Amit Ghosh’s Post

What gives a leader fulfillment in life? For many, it is work that does.  Work is a big part of their identity. Work has an oversized impact on their self-worth. Work is where they spend most of their waking time. Often, these leaders want to: - Make an impact by growing revenue and profits. - Lead bigger and better teams. These leaders may also want to: - Solve complex problems. - Work on problems that challenge them. But every so often, business goes into a steady state. The impact is predictable and stagnating. The problems are not complex anymore. Their life gets boring and unfulfilling. This raises questions in their mind: - Am I at the right place? - Or should I do something else? - Can I create more impact elsewhere? Beneath these questions is an emotional void. A void of fulfillment and satisfaction. And a lack of excitement for their work. To fill this void, they look around for answers. They believe their answer is somewhere outside. But there is another place to look: inside themselves. If they looked inside, they would find: - A heart full of complex problems worth solving. - An opportunity to create an impact on their own well-being. - And as a result, the well-being of those around them. As Carl Jung once said,  "Your vision will become clear  Only when you can look into your own heart.  Who looks outside, dreams;  Who looks inside, awakes." Are you a successful founder or leader searching for fulfillment? If yes, DM me for a fulfilling conversation.

"Perfectionism does not spring primarily from a love of perfection in and of itself. It has its origins in the far more regrettable feeling of never being good enough. It is rooted in self hatred, sparked by memories of being disapproved of, or neglected by those who should have esteemed us warmly in childhood" Source: The School of Life

“Can empathy be learned?” asked a friend. Empathy, to me, has always meant: To put myself in someone else's shoes. To experience their emotional state. To understand their thoughts and experiences. From their perspective. In my experience, I have noticed that it’s quite hard, To experience the other person’s emotional state, At least for those of us who rely heavily on intellect. Vs relying on heart, or gut. But it is not an impossible goal. One needs the ability to connect at an emotional level. To feel what the other feels. But to do so, we have to get in touch. Firstly with ourselves. With our suffering, fear, anger, joy, and excitement. With our beliefs and values. With our identity and ego. Only then, can we “feel” the other person. Only then, can we truly connect. Thich Nhat Hanh, a revered monk and teacher, says it beautifully: “If we are unable to be in touch with ourselves, to understand ourselves, then we are not in communication with ourself. If we can’t communicate with ourself, how can we communicate with another person?” Therefore, the journey starts with self. But there’s another aspect of empathy. To understand the thoughts and experiences of the other person. This in my experience, is relatively easier. As compared to connecting at an emotional level. It requires us to learn a few skills. First, listening with no agenda. Second, maintaining (and nurturing) curiosity. And third, asking open ended questions. If one can do these three things well. It is significant progress. Towards learning to be empathetic. What do you think? Can empathy be learned?

“You are generally calm”. I had heard that before. But he asked, “how are you so calm?” That was new for me. No one had asked that before. I thought to myself, “I am not always calm”. That was my self critic speaking. I was struggling to take a compliment. I have come to realise that the struggle is normal. I reflected on his question. Many habits help me be calm. Like: A good nights sleep. Healthy, easy to digest food. Daily exercise.  Meditation. No (or less) alcohol. Many mindsets help me be calm. Like: The worst I usually imagine, is frankly not as bad as I imagine. Happiness is not so hard to achieve. Happiness has a weak correlation with more money (or its’ proxies). I will never reach “enough”. It’s a moving goal post. I may not be great. But that is okay, as long as I keep improving. Last but not the least. One practice has helped me significantly. Being vulnerable about my failings. Sharing my failings with others. Initially, with my close cohort (family + friends) Off late, with any genuine listener. Failing is okay. Everyone is failing. At something. And that is okay. What helps you be calm?

