EDITOR
Gp Capt R Vijayakumar ﴾Retd﴿, VSM
READERSHIP OUTREACH
Gp Capt Dr R Venkataraman ﴾Retd﴿
Sundar R
Vakeeswari M
DESIGN
D Rajaram, Tayub Refai
MADRAS MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION
Management Center, New No 240 Pathari Road, ﴾Off Anna Salai﴿, Chennai 600 00
Ph:044‐2829 1133 / Email:mma@mmachennai org | mandate@mmachennai org | www facebook com/mmachennai
As we draw the curtain on yet another impactful and inspiring year at MMA, it gives me immense pleasure to present this special AGM edition of Business Mandate, released on the momentous occasion of the MMA 69th AGM and Awards Function. This special issue is not just a reflection of the year gone by it is a celebration of relentless pursuit, visionary leadership, and the collective spirit that defines the MMA community.
MMA continues to grow from strength to strength, solidifying its position as India’s top-ranked
Strategy is no longer a static blueprint; it is a living framework that must adapt continuously
management association and setting the benchmark in promoting excellence, innovation, and inclusivity in management practices. Our commitment to the founding vision remains unwavering delivering high-impact, multidisciplinary programs that enrich professionals and serve society at large.
This year’s highlights speak volumes about this commitment. The launch of “Turning Points: Management Lessons from Legends – Volume 2” marks a milestone in our intellectual journey. This powerful compilation of 22 curated insights, drawn from our vast MMA Lecture archives and enhanced with embedded videos, offers timeless lessons in leadership, strategy, and resilience. Now available on Amazon, it is a musthave for aspiring and seasoned leaders alike.
We also take pride in the launch of our 11th chapter at Vellore, the award of the ISO Certification recognising our process excellence, and the growing footprint of our digital outreach. Each initiative stands as a testament to the teamwork, dedication, and visionary contributions of our members, past presidents, Management Committee leaders, and the hardworking MMA Secretariat.
At the heart of this issue lies our most celebrated event the 23rd MMA Awards for Managerial Excellence. This year’s recipients MRF Limited, Baettr India Pvt Ltd, Cholamandalam Investment and Finance Co. Ltd, and Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) exemplify the spirit of innovation, integrity, and performance. Chosen
through a rigorous, scientific selection process crafted by Deloitte, our awards partner, these organisations stand as shining examples of leadership in their respective domains.
As we mark the 69th Annual General Meeting of Madras Management Association, we find ourselves at a defining moment in history one where the contours of leadership are being redrawn in real time. Across Corporate India, boardrooms are abuzz with conversations that reflect the complexity and volatility of our times. From disruptive tariffs and fragile supply chains to simmering geopolitical tensions, the canvas on which leaders operate today is filled with uncertainty and unprecedented change.
The planning cycles that once gave us comfort have become shorter and less predictable. Organisations are no longer simply looking for functional expertise in their leaders; they seek professionals who exhibit resilience under pressure, strategic composure during economic shocks, and the agility to pivot when faced with crises. Today’s leaders must be tech-savvy, fluent in ambiguity, and capable of uniting diverse teams under a shared, human-centric vision.
The core challenge, then, is not just to manage change, but to lead through it.
This shift calls for a mind-set rooted in entrepreneurial spirit, speed, and global sensibilities. Strategy is no longer a static blueprint; it is a living framework that must adapt continuously. In this new era, the ability to foster a culture of innovation,
experimentation, and emotional intelligence will separate great leaders from good ones.
Recognising this reality, MMA has curated a rich calendar of programs focused on developing such future-ready leadership. In this special AGM edition of Business Mandate, we spotlight some of the most insightful and thought-provoking articles of the recent events at MMA.
Don’t miss our in-depth feature on “From Boardrooms to Banyan Trees: A Journey of Conscious Leadership” a session that beautifully captures the essence of reflective, purposeful leadership. Equally inspiring is our coverage of “Masterclass on Entrepreneurship” by Mr. C.K. Ranganathan, an invigorating exploration of the entrepreneurial journey, followed by a powerful interaction with participants. His insights on innovation, risk-taking, and resilience offer practical lessons for leaders at every stage of their careers.
At MMA, our endeavour remains steadfast: to be a catalyst for meaningful leadership transformation. We believe that the right content can fuel courage, spark introspection, and guide our members through ambiguity with confidence and clarity.
I invite you to immerse yourself in this edition not just to read, but to reflect, recharge, and reimagine your “The right content can fuel courage, spark introspection, and guide our members through ambiguity with confidence and clarity.”
“Even
own journey as a leader.
The global health sector is in the midst of a transformative shift one that extends far beyond hospital corridors and into the very fabric of society. As rising costs, unequal access, and inconsistent health outcomes challenge systems across the world, innovation is stepping in as both a disruptor and a unifier.
Today, we are witnessing a new age in healthcare one where empathy and technology converge to redefine patient care. From advanced diagnostics to wearable devices, AI-powered screenings to robotic surgeries, the healthcare experience is becoming more proactive, predictive, and profoundly patient-centric. Weight-loss medications like Ozempic, which have garnered viral popularity thanks in part to celebrity endorsements on social media are just one example of how swiftly medical innovations are capturing public imagination and shifting consumer behaviour.
Yet, at the heart of this revolution lies a powerful reminder: technology is not a replacement for compassion, but a complement to it.
At MMA, we recognise the importance of equipping our community with knowledge that goes beyond the headlines. In line with this vision, we recently hosted an
insightful event titled “Immunity Intelligence: Wellness Strategies for High-Performance Living.” This session featured four distinguished medical professionals who shared science-backed wellness strategies tailored for today’s high-performance lifestyles. Their guidance underscored a vital truth: immunity is not just a medical concept it’s a strategic advantage in modern living.
I invite you to watch the session recording and reflect on how the intersection of wellness, performance, and purpose can shape both personal and professional growth.
At MMA, we believe that when technology and compassion meet, healthcare becomes not only scalable and smarter but also deeply human. This issue of Business Mandate captures that very spirit, and I hope it inspires you to embrace wellness as a strategic pillar in your journey forward. Stay informed. Stay inspired. Stay well.
A troubling trend is unfolding in India Inc. In the first quarter of FY 2025–26 alone, more than 125 Chief Financial Officers (CFOs) have exited listed companies an increase of nearly 25% over previous years. Even more unsettling is the manner of some departures: sudden exits with vague, often cryptic mentions of “personal reasons.”
Such abrupt resignations inevitably raise red flags around corporate governance, regulatory compliance, and internal controls. Under SEBI regulations, Key Managerial Personnel including CFOs are expected to disclose clear and substantive reasons for stepping
down. Ambiguity at this level erodes stakeholder trust and undermines the very foundation of transparency that modern businesses are expected to uphold.
Boards must go beyond mere formalities. The onus lies with them to scrutinise, reconcile, and respond especially when financial irregularities emerge after such exits. Accountability cannot be a deferred responsibility; it must be an integral part of boardroom culture.
At the Madras Management Association, we believe that informed finance leadership is central to the ethical and sustainable growth of organisations. In response to these developments, the MMA CFO Forum is launching a series of monthly sessions focused on high-impact issues facing the finance community today.
We begin with a particularly timely session on “Capital Gains Rewired: What You Must Know Before Filing ITR for FY 2024–25” on 8th July 2025 at MMA Management Centre. This session will decode the latest tax updates, guide professionals on compliance, and help finance teams make better, smarter filing decisions.
I encourage you to nominate your finance team for this and future sessions because in today’s climate, knowledge isn’t just power it’s protection.
In a proud and momentous milestone for India and humanity, Group Captain Subhanshu Shukla of the Indian Air Force has become the second Indian astronaut to venture into space, following the legendary Wg Cdr Rakesh Sharma. As part of the Axiom-4 mission, his journey represents not only national achievement but the
triumph of global collaboration.
India’s participation in Axiom-4 is more than symbolic it is a powerful step forward in addressing the pressing challenges of our times. From health and food security to developing resilience against climate-induced weather extremes, space research holds the key to unlocking transformative solutions for Earth’s most urgent concerns.
While India prepares for its indigenous crewed mission Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2027 Axiom-4 reminds us that partnerships across borders are essential for progress. Whether in space or here on Earth, collaboration in science and innovation must transcend boundaries for the collective good of humankind. On a personal note, it is a moment of pride to see Group Captain Shukla, my colleague from the Indian Air Force, carry the aspirations of over a billion Indians into orbit. I extend my heartfelt wishes to him and the entire team for the continued success of the mission and a safe return to Earth.
Let us take inspiration from this remarkable journey to strengthen our commitment to scientific exploration, international cooperation, and a shared future.
Climate science is no longer predictive it is descriptive of the world we are already living in.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, Asia is warming at twice the global average, and India stands among the most vulnerable. Our cities are turning into heat islands, where rising
temperatures are not just an environmental issue but a public health, productivity, and economic crisis in the making.
The time to act is now.
Indian urban centers must reimagine themselves as climate-resilient habitats. This means embedding green spaces, building shaded walkways, restoring water bodies, and investing in sustainable cooling infrastructure. These aren’t just cosmetic interventions they are essential tools for building more livable, inclusive, and economically competitive cities.
The irony is not lost on us: the science is here, the funds are becoming available, and the solutions are proven. What we lack is the urgency, and perhaps the humility, to design cities for the realities people are already enduring, especially those on the economic and social margins.
At MMA, we believe that business leaders, urban planners, policymakers, and citizens must converge on this issue with unified intent. Cooling our cities is not merely a climate imperative it’s a human and economic necessity. Let us not wait until the cost is unbearable.
Let’s cool it now. Or pay the price later.
The recent spotlight on the grey market in equity trading comes with more cautionary tales than success stories especially for retail investors. Several were recently caught off guard, lured by inflated premiums and speculation that ultimately didn’t translate into real value. The message is clear: when it comes to
unregulated spaces, proceed with caution.
The grey market, by its very nature, is opaque and dominated by a small circle of insiders with access to scarce pre-IPO shares. This limited supply often leads to wild price swings, creating a distorted perception of value well before a company is officially listed. For retail investors, this environment offers more risk than reward, with little recourse in case of loss.
The Grey Market Premium (GMP) is frequently seen as a shortcut to gauge IPO success. But relying solely on GMP to make investment decisions is both risky and reductive. It is, at best, an informal signal one that must be assessed in conjunction with a company’s fundamentals, market conditions, promoter credibility, and financial disclosures.
At MMA, our endeavour is to promote financial literacy, transparency, and responsible investing. We encourage our members to look beyond the noise, dig deeper, and make decisions that are informed, not impulsive. After all, in today’s volatile markets, caution is not conservatism it is wisdom.
Let’s remember: better to be cautious than foolhardy.
As always, we would be happy to hear your views, comments, and suggestions.
Look forward to seeing you at the MMA AGM; your presence would add tremendous value to the occasion!
Happy reading!
Exploring the evolving philosophy of leadership through a deeply personal, introspective conversation between Subba Vaidyanathan, a leadership coach, and Shyam Srinivasan, former MD of Federal Bank
Subba Vaidyanathan: Twenty years ago, while working in a bank, I had many aspirations. But I noticed that people around me were burning out and becoming exhausted this was in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. In response, I began teaching yoga at the workplace. That eventually evolved into helping people cope with stress more broadly.
Over the next ten years, I came to a deeper realisation: the real issue lay at the root, and no amount of yoga, Zumba, or meditation could truly resolve the underlying stress people experienced at work. I discovered that people were stressed because they couldn’t be their authentic selves at work. They struggled to connect the meaning of their work with their own lives with who they truly were. That insight led me to leave the corporate world and dedicate myself to working with people especially leaders to create a different kind of world, both at work and at home. A world where people could feel more alive, more energetic, and more impactful.
Shyam Srinivasan: Two years ago, you shared a video with me about the woman leading Patagonia. The underlying theme was leadership and how it can coexist with doing good. Both of us agreed that you don’t have to be aggressive or demanding to achieve corporate objectives.
I believe that in a corporate environment which is often challenging, stressful, and demanding if leadership or the organisational system enables people to feel good about themselves, the outcomes are invariably better. It’s the senior leadership and the governance structure that set the tone.
Over the years, I’ve worked in different geographies multinationals, ethnically skewed environments, and diverse corporate cultures. Across all of them, one thing remains constant: we all live for self-worth. Self-esteem is central not just for me, but for everyone. We want to feel good about ourselves. When large groups of people begin to believe that they can express themselves authentically, the results consistently exceed expectations. That’s when you
“Leadership today is a longhaul effort. It’s about building followership not through dictation, but through evangelisation.”
— Shyam Srinivasan
know the institution is in a better place.
