THE WISE LEADER

September 11, 2019

Distant Thunder and Sher Khan

11th September 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

I responded to an event organizer’s request for an unconventional biodata about myself by sending something like
September 3, 2019

Directors should act on signals

29th August 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

How do you deal with a high performing CEO, who is arrogant, in-your-face and cocky? Watch very carefully for prodromal signals and act on the 5C’s: consider, consult, counsel, coach and, if all fail, then confront
July 5, 2019

Wise leaders listen to the messages of kibitzers

5th July 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

Kibitzer is a Yiddish word for a spectator of bridge or chess, who offers unsolicited advice in chess, bridge, sports or even business.
June 8, 2019

Cautionary stories about leadership psychopathy

7th June 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

Success can make a person rich but can also pose personal and reputational risks. After my book was published recently (Crash, Penguin, 2019), a few readers expressed incredulity about how power could actually “damage” the brain.
May 14, 2019

A superb CEO should better avoid chairing the same company

10th May 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

A superb CEO retires from executive position and becomes the non-executive chairman (NEC) of the same company. Is it a good idea or a bad one? Opinions are probably loaded on both sides of the argument, and there is no yes or no answer.
April 12, 2019

The concept of ‘promoter’ is dead

12th April 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

In other countries, the concept of the founder/promoter of a company has relevance at the time of the founding—whose idea it was or who initiated formation of the company, a bit like the parents’ names when a child is born.
March 15, 2019

What should a director do if she senses smoke

15th March 2019 BUSINESS STANDARD

On 20th January 2019, Los Angeles Times carried a report about the allegedly toxic leadership style and adverse impact on colleagues of an important public figure, the Chancellor of the University of California.
January 7, 2019

Mahabharata in corporate governance

04th January 2019 BUSINESS STANDARDD

2018 threw up too many serious episodes concerning corporate governance. Blood brothers fought each other bitterly; one CEO’s cavalier treatment of his co-brother’s family appeared downright mean
December 8, 2018

How to improve board dynamics

7th December 2018 BUSINESS STANDARD

In my column of 14th September 2018, I mentioned some factors which could cause a leader to feel vulnerable and become prone to a governance mishap