canvas

Who decides that the sculpture is ideal? Perhaps the magnificence of a stone that’s unchiseled and unchallenged is unparalleled. Perhaps, its wholesome nature is its beauty. Perhaps, no chiseling is necessary.

We had a fascinating task during our introductory ‘kick off day’ at the University of Amsterdam. Approximately 1300 students from the business administration class of 2022, belonging to 60 different nationalities, were assigned into 12 smaller groups and briefed on how the course is structured.

My introspection has a mix of arrogance and detachment, a mix of anger and forgiveness. It is also improper to disconnect ethics from commercial wisdom. My decision had a distinct sense of foresight and prioritisation. Perhaps saving money was a short term benefit, and saving my company’s reputation from a malicious campaign was long term.

You are magical. You have founded something already – your own company, your own work of art, your own initiative if you are an employee, your own kid if you are a parent, your parents if you are a kid – and the innate belief and love for what you have created makes you do wonderful things.

The top 5% is subjective, and you locate that fit by prioritising parameters per job description. You will not look for skills fit for an operations manager, in a human resources professional. Once this puzzle is solved, hiring for the best skill becomes a breeze.

Confident knowledge of the ball in the air. Knowing why it’s there. Your friend threw it in the air for you. The slight anxiety, of the possibility, that you take a wrong step and let it slip through. Ball is thrown with calculated risk. But there is no plan B. And as it hurtles towards you following a predictable path, you understand that predictability is no guarantee of success.

It all boils down to greatness, which ought to be the goal behind your every pursuit. What’s the point of spending your life doing something if you do not excel at it? Make it through the grind, or let it break your back. Fail once, go out and fail again. Try again till you succeed. Once you are committed for the long run, there is no looking back.

When we focus on design, customer experience and customer service – it stands for the effort put into holding on tight. Revenue is the mother, of course, it’s the reason the business survives, why the business was even born. But if we lose our grip and allow ourselves to lose focus on design, experience and service – we fall.

I have beheld oceans. Conversations so intense, I sipped at them like fine wine. Teams with just the right balance, resolving nagging issues with rabid speed and ingenuity. Brand stories so compelling, it made a stranger want to know the people who built those.

Experience in a responsible company would make them a lot more money later, than a high paying job in an irresponsible company right now. It is easy for fresh talent to be misled, and that’s where aggressive young organisations have to show restraint. Money cannot buy customer loyalty, money cannot buy talent.

Look into every minute detail and nip the issue in the bud. It might take time, might result in lost tempers and momentary disillusionment. But in the end, it would be worth it. Empires have been built on solid roads, not hollow ambitions. Conglomerates are built on hefty balance sheets and profits, not borrowed money and ever growing debts.