Subba Vaidyanathan: The work I do today is focused on helping people recognise what is truly extraordinary about themselves. I ask them to go back and reflect: in your most difficult moments, what skill or inner resource did you draw upon to overcome the challenge? How did you manage to succeed in adversity? When you examine those moments, you’ll notice a pattern. Whether it's about enhancing your performance or navigating a crisis, you likely relied on a consistent set of skills or strategies.
Stick with those discover them deeply and you’ll unlock their full potential. And if you're a leader, your job is to help others discover the same within themselves.
Today, I want to surface some real-life challenges that leaders face. They are often given very short runways to deliver extraordinary outcomes. The time pressure is intense. Leaders must constantly make difficult choices: people versus performance, growth versus governance, breaking boundaries versus respecting boundaries, innovation versus regulation, capital versus collateral.
Take capital, for instance it relentlessly seeks immediate returns, but rarely considers the collateral
damage. Patagonia approaches this differently. They care deeply about the environment because, as an outdoor company, they depend on it. Their logic is clear: if the environment is destroyed, there’s no outdoors left, and therefore, no business to run. That’s a different way of thinking about collateral.
Shyam, how do you see this dichotomy?
Shyam Srinivasan: We live in an “and” world, not an “or” world. It's no longer about choosing this or that it’s about embracing both. We don’t have the luxury of delivering outcomes at the cost of poor governance. It has to be about delivering strong results and maintaining strong governance. We don’t have the privilege of treating people poorly and still expecting performance. That belongs to a different era. Today, inappropriate behavior is called out almost instantly. As leaders, we must strive for balance and inclusivity.
Leadership today is a long-haul effort. It’s about building followership not through dictation, but through evangelisation. This is where stakeholder management becomes crucial. You have to help people understand why we are doing what we are doing, and what the long-term vision is. Well-meaning people will buy into it. Of course, there will always be naysayers and challengers. But if you have deep conviction that the model you're pursuing is both meaningful and sustainable, it will endure.
I’ve experienced this firsthand during my time at the bank. In the early years, after the initial honeymoon period, there were many who questioned
“If belief and behavior are aligned and sustained over long periods of time that’s when real institutional change happens.” —
Shyam Srinivasan
me. Some even demanded my removal, saying, “He’s the wrong person for this job.” At the time, the bank’s stock price also saw a significant decline. The market tends to view things in binary either they like you, or they don’t. Fortunately, I had the support of the board, which was willing to take those early hits and stand by the long-term vision.
The best answer to doubt is time and outcome. And by the grace of God, over a 14-year period, we were able to deliver reasonably good results. What made the difference? Time, yes. Balance, certainly. But above all extreme conviction and authenticity. I’m not claiming that everything we did was perfect. But I do believe that when you deeply desire something, the universe aligns to make it happen. The Alchemist speaks of this, and I have personally experienced its truth.
This was never about a personal agenda it was always about a larger institutional mission. When that becomes clear, support tends to follow. So for me, the keys are balance, authenticity, consistency, and a deep conviction that what you're doing is right for the long haul and then bringing your stakeholders along with you on that journey.
Subba
Vaidyanathan:
In today’s world, there are many opportunities to take shortcuts people often
“When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”
Charles Goodhart
try to innovate in the wrong areas just to deliver quick outcomes. But those shortcuts eventually come back to hurt, and often in a big way. Why do some leaders still choose this path?
Shyam Srinivasan: Gordon Gekko famously said, “Greed is good.” Many tend to view leadership solely through the lens of results and measurements. But there’s a theory attributed to Charles Goodhart which says: “When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.” Once results become the sole basis for declaring success, people start gaming the system.
Yes, there is pressure to perform. But the real challenge is delivering outcomes in a way that is authentic, sincere, and credible. That’s what true leadership signs up for. The essence of this lies in the rhythm the “drumbeat” of the organisation. Leadership is about inspiring people to rise to that beat, not about shortcuts.
If we look at some of the recent failures in the banking industry, many of them seemed to be doing everything right on the surface. And yet, they were later exposed for wrong practices. Why? Likely because they ignored or bypassed some of the more fundamental principles of integrity and governance.
And because they were being rewarded in the short term, there was no immediate pushback. The internal checks the governance, the challenge function may have been subdued or silenced.
When we celebrate leaders, a critical question we must ask is: “Is this success timeless, or is it just timely?” Without naming names, we know of four or five banks that were once hailed as rockstars, only to falter in a relatively short time. And when the dust settled, it became clear that shortcuts and inappropriate practices had been allowed to persist.
So, who is responsible for calling this out? That’s where the role of regulators and governance frameworks becomes critical. Innovation often happens at the fringe of regulation. Most people like to play on that edge pushing boundaries slightly, finding grey zones. But the problem is this: when you make many small compromises, their combined effect can be disastrous.
It’s not about making one mistake and winning. It’s about what you choose to do when no one is watching. That’s the real test of leadership. The companies that have endured really stood the test of time are the ones where leadership, not just individual but institutional leadership, made the right choices eight or nine times out of ten when no one was looking.
Even Jack Welch, after 25 years of being hailed for delivering extraordinary performance, saw the legacy of his leadership being questioned. In the long arc of time, everything is revealed good, bad, and ugly. That’s why no one needs to pass premature judgment.
“If your son or daughter were watching you do this, would you still do it?”
Subba Vaidyanathan
A simple yardstick I use is this: Can you proudly tell your mother or your wife, parent, brother, or anyone dear to you about what you’ve done? If the answer is yes, you don’t need a rulebook. Because when you seek the pride of your well-wishers, you naturally choose the right path.
Look at RCB’s recent IPL victory it was a moment of great triumph. But soon it became a tragedy. Poor planning and governance led to the loss of 11 lives. If only things had been better managed!
Subba Vaidyanathan: I often say, “If your son or daughter were watching you do this, would you still do it?” The legacy we leave behind both at home and at work truly matters.
Shyam, When you first joined Federal Bank, and especially over the years that followed, we saw the challenges that came with leading through uncertainty. When the share price was falling, you had to keep speaking with consistency and conviction. You had to bring stakeholders along with you. Even your employees were watching closely, wondering what was happening to the bank. In times like that, you need a deep personal conviction something meaningful that drives you, something that makes you get out of bed and show up every single day. What was that for you?
Shyam Srinivasan: People talk about Federal Bank being the "most admired bank" now, but that recognition came much later. The real question is how did it all begin?
I believe that if the senior team the leadership is genuinely passionate and consistently displays that passion in both words and actions, a wider belief starts forming across the organisation. I’ve always said this and maybe some of you remember the 1980s movie Flashdance there’s a line in it that stuck with me and has been my guiding principle ever since: “Take your passion and make it happen.”
If people believe that their leaders are truly passionate about something, and they don’t see a disconnect between what is said and what is done, they begin to sign up for that vision. In large organisations, consistency is everything. The informal or "whisper" channel is far more powerful than any formal communication system. As the saying goes: Good news takes the staircase; Bad news takes the escalator; And wrong news takes a rocket launcher. That’s how fast misinformation spreads.
My own model is simple belief leads to behaviour, behaviour leads to process, and process leads to outcomes. It’s a self-correcting loop. If there is institutional conviction, and the team sees that belief consistently reflected in leadership behavior, then alignment happens naturally.
One thing I’ve done was to put myself under a bit of pressure, in a good way. For 365 Sundays in a row, I wrote a message to the entire team. I didn’t miss a
single Sunday. Every employee from employee number 1 to employee number 25,000 received the same message, at the same time, on the same day every week. The content could be anything: something I observed in a branch, a business update, an event from the world outside, even something like Virat Kohli scoring a century. But the point was that it came from me directly, with no hierarchy, no filtering. And because it was consistent, it created a sense of shared rhythm and language.
So when I walk into a branch on Monday morning, chances are, people have read the Sunday message. They greet me, not just formally, but often by referring to what I wrote. That’s when you know the drumbeat of the organisation is beginning to sync.
So to answer your question: If belief and behavior are aligned and sustained over long periods of time that’s when real institutional change happens.
Subba Vaidyanathan: When you started, the bank had around 8,000 employees. By the time you left, that number had doubled to 16,000. I still remember you telling me about those early days how the office didn’t even have an air conditioner and was overflowing with paper files. Fast forward to years later, and I walk into your training centre and am received by a robot! That transformation is massive not just in infrastructure, but in culture and mindset.
Another major shift was in the age profile of your employees. The average age came down significantly. I know that platforms like Yammer helped you communicate your message across the organisation. But my real question is this: How do you get
thousands of employees, spread across the country, to show up every day with energy and purpose? As a leader, that’s one of the most difficult challenges to keep people inspired and aligned, day after day, across geographies.
Shyam Srinivasan: One quality that is hugely underestimated in leadership is stamina. And I don’t mean just mental stamina though that’s important too but physical stamina. The demands on a leader’s physical endurance are extraordinary, and sometimes, I feel it’s only with divine grace that you’re able to sustain it. If you truly fall in love with your work, that passion fuels your energy.
Long-haul leadership, more than anything else, is about showing up day after day despite the pressures, the criticism, the highs, and the lows. You take the hits, smile through them, and keep going. Especially in the kind of bank I was leading, where impressions mattered a great deal, the leader often got more credit or more blame than was truly deserved. It was never proportional. It was either pedestal or pit. But that’s the reality.
I think this may be a particularly Indian phenomenon we tend to over-celebrate heroism. Perhaps it’s because we don’t have enough visible heroes. Whatever the reason, there’s a tendency to deify leaders. And that can become a trap, because the admiration becomes addictive. Followership is like a drug. It keeps you going, not just because of ego, but because you don’t want to let people down. You want
to keep earning that trust, day after day.
So yes, consistency and authenticity matter deeply. I would also add stamina to that list both physical and intellectual. You have to believe in what you’re doing. You have to keep showing up, even when the external environment is hostile or indifferent. And let me say this: the external environment is the same for everyone whether you’re at Axis Bank, ICICI, HDFC, Federal Bank, or SBI. The macro challenges don’t vary much. What makes the difference is the mindset of the team and the leadership’s resolve.
The winning mindset says: I’m going to face this. I’m going to show up. I’ll take the hits. I’ll smile through the storms. And I’ll keep going. That’s stamina. And sometimes, to be honest, you need divine help because beyond a point, even your best effort might not be enough.
Subba Vaidyanathan: That brings me to the question of values. As a leader, what role do you play in upholding them? And what is the role of the board in reinforcing that?
Shyam Srinivasan: Let me add a point here. There is immense value in building a senior leadership team that is on the same wavelength as you. I was truly blessed particularly during my time at Federal Bank. In fact, across most of my career, I’ve been fortunate with the teams I’ve worked with. But at Federal, my core leadership team both Executive Directors and the CFO remained the same for almost eight years. That kind of stability is a gift.
And when the alignment isn’t there, you have to make the tough calls. Sometimes, you have to "scissor it off" let go of people who don’t fit. — Shyam Srinivasan
When you have that kind of alignment, you’re almost never alone in making tough calls. Yes, sometimes you might get it wrong, but you know you’re not second-guessing in isolation you can rely on each other. The real message here is this: As a leader, it is your responsibility to build a cohort of people with whom you can have honest, agenda-free conversations rooted in conviction and integrity. That alignment doesn’t happen by default. It’s something you have to consciously create. It’s our job to foster that capability and culture.
And when the alignment isn’t there, you have to make the tough calls. Sometimes, you have to "scissor it off" let go of people who don’t fit. That’s never easy, but it’s necessary. In my view, the difference between success and failure in leadership doesn’t lie in the external environment that’s largely the same for everyone. The difference lies in how effectively you create and engage the right cohort of people, whether it's senior leaders or board members.
And here’s the key: you have to build that alignment before the fires break out. If you’ve built trust and transparency during calm periods, then navigating crises becomes much easier. The relationships and shared understanding you cultivate in the “non-burning” times determine how resilient you are when the heat is on.
Let me share something personal: just last weekend nine months after I retired 37 people from my leadership team came home, and we spent 24 hours together like school kids. Singing, laughing, just reconnecting. It was incredible. And no one had to be there they came because something meaningful had been built. Not just a workplace, but a sense of belonging.
These weren’t just young folks three of my former Executive Directors were part of that gathering. It had transcended a professional relationship and become something deeper. That kind of bond is rare, and yes, it takes effort, and it doesn’t happen everywhere. But when it does, it creates a culture where people truly have each other’s back. That, to me, is the foundation of enduring leadership.
Subba Vaidyanathan: As we come toward the close of this conversation, I want to ask something very important.
In the middle of everything a leader has to handle dealing with regulators, managing client relationships, making high-stakes business decisions, and attending countless meetings how do you consciously set aside time, energy, and what I would call ‘leadership space’ to focus on people, culture, and values?
