Make New Mistakes, Not Old Ones

In my previous job, a team member was making an investment proposal that my boss thought was quite disastrous. So my boss said, “Why do you want to make the same mistake we made last time? There are so many mistakes one can make — why don’t you try...

The Simplest Way to Disarm an Angry Person

The next time someone is angry and you want to disarm them, just listen to them. They should know that you are genuinely listening, without being condescending. You are listening to understand, not to come up with a retort or a response. When people are angry, 50% of...

How Hurrying Blinds You

In the early days of India’s e-commerce boom, in 2011, I was among 30-odd investors gathered around a renowned entrepreneur in Mumbai’s Oberoi Hotel. With casual bravado, he said, “In the current market, if you are not growing 30% month-on-month, you...

The Hardest Test of Leadership

The best tonic for your mental health is having a kind boss. Even in the most high-profile assignments, when my bosses have been bad, I have hated the experience. And when I had good bosses, even mediocre work felt worthwhile. If you lead a team, being kind is one of...