasingly complex and where the stakes couldn’t be higher.
You’ll learn about lazy questions versus questions that move everyone forward, something that isn’t so difficult to implement, and could make a big difference in your day to day interactions.
Finally, as you know by now, we always ask our guests about an experience that shaped who they are today, and Sona did not disappoint with an answer that is highly relatable and yet unique in its circumstances. It involves moving from India to the US when she was 10, not speaking the language, and walking on an escalator for the first time.
Enjoy!
Links and resources to learn more:
For more on Sona: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonasherratt/
For more on Ashridge: https://www.hult.edu/ashridge/
For more on the work of Carol Dwek, influential American psychologist: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carol_Dweck
For more on “quiet quitting”: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/23/style/quiet-quitting-tiktok.html
For more on David Maister and the Trust Equation: https://trustedadvisor.com/why-trust-matters/understanding-trust/understanding-the-trust-equation