Shyam Srinivasan: These are 24x7 jobs. There’s really no choice you’re always “on.” In the end, everything is a trade-off. When you choose to do one thing, you’re inevitably giving up something else. But
that’s the reality of leadership. And at some point, we all have to make those choices.
If you truly believe that this people, culture, values is your most important calling as a leader, then you have to commit to it. Sometimes, that means making a lonely call. But that’s a conscious decision and it’s yours to make.
Now, I know I might be unpopular with some of my younger colleagues for saying this, but I don’t buy into all the noise around “work-life balance.” I’m not saying you should be irreverent about it of course not. But I do think it’s overdone. Let’s be honest: you can’t be truly happy at work if you’re miserable at home and vice versa. It just doesn’t work that way. Balance isn’t about doing less it’s about working hard, with purpose, on the things that matter to you, both professionally and personally.
If you give culture a pass, you’ve essentially given your business a pass. As Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” Culture isn’t just a set of values on a wall it’s what drives behavior. It’s what shapes decisions. And most importantly, it's what sustains performance over time. Leadership sets the tone. They say, “Tone from the top, echo from the bottom.” That’s how culture lives and breathes in an organisation. Leadership is not about asserting dominance; it’s about creating harmony between direction and reflection.
Subba Vaidyanathan: Leadership goes far beyond OKRs and KPIs. In fact, I’ve seen this repeatedly in my work with leaders the real moment of awakening often comes only after a major event. Sometimes it’s
an organisational crisis; other times, it’s something deeply personal. The tragedy is that it takes such a cost emotional, physical, or relational to trigger reflection. Leadership today demands both clarity of purpose and depth of character and they have to coexist.
Mahalingam: Shyam, what do you do to relax in your spare time apart from cricket?
Shyam Srinivasan: (Laughs) I’ve been asked this question so many times, Mali. But honestly for me, relaxation is doing what I’m already doing. I know that sounds boring, but that’s the truth. And here’s what I believe: Making boring sexy is the job of a leader. That’s something I genuinely live by. Especially in a bank where a lot of work is routine you have to find joy in the repetition, in the small wins, in the rhythm. That’s what keeps me going.
Mahalingam: Who is a personality you admire? Someone whose qualities you’ve tried to imbibe?
Shyam Srinivasan: (Laughs) I don’t really follow any one individual in a cult-like manner. But I do observe and take inspiration from people who’ve demonstrated grit, consistency, and the ability to play the long game. Recently, I wrote a post about Rafael Nadal. He’s taken hit after hit physically and metaphorically and yet, he shows up, competes, and stays the course. That kind of mental fortitude inspires me.
In the corporate world, someone I’ve been greatly
impressed with is Satya Nadella. I’ve had the good fortune of meeting him a few times one-on-one and in small groups. And what he says in those rooms, you see reflected in his writing, his public interviews, and more importantly in results.
He’s not some larger-than-life genius or radical inventor. He’s an ordinary person in many ways average, maybe above average, definitely sharp but what sets him apart is his clarity, consistency, cultural shift, and doggedness. Look at what he’s done with Microsoft once seen as a tech dinosaur, now close to a $3 trillion company. That’s not magic that’s sustained leadership. There’s a story there. A story worth paying attention to.
Babu Krishnamoorthy, Rajee Rajesh, and Murali Krishnan unpack Adam Grant’s Hidden Potential, highlighting growth through character, discomfort, and joy.
Babu Krishnamoorthy: The author of the book Hidden Potential, Adam Grant, has been Wharton Business School’s top-rated professor for seven years. He is a renowned organisational management thinker and has written multiple books in this genre, focusing on motivation and how we can strive to achieve greater things. His notable works include Think Again, Originals, and Give and Take.
It is important to understand that there are gaps in all our performances, and we often attribute peak achievement to a select few champions across various fields. We tend to believe that such success is solely the result of innate talent. However, the author challenges this notion and argues that there is a framework available to all of us. If we choose to adopt and follow this framework, we can each attain greater success in whatever field of work we pursue.
Rajee Rajesh: This book helped me rediscover my own hidden potential. I used to be a voracious reader, but over time, I lost track of my reading habits. The
crux of this book is something Adam Grant calls character skills. We often focus only on cognitive skills math, science, and so on but he emphasises the importance of four key character skills. Interestingly, these very skills helped me finish reading the book itself.
The first skill is being proactive. Once I decided to join this program, I made a plan: the book has nine chapters, so I scheduled one chapter for each working day and two chapters over the weekend. I finished the book in seven to eight days.
The second is being prosocial. I went around telling many people about this "Read and Grow" session. When you publicly commit to something, it holds you accountable and you have to follow through.
The third is discipline. I became very disciplined about my routine. I cut down my digital time, avoided OTT platforms, and kept my phone away.
Lastly, I was determined. I was fascinated by the story of the rescued miners in one of the chapters.
“Growth often requires the courage to be uncomfortable.”
– Rajee Rajesh
That made me go back, compare, and reflect. And this is how I ended up reading the entire book.
Murali Krishnan: I run an IT software company, and what really hooked me in the book was the idea of character skills. I’ve always believed that it’s important to be street smart. In India, most people naturally are. I used to tell my daughter, “I don’t care if you get the first rank or second rank but when you’re faced with a problem or a difficult situation, I want you to know how to navigate through it, find a way out, and do what’s right.”
I’ve lived in Singapore, Australia, the USA, and India. In some of these countries, people panic quickly in the face of challenges. But people from certain Asian cultures, they figure things out they know how to deal with uncertainty. That, to me, is what character skills are all about.
One thing that really resonated with me from the book is the idea of polyglots people who speak or understand multiple languages. Adam Grant shares stories of two people who were paranoid but chose to step out of their comfort zones into discomfort, just to learn a new language. I could relate to that. I’ve done the same. Even today, I’ll speak in my broken Telugu or Mandarin just to try. I make mistakes, and
the other person corrects me and I learn. For me, being in that discomfort zone has become second nature.
Language is just one example. I’ve been in the industry for 35 years now, and everywhere I go, I do something new, something different. I’ve grown used to the discomfort. That’s where growth really happens.
Babu Krishnamoorthy: This book is broadly divided into three key sections. The first is about character skills, the second focuses on the structures of motivation, and the third explores how to build systems of opportunity. Within each of these sections, there are several sub-topics.
Murali Krishnan: Even during customer meetings in China, I often break into a few words of broken Mandarin making plenty of mistakes. But surprisingly, that helps me break the ice, build rapport, and form stronger relationships with clients. One part of the book that really struck a chord with me was the story of The Golden 13. It reminded me of the movie Escape to Victory a film about footballers held in a prison camp who eventually escape. The movie starred greats like Pelé and others. At its core, the story was about team spirit helping each other, watching out for one another, and achieving something together that no one thought was possible.
Similarly, The Golden 13 were the first group of Black men selected to train as officers in the U.S. Navy. They kept telling themselves, “We have to make it through this training because over 100,000 Black
“That’s where real growth happens when you step into the discomfort zone.”
– Murali
Krishnan
people are looking up to us.” The motivation and the sense of responsibility were huge. Their training was rigorous, and many white officers doubted they would succeed. But they did. They not only completed the training they excelled. Today, every new Navy recruit is said to begin their journey in the “Golden 13 Room,” honouring their legacy.
What inspired me most was that they weren’t the top performers in school or college. They were average individuals who came together as a team. They had each other's backs. They studied together even after lights out, reading under a single light in the bathroom from 10:30 p.m. to midnight. They didn’t just work hard they worked smart. That’s what true teamwork looks like.
I try to bring those lessons into my own life. I lead a team at work, and I constantly ask myself: how can I create that kind of team spirit? Can we get people to open up, support each other, and rally together?
The book is full of sports analogies, which I personally loved. I’m a cricket coach and play a lot of sports myself. It reminded me of the great Australian cricket team of the 1990s and the legendary West Indies team of the 1970s and ’80s. Those teams were exceptional not just because of talent, but because they united behind a common purpose.
“If you want a great coach, you must try to become one yourself.”
– Babu Krishnamoorthy
Rajee Rajesh: For nearly two decades, I was a couch potato completely inert when it came to physical activity. I could sit for hours solving crossword puzzles or Sudoku. If you asked me to "play," it would mean a game of Candy Crush online. But today, fitness is a core part of my identity. So, what brought about this transformation?
I see a lot of parallels between my journey and the framework the author lays out in Hidden Potential. Growth often requires the courage to be uncomfortable. Earlier, I would start something, try it for a bit, and then give up halfway always finding some excuse. Procrastination was my greatest enemy. Our mind, like a monkey, always chooses what's easy over what's hard, though the hard path is often the one we truly need. I had to turn that daily grind into a source of joy. Today, fitness isn’t a choice; it’s my lifestyle. I’m stronger and healthier now than I was in my 30s.
The author also talks about why children learn faster. It's not just because they have open minds. The real reason is that they aren't afraid of making mistakes or being embarrassed in front of others. That really struck a chord with me. When I joined Zumba classes, I’d miss half the steps. My early yoga poses were laughable. I played badminton on weekends, but
“Teach
what you want to learn it’s one of the best ways to truly absorb something.”
– Rajee Rajesh
I couldn’t smash, pace the game, or even run properly. The people I played with used to tease me. But I stuck with it. Because I knew: that was my one shot at burning calories and taking charge of my health.
Babu Krishnamoorthy: We all seek a certain level of comfort in whatever we do, but growth rarely happens within that comfort zone. Every time I’ve stepped out of mine, even though it was difficult at first, the outcome was far better than anything I could have imagined. It’s like the banyan tree nothing grows under it. You have to step out from under the shade, into the open, exposed to the elements, if you truly want to grow.
The second insight is this: make anything fun. If you’re doing something just because you have to, motivation will eventually wear off. I’m 55, and I still hit the gym most mornings. But let’s be honest gym routines can get monotonous after a while. So we did something simple yet powerful. A group of us all in our early 50s work out together in the early morning. We brought a music system and started playing Ilayaraja’s hits, because that’s the music of our generation.
So, from 6 to 7 a.m., the music plays in the background, and we go about our workouts. Some days, I don’t even go to lift weights I just go to listen to the music and hang out. The point is, I don’t think
of it as just exercise anymore. I go because I love being in that space. And ever since we started this routine, I’ve hardly missed a session. That’s what sustains motivation making it joyful.
Murali Krishnan: This morning, I told myself, “Come what may, I’m playing tennis today.” And I did; and I felt really good after the workout. Between sets, I also hit the gym. Tennis is the main activity, but the key is this: we try to enjoy what we do.
I believe students should bring that same element of fun into their studies. Finland has done a remarkable job of educating children by making learning enjoyable. Teachers can use fun not just to teach, but also to manage and engage students better. It’s all about doing things differently, in a way that triggers fun and joy.
Babu Krishnamoorthy: What are two or three key takeaways from this book that you genuinely want to imbibe and implement in your own life?
Murali Krishnan: Three key things I want to implement in my life. First, encouraging people to step out of their comfort zones and stay in the discomfort zone whether it’s at work, at home, at school, or wherever they are. That’s where real growth happens.
Second, scaffolding developing others, both as individuals and as part of a team. I want to consciously do more of that supporting, mentoring, and helping people grow wherever I am.
And third, introducing a fun element, especially at
work. I’ve always been fun-loving. We all worry far too much. I want to reduce that stress, not just for myself but for the people around me, particularly in the workplace. Even when we’re trying to win a new customer, I believe we can do it with a spirit of fun. It will make a big difference.
Rajee Rajesh: Whenever we read a self-help book, we often assume the goal is to make us perfect. But Adam Grant devotes an entire chapter to criticizing perfectionism. While it’s debatable whether I’m a perfectionist, I certainly see many traits in myself that he warns against. I have a tendency to obsess over minor problems, overthink, and sometimes spend too much time solving small issues only to miss the bigger picture. He calls this the perfectionist spiral. You keep repeating the same patterns, stay stuck in your comfort zone, and become resistant to doing anything new.
One solution he offers is a technique called mind time travel. He suggests that when you're evaluating something whether it's a task you’ve completed or a challenge you're facing don’t judge it only in the present. Step back in time and look at it from a past perspective. It helps you recognize how far you’ve come and whether you've made progress. I’m definitely going to practice this. I also plan to introduce it in my client interactions it could serve as a powerful morale booster.
Another idea from the book really resonated with me something I had practiced naturally for years but
lost touch with: teaching. Adam Grant says, teach what you want to learn. It’s one of the best ways to truly absorb something, even if you aren’t a master of it. I've now decided to be more proactive about this taking on opportunities to share my knowledge and reinforce my own learning in the process.
And one final thought that really struck me we’ve all had difficult days in the past month, six months, or even the past year. Yet, we are all sitting here today. That, in itself, is something to feel good about. It's a quiet but powerful reminder that we are still moving forward. That’s a message we should carry with us as we navigate challenges and overcome hurdles.
