Nagarajan R.'s Linkedin Analytics

The Power of Pause... Have you been in a situation where you are stuck at a point of indecision? I have been on multiple occasions in my life. Nothing works to help me move beyond that point except stepping away from the problem. Whenever I am experiencing decision paralysis, I like to step back, hit the pause button, and possibly take a walk. It clears the mental fog & transforms problems into possibilities. The result? Enhanced focus, creativity, and strategic thinking. Remember: A pause isn't lost productivity. It's an investment in your most valuable asset – your mind. #MentalClarity #Mindfulness #itsnagarajan

Let this post be a reminder to believe in yourself... You're capable of so much more than you realize. Your current situation never reflects who you are meant to be. The best chapters of your story are still unwritten. #SelfBelief #PersonalGrowth #FutureSuccess #itsnagarajan

Nothing grows your followers base like the fake hiring post. I see a lot of UAE HR firms involving in this practice. This must stop…

Mastering your career means being committed to showing up every day with a consistent and positive attitude. It’s all about tackling each opportunity with enthusiasm and dedication, making sure you bring energy that inspires not just you, but also those around you.

The Secret to Elevating Your Work?  Pause and Reflect I stumbled upon this observation during my early days in MR. I am always unhappy with the report I share by EOD. The following day, I will always be unhappy with how I crafted my story or the depth of analysis I have covered. To address this, I planned a three-step process for every report.  1. Finish work a day early 2. Sleep on it (literally!) 3. Review with fresh eyes in the morning before sending it to the client The result? A 20-30% boost in output quality. Those 8 hours of sleep?  They're the magic ingredient transforming good work into excellence. It helps you gain a fresh perspective, allowing you to rewrite key findings and recommendations to tell your story better. As a bonus, many of my clients are pleased to receive their final report by the first half instead of by EOD. It brought a subtle delight to the overall engagement. What's your go-to strategy for enhancing work quality?  Share your suggestions below! #ProductivityHacks #WorkSmarter #ProfessionalGrowth #itsnagarajan

🚨 The #1 career killer isn't what you think. It's hiding in plain sight. "A healthy person has a thousand wishes, a sick person just one." – Tony Robbins Are you constantly chasing targets while neglecting your most valuable asset - your health? Let today, April 7th, serve as a gentle reminder to reassess our priorities. In our pursuit of professional goals, we often overlook the very foundation of our success: our physical and mental well-being. Remember: Your health is your true wealth. We meticulously manage our finances. Isn't it time we applied the same diligence to our well-being? This World Health Day, let's refocus on our health. Commit to one small action today for a healthier tomorrow. #WorldHealthDay #WellnessAtWork #HealthyLiving #itsnagarajan

"Engineer or not?" It's a label that can make or break careers in India. But should it? India is a land of engineers. Do you know how many we produce in a year? We produce approximately 1.5 Million Engineers a year. After my schooling in 2003, I decided I didn't want to be part of these statistics and chose to pursue biotechnology. I paid the price for it when I sat for placement during my MBA days. I never got shortlisted for most marketing companies as I don't have an engineering degree. Then, I understood why Indians get a B.Tech degree and then decide what to do with their lives. The problem became a big headache after my MBA when I was interviewed for a position in an MR firm. After some 4-5 rounds of good performance, I was rejected as the final hiring manager realized that I didn't have an engineering degree. I later joined the same MR firm in a different team, and life worked for me. That is when I realized that people use labels—engineer candidate vs. others, Metro candidate vs. others, Tier I candidates vs. others, Degree candidate vs. others—to make their decisions safe. It is a simple cop-out—nothing more and nothing less. But here's the thing: labels limit potential. They create artificial barriers that prevent organizations from discovering truly exceptional talent. By fixating on labels, we miss out on diverse perspectives, unique problem-solving approaches, and innovative thinking. What's your experience with labels in the professional world? Have you ever been boxed in or pleasantly surprised? Share your thoughts below! #CareerDevelopment #DiversityInHiring #OvercomingStereotypes #itsnagarajan

Most of the problems we face are the ones that exist in our minds. The three mindsets that can contribute to a good life. 1. The power to let go of things beyond your control. 2. The Gift of Amnesia and Amnesty: Harbour no grudges, let past be past. 3. The Power of Choice: Choose wisely what deserves your energy. These aren't just survival techniques; they're growth strategies. Have a beautiful week! #tsnagarajan

