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Real Character Reveals Itself Only in a Crisis
One of my bosses in the police service was a soft-spoken man -- more like a college professor than an intimidating, toughened-up cop. But the first time I was caught up in a violent student agitation, I suddenly noticed that he was standing behind...
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Why We Need Clear Priorities
Your mind CANNOT focus on a task if it subliminally fears that you are missing out on something more pressing. When you have that fear or anxiety,...
Life Takes Time
In 2010, at an investor event at the Oberoi Hotel in Mumbai, I was dazzled by a company called Opto Circuits. Their polished presentation,...
The Perfectionism Trap
"Everything I do has to be perfect -- I can't afford to make any mistakes." -- This belief creates probably half the anxiety in the world. This is...
The Recipe for Simplifying Life
Over the years, I have discovered this recipe for simplifying life and getting rid of melodrama. Allow me to share it: Don't chase anything at the...
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Never Forget the Fundamentals
The cheerleaders are quiet. When Pharmeasy acquired Thyrocare, online influencers were cheering how Indian startups have 'matured' and how a nascent startup acquiring a mature company showed their 'coming of age', whatever that meant. Just a year...
Leadership: Learn by Doing
In a leadership course at Wharton, the professor would ask, "What qualities should a good leader have?" Some student would say, "Vision." The professor would then parrot back, "Yes, without vision, you can't have leadership." Then another student...
Anxiety: The Silent Productivity Killer
The biggest killer of productivity is not laziness -- it is anxiety. You can have the greatest productivity software, but if you are anxious, you can't get anything done. Here is why. To do any thoughtful work, our brain's pre-frontal cortex (PFC)...
Focus on What Matters: Don’t Just Polish Furniture
On the D-day of a consulting engagement at McKinsey, the team thrilled the client with a proposal to cut millions of dollars in cost. But the senior partner heading the engagement told the client, "What we are doing is polishing your furniture...