Babu Krishnamoorthy: You often come to a point in life where you think you know it all. But in this book, Adam Grant introduces the concept of a human sponge someone who constantly expands their capacity to absorb new ideas and insights. That really resonated with me. Today, with the way technology is evolving especially with AI touching every aspect of our lives if we don’t actively absorb and adapt, we risk becoming irrelevant.
I realise I need to dedicate more time maybe 30 to 45 minutes a day to exploring AI more deeply than I currently do. We all talk about AI, AI, AI but I haven't really taken the time to get hands-on, to experiment, or to find meaningful ways to integrate it into my daily routine. That’s something I must work on.
The second idea that struck deeply with me was the difference between feedback and advice. Grant says you should never ask for feedback, because it’s inherently backward-looking. Feedback focuses on what went wrong. Instead, he suggests asking for advice, which is forward-looking and constructive.
For example, after a session like this, if I were to ask you for feedback, you might tell me three things I could have done better. But if I asked, “What advice would you give me for next time?” you’d probably offer future-oriented suggestions. The shift in how you frame your question can significantly improve the quality and usefulness of the response. I thought that was brilliant.
He also says, “If you want a great coach, you must try to become one yourself.” Just like if you want to learn deeply, start teaching. That idea really struck me. I need to walk that path more deliberately to coach, to teach, and to keep learning by doing.
MMA hosted a discussion on Dr. A.N. Ravichandran’s book with Bhaskar Bhat, B Santhanam, and Dr G Arun Kumar, exploring the mid‐career PhD journey.
Bhaskar Bhat: When we were at IIT, we used to have a derogatory term for our seniors who were doing M.Tech. Forget a PhD! We used to call them Van Loons. Van Loon was the author of a chemistry book used primarily by M.Tech students. We were young and brash. To us, a PhD was beyond even a Van Loon it felt like the ultimate waste of time.
But later, when I gave it more thought and after I met Ravi I began to see things differently. That’s when I started comparing a PhD to golf. Somewhere in the middle of my career, people would ask, “When did you start playing golf?” And I’d say, “I never started.” Why? Because even after becoming a club member, I felt it was an even bigger waste of time two and a half hours for nine holes. Maybe I just didn’t enjoy the game. Or maybe, I didn’t have the skill. To me, golf and a PhD were similar pursuits things you take up when you’ve got nothing else to do, or when you need an excuse. In golf, you can network meet senior folks, talk business, and justify the time spent.
I met Ravi one afternoon. He was, at first, just a
buddy. After that meeting, he became something more. I’m not saying it transformed me, but it definitely changed the way I viewed a PhD. In India, we pride ourselves on being intellectually ahead. We celebrate the IITs and the IIMs as global institutions. But what Ravi told me about the low PhD success rate really struck me. When I listened to him, I began to understand the sheer rigour of the process. It made me feel a little proud that, at least in India, we still take the PhD seriously.
Ravi is deeply learned. He is meticulous. He’s been committed, even through difficult times two years of poor health, yet he didn’t give up. He appeared for exam even while unwell. Imagine that 40 years after graduating from IIT, sitting for an exam with about nine or so subjects… and he topped them. He is committed and diligent. He persisted like a true professional.
What impressed me most is his energy. He would get up at 4:30 a.m. and work on his dissertation until 6:30 a.m. The subject he chose for PhD is equally fascinating. It’s called “CPE” Consumer Perceived
“To me, golf and a PhD were similar pursuits things you take up when you’ve got nothing else to do, or when you need an excuse.” — Bhaskar Bhat
Ethicality. He has worked his whole life in consumer brands, and this research examines how consumer perceptions of ethical behavior influence brand equity. It’s a fresh and novel subject. We tend to take for granted that ethics are linked to brands, but Ravi’s work quantifies and explores this in depth.
For me, this was evocative. I’ve spent 45 years with the Tata Group, and at a critical juncture in its history, I saw how brand and ethicality were intertwined. The big bull Rakesh Jhunjhunwala once said, “Tatas are blessed by God they can do no wrong.” That statement, made at a crucial moment, had a massive influence. Brand and ethicality are deeply embedded in our ethos.
Santhanam: Consumer Perceived Ethicality (CPE) is a topic that has received significant academic attention overseas. However, in India, it represents a critical research gap. We simply haven’t studied these issues deeply enough. In fact, we tend not to study many of these nuanced consumer behaviour topics with the level of depth they deserve. This gap between brand equity, brand loyalty, brand affinity, and the ethical dimensions of consumer perception is substantial and underexplored in our context.
Let’s be honest the PhD process isn’t always democratic or transparent. Only someone who has
gone through it can truly understand how complex and demanding it is. Three key themes stood out for me, for one to succeed in research: Staying deeply immersed; Staying connected with your network and staying organised.
Dr Ravichandran: My PhD journey been long and winding, at times frustrating, at times exhilarating, and at others, elevating. I hope to offer insights to others who are pursuing or planning to pursue a similar path.
There is a growing curiosity and demand among professionals to understand what earning a PhD entails how it influences one’s career, selfactualisation, and even life’s larger goals. The journey of a PhD covers the complexities of the admission process, selecting the right institution, navigating systemic challenges and academic roadblocks, and managing the generic coursework. One needs to balance the four foundational pillars of life simultaneously career, family, health, and the PhD journey. Then there is the need to reach out to experts, understand the publishing process, manage plagiarism, and master the intricacies of research methodology in its full depth.
It’s a well-known fact that a large number of scholars who begin their PhD journey do not complete it. While the exact percentage is debated I've read that in the U.S., the dropout rate can be as high as 50% let’s look at the Indian context. Over two lakh people apply for a PhD each year in India. Out of these, only about 25,000 to 35,000 complete their doctoral degree, depending on the source of data. This implies a vast pipeline of candidates who are
“CPE represents a critical research gap in India… we tend not to study many of these nuanced consumer behaviour topics.” —
B. Santhanam
struggling, and the time they take to finish contributes significantly to the low completion percentage.
In a country that seeks to build knowledge as a competitive advantage, the number of successful PhD completions must rise. What becomes clear through this journey is that there are multiple challenges: uncertainty, misguidance, inconsistent intake quality, and several other unknown factors.
Between the years 2017 and 2019, following the introduction of the mandatory publishing rule for PhD programs, it was observed that nearly 75% of all published articles were in non-Scopus indexed journals. The predatory journals and middlemen have emerged and proliferated, largely unchecked.
On the flip side, it is important to recognise that the responsibility does not rest solely with scholars. The system and the processes involved also bear significant responsibility. There is a need for greater mental preparedness among PhD aspirants. Many candidates appear to enter doctoral programs without fully appreciating the intellectual and emotional rigour involved. In my six-year PhD journey, only four years were truly productive.
Today, professionals from business, industry, bureaucracy, defence, and other sectors are
increasingly showing interest in pursuing doctoral degrees. For many, it is a way to pivot mid-career, enhance their intellectual capabilities, or even improve their professional effectiveness. For others, it is a deeply personal process of self-actualisation.
I recall a moment during a class at my management school when the chairman, while discussing PhD success rates, paused at the silence in the room and reminded us, "After all, you are aiming to get the highest degree, are you not?" He himself, despite being one of today’s most highly cited authors, went through a rough journey changing his guide and research topic due to extraneous factors and it took him 11 years to complete his PhD. That resonated with me deeply. I, too, faced many inflection points where a single wrong step could have cost me months if not years of work.
Bhaskar Bhat: We certainly don't celebrate or integrate the relationship between the industry and academia enough, and we are suffering because of it. Whether you look at the German or U.S. models of education, or what the Chinese or Japanese are doing, the rigour and depth that only academia can provide and its transfer to industry hasn’t really happened here to the extent it should have.
I know IIT Madras Research Park is doing some excellent work in that direction, but the academic part is still somewhat disconnected from industry needs. So for me, if more PhDs emerge from such integrations, and industry is able to absorb their expertise, that would be a win.
One part is the process; the other part is the
“One needs to balance the four foundational pillars of life simultaneously career, family, health, and the PhD journey.” — Dr. A.N.
Ravichandran
subject matter itself. For example, Ravi’s concept of CPE as an index is very impressive. In my own experience at Titan, we do measure brand equity, and while we take pride in our insights, I often find myself criticising the research methodology. Sometimes it feels like playing to the gallery every company wants to claim their brand is number one. That’s where academia can help us elevate the standard.
Dr Arun Kumar: I have worked in the industry. The perception of a PhD there is that it’s equivalent to a consulting report. In fact, when I reported to my boss about my PhD - I was the first PhD on his teamhe said, “This is just like a consulting report, right?”
Dr A N Ravichandran: Let me surprise you with this anecdote: nearly three decades ago, a well-known Professor who was consulting with us, reviewed a corporate plan I had prepared for Tractors and Farm Equipment (TAFE) and told me, “Ravi, this is more than 50% of a PhD!” People in the corporate world often believe that if you do some good research, develop models, and write a few papers, you’re more or less doing a PhD already. There’s a sense of entitlement that it can be done quickly maybe in a year or two. That is absolutely wrong. In fact, the very first professor I approached for guidance Professor Rao told me clearly: “A PhD is not the culmination of
research. It is the beginning.” That stayed with me.
At 60, it was a humbling experience for me. I had to shed my ego, set aside everything I had learned in the industry, and start afresh. When I began, I thought I would research something grand like India-China comparisons. But my guide told me to narrow the focus, choose a simple subject, and go deep. The process is robust, and yes it’s like turning boys into men, metaphorically speaking.
Bhaskar Bhat: Unfortunately, across many areas like market research, we’ve seen a decline in depth and rigour. Research has often become superficial, catering to the audience rather than building fundamental insights. I say this with a degree of selfawareness too. But true, in-depth research the kind that academia enables has value far beyond that. Let me give an example. I was on the board of a German company, where 8% of an €82 billion turnover went into pure R&D. That’s a significant commitment. And what’s more, their work is not just intellectual; it produces measurable economic outcomes. But it all begins with fundamental research. That’s where the respect comes in from top leadership. And I don’t think we’ve achieved that culture of respect for research in India yet. But a shift is beginning to take place.
Santhanam: There are two key global trends I’m observing especially as someone who works closely with large-scale markets that present significant opportunities for India.
First, the quality of engineering talent moving into non-tech companies that is, companies outside the
ICT sector in the US and Europe has been steadily declining. You would be surprised at how limited the talent pool is in those regions when it comes to deep technical or engineering capabilities. This presents a huge opportunity for India to leapfrog, given our vast and growing talent base.
Second, the emergence and evolution of Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in India have dramatically transformed the country’s research and innovation landscape. As of now, there are around 1,700 GCCs in India, and at least one-third of them are focusing on engineering and R&D. For example, in Chennai alone, there are organisations like Renault-Nissan, where over 10,000 professionals are working in product development and engineering R&D.
So, we are witnessing a clear shift India is becoming a global hub for research and development, largely driven by availability of high-quality talent at optimal cost, and by the shortage of similar talent abroad in non-ICT industries. This is a fantastic opportunity for India.
The ideas of deep immersion, structured thinking, and methodical research are equally applicable in industry settings. When industry leaders begin to understand the value of rigour, discipline, and research methodology, it can significantly uplift the quality of industrial innovation. India has a real shot at becoming a global R&D powerhouse, just as we've seen happen in China.
Dr Arun Kumar: Doing a PhD mid-career is hard enough but to do it toward the final leg of your corporate journey must have been more than just a
challenge. What kind of internal transformation did you have to go through to undertake this? In short what was your motivation?
Dr. Ravichandran: I came to the PhD with zero career stakes, and so in many ways, I could afford to look at it with detachment. But for those who pursue it for career advancement or academic transition, there is more at stake. As for my motivation it’s been a long and interrupted journey. Twice in my life, I almost shifted into academics to pursue a PhD. In 1994, I was seriously considering it. But just then, I landed a top marketing role at Bajaj Auto, and I chose to return to the industry. Again, in 2001, I was appointed TTK Chair Professor in Marketing Management at DoMS, IIT Madras. But once more, I returned to industry this time to Crompton Greaves to head their consumer businesses.
So, this restlessness of the industry guy never really left me. It was only when that restlessness finally ceased that I knew it was the right time. But even that doesn’t fully explain the urge to pursue a PhD. The truth is it came from deep within. The motivation has to come from within. Once that internal conviction is formed, there’s no turning back. But you must be mentally prepared, because each individual comes with a different reason for doing a PhD. You must examine your reasons deeply before making the commitment.
Dr Arun Kumar: You also had to undergo coursework. Most of your classmates would have been in their 20s, just beginning their academic careers. Surely, there must have been a generational gap. Was there any resistance from their side?
