Rajan Singh on LinkedIn: Too much of inspiration and too little perspiration is injurious to your… | 23 comments (2024)

When Laxman Narasimhan, the Starbucks CEO, lost his job, many said, "That is what happens when you don't work past 6 pm."However, his replacement Brian Niccol also says, "I refuse to work past 6 pm."Now what? 😊 I don't know how Brian will fare at Starbucks, and I hope he succeeds. But he has done REALLY well at Chipotle. Had he been a guy working till 11 pm every day--and there are CEOs who do that--we may have immediately concluded that without 14-hour-days, CEOs can't succeed.We are quick to validate the conclusions we cherish. But the truth is that success has too many input variables. Some CEOs work till 6 pm, and surely there are other successful ones who work till 11 pm. That's just one variable! All things being equal, my hunch is that when you have more mind space, you can think more creatively and see patterns/opportunities that you might miss otherwise. Success is not easy to explain, but borrowing a phrase from Jason Fried, I can say with confidence: It does not have to be crazy at work. ***At HabitStrong, I offer programs for calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building focus: www.habitstrong.com

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In my mid-twenties, when I was a newbie cop, my boss (Mr. Vinson Paul) would listen to us as if whatever we were saying was really profound. So much so that sometimes, it would make me uncomfortable! As a Deputy Inspector General (DIG), his rank was much higher than my puny rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police. And in the uniformed services, only the bosses talk and the juniors listen. Yet, he gave you the courtesy that very few did. And that is something I won't forget. Listening is a mark of respect; it is an act of generosity. Yet, we find it very hard to do because we can't keep our mouth shut or give up the urge to say something smarter. And even when we listen, we are more worried about how we will reply rather than understanding the other person. I know this because I have done all of the above. 😊 If you want to be generous and kind, you don't need to give away money--just listen to people like they matter. Often, that is all it takes. ***At HabitStrong, I offer programs for calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building focus: www.habitstrong.com

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Yesterday, Nafisa Turabi messaged me, asking me to write about the Kolkata rape case. I honestly don't know where to start. But let me talk about one evening in 1991, when our hostel in IIT Kanpur was celebrating Hall Day.A bunch of us were walking towards Hall 3 with a few girls in our group. And some 2nd-year students started making aggressive lewd remarks (I even remember the name of the gang leader). Ashamed and shocked, I did not know what to do -- we all pretended like nothing happened. Our silence enabled this behavior, while those guys tried to look macho. That is how we build impunity. That is how it becomes okay to misbehave with women. That is how we embolden molestation and rape.In any society there will be criminals and perverts. But that is NOT the point. The real point is -- what about the rest of us? Are we enabling that depravity, even if unintentionally, by tolerating and even justifying bad behavior (e.g., "boys will be boys")?And many people will hate me for saying this -- are we not enabling it when our outrage is affected by the politics/religion of the victim or the perpetrator? When rape/molestation happens or is alleged, do we condemn it universally, or do 'terms and conditions' apply? We can do all the whatabouttery we like, but when we kept quiet or chose sides, we enabled these crimes. We can't have selective justice. Justice flows from the laws and the Constitution. But it also flows from you and me -- the way we behave day-to-day. Next, talking about the government and the police: I have only one thing to say -- your job is to do justice, not to manage the 'image' or do politics. Act swiftly, boldly, and ruthlessly (as per law) -- no matter who is involved. If you want to really fix this problem, the Police, like the judiciary, has to be independent (at least for crime investigation). But who wants that?As regards our criminal justice system, and how broken it is, I will have to probably talk for hours -- this post won't be enough. Maybe, I will share some thoughts on YouTube. We are all outraged but if it does not deliver an impetus to real change, we will keep crying hoarse periodically. And nothing will change. Ask for justice, ask for change -- not just in this one case, but for all women.

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During a finance class at Wharton, our professor shared how the UK was still paying for the Anglo-French wars fought centuries ago. It turns out that to finance the war, the then government issued a type of debt where they pay only the interest, not the principal. Therefore, this debt, called a perpetual bond, literally stays forever. So in 2000s, the government was technically still financing a war with the French, their fellow EU members. Looking back, French and UK citizens will wonder -- what was all that hating and killing for? All our hostilities are like that. Fuelled by history, politics and so on, we start treating others like enemies. But one day, it will all look so ridiculous! Humanity is divided by borders, ethnicity, religion, community, language, etc. But beneath those superficial differences, we all want the same thing -- peace and happiness. This Independence Day, may we find the good sense and courage to treat fellow humans just like we treat our loved ones. Let us stop hating and demonising others -- embrace them. That ought to be the spirit of our Independence Day. Without that, everything will just become a ritual. Happy Independence Day.

