Mahtab Uddin Ahmed, managing director of BuildCon Consultancies Ltd

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed

Do you need a godfather?

It goes without saying that in national politics and even in the corporate world, one needs a godfather to survive and succeed. This godfather is not the kind that you find in movies, as in Marlon Brando. These come in the form of mentor guides and, let’s be real, they are the heavyweights who have your back.

6d ago

A leader is as good as his team

We often say “a leader is as good as his team.” It is like making a perfect cup of tea -- sure, the leader might be the one pouring it, but without the right blend of tea leaves, sugar and milk, it is just hot water.

2w ago

Interview like a pro

While being interviewed, Jamil was asked if he was ok with working overtime without extra pay, and he quipped, “I can, as long as you don’t expect results”, to which the interviewer laughed, acknowledging the playful exchange.

3w ago

The blame game in promotion

In a local company, two sales managers, Reaz and Mohsin, both graduates from the same university, faced a stark difference in their career paths.

1m ago

Navigating Bangladesh’s crossroads

Human nature has an innate tendency to escalate demands once an initial concession is made, and thus, the saying goes “If you let someone sit, he wants to eat; if you let him eat, he wants to sleep”.

1m ago

Office gossip: A double-edged sword

In Bangladesh, gossip is a national pastime, both inside and outside the workplace. During tea breaks, or “cha breaks”, employees gather to exchange the latest news, often drifting from work-related topics.

1m ago

Beneficiaries in a crisis

On a hot, scorching day Asif’s office air conditioner broke down, with workers doing little and complaining more.

1m ago

Truth vs cry wolf

We have all been taught the virtues of honesty from our early childhood. Every child is instilled with the belief that truthfulness is the foundation of success and “honesty is the best policy”.

2m ago
July 12, 2024
July 12, 2024

The goat that opened the can of worms

Students and the youth have always played a significant role in shaping the history of Bangladesh. However, a fresh wave of change has been sweeping the nation in recent weeks, and it was initiated by none other than a lone goat!

July 5, 2024
July 5, 2024

The power of attitude: why the lion is king

When I worked for Unilever, we had this incredible senior, an IIT graduate, who had a memory like a steel trap. He could glance at your car plate and recall it correctly a year later. He was a walking encyclopedia with knowledge of every subject under the sun. 

June 28, 2024
June 28, 2024

Flattering in corporate culture

Flattering the boss or leader has caught up with our political and corporate culture like a virus. In politics, it has no shame or limit. In the corporate world, however, it is practised with more sophistication and complexity.

June 14, 2024
June 14, 2024

Nailing the first impression

The magic of “love at first sight” can cast its spell with no warning. We often underestimate its mystical power to determine the course of our personal and professional lives, whether it happens during a job interview or when we meet the love of our life. Being lucky in both may sound rare, but we can make it a possibility if we apply some tricks with sincerity and dedication in both situations.

May 31, 2024
May 31, 2024

Outsmarting your colleagues

In our subcontinent, outsmarting colleagues often translates to indulging in a bit of 'friendly' gossip, perfecting the art of boss buttering, seeking shortcuts to success, dabbling in office politics, and adopting a refined English accent for a select few.

May 24, 2024
May 24, 2024

Winning over your boss

Pleasing your boss can sometimes feel like the game of Tom & Jerry, where you are Jerry trying desperately to avoid being Tom’s next kill.

May 17, 2024
May 17, 2024

Merging minds with machines

With the news of brain chip implants, our friends joked that advertisers would run commercials in our brains if we got chips without a subscription.

April 26, 2024
April 26, 2024

Boss-beating services: the workplace solution

A former colleague shared one of the most bizarre local news about an employee who hired a goon to severely beat up his boss for being the cause of excessive stress in the workplace.

April 19, 2024
April 19, 2024

The golden goose and the taxman

A golden goose had once started laying solid gold eggs in the whimsical land of Bangladesh. But alas, the taxman slapped a tax on it that turned its feathers grey.

April 5, 2024
April 5, 2024

Fighting corruption or feeding it?

Once a little boy wanted to have his own cricket bat. But he did not have any money to buy it.