“When I reported to my boss about my PhD… he said, ‘This is just like a consulting report, right?’” Dr. Arun Kumar
Dr. Ravichandran: Well, you need to understand something. We belong to the IIT–IIM Mafia, as I jokingly call it! Come to one of our Golden Jubilee reunions and you’ll see we could put today’s 25-yearolds to shame with our energy and camaraderie.
To be honest, I never once felt excluded. Not during coursework, not in research groups, not in academic discussions. Even today, many of my younger peers are in touch with me. They frequently reach out, ask questions, and seek guidance. The bond has remained intact. In fact, I’d say the age difference was never a barrier it was a bridge. They brought their youthful energy; I brought experience. And that blend worked beautifully.
Dr Arun Kumar: You eventually identified Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), but before that, you did a lot of groundwork. You were trying to pursue a PhD through institutions in Hyderabad and other places. That journey itself must have been quite an episode at times frustrating. Given your high-flying corporate career and other professional commitments, how did you manage to stay motivated and not give up?
Dr. Ravichandran: One whole year went into the process of choosing the right institution. I wasted a lot of time during that phase. A bad experience in the
journey is often an indication that something better is on its way. That’s a very important life lesson. There were several moments of frustration, but if your motivation is deep enough, you treat each roadblock as a stepping stone.
Bhaskar Bhat: Most of you would recognise Titan through its beautiful stores, great advertising, stylish products, and so on. But what often goes unnoticed is what lies beneath. Titan is, at its core, a Tamil Nadubased manufacturing company deeply embedded in manufacturing excellence.
I don't want to suggest that companies in manufacturing necessarily do better R&D. But here’s the flip side: India is a land of immense opportunity, and in this world of apps and quick-fix solutions, you can actually create a high-tech product like a wearable device or a consumer durable without really knowing what goes into it. That's where the rigour of a company like Titan comes in. Whether it’s a watch, a piece of jewellery or a lens, Titan applies depth and technical understanding. It’s embedded in our DNA. That’s why we call ourselves experts in categories, not just retailers.
Let me explain: if you walk into a retailer like Croma or Westside I'm taking examples from my own group you'll find great products, but they’re fundamentally retailers. They don’t necessarily know what goes into making a better washing machine or mobile phone. Titan is different.
That’s what triggered our economic growth our ability to go deep. Unfortunately, we’ve lost some of the fundamental thinking in physics, chemistry, and
mathematics along the way. But Titan’s innovations remain rooted in those fundamentals.
Let me share the latest from Titan’s innovation table something developed well after my retirement, but the passion remains. We recently launched a mechanical watch called the Tourbillon, priced at 30 lakhs. Global watchmakers have been making Tourbillons for years. Titan could have easily outsourced it, but instead, we went deep into the process despite being primarily a quartz watch manufacturer producing 18 million watches annually. This Tourbillon is a niche only 50 or 60 pieces but that depth is what drives product excellence.
We were among the first companies to set up shop at the IIT Madras Research Park, despite being a small-scale outfit. Our marketing and retail teams raised questions like how to ensure better gold plating, as customers demanded a guarantee. Our R&D responded with a major breakthrough: physical vapour deposition plating, replacing the traditional method from 30 years ago. Later, we developed the Carat Meter for our jewellery division to help customers measure the gold content themselves again, not a marketing innovation, but a manufacturing one.
Santhanam: Now, people are working on differentiating natural vs. lab-grown diamonds and even measuring brilliance more accurately using metrics like the traditional Four Cs.
Bhaskar Bhat: Yes. It’s this passion to understand and make our own products to know what we’re selling that sets Titan apart. Whether it’s lenses,
jewellery, or high-end watches, we aim to make them ourselves. It’s the pursuit of excellence that drives us. When customer questions arise, we go back into R&D, and there’s a seamless handshake between aesthetic design, engineering design, and manufacturing. When that happens beautifully, you get an extraordinary economic output.
Santhanam: I’m quite happy with the progress made over the past 10 years at IIT Madras Research Park. There are two parts to this development.
First, there’s the deep and meaningful collaboration with IIT labs and professors, resulting in purposeful research and the effective use of IIT Madras’s analytical capabilities.
Second, we’ve been able to leverage students particularly those pursuing higher education. We recruit a significant number of masters graduates, and IIT Madras has an excellent program that allows them to pursue PhDs in areas directly relevant to our work. That has been immensely valuable.
In my view and I say this as an alumnus of IIT Madras this institute is ahead of the curve compared to perhaps IIT Delhi, IIT Bombay, or IIT Kharagpur in terms of strong industry-academia collaboration. For instance, we are currently engaged in highly sophisticated modelling of large glass-melting furnaces. The data analytics component is being powered by the data science group at IIT Madras, who work closely with our in-house team. Thermal modelling of glass melting at 1600 degrees Celsius is also being jointly pursued.
This level of collaborative research simply wasn’t
possible in the past. The challenge used to be that academic institutions were focused on deep work, while companies needed agility. We weren’t deep enough, and academics weren’t agile enough. That gap is now closing. We’re becoming more researchoriented, and institutions like IIT Madras are becoming more agile and industry-responsive.
I’m optimistic about this transition. Large companies like Saint-Gobain and many others are now running Global Capability Centers (GCCs) that are focused on R&D and end-to-end product development platforms. I foresee even more collaboration in the future not just with the IITs, but also with IISc, NITs and other institutions. The ecosystem is evolving positively.
As part of MMA’s “Read & Grow” series, Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh led a panel with Ganesh Balasubramanian and Shaji Antony on Sir John Whitmore’s Coaching for Performance a powerful blueprint for unlocking leadership potential and driving transformation
Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh: Top-performing athletes work with coaches. Why should it be any different for professionals in the corporate world? Take the example of chess Grandmaster Gukesh. His coach, Paddy Upton, wasn't a chess expert. Instead, he guided Gukesh in areas like mental resilience and focus, helping him reach peak performance. This demonstrates that coaching principles are universally applicable whether in sports or business and have a significant impact on elevating performance.
Coaching is not about teaching. It's about facilitating learning and growth. According to the International Coaching Federation (ICF), coaching is a "partnership with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximise their personal and professional potential." Unlike mentoring, coaching does not require subject matter
expertise. Mentors share their knowledge; coaches ask the right questions. The goal is empowerment not instruction.
Telling someone what to do removes their sense of ownership. It demotivates, disempowers, and limits potential. Coaching does the opposite. It fosters autonomy, partnership, self-actualisation, and high performance. A coaching culture builds trust, encourages interdependence, promotes learning, and nurtures accountability. It reduces stress and ends the blame game by fostering personal responsibility.
The author identifies four types of organisational cultures: Impulsive – Reactive leadership, unclear accountability, and low performance; Dependent –Directive leadership, limited performance, and blameshifting; Independent – Empowering leadership, growing ownership, and medium-high performance; and Interdependent – Transformational leadership,
shared ownership, and high performance. Highperformance leaders foster trust, adaptability, and deep team engagement, resulting in consistent overachievement.
As a child, I was advised to learn swimming. The coach pushed me into the water and this traumatic swimming experience created a fear of water for me. Years later, I joined a class where the coach didn’t enter the pool but guided from outside. I felt safe, and that safety helped me build trust and overcome fear. This is what a coach does creates psychological safety, builds trust, and enables growth without force or pressure.
“Topperforming athletes work with coaches. Why should it be any different for professionals in the corporate world?”
— Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh
Coaching is emotional intelligence in practice. It is a way of leading, managing, and relating. As a finance professional, coaching helped me recognise the importance of empathy and emotional intelligence, opening new perspectives in both personal and professional domains. Emotional intelligence has four key domains: Self-awareness; Self-management; Social awareness and Relationship management
Many of us are used to being told what to do by parents, teachers, or bosses. This leads us to adopt the same approach. Whether it’s a dictator, a persuader, or an abdicator, these leadership styles don’t foster sustainable growth. Coaching takes a different route: it’s supportive, non-threatening, and based on listening. Behaviour change happens not when the leader is present, but when the individual is empowered.
Coaching is particularly effective when time is limited; quality outcomes matter; learning and commitment are essential; and engagement and retention are priorities. Applications include goal setting, strategic planning, team motivation, problem-
solving, and performance management. Internal blockers like fear, self-doubt, lack of belief hinder performance. The antidote is curiosity. Coaches are non-judgmental and create a space where learning from mistakes becomes possible. Judgment breeds defensiveness. Coaching fosters openness, collaboration, and performance through high awareness and responsibility.
A coach is not a problem solver, teacher, or expert. A coach is a facilitator, sounding board, and awareness-raiser. Coaching prompts self-discovery. For instance, instead of saying "The bottle lid is blue," a coach asks, "What colour do you see?" This builds observation and awareness. Consider this: A leader tells Peter to get a ladder. Peter doesn’t find one and returns empty-handed. Instead, if the leader says, “We need a ladder who’s willing to help?” Peter volunteers. Now he feels ownership and looks harder for a solution. Choice leads to responsibility.
In ball sports, the command is “watch the ball.” But instead, asking “Which way is the ball spinning?” or “How high is it coming?” increases focus and awareness. Powerful, open-ended questions such as: What do you want to achieve? What’s stopping you? Who could help you? What else is possible? … stimulate deeper reflection and unlock solutions. A client of mine a Managing Director shifted his leadership approach after one key question: "What
A company that embraces coaching not only enhances individual and team performance but also contributes to a more ethical, engaged, and sustainable ecosystem. Shaji Antony
leadership legacy do you want to leave?" The result? A transformation in mindset and team engagement.
Effective coaches listen not just to words, but to emotions, energy, and body language. Intuition plays a key role. The GROW Model helps structure coaching conversations. GROW is an acronym for Goals; Reality; Options and Will or Way forward. Instead of saying, “You are useless,” or “This report is terrible,” a coach asks: What are you most pleased about in this report? Or What could you do differently? The feedback should include questions like: What happened? What did you learn? How will you apply it?
In today’s global, dynamic, and virtual work environments, coaching brings people together to collaborate, innovate, and excel. Leaders have two key responsibilities: Deliver results and Develop people. To foster a coaching culture: Set ground rules; Build communication skills; Define common goals; Hold regular discussions; Create support systems; and Encourage social interaction and shared learning.
“The coach is like a rearview mirror or a headlight offering clarity and direction. But the steering wheel is still in the hands of the individual.”
— Ganesh Balasubramanian
Coaching delivers tangible returns like higher performance and productivity; improved career growth and relationships; better engagement and retention; increased motivation and collaboration; and greater adaptability and job satisfaction. It also helps manage conflicts, ego, and stakeholder complexities.
Great leaders display values, vision, authenticity, agility and alignment. Performance, learning, and enjoyment must coexist. If you neglect one, the others will falter. A CFO I coached transformed from a finance-only mindset to becoming a strategic business leader. Similarly, team coaching with the RPG Group led to best practices, tech adoption, and enhanced collaboration. The author also emphasises the importance of working with trained, credentialed coaches which is a crucial step toward building a sustainable, high-performance culture.
Shaji Antony: We often think of companies as purely profit-making machines. But the book challenges this notion. It positions a company as part of a larger ecosystem where individuals, organisations,
and society are interconnected. Principles give life to culture. Without them, organisational values and vision statements may exist, but they won’t translate into real behavior. Principles create a framework, not rigid boundaries, but a freedom tree that enables responsible action.
A key concept in the book is the Inner Game equation, derived from sports psychology. It states that
I’ve been a football player since childhood, primarily a right-footed defender. I rarely used my left foot out of fear that I’d miss the ball and allow a goal. It was a classic case of interference. However, during my college years, I had a coach who insisted I practice using my left foot. With consistent effort, that interference slowly disappeared. That’s the power of coaching. It helps reduce my interference and enhance my performance.
The author shows how coaching supports individuals through each level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs: from basic needs to self-actualisation. A company should look into the Triple Bottom Line: People, Planet, Profit. A company that embraces coaching not only enhances individual and team performance but also contributes to a more ethical, engaged, and sustainable ecosystem.
Ganesh Balasubramanian: Unfortunately, most
people believe that once you have a coach, 90% of your problem is solved. This mindset is similar to how people approach a psychologist or medication as a quick fix. That philosophy needs to change. Coaching is about enhancing an employee's potential by focusing on their performance and providing the right platform to utilise that potential.
Take PT Usha, for example. She is quite famous. But how many of us remember Coach Nambiar, the man who played a crucial role in her success? What I’ve come to understand is that coaching helps an individual or employee to help themselves. The individual remains the driver. The coach is like a rearview mirror or a headlight offering clarity and direction. But the steering wheel is still in the hands of the individual.
Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh: Many times, when people want to lose weight, they think that simply signing up for a gym or hiring a trainer will solve the problem. But then they end up eating more, and later complain, “Oh, my weight hasn’t reduced.” The truth is, you have to take the necessary actions yourself. The onus is on you. Coaching is domain-agnostic. Ganesh, what are your thoughts on that?
Shaji Antony: Coaching doesn't necessarily have to come from domain experts. A domain expert is more like a mentor. For instance, if I want to become a CHRO, a mentor with vast HR experience can guide me specifically in developing HR-related skills. Coaching, however, is something different. Having said that, I
personally prefer having a coach from a similar background, as it helps in building a better connection.
Coaching plays an important role in our lives. I remember when I was in 12th grade, I missed a valuable opportunity. I had been selected for a monthlong football camp. The coach, Mr. Sukumaran from Chennai, who also coached the Tamil Nadu football team, conducted the camp in Tirunelveli. Unfortunately, some of us couldn’t wake up on time and were late to the ground. As punishment, the coach disciplined us, and a few of us, including myself, left the camp. There were two or three juniors who weren’t as skilled as we were, but they stayed for the entire camp. Eventually, they became excellent players and secured good employment. Later, during my postgraduation, I met another coach who helped transform my lifestyle.
Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh: Can you share your experience with coaching?
Ganesh Balasubramanian: In 2019, I had an experience working at a global R&D center in Asia where we assigned a coach to a group of 15 individuals. Post-COVID, this became especially relevant. As many of you know, R&D professionals tend to be more ego-centric than eco-centric. They are highly intelligent and often believe they know everything, making it difficult to change their mindset. We brought in a coach with a management background. Initially, the team was sceptical. But what
followed became a compelling case study. Each coaching session was one-on-one, lasting an hour, with only four individuals met per day. The coach stayed for a week each month. By the third or fourth visit, we saw noticeable change. Out of 15 people, we retained 89%. One person resigned but interestingly, he informed the coach before his own reporting manager. It was a personal, family-driven decision that no one else knew about. The trust and openness he developed with the coach were remarkable.
Coaching began with a professional focus, but eventually, employees shared personal challenges too. What was once a roadblock became a pathway. The coaching created a safe space for reflection and growth. Even more impressively, 13 of the 15 people identified 32 improvement and innovation projects for the organisation. Most of them received promotions during the exercise. We identified their potential early and nurtured it.
On a structural level, coaching helped break departmental silos. Earlier, cross-functional teams (CFTs) were formed, but in practice, they were “confusion-building teams.” Members didn’t know their roles, and decision-making still rested with department heads. Empowerment existed only in theory. People would hesitate to make decisions without first aligning with their manager, even if they were nominated to the CFT.
The coach helped uncover and address this dysfunction. Within two to three months, we noticed significant synergy in the teams. While not everyone changed, communication improved, and ego clashes diminished. In most cases, conflicts were simply due
to poor communication.
I was once invited to speak at a premier management institute. After my talk, the Dean asked to meet me. During our conversation, he asked something unexpected: “None of my department heads speak to each other. How do you handle this in a corporate context?”
This struck a chord. Whether in academia or industry, the underlying problems are similar. Today, we are not just bound by carbon dioxide but by jargon dioxide. Everyone wants to sound intellectual using complex models, but coaching doesn’t rely on jargon. It’s about simplicity connecting real-life experiences to professional goals.
Think of NASA scientists. They might be working on projects that’ll launch in 2050, long after they retire. Yet they stay committed because they believe in the purpose. That’s the essence of coaching. It builds a connection to purpose. When people understand the larger goal, they give their best.
That said, coaching doesn’t always work. In one instance, we assigned a coach to a difficult employee. Ironically, the coach began adapting to the coachee’s behavior instead of the other way around. It turned into reverse mentoring, and eventually, the coach had to be replaced.
The key takeaway? Coaching only works when the coachee feels the need. Never implement it as a checkbox HR activity. It’s not about ticking off a mandate. It’s about igniting transformation. Purpose makes all the difference.
Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh: What are your thoughts on feedback?
Shaji Antony: Leaders and functional managers should have a clear mandate to develop their people. Today, most focus only on personal achievements. If ‘developing people’ is included as a key performance indicator (KPI), managers will feel responsible for their team's growth and naturally, they’ll offer open and transparent feedback.
Sangeeta Shankaran Sumesh: Your experience with the GROW model?
Ganesh Balasubramanian: The GROW model stands for Goal, Reality, Options, and Way Forward. Goals should be simple, clear, and attainable make them interesting. Understanding reality is crucial. For instance, rather than sending everyone to a generic communication program, identify the specific communication gap and tailor the training. We need hyper-personalisation today.
Don’t jump straight to options. Remember, in a typical classroom setting, retention is only around 10%. People often ask, “What’s the way forward?” The author emphasises will. With strong will, impossible becomes I’m possible.
While inaugurating MMA’s new chapter in Vellore, C.K. Ranganathan, Chairman and Managing Director of CavinKare Private Ltd and Past President of MMA, shared entrepreneurial insights on grit, growth, governance, and legacy emphasizing systems, adaptability, and visualisation for success
The journey of a business owner is rarely linear. It begins with chaos, uncertainty, and the urgent need for validation. In the early stage, the product-market fit is unclear, and survival takes priority. Resilience and belief are often the only fuel an entrepreneur has. We are unsure whether our business idea will become a winner or a failure. Most decisions are taken solely by the owner, and many struggle to stay afloat. At this point, some even give up and return to salaried jobs. Out of every 100 who venture into business, only four or five manage to succeed. But history offers us inspiration like the story of Ghazni Muhammad, who failed 17 times but never gave up and eventually succeeded. That persistence is what defines this stage.
The second stage is that of a survivalist. The business begins to generate enough income to meet
personal needs. However, the owner still handles everything directly, wearing multiple hats. The danger at this stage lies in becoming too comfortable with mere survival and losing sight of greater ambition. A contented mindset is not good for a business. I recall working in our family business after graduation for about eight months. My father had a conservative approach he believed in running the business without expansion. But my brothers were driven by ambition. They wanted to grow and take risks. Eventually, my father retired, and my brothers took over with a vision to scale the business.
Stage three is the growth architect phase. The business begins generating profits, and the idea of expansion becomes viable. At this point, the owner must focus on building systems, processes, delegation, and a pursuit of excellence. It requires a critical shift from working in the business to working on the business. When you're working in the business,
“Resilience and belief are often the only fuel an entrepreneur has.”
you do everything yourself. But working on the business means you step back, create structure, and lead strategically. When I started my own venture, I was doing everything from procurement to delivery. But as the business grew, I realised that scaling up demanded a shift in mindset. I had to enable systems and trust people.
The fourth stage is about becoming a system builder. This is when the business becomes selfsustaining and runs efficiently even in the absence of the owner. At this point, the focus turns to building scale and investing in the brand. As Dr. David Schwartz says in The Magic of Thinking Big, people who hesitate to share their dreams rarely achieve them. When you openly speak of your ambition to grow big, you reinforce your own commitment to achieving greatness. It’s at this stage that you begin to think beyond profit you begin to think of impact.
Stage five marks the emergence of a serial entrepreneur. Here, the owner begins to explore new opportunities, launches new ventures, and manages a portfolio of businesses. Delegation becomes absolutely critical. Technology becomes a core enabler
“It requires a critical shift from working in the business to working on the business.”
in scaling operations across ventures. At this level, the entrepreneur is no longer just building a company; they are shaping an ecosystem.
Finally, stage six is that of a legacy builder. The focus now shifts to mentoring others and creating opportunities for them to grow. The business becomes a platform for enabling others' aspirations. The owner begins to think about legacy not just in terms of wealth, but in terms of values, leadership, and culture that will outlive them.
Across all these six stages, some traits remain constant. Grit is essential the inner toughness to handle rejection and setbacks. A learning mindset is critical to constantly improve and evolve. Taking full ownership, without blaming others, is a hallmark of a responsible leader. Customer obsession solving real problems with genuine intent must remain at the core. Finally, adaptability is key: the ability to pivot with purpose when circumstances change.
I have made many mistakes along the way. When I first started, I didn’t even know how to order materials. Often, I would overstock, which disturbed
person is a product of their own thinking.”
the working capital and strained the cash balance. When supplier payments became overdue, I would ask my staff to say, “Sir is not in office.” But one day, I realised I was setting the wrong example. I decided to face the issue myself. When I finally answered the supplier’s call, he was understandably upset about the delayed payment. I requested him for two weeks’ time. I then borrowed money from another source and repaid him on the promised date.
That episode was a turning point. It made me reflect on the importance of inventory management and cash flow planning. I needed support so I hired a Chartered Accountant to guide financial discipline and a planner to help structure operations. The finance head began providing regular cash flow forecasts. That was when I realised: business is not just about courage and passion it’s about systems, accountability, and planning.
An essential element of grit is also governance. As a business owner, you should feel confident enough to leave the office, knowing that your No. 2 will not discover or expose any unethical practices. For that, you must create a culture of transparency and set up proper systems. Good governance is not optional; it is foundational.
We eventually began confronting our problems head-on. I made it a habit to discuss challenges with “A
the team and brainstorm for solutions. Many valuable ideas came from the grassroots. I would not have grown if I had kept everything to myself. Involving the team created a sense of ownership and brought in perspectives I would have otherwise missed.
Another critical trait is learning agility the mindset of learning it all rather than assuming you know it all. I’ve always been fond of books and powerful quotes. One of my favourite quotes is: “A person is a product of their own thinking.” Many of us go through life as accidental thinkers. Over time, I’ve transformed into a more methodical thinker.
In today’s world, independent thinking is scarce. We’re constantly flooded with notifications, messages, and distractions. To reclaim my focus, I began using my travel time for reflection. One book that deeply influenced me was The Ten Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management by Dr. Hyrum Smith. One idea from that book has stayed with me for years: invest at least 2.5 hours every day in yourself.
I adopted a simple routine wake up at 5:30 a.m. and use the time from 5:30 to 8:00 a.m. purely for self-growth. Initially, waking up early was hard, but within three months it became a structured habit. During that time, I would read management books, jot down key insights, and plan how to apply them. I would even insert these actions in my calendar. Over
“Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.”
time, I saw tangible changes more confidence, bolder decision-making, and sharper clarity. Because knowledge, when used, becomes real power.
Your business can grow only as fast as you grow in mindset and thinking. A sportsperson trains daily. A musician practices every day. But as business owners, many of us neglect preparation. Without preparation, you cannot succeed.
Ownership is not just about having control it’s about taking full responsibility. Start solving; stop blaming. In growing companies, great teams are built on a foundation of strong accountability. In the legacy phase, reputation becomes your capital and ownership is what protects it. I often remind myself of the phrase: “Victims wait. Owners act.” As entrepreneurs, we must stop blaming the environment and start declaring: “I will grow despite the environment.” A complaining mindset can never create a successful enterprise.
Customer obsession must be your north star. It is not about discounting, but about delighting the customer. Identify ways in which you can exceed
customer expectations through innovation, service quality, product variety, or experience. That’s how you create your own moat a unique competitive advantage that sets your business apart. Your moat becomes your USP.
Warren Buffett avoids investing in businesses that lack a moat. Take the example of Asian Paints. Their moat lies in their phenomenal distribution network. While there were many paint companies in the market, most failed to scale. Asian Paints did something different they studied the market closely and found that dealers had to maintain large inventories of different paint shades. So they promised a new solution to the dealers: “We’ll collect your requirements every evening and deliver them the next day.” They introduced paint mixing in their own godowns, strengthened their delivery system, and dramatically improved service. As a result, dealers started shifting to Asian Paints, as it allowed them to operate with minimal inventory.
Today, Asian Paints continues to grow by embracing marketing innovations, customer-centric practices, and operational excellence. Their success story reinforces one simple truth: customer obsession executed with insight and consistency builds enduring businesses.
One software company made a bold claim: they could execute any order at 30% less cost. Their strategy was to pass a 10% discount to the customer while retaining the remaining 20% as their margin. This highlights an important lesson creating a moat or differentiation is critical for long-term success.
If you own a sweet shop and the next shop also sells sweets, relying solely on discounts won’t take you far. You can't build a sustainable business just by lowering prices. This is where business owners must spend serious time thinking about how to differentiate their product or service. True growth comes from standing out.
Adaptability is the ultimate survival skill for any business. Dinosaurs, despite their size, became extinct because they couldn't adapt. The same fate has befallen many businesses that failed to evolve. Today, artificial intelligence (AI) presents both a challenge and an opportunity. New-age business models are constantly disrupting older ones. Amazon, for instance, displaced countless physical bookstores. According to an article in The Economic Times, over two lakh kirana shops have shut down, unable to compete with the rise of e-commerce.
