Every time a senior employee or manager explained an idea with immense passion, I used to play along. My response to them would be, "Sounds great," or "Makes sense!." I'd signal my agreement by instantly jumping to discuss the next steps. Once the discussion gets over, I'd feel weird. I'd ask myself - "Did you … Continue reading The value of “I don’t know”
Author: Akkshaya Varkhedi
Product manager, aesthete, daydreamer. I try to write.ॐ
We can do better than we think
"I love this road trip with my friends. But what if we meet with an accident and I lose my legs?" "I love my partner, and we're too good together. But what if this isn't going to last?" "I know I did my exams well. But what if I flunk?" "I worked my ass off … Continue reading We can do better than we think
Communicate your ideas clearly
No matter what role you're in, communication is integral. And with the increase in the number of companies that lean towards remote work, the importance of communication can't be stressed enough. Be it daily stand-ups, Slack messages, emails, or long decision-making meetings — you've got to ensure that your coworkers, stakeholders, or customers listen to … Continue reading Communicate your ideas clearly
Talk goals during product demos
Let’s say you’re selling live chat software to a customer support manager. You're aware of their business and the challenges with their customer support. So you structure your conversation around their problems and the magnificent solution you can offer. On the other hand, there’s another live chat software that offers similar features as you do. … Continue reading Talk goals during product demos
On online courses
Every time I want to learn a new skill, I browse through a list of online courses. I go through the course catalogue of Coursera, edX, and Udemy. After spending enough time researching, I pick one based on the credibility of the instructor, the institution, and reviews. Most of the time, I audit these courses. … Continue reading On online courses
On attachment
When we're attached to a person, thing or moment, we're subconsciously transferring our power to it. We think we own it. But the truth is the other way around. The thing we are attached to controls us. We'll realise it when it's gone. We tend to go berserk. Many of us struggle with our past. … Continue reading On attachment
On glorification
When we glorify a person, thing or movement, we’re inviting a sack of blind spots. These blind spots are safe in the back of our mind. And we carry on with our life as if our choices are perfect. We achieve an illusionary state of happiness. We spend time defending what we believe in because, … Continue reading On glorification
An unfamiliar hope
Published on allpoetry.com. Busy markets, crowded schoolsCar drivers cursing under their breathOffice goers swarming like beesInside overcrowded compartments I thought to myself"What a mundane life!"Is this a bigger rattrap?Wealth and status, the baits? Days passedWith no ray of hopeOut of the blueA remarkable eventNews readers parroted mechanicallyThe same wicked words An infectious AgentSeeped into the … Continue reading An unfamiliar hope
Question everything on the internet
The internet has made it easy for people to spread false news. They frame stories in a way that we find it hard to doubt their credibility. These stories win us. Some of us believe these stories because of shared sentiments. The rest of us ‘prefer' to believe them because the people around us do … Continue reading Question everything on the internet
Documentation – a foolproof way to fall in love with the problem
As a product manager, when you discover a problem, you're more likely to believe that you've uncovered the symptoms. It may be because many customers talk about the same problem, so you assume you're aware of the details. For example, imagine you’re building design software. Some customers tell you that they want your software to … Continue reading Documentation – a foolproof way to fall in love with the problem
Akkshaya Varkhedi 