Mentoring Mishap: A Lesson in generational differences... Have you ever had a teaching moment spiral into an unexpected challenge? I recently mentored an intern. My approach? Involve him in a live project with clear objectives. 2.5 weeks later: A half-baked document landed on my desk. I provided detailed, constructive feedback. His response? "Thanks, but I'm not changing anything." Other departments faced similar hurdles. Their solution? Assign easy tasks. This experience wasn't about generational gaps. I've collaborated with exceptional Gen Z talent before. Instead, it illuminated a crucial question: Are we imparting the proper lessons to the next generation in our homes? Growing up, I was taught > Respecting work is a fundamental value > Growth comes from embracing feedback > Resilience is built through challenges These lessons shaped my professional journey and continue guiding my mentorship approach. But it doesn't seem to be working now. What strategies have you found effective in mentoring across generational lines? Share your insights below! #Mentoring #ProfessionalDevelopment #LeadershipLessons #itsnagarajan

A simple tool boosted my productivity by 100%. It's not an app or software. When I started my career in MR, I wasted a lot of time by reworking my presentation. Inconsistent font, sample base missing in few slides, footnote missing in few slides, etc. These are all small, basic things but also essential things that you need to follow in your presentation. Seeing my struggle, my colleague gave me a checklist. It was a simple 32 items that I needed to make sure of before sending my presentation for review. It has simple items like a font check, heading alignment check, white space check, color check, base check, footnote check, etc... Once I started using the list, my error rate came down to zero, and after some time, I realized I didn't need the checklist as I was subconsciously taking care of all these fundamentals. Since then, I have used the checklist approach to reduce my error margin in multiple aspects of my life. The beauty of checklists lies in their simplicity and effectiveness. They free up mental space, allowing us to focus on higher-level tasks while ensuring we don't miss crucial details. Whether managing a complex project or simply trying to streamline your daily routine, a well-crafted checklist can be a game-changer. What area of your life could benefit from a good checklist? #Productivity #Checklists #WorkEfficiency #itsnagarajan

"Useless" weekend work led to a career-defining moment... A few months into my first job in MR, I dove headfirst into my first big project. Tight deadline. Even weekend work. Me a newbie researcher. I was eager to impress. But there was just one tiny problem... I had the wrong data file. 40+ slides. Hours of work. All based on incorrect information. Monday morning revelation: My effort was essentially useless. But what happened next shocked me. Instead of frustration or blame, my senior team members & reporting manager did something unexpected: They apologized to me. They took full responsibility for the miscommunication & actively assisted me in completing my slides. That moment transformed my view on true leadership. Years later, those same team members are now my closest professional confidants. We don't talk often, and we are scattered across the globe, but I know I can call on them anytime. All because of how they handled one "useless" report. What's your most impactful leadership lesson from an unexpected place? #LeadershipLessons #TeamCulture #itsnagarajan

Embracing Loss: The Key to Unlocking Your Potential Why do we often feel stuck in unfulfilling situations? The answer lies in our fear of loss. Many of us: • Cling to unsatisfying jobs • Stay in stagnant relationships • Live uninspired lives Why? We're afraid to leave our comfort zones. But here's the truth: Short-term discomfort leads to long-term growth. Harvard Business Review highlights 5 reasons to step outside your comfort zone (article link in comments) 🎯 Achieve life goals 💪 Boost self-confidence 🌎 Expand your world 🛡️ Build resilience 🧠Develop self-awareness Remember: Growth requires sacrifice. Are you ready to lose to win? #PersonalGrowth #ComfortZone #itsnagarajan

Workplace problems: More imaginary than real? Let's unpack the trifecta of overthinking that often plagues our professional lives: 1. Rumination: Stuck in the past? • Tip: Hit pause. Refocus on the present moment. 2. Future Tripping: Anxious about what's to come? • Tip: Ground yourself. Take one step at a time. 3. Overanalyzing: Lost in details? • Tip: Zoom out. Trust your instincts. Simplify. Recognizing these patterns is your first step towards clearer thinking and sharper decision-making. Ready to break free from overthinking and take charge of your workday? Share your go-to strategy for combating mental clutter below! #ProductivityHacks #MindsetMatters #WorkplaceWellness #itsnagarajan

