What does sports psychology really do for elite athletes? In this episode of Small Talk: Work | Play | Build, sports psychologist Dr. Chaitanya Sridhar breaks down how mindset, identity and team dynamics shape performance — and why most of what we call ‘motivation’ isn’t the actual job. We unpack what the field looks like in India, where it’s underdeveloped, and how aspiring professionals can build a real career in it.

In this episode of Small Talk, we explore the mental side of sport, what actually drives performance when talent, training, and opportunity are already in place.

Featuring Dr. Chaitanya, sports psychologist working closely with athletes and teams across levels, this conversation goes deep into mindset, team dynamics, and the often misunderstood role of psychology in sport.

From working with elite athletes to navigating team environments, she shares how performance is shaped not just by skill, but by identity, belief systems, relationships, and the ability to handle pressure. We unpack what sports psychology really looks like in practice, why it’s still underdeveloped in India, and the difference between real expertise and surface-level coaching.

This episode moves beyond motivation into something more fundamental, how athletes think, how teams function, and what it takes to build sustainable high performance.

If you’ve ever wondered what separates good athletes from great ones, or how mental strength is actually built, this conversation will change how you see sport.

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This episode is part of our mini-series: The Careers Behind Indian Sports

Exploring the people, pathways, and professions shaping the future of sport in India, beyond what you see on the field.

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Chapters:

00:00 Highlights

00:52 Intro

02:30 Meet the Guest

09:10 What Sports Psychology Really Is

18:45 Individual vs Team Performance

30:20 Mindset, Belief & Early Influences

42:00 Transitions, Identity & Athlete Careers

55:10 Inside Team Dynamics & Case Studies

01:08:30 The Reality of Sports Psychology in India

01:18:40 Careers & Pathways in the Field

01:28:10 Advice for Aspiring Professionals

01:36:00 Read Watch Listen

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Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it.

📅 New episodes every fortnight

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkpod_wpb

🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com

📩 Media enquiries: [email protected]

Copyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build

Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/)

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What if hybrid work quietly destroyed the part of your job that taught you everything? Subha and Hasita unpack what we traded away for Zoom efficiency - the overheard mentorship, the meetings you weren't meant to learn from, the senior leader you watched and thought 'that's who I want to become.

The Watercooler Gap at Work: What We Lost in the Race for Efficiency

We’ve optimized work for speed, productivity, and endless Zoom calls. But in the process, did we quietly lose the part of work that helped us grow?The overheard conversations. The unexpected mentorship. The joke that made a hard day easier. The meeting you weren’t meant to learn from, but did. The senior leader you observed and thought, that’s who I want to become.

In this episode of Small Talk, Subha and Hasita unpack the hidden cost of hybrid work, remote culture, and hyper-efficiency. Why do so many people feel disconnected at work today? Why are younger professionals missing skills no one formally teaches? And why can’t free pizza, team outings, or office perks solve a much deeper problem? If you care about leadership, career growth, workplace culture, employee engagement, hybrid teams, or the future of work, this conversation will change how you think about what work is really for.

00:00 Highlights

01:22 Intro

02:57 What the workplace gave us

06:04 Learning by osmosis

10:27 Who is losing the most

12:00 Early career lessons

16:40 Efficiency vs human connection

19:06 How organizations should respond

29:13 Designing better in-person work

37:24 Read Watch Listen

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Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it.

📅 New episodes every fortnight

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkpod_wpb

🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com

📩 Media enquiries: [email protected]

Copyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd.

No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build

Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/)

Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/)

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The 'safe career' is over. Promotions vanish overnight, AI is rewriting half the job market, and the LinkedIn playbook from 2019 doesn't work anymore. Here are Subha and Hasita on how to transition without blowing up your life - bridge roles, financial cushions, identity shifts, and why waiting for clarity is what's actually holding you back.

The idea of a “safe career” sounds reassuring, but it’s quickly falling apart.

In this episode, we unpack what happens when that certainty disappears and you’re left asking: what now?We get into the quiet panic of feeling replaceable, the identity shift that comes with change, and why waiting for clarity can actually hold you back. This is a real look at career transitions—how to experiment without blowing up your life, what trade-offs to expect, and why you don’t need a perfect plan to start moving.If you’ve been feeling stuck or unsure about your next step, this conversation might help you see it differently.

