Why Smart People Avoid Learning Simple Skills

I once hired a smart and confident-looking sales head in one of my previous companies. But when I showed him some basic data analysis/tracking that he had to do using Excel, he seemed uncomfortable. So I asked him point blank, “Do you know how to use...

Measuring Knowledge Work in Hours

Since the who’s who of the corporate world is singing praises about hard work, I want to put on record that I agree with them 100%. But the problem is that we immediately translate ‘hard work’ into 84 hours, 96 hours, or 120 hours a week. So before...

Why Comparing Career Choices Is a Dead End

During my MBA, a college friend visited us in Philadelphia. And during our conversation, I asked him about his career plans. But he had no ‘plans’ — he was happy with his life, and I couldn’t understand how that was possible! After an IIT...

The Myth of the Top of the Hierarchy

I once met a mega business leader in his office in Mumbai. And on the office wall, there was a photo of the Indian PM with another head of state, behind whom he was standing quite deferentially. I am sure, when this business leader’s direct reports stood in his...