𝗛𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗱? Last week, I encountered a prime example at my local telecom center. After resolving a mobile payment issue, I used their self-pay kiosk. What caught my eye? > A 𝗢𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 meant for 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗸𝗶𝗼𝘀𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗯𝘃𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗽𝗮𝗴𝗲. > 𝗨𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗹𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝗶𝘁, 𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻. I left my survey without a response to observe what the next person was doing. He gave my transaction a 1 star and proceeded with his transaction, which got a rating of 3 from the next person. Only one of the 10 customers I observed found that he had to click the home button to bypass the survey screen. This experience illuminates a critical flaw in many feedback systems: • 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 • Genuine concerns lost in misattributed feedback • Wasted resources analyzing inaccurate data A researcher's job is not just behind the desk. It is on the ground testing the validity of his survey instruments and observing his respondent's behavior. 𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗹𝗹-𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗺𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗺? 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. 𝗔 𝗽𝗼𝗼𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗲? 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗻𝗼𝗻𝗲. How do you ensure the accuracy of your customer insights? Share your strategies below! #CustomerExperience #DataAccuracy #BusinessInsights #itsnagarajan

This short story will blow your mind... The king and his finance minister. A famous Indian king had a finance minister in his court who liked to utter the phrase, "Everything happens for good." One day, the king accidentally cut his finger while cutting the apple; the minister immediately helped the king and uttered, "Everything happens for good." The king was overcome with rage due to the pain of the knife cut; he ordered his court soldiers to put the minister in jail for a week. Then, too, the minister uttered, "Everything happens for good." Then, the king had a habit of visiting his country in disguise to see how the people perceived his policies, and usually, the finance minister accompanied him. Since he was in jail, the king decided to go alone in his disguise visit, but he was caught by a bandit group looking for someone to sacrifice for their cause. But they decided against seeing his damaged hand, deeming him an imperfect sacrifice. When he returned to the palace, the king ensured the bandit group was caught and asked for his minister to be brought to him. He apologized to the minister and told him that he was right - Everything does happen for good. The minister said that an apology was not required as if he had not been put in jail, he would have accompanied the king and ended up being the sacrifice for the bandits. I heard this story when I was a kid and strongly believed in its morals - Everything does happen for good. Sometimes, we are in the thick of things to see it. #story #morals #itsnagarajan

The Hard Truth About Market Research: Fancy tools ≠ Better insights My perspective: • Research is both art and science • AI can enable, not replace, human creativity • Tools amplify skills, not substitute them The key? Balancing technology with storytelling. Great researchers: 1. Leverage AI to enhance capabilities 2 Apply creative thinking to uncover insights 3. Craft compelling business narratives from raw data Remember: AI is your assistant, not your replacement. Don't let AI dim your creative spark. What is your thought on this? Share in the comments below. #MarketResearch #AIinBusiness #DataStorytelling #itsnagarajan

"We got it all wrong." That's what I told a major FMCG client after our initial meeting. Here's why clarity is king in research: What's the most crucial element of any research project? "Defining the research objective" It is simple for product tests or concept validation. But it gets trickier for complex business challenges. Here's why crystal-clear objectives matter: ✅ They transform insights into action ✅ They turn data into business-driving decisions Real-world example: A few years back, a leading FMCG client approached me to "better understand chefs' usage of their product." After 30 minutes of probing questions, we uncovered their actual need: Determining if a packaging redesign would alienate their core audience (Chef). Two vastly different research objectives! Never rush the objective-setting phase. Invest the time upfront to save countless hours & client pushback later. Pro tip: Always assume that the problem statement is not rightly defined in the brief and seek client clarity before diving headfirst into the project. What's your go-to strategy for clarifying research objectives? Share your wisdom below! #MarketResearch #BusinessStrategy #DataDrivenDecisions #itsnagarajan

One of the most important advice I got from a senior in my first job is never to burn bridges in corporate career. It is good to leave any place or a team on good terms. No point in alienating people on your exit. I personally seen what this could do to a person career in two instances. In both scenarios, people left on bad terms with their boss. A few years later when they were looking to join back the company. Their old managers stepped it and prevented that from happening. #itsnagarajn

In UAE, if you are not really, really careful, you might next have a pistachio kunafa chocolate version of biryani and gravy. The obsession seems to have caught every F&B operator - just had a pistachio latte from Starbucks. #UAElife #dubai_chocolate #itsnagarajan

"How was your weekend?" My first boss asked me this every Monday. My response? Always the same. "Good. Watched some movies." After weeks of identical answers, he offered some advice: "What you do in your spare time matters more than your weekdays. Find a hobby. Connect with friends. Make life meaningful." I didn't grasp it fully then. But I did try to change my routine by attending some Excel classes and by reading books. But now looking back at the advice, I can honestly say that it is very deep & profound advice. Our weekends shape us beyond work: • Opportunities for personal growth • Sparks of creativity • Ability to unwind & relax • Building lasting relationships I've since prioritized intentional weekends: 1. Learning new skills 2. Quality time with loved ones Result? A richer, more fulfilling life. How do you maximize your weekends? #WorkLifeBalance #PersonalGrowth #itsnagarajan