00:00 Highlights

01:02 Intro

02:26 Career uncertainty today

06:20 When to start transitioning

08:39 Learning and experimentation

12:16 Exploring new paths

15:03 Financial planning for transitions

17:05 Bridge roles explained

18:33 Ego and identity shifts

20:51 Experimentation mindset

25:36 Redefining career identity

30:27 Read Watch Listen

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Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it.

📅 New episodes every fortnight

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkpod_wpb

🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com

📩 Media enquiries: [email protected]

Copyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd.

No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build

Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/)

Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/)

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Why are most careers in Indian sport invisible — and what does it actually take to build a champion? Subha and Hasita talk with Saumil Majmudar (Sports Village) and Deepthi Bopaiah (ex-CEO, GoSports Foundation) about the real system behind Indian sport: grassroots participation, elite performance, funding, and the dozens of careers nobody tells you about.

In this episode of Small Talk, we go beyond athletes to unpack the real system behind sport, from grassroots participation to elite performance, and the careers that power it all. What does it actually take to build champions? Why do most sports careers remain invisible? And is India thinking about sport the right way?

Featuring Saumil Majmudar, Co-founder & CEO of Sports Village, building large-scale school sports ecosystems, and Deepthi Bopaiah, Board Member and Ex-CEO of GoSports Foundation, enabling Olympic and Paralympic athletes through high-performance pathways.

From the myth of “sports vs education” to the reality of funding, risk, and opportunity, this conversation reveals why sport is not just a career, it’s an ecosystem shaping health, leadership, and society itself. If you’ve ever thought about working in sport, returning to it, or understanding its true impact, this episode will change how you see the game.

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This episode is part of our mini-series: The Careers Behind Indian Sports

Exploring the people, pathways, and professions shaping the future of sport in India, beyond what you see on the field.

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00:00 Highlights

00:51 Intro

02:43 Meet the Guests

11:01 Access, Privilege & Early Sport

23:15 Careers in Sport: Myths vs Reality

41:22 Global Models & What India Gets Wrong

55:25 Education, Risk & Choosing Sport

01:10:29 Parents, Pressure & Pathways

01:20:17 Mid-Career Entry into Sports

01:31:24 Read Watch Listen

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Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it.

📅 New episodes every fortnight

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkpod_wpb

🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com

📩 Media enquiries: [email protected]

Copyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd.

No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build

Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/)

Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/)

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You got promoted because you were a high performer. Now your job has nothing to do with the work that got you here — and nobody told you how to manage former peers, give hard feedback, or stop doing everything yourself. Subha and Hasita on the first-time manager identity crisis: the first 90 days, imposter syndrome, and what makes managers future-proof in the AI era.

The day you become a manager, your job changes completely. You were promoted because you were a high performer. Suddenly, your role is no longer about doing the work — it’s about getting work done through others.In this episode, we unpack the real challenges first-time managers face: letting go of control, managing former peers, giving difficult feedback, and navigating imposter syndrome.

We also explore how leadership expectations shift in remote workplaces, AI-driven environments, and India’s hierarchy-heavy corporate culture.

We discuss:

• The identity shift from individual contributor to manager

• Why the skills that got you promoted can now hold you back

• The first 90 days skills every new manager must learn

• Delegation, feedback, and managing up

• What makes managers future-proof in the age of AI

• A simple self-review framework for first-time managers

If you’re a new manager, aspiring leader, or high-performing professional stepping into leadership, this conversation will help you navigate the transition with clarity.

Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, careers, and professional growth.

#FirstTimeManager #Leadership #CareerGrowth #ManagementSkills #NewManager #futureofwork

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Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it.