I operate in the consumer goods sector, and I believe AI will play a transformative role in generating consumer insights. If I don’t adapt to AI, my company risks becoming irrelevant. That’s why we invest significant effort in change and renewal to stay relevant, responsive, and ready for the future.
Discipline is another essential ingredient for success. Let me ask you how many of you regularly use the calendar app on your smartphone to plan your daily schedule and actually follow it? The use of a
calendar reflects not just time management, but also your ability to plan and maintain discipline. Effective time management should be calendar-driven, not memory-driven. A disciplined routine ensures consistency, productivity, and peace of mind.
Values are the bedrock of trust. Reputation takes decades to build, but can be destroyed in a matter of seconds. That’s why values must guide your decisions and form the foundation of lasting trust. Early in my journey, I started writing down my personal governing values. Initially, there were just seven. Over time, that list has grown to 54. I review them periodically and ask myself if I am truly walking the talk. One of those values is about spending quality time with family. It’s easy to overlook, but it’s a crucial part of a wellrounded life.
Integrity is your greatest insurance. In business, we must go beyond stakeholder satisfaction we must aim for stakeholder delight. If people are leaving your organisation, don’t simply accept it. Ask why. Often, it’s not just about the job it’s about recognition, growth, and fair compensation.
We run a bakery and a salon. Like many others in the industry, we were facing high attrition. I asked my son, who manages the bakery, whether he could offer take home salaries above the market average. Today, take home pay matters much more than PF and ESI contributions. His immediate concern was that it might affect profit margins. I encouraged him to explore other ways to improve margins instead of cutting back on people. He took the leap and implemented the higher pay structure.
Six months later, we saw the results attrition dropped to zero. When your team feels valued, they stay committed. If your people perform well, there is nothing wrong in paying them more. It's not an expense it's an investment in long-term stability and performance.
Paying vendors and repaying bank loans on time is non-negotiable. A delay in repayment not only incurs overdue interest but also impacts your CIBIL score. Once your credit rating is damaged, banks become cautious, and you may be forced to borrow from private lenders at much higher interest rates.
In my early days, I often delayed loan repayments, thinking it was manageable. But when we completed our first term loan and approached the Tamil Nadu Industrial Investment Corporation (TIIC) for a fresh proposal, they pointed out that we hadn’t paid even a single instalment on time. That was a wake-up call. We immediately tightened our cash flow forecasting and ensured timely repayments. As a result, we were acknowledged as a ‘Green Card’ holder a status that meant our loan applications could be cleared within 24 hours, provided the proposal was sound. From that point onward, we never defaulted.
Initially, we paid salaries on the 5th or even 10th of the month, depending on our cash position. One day, a very efficient employee resigned. When I asked him why, he replied, “Every month, my landlord scolds
me for paying rent late. The new company I’m joining pays on the 1st without fail.” That hit me hard.
Since then, we made it a policy to disburse salaries on the 31st of every month for the upcoming month. Today, this practice has become a powerful retention and recruitment tool. People want to work with us because we respect their dignity and financial planning.
The government is a key stakeholder in any business. Compliance with GST regulations and income tax obligations must be taken seriously. When I first appointed an auditor, he said, “I’ll accept the assignment only if you’re ready to pay income tax.” That surprised me, because most advisors look for ways to minimise tax. But I agreed.
Prompt payment of income tax turned out to be a strategic advantage. It strengthened our financial credibility and allowed us to secure loans from banks sometimes without even offering collateral based purely on the strength of our balance sheet. We started with a modest 25,000 loan. Today, banks extend us credit facilities of up to 500 crores. For new proposals, we even compare offers from multiple banks and choose the one with the best pricing and terms. That’s the reward of being compliant.
Do not divert business funds to build personal wealth. It took me 20 years to buy my first house, and
I did that only after our company’s turnover crossed 300 crores. Until then, I lived in a rented home. That is the level of discipline I believe every entrepreneur must cultivate.
There’s a saying: there are two types of businesses family businesses and business families. In a family business, wealth creation is often familycentric. But in a business family, the priority is the business. And when the business thrives, the family naturally benefits.
Failures are inevitable but they are not the end. Every setback is a rehearsal for resilience. Our approach has always been to fail fast and fail small. We avoid taking giant leaps. Instead, we experiment in small steps, learn quickly, and then scale what works. This mindset allows us to take many more initiatives. Without innovation and risk-taking, growth is not possible.
Surround yourself with people who are better than you. Hire for attitude and train for skill. Your second line defines your ceiling. Many business owners are hesitant to empower others. They prefer giving instructions rather than building capabilities.
In my organisation, when I conduct meetings, not just department heads but two or three of their team members also join. We invite suggestions even from junior employees before implementing any major change. This practice not only improves decisionmaking but also becomes a form of coaching and culture-building.
It’s not about what you have it’s about what you do with it. Limited resources can actually spark greater innovation. Constraints force you to think creatively. In this fast-moving world, focus is a superpower. Don’t chase a hundred rabbits. Catch one. Ruthless prioritisation enables sustained growth. People don’t fail due to lack of funds; they fail due to a lack of ideas.
A friend of mine, who runs a successful internet business and earns 5 lakhs a month, recently told me he wanted to start another venture. I asked him, “Can your current business run without you?” He replied, “No, I manage everything myself.” I cautioned him: “Don’t jump into a second business unless you’ve built a strong second line in the first.” It’s easy to get excited about growth but scaling without structure is a recipe for disaster.
One of the most valuable investments you can make is in yourself. I believe in the power of consistent self-investment, and I’ve seen the results firsthand. Every morning, I follow a structured ritual that includes reflection, visualisation, thinking, learning, planning for the day’s meetings, and exercising to maintain a healthy body.
Health is a priority for me. I am very conscious of my fitness I maintain my weight at 74 kg, regularly monitor it, and avoid unhealthy indulgences. Periodic review of one’s lifestyle and habits is essential for long-term well-being.
Everything is created twice first in the mind, and then in the physical world. That’s the power of visualisation. Leverage this power, and combine it with modern tools. Be digitally savvy. Move beyond pen and paper. Use tools like OneNote or any digital equivalent to organise your thoughts, plans, and insights. Embrace automation. Adopt AI and digital technologies as partners in your journey. When it comes to software or tech investments, don’t compromise. Always go for the best and most powerful solutions that can accelerate your growth.
Powerful habits create high-performing cultures. In our factories, we conduct a 20-minute daily review. It's short and focused, with an emphasis on addressing exceptions. This small yet disciplined practice ensures clarity, responsiveness, and accountability.
Let me recall a powerful quote that has stayed with me:
“Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon must inevitably come to pass.”
In my early days, I travelled by bicycle. When I entered business, I vividly imagined myself riding in a black Benz with beige leather seats, driven by a chauffeur in white uniform and cap. I also dreamed of owning a home with a swimming pool at a time when I was living in a rented flat.
Those dreams were not wishful thinking. They were clear, detailed, and emotionally charged visualisations. They motivated me to act. Over time, they became my reality. That’s the miracle of focused imagination backed by consistent action.
So don’t hesitate write down your dreams and wishes in vivid detail. See them clearly. Believe in them sincerely. And work toward them enthusiastically.
Wish you all the very best in your journey.
Under the ‘Read & Grow’ series, MMA organised a discussion on the theme of the book ‘Emotional Intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ’ written by Daniel Goleman on 17 April 2025 at MMA Management Center Sreenivassan Ramaprasad, Director, CADD Centre Training Services anchored the conversation with V Narasimhan, Facilitator & Leadership Coach; and Somu Chockalingam, Co‐Founder, Doyen Systems Pvt Ltd
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: We are moving towards an increasingly artificial world. Amidst all this automation, emotions remain deeply human. That is why Daniel Goleman’s book on Emotional Intelligence, written 30 years ago is highly relevant today. This book is structured into five parts.
Part I explores the ‘Emotional Brain,’ where Goleman explains how the amygdala, the brain’s emotional centre, often overrides the neocortex, which is responsible for rational thinking. In Part II, he examines the nature of emotional intelligence, arguing that Emotional Quotient (EQ) is as crucial as Intelligence Quotient (IQ) in determining success in life and relationships. He cites the case of a brilliant student who, despite academic excellence, stabbed his teacher highlighting a lack of self-regulation.
FIVE COMPONENTS OF EQ
Goleman outlines five key components of EQ: selfawareness, which involves recognising one’s emotions; self-regulation, which pertains to managing impulses and remaining composed; motivation, which refers to channelling emotions towards goals; empathy, which is the ability to recognise emotions in others; and social skills, which encompass managing relationships effectively.
For self-regulation, M S Dhoni comes to mind. When I think of empathy, I am reminded of the late Ratan Tata, who personally comforted victims of the 26/11 attacks and once skipped an award ceremony at Buckingham Palace because his dog was unwell. Indra Nooyi, during her tenure as President of PepsiCo, exemplified social skills by writing personal letters to employees' parents, thanking them for raising outstanding professionals.
Part III, Emotional Intelligence in Action, examines how EQ manifests in various aspects of life, including marriage, work, health, and education. Goleman introduces the concept of ‘intimate enemies’ couples who, despite once being in love, lose their emotional
“We are moving towards an increasingly artificial world. Amidst all this automation, emotions remain deeply human.”
— Sreenivassan Ramaprasad
connection over time. He asserts that emotional balance is a blend of psychology, biology, and emotional awareness.
Part IV, Windows of Opportunity, focuses on early childhood and how factors such as family, trauma, and temperament shape a child's long-term emotional development. Goleman identifies seven essential ingredients for emotional growth: confidence, curiosity, intentionality, self-control, relatedness, communication, and cooperation.
Part V, Emotional Literacy, underscores the importance of integrating emotional education into schools and colleges. Goleman highlights rising concerns such as social withdrawal, anxiety, attention disorders, and aggression in children, advocating for embedding emotional learning in curricula to equip them with lifelong EQ skills.
During the T20 World Cup final last year, when South Africa was chasing India and needed just a runa-ball, I lost hope. But the final overs completely changed the game. When Suryakumar Yadav took that unbelievable catch on the boundary, I leapt out of my chair in sheer joy. That is the power of emotions.
Goleman’s central message is simple yet profound emotions can be intelligent if we learn to understand
and manage them. IQ may help one succeed in school, but EQ is what truly carries a person through life, shaping relationships, careers, and personal growth.
Somu Chokalingam: I always believed that IQ was something one could improve, but Goleman points out that IQ is largely fixed it does not change significantly over time. Emotional intelligence (EQ), on the other hand, can be developed. In fact, most successful leaders whether in their professional or personal lives tend to possess high EQ. This suggests that continuous effort in enhancing emotional intelligence is essential for success.
The good news is that, according to Goleman, improving EQ is absolutely possible. However, he cautions against attempting to change too many aspects at once. Instead, he advocates focusing on a single behaviour, working on it consistently over a period of three to six months. Once it becomes second nature, then move on to the next. This reminds me of how New Year’s resolutions often fail we start with multiple goals, only for most of them to fall by the wayside within weeks. However, concentrating on one change at a time can be truly effective, and I found this approach both practical and insightful.
Another point that stood out was how emotions bypass logic. When you touch something hot, you react instantly ‘Ouch, it’s hot!’ without any conscious analysis. Similarly, when we are upset, we often resort to curse words, which may lack logical meaning but are deeply ingrained from early life experiences.
“I always believed that IQ was something one could improve, but Goleman points out that IQ is largely fixed —it does not change significantly over time.” — Somu Chokalingam
I come from a large family my father had eight siblings so school vacations were like reunions, with 50 cousins under one roof. Living with so many people taught me valuable lessons in patience, adaptability, and the art of letting go. Although nobody formally taught us emotional intelligence, we absorbed it through real-life interactions, and that early exposure played a key role in shaping our emotional maturity. While it is easier to build emotional intelligence during one's formative years, it is still possible to develop it later in life. However, doing so requires conscious and consistent effort.
Narasimhan: Daniel Goleman says he thought ‘emotional intelligence’ was an oxymoron. Intelligence is about logic, the left-brain stuff and so how can emotions and intelligence be combined? But the concept is about being intelligent with emotions. If I had to master just one of the 5 components of EI, I’d choose self-regulation, because one wrong word at the wrong moment can ruin a relationship or derail a deal. People walk away because they feel judged. In today’s world, we see emotional outburst everywhere, especially in global politics. That’s why self-regulation is so vital.
Empathy, often called the new superpower, is
more important than ever in the age of AI. Despite all the IQ and tech, we are still human beings with feelings and aspirations. Leadership, after all, isn’t about a title. It’s about being emotionally grounded.
Let me share a personal anecdote. I once had the privilege of spending 90 minutes in conversation with M.S. Dhoni, just before COVID. My friend, Subramaniam Badrinath, invited me to a coaches’ workshop at Crown Plaza, Chennai where Dhoni happened to be. That conversation with him remains one of the finest leadership lessons I’ve ever experienced.
