Episodes

  • 690: EP 3. Flavour-ful Lives - Soma Biswas Vajpayee

    690: EP 3. Flavour-ful Lives - Soma Biswas Vajpayee
    Feb 23 2025
    GUEST:

    In this episode of FLAVOUR-ful Lives, we spotlight Soma Vajpayee, an inspiring art-based therapist whose journey exemplifies adapting and thriving through change. From being an IIMA graduate alongside her husband Bhavtosh Vajpayee to moving across various locations over the years, Soma has shown that being a 'trailing spouse' can be transformed into an empowering journey. Her story highlights embracing challenges, inner work, and navigating past demons to align passion and purpose. Discover how Soma's path brings to life the rediscovery process central to the FLAVOUR framework in the Play to Potential book.

    The Book: Play to Potential - Lead a full life, become the best you (Published by
    Penguin RandomHouse) is now available to order (1-30 copies) on Amazon - https://qr1.be/29Z6

    Published on February 2025.


    ABOUT THE BOOK:

    Play to Potential offers a refreshing exploration of human potential, emphasizing discovery through play rather than work. Deepak Jayaraman weaves insights from his eponymous podcast, his coaching work and his lived experience to share a powerful yet simple framework (FLAVOUR) that can act as a guide to navigate the pulls and pressures of life.

    This book is a guide to living a fulfilled life, integrating family, aspirations, value creation, and deep relationships. It transcends traditional career advice, providing actionable insights for personal growth and fulfillment.

    While there are many books that act as a North Star for people to navigate their journey, this book strives to be a torch light that can show people the way through the imperfections and the messiness to lead a full life and unlock their human potential.


    HOST

    Deepak Jayaraman's mission is to help individuals with a growth mindset play to their full potential. He works as a coach and a sounding board to growth-minded leaders on multi-year journeys as a trusted confidant and counsel. He does that by immersing himself in the full context of their lives - professional and personal. Deepak has been curating the Play to Potential Podcast since 2016, where he has distilled the wisdom of 100+ distinguished guests across disciplines (business, academics, sports, art, politics and more). Prior to setting up his independent practice in 2016, Deepak has worked across US, UK and India with KPMG Consulting, McKinsey & Co and EgonZehnder. Deepak is an alumnus of IIT Madras, IIM Ahmedabad and London Business School (MBA) and is a certified CEO Coach.


    DISCLAIMER

    All content and opinions expressed in the podcast are that of the guests and are not necessarily the opinions of Deepak Jayaraman and Transition Insight Private Limited. Views expressed in comments to blog are the personal opinions of the author of the comment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Company or the author of the blog. Participants are responsible for the content of their comments and all comments that are posted are in the public domain. The Company reserves the right to monitor, edit, and/or publish any submitted comments. Not all comments may be published. Any third-party comments published are third party information and The Company takes no responsibility and disclaims all liability. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated to monitor and delete any comments or postings at any time without notice.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 19 mins
  • 689: Navigating the Long and Messy Midlife | Deepak Jayaraman | Ravi Venkatesan

    689: Navigating the Long and Messy Midlife | Deepak Jayaraman | Ravi Venkatesan
    Feb 11 2025
    ABOUT THE EPISODE

    Midlife is a phase when we find ourselves pulled in multiple directions—across work, home, health, friendships, and hobbies.

    In this session, Ravi Venkatesan delves into themes from Deepak Jayaraman’s recent book, Play to Potential. The book offers a nuanced exploration of how to unlock human potential—not just professionally but holistically—by embracing life’s highs and lows. Drawing from his acclaimed Play to Potential podcast and his experiences as a coach, Deepak introduces the FLAVOUR framework, a practical guide to navigating the intricate interplay of family, aspirations, values, and relationships.

    Deepak emphasizes that life is a team sport, with family serving as an essential support system. He argues that personal growth and achievement are deeply intertwined with our family contexts, a perspective often overlooked in self-help literature, particularly in cultures where family plays a central role.

