It was early morning on 30th May 1981, my Mom came rushing into my bedroom, holding a newspaper and screaming my name, “Sonia, you have made it to the Merit List in the 12th Board Exams!” Rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I read my name there. Was a precious moment indeed!

I coined this term “Ques-tiquette” because I feel that asking questions is more than an art or skill. It is a grace we give ourselves and unto others, a grace sadly discarded in the face of so-called “urgencies”. If only we realised how catastrophic the outcome is.
In my entire working career of 3 decades, as a Lawyer and later a Facilitator and Coach, if I was to name 1 thing that has helped

As someone who loves taking pictures from my mobile, I decided to download an app which allowed me to frame the picture in myriad ways. I was amazed at how the same picture could look so different with a different frame selection. From a bold image, to a candle lit silhouetted, to comical caricature to a crumpled newspaper look to a vintage postage stamp,

They say a picture speaks a thousand words. What does this picture speak to you? On my last flight, I took my seat saying “Hello, I am Sonia” to this young man next to me, with an interesting name, Dakotta. As we got chatting, I was so inspired by his spirit of adventure and contribution, leaving the US where his family lived for 2 generations and helped set up many companies,

Last year I was approached to coach the CEO of a large IT Company. Post the 2nd session, he invited me as a Guest Speaker to deliver a one-hour address to his global team from across the world. The context was clear, “To embrace new ideas and innovation in an atmosphere that fosters collaboration and commitment to a shared Vision.”

We had driven in from Delhi on 17^th March 2020 for a week to check in on our apple orchard plantation not far from Shimla when it happened – the lockdown! Though for me personally, it was the biggest un-lockdown in more ways than one. In the last 34 years after marriage, I had made numerous “quick” trips to the orchard, squeezed between cramped agendas. It was the same always – the beautiful country roads in the loving embrace of the hills, the symphony of sparkling streams and singing birds, the ever-generous bounty of trees, and the warmth of a welcoming home. And yet, this time around nothing was the same.

It was the first outing in a really long Covid stricken time as I walked into this secluded, exclusive artistic store. Admiring a creatively laden aisle of exquisite porcelain cups, the intricate patterns on the fine gilded edges and smooth contours seemed to tell stories from my life. Overcome by a sudden rush of emotions, I remembered the times gone by and loved ones who had moved on. Still reminiscing, I wandered to the far end of the aisle where a lone abandoned cup pushed against the back of a shelf caught my eye. I reached out for it carefully, picking it out of its hidden nook, marveling at the beautiful golden pattern that was made on it. I thought it a little strange that such a work of art was being ostracized.

This work trip to Jakarta was very special to me, unlike my other global assignments. The clients were a very reputed Company in Indonesia. They loved the content and asked me to deliver it. Deliver this session? The participants primarily spoke Bahasa. And my Bahasa was restricted to “Selamat Datang” and “Terima Kasih”. So why was I flown from India to Indonesia when I could not speak a word in Bahasa? I was told, “Don’t worry.”