📅 New episodes every fortnight

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkpod_wpb

🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com

📩 Media enquiries: [email protected]

Copyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build

Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/)

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At some point, if you’re paying attention, you look up and ask yourself: now what?Mid-career isn’t just about being in your 40s. It’s not a milestone defined by age or tenure. It’s that moment when the promotions have happened, the validation has come in, and yet something feels unfinished. Or unclear.In this episode, we explore what mid-career really means today. What happens when you don’t want the CXO title everyone assumes you’re chasing? What ambition looks like in a world of multiple careers. Why discomfort, impostor syndrome, and identity shifts are often signs of growth rather than failure.We talk about linear ladders that no longer exist, building your own path, redefining success, and the role of community when things feel uncertain.If you’ve ever felt restless despite doing well, unsure whether to pivot or persist, or quietly questioning the script you’ve been following, this conversation is for you.Mid-career may not be the middle of something. It might be the moment you finally get to choose.Chapters00:00 What Do We Mean by Mid-Career?01:01 Age, Tenure, or Identity?04:47 Multiple Careers and Non-Linear Paths06:37 The Shift from Manager to Leader09:42 What If There Is No Ladder?15:17 What If I Don’t Want to Be CXO?16:39 Redefining Ambition21:06 The Role of Community26:03 Autonomy vs Workplace Reality28:11 Living with Discomfort32:24 Read Watch Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. 📅 New episodes every fortnight📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalkpod_wpb🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com📩 Media enquiries: [email protected] © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/) ---------------------If you made it this far, thank you for being such an ardent supporter! Please send us a DM on Instagram to claim your Small Talk goodie. :)

What happens when men can't afford to be vulnerable? Successful, capable, in-charge — and quietly, privately, isolated. Subha and Hasita speak with Srini Ramaswamy (Men's Circle India) and Nikhil Damle (Iridium Coaching) on why so many men appear strong but feel alone — at work, at home, and inside gender expectations that haven't caught up to reality."For years on this podcast, we’ve explored ambition, leadership, and the realities women navigate at work. But growth isn’t one-sided. If workplaces and relationships are changing, so are the men inside them.

This week, we turn the lens gently in another direction.

We’re joined by Srini Ramaswamy, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/sriniramaswamycdp/) Co-Founder of Men’s Circle India, who has facilitated honest conversations with hundreds of men across the country, and Nikhil Damle, (https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilsdamle/) Founder of Iridium Coaching, who works closely with high-performing professionals navigating identity, pressure, and emotional blind spots.

What happens when men are taught to provide, perform, and persist, but not to process?Why do so many men appear confident and capable, yet privately feel isolated?What shifts when gender roles evolve faster than emotional tools do?

This conversation doesn’t take sides. It expands the frame. Because if we care about healthier workplaces, stronger partnerships, and more grounded leadership, we have to understand what’s happening beneath the surface for everyone involved.Listen with curiosity. You might hear something you didn’t expect.

00:00 – Highlights and Intro

03:19 – The Quiet Crisis Facing Men at Work

17:51 – What Are Boys Hearing Today?

21:53 – From Bedroom to Boardroom: The Pressure to Perform

24:08 – The Only Time Men Switch Off

33:31 – When Vulnerability Feels Forced

52:03 – Why Most Men Aren’t Virat Kohli

1:12:01 – Put Your Oxygen Mask On First

1:30:22 – The Loneliness Data We Can’t Ignore

1:40:38 - Read Watch Listen

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Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it.

📅 New episodes every fortnight

📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalk_wpb

🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com

📩 Media enquiries: [email protected]

Copyright © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build

Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/)

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From the moment we enter the education system, we’re sorted into lanes- science kid, commerce kid, arts kid. Soon after, those lanes turn into job titles. Banker. Engineer. Marketer. Manager.But what happens when the role disappears? When layoffs hit, when AI reshapes work, when burnout creeps in, or when the identity you carried for years no longer fits?In this episode of Small Talk: Work, Play, Build- Subha and Hasita unpack the uneasy truth many of us are sitting with: how deeply our sense of self is tied to work, and why learning to decentre our job title might be the most important career skill of the next decade.This is a conversation about career fluidity, loyalty, burnout, sabbaticals, parallel identities, and the courage it takes to ask a hard question: who am I beyond what I do?00:00 Highlights01:33 Why career identity feels so fixed04:50 Education, labels, and early narrowing07:40 Losing old identities and adopting new ones10:30 Layoffs, AI, and roles disappearing14:00 Long hours, 9-9-6 culture, and lack of real choice18:05 Loyalty, pressure, and parallel identities23:50 Burnout, boundaries, and learning to disconnect33:20 Decentring work without throwing it away41:28 Read | Watch | Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a business podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. 📅 New episodes every fortnight📷 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smalltalk_wpb🌐 Website: https://www.smalltalkpod.com📩 Media enquiries: [email protected] © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/) ---------------------If you made it this far, thank you for being such an ardent supporter! Please send us a DM on Instagram to claim your Small Talk goodie. :)