    A key insight of the book is the recognition that life unfolds in seasons, shaped by transitions—some intentional, others unexpected. Using real-life examples and case studies, Deepak illustrates how navigating these transitions thoughtfully is vital to realising our potential.

    This discussion will resonate with anyone in their 30s to 60s, offering valuable strategies to lead a multi-dimensional, purposeful life. A Q&A session will follow.

    The Book: Play to Potential - Lead a full life, become the best you (Published by
    Penguin RandomHouse) is now available to order (1-30 copies) on Amazon - https://qr1.be/29Z6

    Published on February 2025.

    ABOUT THE BOOK:

    Play to Potential offers a refreshing exploration of human potential, emphasizing discovery through play rather than work. Deepak Jayaraman weaves insights from his eponymous podcast, his coaching work and his lived experience to share a powerful yet simple framework (FLAVOUR) that can act as a guide to navigate the pulls and pressures of life.

    This book is a guide to living a fulfilled life, integrating family, aspirations, value creation, and deep relationships. It transcends traditional career advice, providing actionable insights for personal growth and fulfillment.

    While there are many books that act as a North Star for people to navigate their journey, this book strives to be a torch light that can show people the way through the imperfections and the messiness to lead a full life and unlock their human potential.

    HOST

    Deepak Jayaraman's mission is to help individuals with a growth mindset play to their full potential. He works as a coach and a sounding board to growth-minded leaders on multi-year journeys as a trusted confidant and counsel. He does that by immersing himself in the full context of their lives - professional and personal. Deepak has been curating the Play to Potential Podcast since 2016, where he has distilled the wisdom of 100+ distinguished guests across disciplines (business, academics, sports, art, politics and more). Prior to setting up his independent practice in 2016, Deepak has worked across US, UK and India with KPMG Consulting, McKinsey & Co and EgonZehnder. Deepak is an alumnus of IIT Madras, IIM Ahmedabad and London Business School (MBA) and is a certified CEO Coach.

    DISCLAIMER

    All content and opinions expressed in the podcast are that of the guests and are not necessarily the opinions of Deepak Jayaraman and Transition Insight Private Limited. Views expressed in comments to blog are the personal opinions of the author of the comment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Company or the author of the blog. Participants are responsible for the content of their comments and all comments that are posted are in the public domain. The Company reserves the right to monitor, edit, and/or publish any submitted comments. Not all comments may be published. Any third-party comments published are third party information and The Company takes no responsibility and disclaims all liability. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated to monitor and delete any comments or postings at any time without notice.
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    1 hr and 32 mins
  • 688: EP 2. FLAVOUR-ful Lives - Sangeeta Shahaney

    688: EP 2. FLAVOUR-ful Lives - Sangeeta Shahaney
    Jan 29 2025
    GUEST:

    In this episode of FLAVOUR-ful Lives, we feature Sangeeta Shahaney, an inspiring figure whose life journey exemplifies resilience and intentional living. Daughter of one of India's pioneers in Executive Search, Sangeeta initially chose the path of being a homemaker after marrying a sailor. However, the sudden loss of her husband led her to reexamine her life and navigate a transformative path that culminated in building a successful SAT coaching practice in Pune. Her story is a powerful testament to embracing reality, simplifying choices, and staying resilient. Discover her journey as highlighted in the Play to Potential book.

    The Book: Play to Potential - Lead a full life, become the best you (Published by
    Penguin RandomHouse) is now available to order (1-30 copies) on Amazon - https://qr1.be/29Z6

    Published on January 2025.

    ABOUT THE BOOK:

    Play to Potential offers a refreshing exploration of human potential, emphasizing discovery through play rather than work. Deepak Jayaraman weaves insights from his eponymous podcast, his coaching work and his lived experience to share a powerful yet simple framework (FLAVOUR) that can act as a guide to navigate the pulls and pressures of life.

    This book is a guide to living a fulfilled life, integrating family, aspirations, value creation, and deep relationships. It transcends traditional career advice, providing actionable insights for personal growth and fulfillment.

