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! […]
The Risk of Assumed Safety
The Gul Plaza tragedy is first and foremost a human loss, one that cannot be reduced to analysis, frameworks, or commentary. Our hearts go out to the victims of this tragedy. At the same time, such incidents force reflection. Not the official or judicial inquiry type reflection – those are required and must happen to […]
When Authenticity Becomes a Career Risk
I had an interesting conversation with someone who has recently left their full-time job for an entrepreneurial venture. This person shared something profound. That he left his job, not because of workload or pay, but because he was tired of pretending! Many workplaces are highly political and filled with people wearing masks. These carefully crafted personas […]
Why So Many People Feel Stuck at Work
Most people do not dislike work. But many dislike the role they drifted into without ever really understanding what they were choosing. I meet a lot of people who don’t like their jobs. When I ask them what they would rather do instead, most give the same answer. “Something creative. Something of my own. Maybe […]
Durability Is Not a Bug — It’s a Choice
Growing up in the 70’s and 80’s, I remember the first air conditioner to arrive at our house was this heavy “window type” model. People from my generation would remember, since it was the only model around at that time 😊 It lasted forever without gas leakages every 5-6 months, unlike today’s models, and we […]
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