Why do fools so often rise to the top? Watching the war in the Middle East, one question keeps coming back to me. How do people like Donald Trump and the band of simplistic voices around him manage to reach the very top of power? At first glance it feels baffling. But then you realise […]
From Survival to Legacy: The Three Stages of Power
Recently I watched the film continuation of Peaky Blinders on Netflix. It took me back to when I first watched The Godfather years ago, and later Scarface and The Sopranos. This time, what struck me was not the violence or the drama. It was something much deeper. At their core, these stories are about respect, […]
Bigger Isn’t Better
Not all growth is progress. In my leadership roles and advisory work with C-level executives, one word appears in almost every strategic conversation, Growth. Boards want it. Investors expect it. Leadership teams feel pressured to deliver it. Many times, it is the bloated cost base which forces businesses to find growth anyway they can! But […]
Change Is Not Strategic. It Is Psychological.
Over the last few months, I worked with a leadership team to develop and implement a change management program. We made good progress, but I noticed increasing nervousness within the team towards the execution stage. I have seen this in a number of organizations and it stems from the realization that change, whether individual or organizational, […]
Cities Built for Cars, Not People
I like to jog. Every alternate day I put on my joggers and go out on the streets around my house for a slow 30-minute run. It’s a simple routine, but it gives me time to get some fresh air and observe my neighborhood. Recently many of these streets have been under repair, so my […]
From Safe Haven to Strategic Variable
I know of many Pakistani and other South Asian businesses who have built significant operations in the GCC over the past three or four decades. For many of them, the Gulf offered something rare in this region. International scale, opportunity to derisk from their volatile native environments, and a perception of political stability. The economic […]
Busy, Reactive, and Going Nowhere
A senior business leader recently complained to me that he has no time to think. He goes from meeting to meeting and from one crisis to the next. It made me realise that most businesses today feel like emergency rooms. Everything is urgent. Everything needs attention now. And slowly, without noticing it, the organisation becomes […]
The Problem With Deficiency-Driven Reviews
This time of the year is the annual performance review cycle for many organisations. Having witnessed and participated in these reviews over three decades, I sometimes wonder about their actual contribution to performance improvement. What happens in most performance reviews? We do a self-review and then sit across the table with our supervisor. A form […]
How Much Space Does “Me” Occupy?
Looking in the mirror is a natural human habit. We don’t usually think about it much until it becomes an obsession. But many times, how we look physically, intellectually or as a leader or manager can dictate our daily lives. In my opinion, it can also become the biggest obstacle to a fulfilling life. So, […]
Craftsmanship in the Age of Visibility
Recently, an acquaintance who is an artist explained how he cuts off from the world when he paints. I was impressed but also a bit sad that I could not recall the last time I tried to make something with my hands 😒 Not delegated. Not outsourced. Not explained in a slide presentation. Actually built! […]
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