    While there are many books that act as a North Star for people to navigate their journey, this book strives to be a torch light that can show people the way through the imperfections and the messiness to lead a full life and unlock their human potential.

    HOST

    Deepak Jayaraman's mission is to help individuals with a growth mindset play to their full potential. He works as a coach and a sounding board to growth-minded leaders on multi-year journeys as a trusted confidant and counsel. He does that by immersing himself in the full context of their lives - professional and personal. Deepak has been curating the Play to Potential Podcast since 2016, where he has distilled the wisdom of 100+ distinguished guests across disciplines (business, academics, sports, art, politics and more). Prior to setting up his independent practice in 2016, Deepak has worked across US, UK and India with KPMG Consulting, McKinsey & Co and EgonZehnder. Deepak is an alumnus of IIT Madras, IIM Ahmedabad and London Business School (MBA) and is a certified CEO Coach.

    DISCLAIMER

    All content and opinions expressed in the podcast are that of the guests and are not necessarily the opinions of Deepak Jayaraman and Transition Insight Private Limited. Views expressed in comments to blog are the personal opinions of the author of the comment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Company or the author of the blog. Participants are responsible for the content of their comments and all comments that are posted are in the public domain. The Company reserves the right to monitor, edit, and/or publish any submitted comments. Not all comments may be published. Any third-party comments published are third party information and The Company takes no responsibility and disclaims all liability. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated to monitor and delete any comments or postings at any time without notice.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 16 mins
  • 687: EP 1. FLAVOUR-ful Lives - Ravishankar Iyer

    687: EP 1. FLAVOUR-ful Lives - Ravishankar Iyer
    Jan 15 2025
    GUEST:

    In the first episode of FLAVOUR-ful Lives, we engage with Ravishankar Iyer, a storyteller and podcast host whose journey embodies positivity, simplicity, and the pursuit of passion. Coming from an Indian middle-class background, Ravi’s love for stories began in childhood and set him on an unconventional path. Though he started traditionally—ranking 11th in CA and graduating from IIMA—he made deliberate, sometimes difficult, choices to follow his true calling. With deep inner work, he has found balance, understood ‘how much is enough,’ and crafted a life rich in meaning alongside his wife, Praveena. Ravi’s story, featured in the Play to Potential book, offers valuable insights into aligning passion with purpose."

    The Book: Play to Potential - Lead a full life, become the best you (Published by
    Penguin RandomHouse) is now available to order (1-30 copies) on Amazon - https://qr1.be/29Z6

    Published on January 2025.

    ABOUT THE BOOK:

    Play to Potential offers a refreshing exploration of human potential, emphasizing discovery through play rather than work. Deepak Jayaraman weaves insights from his eponymous podcast, his coaching work and his lived experience to share a powerful yet simple framework (FLAVOUR) that can act as a guide to navigate the pulls and pressures of life.

    This book is a guide to living a fulfilled life, integrating family, aspirations, value creation, and deep relationships. It transcends traditional career advice, providing actionable insights for personal growth and fulfillment.

    While there are many books that act as a North Star for people to navigate their journey, this book strives to be a torch light that can show people the way through the imperfections and the messiness to lead a full life and unlock their human potential.

    HOST

    Deepak Jayaraman's mission is to help individuals with a growth mindset play to their full potential. He works as a coach and a sounding board to growth-minded leaders on multi-year journeys as a trusted confidant and counsel. He does that by immersing himself in the full context of their lives - professional and personal. Deepak has been curating the Play to Potential Podcast since 2016, where he has distilled the wisdom of 100+ distinguished guests across disciplines (business, academics, sports, art, politics and more). Prior to setting up his independent practice in 2016, Deepak has worked across US, UK and India with KPMG Consulting, McKinsey & Co and EgonZehnder. Deepak is an alumnus of IIT Madras, IIM Ahmedabad and London Business School (MBA) and is a certified CEO Coach.