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Every time Independence Day approaches, on the roads of Trivandrum (where I live), poor people start knocking your car doors at traffic junctions, trying to sell Indian flags. They know that we want to celebrate Independence Day, and a flag would make us feel good. But what about these flag sellers? What does Independence Day mean for them really, if this is how they sustain themselves? We are all no strangers to poverty and destitution -- it is all around us. So these people selling flags to survive is no new information. Yet, even though we know this -- the contrast between them and us, sitting in A/C cars, is unsettling. I know that this problem is not easy to solve; it needs decades of economic growth AND equity (both, not just one). Also, just feeling bad is pointless without any action. Still, it is important that we don't deny their existence or be ashamed of them. And when possible, be kind and considerate, and support policies and actions that help the less privileged, not just the middle and upper classes. When others also have a shot at happiness, we will also be happier. We are all connected.

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In my previous startup, whenever I had stressful days (and sadly, there were many), I would be frosty and edgy. What I did not realize is that when I stopped smiling, it changed the whole office temperature. People around me would go silent -- no laughing or joking. In turn, their frosty silence probably cascaded to the next set of people. And when people are silent and apprehensive, creativity and enthusiasm take a back seat. In short, the boss's mood triggers a contagion. Yes, managers and leaders also experience the same emotions as everyone else. But their emotions disproportionately impact their teams.That is why, the higher we are in the hierarchy, the more we have to be mindful of how we display our emotions. Not that we have to become robots or suppress our feelings. But we need to learn how to handle or express them without triggering a contagion. And over the years, I have been able to change that to an extent. As much as intellect, problem-solving, and domain expertise matter, sometimes, learning how to handle our emotions matters even more. It is funny how after all our education and experience, a flash of anger or disappointment is sometimes enough to trip us.***At HabitStrong, I offer programs for calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building focus: www.habitstrong.com

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In 2006, during my summer internship, Kevin Sharer, the then CEO of Amgen, was invited to speak at McKinsey's New York office -- he was an alumnus of the Firm. After his talk, someone asked him, "What is the hardest part of being a good CEO?"He said, "Some jobs require you to think at a 60,000-foot level. You think about strategy, competition, and all the big picture stuff. Some other jobs need you to think at the 6-foot level -- you get into an incredible level of detail."A CEO has to be able to operate at the 60,000-foot level, at the 6-foot level, and at every level in between. And you have to be able to make these transitions nearly instantly -- sometimes from one meeting to another."This ability to effortlessly move up and down the ladder of abstraction is one of the hardest things about a CEO's job."As the CEO, one moment, you might be figuring out why the assembly line is breaking down. The next moment, you might be looking at entering a new market. Nothing is off the table.The higher your ambition, the wider the range of issues you should be willing to grapple with. Some people have depth. Some have breadth. If you want to be a leader, you need both. 😊 ***At HabitStrong, I offer programs for calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building focus: www.habitstrong.com

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I recently met a friend who has done very well professionally. And during our meeting, he happened to take out his wallet. The wallet was so frayed at the edges that it seemed like it would disintegrate any time. But he was not self-conscious about it at all. Despite his incredible talent and intellect, he has no pretense -- no sense of 'What will people think.' When he visits me, he usually borrows a car from some family member -- sometimes a small car, sometimes a big one, but neither he cares, nor do I. But just imagine what freedom this carefree attitude gives him! When you don't have to worry about appearances, everything becomes so simple, and you can focus on the things that really matter. Just imagine if he worried about fancy cars, wearing only certain brands, or traveling a certain way -- it would take away so much peace of mind. Even though I am aware of it, over the years, I have also 'upgraded' in many ways. Still, it is very useful to maintain some restraint, and more importantly, not get too attached to things. We are all susceptible to external opinions, and it is not possible to totally eliminate them. But remember that every attachment you add, takes away a freedom you had. Money may come and go. But that freedom we lose is priceless. ***At HabitStrong, I offer programs for calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building focus: www.habitstrong.com

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The biggest threat to business leaders is not laziness, but constant hyperactivity. When you are frantically replying to emails and WhatsApp all the time, here is what happens:1. Your mind is so caught up in this survival game that you can hardly step back to assess the real dangers and opportunities in your business. But that is a leader's real job -- to solve the problems that have not yet arisen. 2. A hyper-busy mind can't think creatively, connect the dots, or generate fresh ideas. For that, you need mental space. That is one reason why companies organize off-sites. That is also why Bill Gates used to spend two weeks in the wilderness, cut off from busyness. 3. When you are constantly busy, you feel like a martyr who will be rewarded by karma. Unfortunately, the world doesn't give a damn, unless your products or services are good. 4. Hyperactivity leads to bad decisions. And the more hyperactive you are, the more bad decisions you make. In fact, the founder of one imploding EdTech startup used to proudly proclaim that he worked 18 hours a day, for 18 years. You can't extrapolate one data point, but take it for what it's worth.Think of your work as a vector quantity -- both magnitude and direction matter. Hyperactivity amplifies the magnitude and derails the direction. ***At HabitStrong, I offer programs for calm productivity, digital de-addiction, and building focus: www.habitstrong.com

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