I’ll never forget the 2007 T20 World Cup Final between India and Pakistan. In the last over, Pakistan needed 13 runs. Dhoni asked Joginder Sharma to bowl. The first ball was a wide. Dhoni ran up to him not once, but three times. Many of us thought he was advising Joginder. But when I asked Dhoni later what he told him, his response stunned me. Dhoni said, “I didn’t advise him. I ran up to slow down the game so Joginder could catch his breath and bowl rightly.”
That’s pure emotional intelligence under pressure. In an IPL match between CSK and Gujarat Titans, a substitute fielder made an error and the ball went for four. Dhoni ran up again not to scold him but to steady the moment. On the very next ball, the same fielder ran out a Gujarat Titans batsman. Dhoni is a walking, talking lesson in composure and EQ.
Let me contrast that with a famous incident lacking emotional control. In an India-Pak match at Chepauk, India hit 288 off 50 overs and Pakistan innings started. They were 104 for 1 in 13.5 overs and
were set for an easy win. Aamir Sohail hit a boundary off Venkatesh Prasad and gestured arrogantly with his bat. Next ball, Prasad clean-bowled him. That one moment of emotional misjudgement turned the match and Pakistan lost it.
What’s true in cricket is just as true in life. Most relationship breakdowns stem from a lack of selfregulation. Research shows our thoughts shift every 16 seconds. If we can hold ourselves in that brief window and pause through self-regulation, we move from reaction to response.
Here’s a simple metaphor: if a doctor gives medicine and the patient develops a rash, we say the patient ‘reacted.’ If the patient recovers, we say he ‘responded.’ Reaction is negative; response is positive. Self-regulation enables response. Without selfregulation, self-awareness and empathy fall flat. We often live with irrational beliefs like: “People should respect me,” “People should listen when I speak.” These ‘should’s cause unnecessary stress. Selfregulation helps overcome them.
Somu Chokalingam: We often think venting helps us release emotion. But Goleman clarifies: it works for sadness, not anger. Venting anger only escalates it. Deep breathing and pausing are far more effective.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: My father had a short temper. I saw what uncontrolled anger could do, and decided early in life not to be like that. Coming from a technology-driven organisation, how does emotional intelligence play a vital role in fostering innovation, collaboration, and performance?
Somu Chokalingam: We realised early on that we needed help in shaping our company culture, so we engaged external coaches. The first coach we hired, Dr. Soma Valliappan, happened to be a PhD in emotional intelligence. We didn’t hire him for that reason, but it was a blessing in disguise. We learnt a lot.
In our company, nearly 70% of the workforce is under 30. They relate to a very different world watching Karthik Subbaraj and Lokesh Kanagaraj films while our senior management grew up on Bharathiraja and S.P. Muthuraman’s films. Even our customers mostly CIOs are 50+. So, we have to communicate across generational and emotional gaps.
For example, when new hires discuss compensation, they even say, “Don't deduct PF, I’ll manage it.” For them, take-home pay matters more than long-term benefits. Initially, we resisted this mindset. Later, we adapted. We redesigned compensation packages to balance attraction and retention.
To drive innovation, self-awareness is crucial. Unless you know where you stand, you can’t improve. We have implemented several initiatives to foster an emotionally supportive culture within our organisation. The Thank You Pillar allows employees to publicly appreciate one another by writing notes, enhancing both empathy and visibility.
Our Behavioural Awards recognise effort and intent rather than purely performance-based outcomes, ensuring that contributions are valued even if the results do not immediately follow. We introduced
the Helping Hand Award, a monthly recognition for acts of support and kindness, reinforcing the importance of empathy and collaboration in the workplace. Emails are easily missed. But standing together, sharing stories, and recognising people publicly creates emotional resonance. It builds culture and drives connection.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: What emotion do you commonly see in your organisation? Is it anger or happiness?
Somu Chokalingam: Over the past five years, we’ve consistently been recognised as a ‘Great Place to Work.’ Interestingly, the first year we applied, we didn’t even prepare or know what to expect and we were ranked among the Top 20 mid-sized IT firms. After seeing our internal videos and social media clips, several friends told me, “You have a happy group.” So yes, happiness is the dominant emotion we see at our workplace.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: How do you see emotional intelligence transforming leadership styles in Indian organisations?
Narsimhan: It has definitely evolved. Around 25 years ago, leadership was more IQ-driven. The General Manager was usually the “know-it-all” with authority that went unquestioned. Systems back then accepted this top-down, autocratic style.
Post-2000, we’ve seen a shift. Leadership is now expected at all levels. Training is no longer reserved for revenue-generating roles. Today, every function front-end, back-end, operations must be aligned to deliver value to the end customer. This has fuelled a transition from IQ to EQ. With increasing complexity
and the need to handle change management, diversity, digital transformation, leaders need to respond, not react.
In the Sundaram Finance Group, every major training intervention includes emotional intelligence whether for senior leaders or entry-level employees. We also have robust induction programs, especially for lateral hires from different industries and age groups. Cultural alignment is crucial. We aim to build both IQ and EQ. As they say, “IQ gets you hired, EQ helps you grow.”
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: Is there a shift from autocratic to empathetic leadership?
Narsimhan: Absolutely. The shift didn’t happen only because of the leaders it happened because of the system and the next generation. Today’s youth don’t blindly obey authority. This generation questions everything. That has pushed leaders to evolve. Empathy is no longer optional.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: Among the five components of emotional intelligence, which do you think is most critical for grooming future tech leaders?
Somu Chokalingam: I lean towards self-awareness, because it’s what helped me the most. I come from a strong tech background. I worked with GE and Oracle and had high expectations when we started Doyen Systems. I expected the same performance standards from a small startup team. When that didn’t happen, I’d get upset, even arrogant. I thought I was justified after all, I’d invested time and money.
But working with coaches helped me look in the
mirror and realise the problem wasn’t always the team. It was how I was communicating expectations. Once I became aware of my own triggers and behavior, it opened the door to self-regulation and better leadership. When dealing with younger employees, we often fail to see things from their perspective. Developing self-awareness helps bridge that gap.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: At Sundaram Finance, how have you developed emotional intelligence capabilities among mid- and senior-level leaders?
Narsimhan: The TVS family already has a high spiritual quotient. You walk into any Sundaram office, and you feel the culture. No one needs to tell you it’s there. As the organization grows, we onboard people from diverse backgrounds, industries, and generations. Delivering the same ‘Sundaram Experience’ across branches from Adyar in Chennai to Bhatinda in Punjab is our hallmark. This consistency requires service-mindedness and empathy and values like fair play and relationships.
We launched a program called Sundaram Seva, rooted in empathy, to instill this culture in all 10,000+ employees and associates, including outsourced staff. The MD says, “I don’t pay your salary the customer does.” That’s our service mindset.
We also adopted Nonviolent Communication (NVC) from Dr. Marshall Rosenberg. His premise is simple: we are all bundles of needs and feelings. When our needs are unmet, we become reactive. For senior leaders, we implemented ‘EQ coaching’ through Coaching
Foundation India. Every leadership intervention includes an EI component. We even launched a six-day program called ‘Winning Through People’ for mid-level managers, especially to improve head office–branch relationships, which can be strained during highpressure periods like fiscal year-end.
We didn’t call it ‘emotional intelligence training’, but embedded it subtly, with focus on responding rather than reacting. It made a big impact on collaboration across our vast branch network. To scale this, we trained 150 internal gurus each responsible for coaching and mentoring 100 employees. That’s how we institutionalized EI across the organisation.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: How do you build emotional resilience and maintain the balance between assertiveness and emotional control?
Somu Chokalingam: In software development, the development phase is relatively safer where we can test and fix things. But once a product goes live, the pressure to resolve issues quickly escalates. Especially during month-end closures, financial systems must work flawlessly. Those last few days of the month are extremely intense.
We offer training, but never label it as ‘anger management.’ That won’t work. Instead, we package it as leadership programs, where emotional regulation is subtly included. We also use tools like MBTI assessments to help team members understand their behavioural patterns. Initially, people resist and say, “This is not me!” But when we connect it with real incidents, they begin to see its value.
More importantly, we emphasise customer delight
that’s our central mantra. Every meeting I attend ends with a conversation about customer satisfaction. When people understand the bigger goal, and they’re selfaware of their behavior and impact, they become more open to change. We also recognize that some behaviours won’t change with age. So as leaders, we focus on enabling strengths rather than highlighting weaknesses. This helps build a more resilient, emotionally intelligent culture over time.
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: What advice would you give to L&D professionals who want to embed EQ as a cultural pillar rather than treat it as a training checklist?
Narsimhan: My strong advice do not wait. Research shows that 66% of career derailments stem from poor emotional intelligence, while 90% of high performers score highly on EQ. Leaders with strong emotional intelligence deliver 20% better business results, and employees who cultivate EQ tend to earn more over time. The business case is clear delaying is not an option. However, it is crucial to consider your organisation’s specific context and tailor programmes accordingly, particularly for different groups within a multi-generational workforce. There is a common belief that EQ naturally improves with age, but that is not always the case. My recommendation is to start early. Since everyone experiences emotions, emotional intelligence training is essential for everyone.
How do you integrate Emotional Intelligence into your training methodologies?
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: In my sessions, I don’t say, “I’m here to train you.” I say, “We’re here to learn together.” That subtle shift creates immediate connection, which is foundational to EQ. In all my programs, I focus on interaction and openness to learning. When learners feel understood, emotional intelligence gets embedded naturally. The takeaway isn’t just knowledge it’s emotional connection.
How has Emotional Intelligence contributed to your organisational culture?
Somu Chokalingam: Self‐awareness was the foundation. Then came empathy, which we fostered through practices like the Helping Hands award and Behavioural Recognition. Using coaches made a huge difference. We know what’s good like waking up early to exercise but we rarely follow through Coaches reflect reality, help you course‐correct, and hold you accountable.
How do you explain a top executive or leader—even in global politics—reaching a high position despite lacking
Sreenivassan Ramaprasad: Without EQ, even top leadership can be a disaster. So I hope such individuals find a coach and that would be the greatest success in history!
Why do we observe that people in countries like the USA appear calm even under stress, while Indians—especially South Indians are more reactive?
Narasimhan: We Indians are emotionally expressive because our culture is relationship‐oriented. Emotions flow freely where expectations and bonding run deep. This isn’t a flaw—it’s a strength. Take the traditional Seemandham ritual where a pregnant mother stays in a calm, caring environment. It’s not just custom it nurtures emotional well‐being for the next generation. Moreover, yogic practices like pranayama help manage emotional energy. I’ve studied 120 corporate professionals and those who practiced yoga scored significantly higher in emotional intelligence. So we don’t need to suppress our emotions. We only need to channel them constructively.
How do you ensure your personal stress or mood doesn’t negatively affect your team?
Somu Chokalingam: This is a very real challenge. I learned the hard way during my first people management role at GE. I used to hire based on who I thought was ‘as good as me’ which is the wrong lens. My manager corrected me and said, “You’re not hiring a clone you’re hiring for the job.”
What has helped me is cultivating self‐awareness recognising when I am in a bad mood and acknowledging its impact. Feedback from my team has also been invaluable; in an open culture, they can gently alert me when my emotions might be affecting interactions. Another effective strategy is delaying my response—taking a break rather than reacting in the moment ensures greater composure. I also find that switching mediums helps; if I feel upset during a call, I defer the discussion to an in‐person meeting, where I tend to be much calmer. Ultimately, awareness, pausing, and empathy work wonders in navigating emotions effectively.
What strategies can young professionals use to develop emotional intelligence alongside technical skills?
Narasimhan: Honestly, most young professionals already have EQ it’s in our culture. Children instinctively offer elders a seat. That kind of behaviour stems from culture and upbringing, shaping emotional intelligence in subtle but powerful ways.
Developing emotional intelligence does not require complicated strategies; it simply calls for intentional living and awareness. Family serves as one of the best schools for emotional intelligence, where interactions teach patience, empathy, and resilience. Practising yoga or breathing techniques such as pranayama can be transformative, as breath and emotion are deeply interconnected, helping regulate mood and emotional responses. Emotional intelligence is not just learned it is experienced, refined, and strengthened through mindful engagement with the world around us.
How do you incorporate EQ in corporate leadership?
Narasimhan: Let me refer to the Radical Candor model by Kim Scott. Picture a 2x2 matrix with four quadrants as below:
•Low empathy, low challenge is Manipulative Insincerity
•High empathy, low challenge is Ruinous Empathy
•Low empathy, high challenge is Obnoxious Aggression
•High empathy, high challenge is Radical Candor
Leaders must operate in that last quadrant caring deeply and challenging directly.