    DISCLAIMER

    All content and opinions expressed in the podcast are that of the guests and are not necessarily the opinions of Deepak Jayaraman and Transition Insight Private Limited. Views expressed in comments to blog are the personal opinions of the author of the comment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Company or the author of the blog. Participants are responsible for the content of their comments and all comments that are posted are in the public domain. The Company reserves the right to monitor, edit, and/or publish any submitted comments. Not all comments may be published. Any third-party comments published are third party information and The Company takes no responsibility and disclaims all liability. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated to monitor and delete any comments or postings at any time without notice.
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 31 mins
  • 686: 103.00 Ricardo Sunderland on The Energy Advantage

    686: 103.00 Ricardo Sunderland on The Energy Advantage
    Sep 12 2024
    GUEST: Ricardo Sunderland is an author and a CEO Transformational Coach with Egon Zehnder, a global leadership advisory firm. In this podcast, we discuss his latest book, "The Energy Advantage, How to go from managing your time to mastering your energy," Ricardo's life’s purpose is to help leaders connect to and manage their energy to become humane leaders. He coaches senior leaders to help them bring coherence to the way they lead, and to help them reach their full societal impact. In addition to his coaching work, Ricardo collaborates with Board’s Chairs and Nominating Committees during their CEO and C-suite succession processes. In our conversation, Ricardo discusses how we can tune into various levels of physical, mental and spiritual energy and access the “infinite power plant” within us. The seven levels include Level 1 - Felt sense, Level 2 - Love of self, Level 3 - Clarity of thought, Level 4 - Loving interaction with family and friends, Level 5 - Speaking and following your truth, Level 6 - Unconditional love for others, Level 7 - Seeking the greater universal pattern. Published in September 2024. ABOUT THE PODCAST: The podcast has been functional since 2016. We are one of the (if not the only one) podcasts that break a conversation down into small pieces of content and reorganise them by theme. To know more you can visit www.playtopotential.com and see the Curated Playlists section. While the full conversations on Apple, Spotify and other platforms are open access, the curated insights require membership. HOST Deepak Jayaraman, the host of this podcast series, works with Leaders and Organizations with a growth mindset and helps them play to their full potential. He strives to spend significant upfront energy in understand the nuances of the context and then armed with the mutual trust and understanding of the context, strives to be of value as a (behind the scenes and discreet) Coach / Sounding Board for their journeys. LinkedIn profile here. OTHER GUESTS 1.Vijay Amritraj 2.Amish Tripathi 3.Raghu Raman 4.Papa CJ 5.Kartik Hosanagar 6.Ravi Venkatesan 7.Abhijit Bhaduri 8.Viren Rasquinha 9.Prakash Iyer 10.Avnish Bajaj 11.Nandan Nilekani 12.Atul Kasbekar 13.Karthik Reddy 14.Pramath Sinha 15.Vedika Bhandarkar 16.Vinita Bali 17.Zia Mody 18.Rama Bijapurkar 19.Dheeraj Pandey 20.Anu Madgavkar 21.Vishy Anand 22. Meher Pudumjee 23.KV Shridhar (Pops) 24.Suresh Naraynan 25.Devdutt Pattanaik 26.Jay Panda 27.Amit Chandra 28.Chandramouli Venkatesan 29.Roopa Kudva 30.Vinay Sitapati 31.Neera Nundy. 32.Deepa Malik 33.Bombay Jayashri. 34.Arun Maira 35.Ambi Parameswaran 36.OP Bhaat 37.Indranil Chakraborty 38.Tarun Khanna 39. Ramachandra Guha 40. Stewart Friedman 41. Rich Fernandez 42. Falguni Nayar 43. Rajat Gupta 44. Kartik Hosanagar 45. Michael Watkins 46. Matt Dixon 47. Herminia Ibarra 48. Paddy Upton 49. Tasha Eurich 50. Alan Eagle 51. Sudhir Sitapati 52. James Clear 53. Lynda Gratton 54. Jennifer Petriglieri. 55. Matthew Walker 56. Raj Raghunathan 57. Jennifer Garvey Berger 58. BJ Fogg 59. R Gopolakrishnan 60. Sir Andrew Likierman. 61. Atul Khatri 62. Whitney Jonson 63. Venkat Krishnan 64. Marshall Goldsmith 65. Ashish Dhawan 66. Vinay Sitapati 67. Ashley Whillans 68. Tenzin Priyadarshi 69. Ramesh Srinivasan 70. Bruce Feiler 71. Sanjeev Aggarwal and T. N. Hari 72. Bill Carr 73. Jennifer Wetzler 74. Sally Helgesen 75. Dan Cable 76. Tom Vanderbilt 77. Darleen DeRosa 78. Amy Edmondson 79. Katy Milkman 80. Harish Bhatt 81. Lloyd Reeb 82. Sukhinder Cassidy 83. Harsh Mariwala 84. Rajiv Vij 85. Dorie Clark 86. Ayse Birsel 87. Ravi Venkatesan E2 88. Pradeep Chakravarthy 89. Dan Pink 90. Alisa Cohn 91. Ayelet Fishbach 92. Thomas Wedell-Wedellsborg 93. Raghu Ananthnarayanan 94. Tarun Khanna EP2 95. Manjari Jaruhar 96. Ethan Kross 97. David Bradford 98. Jeffrey Pfeffer 99. Michiel Kruyt 100. Christopher Clarey 101. Stephen M.R. Covey 102. David Noble & Carol Kauffman DISCLAIMER All content and opinions expressed in the podcast are that of the guests and are not necessarily the opinions of Deepak Jayaraman and Transition Insight Private Limited. Views expressed in comments to blog are the personal opinions of the author of the comment. They do not necessarily reflect the views of The Company or the author of the blog. Participants are responsible for the content of their comments and all comments that are posted are in the public domain. The Company reserves the right to monitor, edit, and/or publish any submitted comments. Not all comments may be published. Any third-party comments published are third party information and The Company takes no responsibility and disclaims all liability. The Company reserves the right, but is not obligated to monitor and delete any comments or postings at any time without notice.
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    1 hr and 24 mins
  • 685: EP 9 Connecting the Dots: Parenting - Helping our children play to their potential

