Last week at a meeting, I observed two people sharing the same idea but one was rejected while the other was accepted. Interestingly both people were at the same level in the organization’s hierarchy. The first person raised a point about how we should approach a particular problem. The reasoning was clear and the suggestion was […]
When Professional History Becomes Personal Identity
Spend a little time on platforms like LinkedIn and you will notice a curious pattern. People introducing themselves as Former CEO, Ex ABC company, Retired director XYZ etc. Experience matters, of course. Individuals who have risen to senior positions and/or have been part of prestigious firms are extremely competent individuals. They need to take pride […]
When Confidence Is Mistaken for Capability
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 […]
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, […]
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