We all know that the role of the manager is to assign tasks and matching resources, crack the whip (or cajole the team) to ensure it is on track for the deadline. What would a leader do differently if entrusted with the same task? After all, leaders too, have to run organizations, meet customer expectations and create value for all the stakeholders. So what is this new element called 'making meaning' doing in an already crowded task list? For long we have considered things like 'meaning in the workplace' in the same category as candyfloss and not taken it seriously. That I am afraid is changing. The leader helps people see meaning beyond the limits of the mundane tasks and chores.

Several organizations have launched initiatives to promote Diversity. Why do we need to build diversity in the workforce? If the consumer group is diverse, having the same diversity represented in the employee groups makes it easy to develop the product which is aligned to the consumers. This makes sense for consumer goods but how does his pan out in case of industrial goods. Taking the argument further, if the buyer group is not diverse, does it still make business sense to drive diversity in the organization?In my opinion, the single reason to drive diversity is about providing a non discriminatory employment experience. Equal opportunity is the strongest reason. To be denied employment based on any criteria other than merit is discriminatory and illegal in many countries.How do we implement this in the workplace?