    685: EP 9 Connecting the Dots: Parenting - Helping our children play to their potential
    Jul 25 2024
    This episode of Connecting the Dots is on Parenting - something we are all winging. We go to colleges, trainings and leadership development programmes for all sorts of capabilities, but there is none for parenting. In this episode, we learn from Roger Federer’s parents, Nandan, Nilekani‘s parents and many other successful leaders who reflect on their childhood. We also learn from some of the researchers on how we can be mindful as parents. If you have a child 10 years or above, the chances are, you will find this of value.

    We also realise you are short on time. So I have handpicked 10 nuggets from across the various episodes on parenting that I have found of value. Members can access it at https://www.playtopotential.com/playlist/DeepakJ/djs-picks-parenting.

    You can stay connected with the podcast by subscribing to the Email newsletter or to the Whatsapp distribution group. Details below.

    Email Newsletter (~1 or 2 a month):
    Join ~8500 + growth-minded individuals who take a baby step towards playing to their potential with the emails from the podcast. https://lnkd.in/d6TfFch4

    Whatsapp (~1 or 2 a week):
    We share snippets from the podcast. With the Connecting the dots series, we will share nuggets around related topics as we move forward. Just add +91 85914 52129 (https://wa.me/8591452129) to your Phone Address book and send a message stating “Interested”.

    Other Info on the podcast:
    Podcast Archives (102 guests, 1000+ nuggets) - www.playtopotential.com
    Key guests and Stats ( as of July 2023) - https://bit.ly/3NCDIlM
    About the Host Deepak Jayaraman - https://www.playtopotential.com/aboutdeepak
    Show more Show less
    54 mins
  • 684: EP8 Connecting the Dots: Judgment - Making sound decisions amidst complexity

    684: EP8 Connecting the Dots: Judgment - Making sound decisions amidst complexity
    Mar 28 2024
    This episode of Connecting the Dots deals with Judgment - Making sound decisions amidst complexity. VUCA - (Volatile, Uncertain, Complex, Ambiguous) is a term that is used to describe the state of the world. Some people use BANI - (Brittle, Anxious, Non-Linear, Incomprehensible). Whatever the terminology, it is fair to say that the world has gotten more grey, nebulous and harder to predict. Sound judgment, today, is arguably more relevant than ever. Tune in as we peel the layers on this nuanced topic.