Did women ruin the workplace or did the workplace finally have to evolve?In this episode, Hasita and Subha with their long, hard-earned careers unpack why that question keeps resurfacing and why it feels wildly out of step with the realities of work in 2026.Sparked by a recent piece from The New York Times, we look past the headline and into what’s really being debated: power, change, and discomfort when old systems stop being centered by default.We talk about:- Why progress often gets framed as “decline”- What actually changes when women gain influence at work- Why flexibility, boundaries, and empathy get labeled as weakness- How blaming women distracts from deeper structural failures- And why this conversation feels more like 1986 than 2026This isn’t a rant. It’s a calm, clear-eyed conversation from people who’ve been in the room, built careers, managed teams, and watched workplaces evolve in real time.If you’ve ever felt gaslit by “back in my day” arguments, or wondered why equality still triggers backlash, this episode is for you.
00:00 – 01:00 Highlights: Did Women Ruin the Workplace?01:00 – 02:10 Apparently, We Ruined the Workplace02:10 – 04:05 The NYT Podcast and Why This Debate Feels Ancient04:05 – 06:40 MeToo, Safety, and the Cost of Calling Out Harassment06:40 – 09:35 Old Boys’ Clubs, Networking, and Invisible Barriers09:35 – 12:00 Who the Workplace Is Really Built For12:00 – 18:00 Women at Work: Leadership, Community, and Real Progress18:00 – 23:55 Why We’re Still Here, Still Talking, Still Not Done23:55 – 26:40 Read, Watch, Listen--------------------Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is the latest season of Small Talk. As a career podcast in its fifth year of production now, we look forward to having many conversations with you on what it means to live a life that feels true to each of us, both at work and outside of it. Subscribe to stay tuned when a new episode releases, every fortnight. Instagram @smalltalk_wpbWebsite http://www.smalltalkpod.comMedia enquiries [email protected] © Rainkraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. No segment of this episode or its accessories may be reproduced for commercial use without explicit written permission from the creators.Small Talk: Work, Play, Build Subha Chandrasekaran Hasita Krishna---------------------

What does it take to build something that genuinely changes lives — and not lose yourself doing it? Subha and Hasita with Saraswathi Padmanabhan (Diyaghar, education for migrant workers' children) and Meghana Dutta (Studio Decode, social-impact architecture) on second-act careers, purpose-led work, and scaling impact without losing soul.

What does it really take to build spaces that don’t just function, but transform lives? Here's a deeply moving conversation on purpose-led work, community building, and scaling impact without losing soul.

From creating safe learning spaces for children of migrant workers to designing architecture that holds emotion, dignity, and belonging, this episode explores what it means to lead with care—and why real change is built slowly, collectively, and with conviction.This conversation is for anyone questioning impact, purpose, second acts, or how to build something meaningful beyond traditional career paths.

00:00 Highlights01:33 Why This Conversation Matters04:05 Choosing Purpose Over Comfort07:45 Listening to the Inner Nudge11:40 Rethinking Work and Success14:05 Architecture as Social Impact18:30 Designing for Safety and Belonging22:40 What Community Building Really Takes26:10 Funding, CSR, and Scaling Impact32:10 Training Teams for the Long Term37:30 Education, Dignity, and Generational Change42:10 Midlife Questions and Second Acts48:50 Faith, Energy, and Avoiding Burnout54:30 Joy, Surrender, and Sustaining Impact1:14:49 Read | Watch | Listen---------------------

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📅 New episodes every fortnight

Small Talk: Work, Play, Build is a fortnightly podcast about careers, leadership, and the things we make outside our day jobs. Hosted by Subha Chandrasekaran (https://www.linkedin.com/in/subhachandrasekaran/) (executive coach, founder of RainKraft) and Hasita Krishna (https://www.linkedin.com/in/hasita/) (brand strategist, co-founder of Motley Crew).

Seven seasons in, still about what it means to live a life that feels true — at work and outside it.

© 2026 RainKraft Creative Solutions (OPC) Pvt. Ltd. ---------------------If you made it this far, thank you for being such an ardent supporter! Please send us a DM on Instagram to claim your Small Talk goodie. :)