    You can stay connected with the podcast by subscribing to the Email newsletter or to the Whatsapp distribution group. Details below.

    Email Newsletter (~1 or 2 a month):
    Join ~8500 + growth-minded individuals who take a baby step towards playing to their potential with the emails from the podcast. https://lnkd.in/d6TfFch4

    Whatsapp (~1 or 2 a week):
    We share snippets from the podcast. With the Connecting the dots series, we will share nuggets around related topics as we move forward. Just add +91 85914 52129 (https://wa.me/8591452129) to your Phone Address book and send a message stating “Interested”.

    Other Info on the podcast:
    Podcast Archives (102 guests, 1000+ nuggets) - www.playtopotential.com
    Key guests and Stats ( as of July 2023) - https://bit.ly/3NCDIlM
    About the Host Deepak Jayaraman - https://www.playtopotential.com/aboutdeepak
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • 683: EP7 Connecting the Dots - Staying resilient through quakes

    683: EP7 Connecting the Dots - Staying resilient through quakes
    Feb 27 2024
    This episode of Connecting the Dots deals with STAYING RESILIENT THROUGH QUAKES. We explore what it takes to be resilient as an individual and go on to examine what it takes to create a resilient culture in an organization. Very often, even the notion of resilience is misunderstood. We examine the nuances in what the term means. Is it “bouncing back” to something or using the quake as an opportunity to shape-shift to something else. In the fragile and brittle worlds we live in, being resilient is turning out to be a super-power. Tune into this episode to learn and grow!

    You can find nuggets on resilience from various speakers here - https://www.playtopotential.com/tags/resilience

    00:00:25 - Intro
    00:03:04 - Roopa Kudva - Clearing IIMA twice
    00:05:58 - Dheeraj Pandey - Early formative years, including retaking JEE
    00:08:08 - Atul Kasbekar - Being Tenacious through the Transition
    00:22:21 - Deepa Malik - Dealing with the two possible fatalities
    00:29:34 - Ramesh Srinivasan - Dealing with Lifequakes
    00:34:42 - Bruce Feiler - Make sense of Scars and not Wounds
    00:37:57 - Matt Dixon - Need for a grieving period
    00:39:55 - Dan Pink - Counter Factual Thinking
    00:48:09 - Rich Fernandez - 3 Levels of Resilience
    00:56:06 - Carol and David - Waypower over Willpower
    01:03:38 - Bruce Feiler - Shape shifting instead of Resilience
    01:08:12 - Amy Edmondson - Rituals that drive Psychological Safety
    01:12:28 - Suresh Narayanan - Maggi Crisis and Decoding Resilience
    01:19:01 - Dheeraj Pandey - Building an Anti-fragile culture
    01:25:41 - Wrapup

    You can stay connected with the podcast by subscribing to the Email newsletter or to the Whatsapp distribution group. Details below.

    Email Newsletter (~1 or 2 a month):
    Join ~8500 + growth-minded individuals who take a baby step towards playing to their potential with the emails from the podcast. https://lnkd.in/d6TfFch4

    Whatsapp (~1 or 2 a week):
    We share snippets from the podcast. With the Connecting the dots series, we will share nuggets around related topics as we move forward. Just add +91 85914 52129 (https://wa.me/8591452129) to your Phone Address book and send a message stating “Interested”.

    Other Info on the podcast:
    Podcast Archives (102 guests, 1000+ nuggets) - www.playtopotential.com
    Key guests and Stats ( as of July 2023) - https://bit.ly/3NCDIlM
    About the Host Deepak Jayaraman - https://www.playtopotential.com/aboutdeepak
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 27 mins