“You can overcome all the problems that you have. It doesn't matter what problems you have, if you believe in yourself, you have a really good team around, and you work hard - everything can turn around." - Carlos Alcaraz on winning Indian Wells 2024. It is a gem of a reminder that what we believe in, and who we surround ourselves with, can turn our fortune! https://lnkd.in/gUJTS4ia

An easy #leadership #hack - #create a #common #understanding of commonplace terms you use every day. Most used commonplace terms are 1) quality 2) accountability 3) transparency 4) ownership 5) speed 6) efficiency 7) growth 8) initiative If you are struggling with quality of output, define comprehensively what best in class quality looks like. For example, if your team is creating low quality powerpoint presentations, then help them understand what a best in class presentation is, and what components of that are missing in their current work. If you are struggling with team members who are not accountable, define what accountable means to you, and the behaviours that demonstrate accountability. For example, being accountable may equate to never giving excuses, and always holding the baton of responsibility. It may also mean always going the extra mile. Most professionals have an understanding of the commonplace terms. But in my experience, leaders attach various nuances to the dictionary definition of a commonplace term. And leaders watch for certain behaviours that demonstrate, for example, accountability, transparency or ownership. It is upon us, as leaders, that our teams understand the definition, nuances, and related behaviours we are observing. By working towards a common understanding, we mitigate misunderstanding, frustration, time/effort wastage and sub-par performance. Have you used this hack before? If yes, what was the outcome? I would love to know, so please chime in the comments.

Every #founder cares deeply about what they are building. Care is a strong driving force. But care also brings pain. In my experience, I have noticed great founders care about: 1) The mission that sparked their journey. It is not just business, it's a calling 2) Their team who are not just colleagues, but often feel like family on a shared journey 3) A commitment to financial discipline, and balancing growth with prudence 4) Personal and team well-being, and a clear understanding that health fuels success 5) The relentless pursuit of customer satisfaction 6) Crafting a high quality, innovative product that stands apart 7) Winning, a concept unique to each founder But when you care, you are inevitably inviting some pain, which arises when: 1) Excuses replace progress 2) Finger-pointing disrupts teamwork 3) A trusted leader delivers only mediocrity 4) Frugality is cast aside in the name of growth 5) Bidding farewell to a cherished idea or innovation that once felt like a part of you 6) Personal sacrifices that go unnoticed, even by those closest to you (e.g. your spouse) 7) Letting go of early team members who once were pillars, but no longer fit as the business evolves Caring deeply is akin to nurturing a relationship — filled with moments of both joy and heartache. The temptation to withdraw, to shield oneself from the pain is a path against nature. It leads to a different pain. The only way out is accept that 'with #caring, comes #pain.' Let me know what you think?

“What’s the difference between an excuse and explanation?” asked the founder to his team. In my view, an excuse is when 1️⃣ You feel like a victim of circumstances or people 2️⃣ You do not feel responsible to find a way out 3️⃣ You are close minded and not open for ideas On the other hand, an explanation is when 1️⃣ You are not the victim, and neither are you the villain 2️⃣ You take full responsibility and accountability to find a way out 3️⃣ You are open minded to learn from others Here are two common examples to illustrate the point Example 1: Missed Deadlines Excuse: "We couldn't meet the project deadline because the team was overwhelmed with other tasks." Explanation: "We missed the project deadline due to unexpected challenges in integrating the new features. We've reassessed our workload and timeline, and here's our revised plan to ensure we meet our next milestones." Example 2: Product Bugs Excuse: "The software is buggy because our clients keep changing their requirements." Explanation: "The software encountered bugs partly due to evolving client requirements. We're implementing a more flexible development approach and increasing our testing phases to accommodate changes efficiently." To quote the founder, “excuses are the virus of a company. Do everything to avoid them.” How do you build a culture of no excuses, and one that takes full responsibility? #culture #excuses #explanations #responsibility #founders #startups #virus

A happy founder - some common myths Myth #1: If I'm Not Always Upbeat and Happy, Something's Wrong Truth: The pressure to maintain a perpetually positive facade is common in leadership and founder circles, especially in quick moving startups. Yet, feeling a spectrum of emotions is normal and human. An entrepreneurial journey includes a lot of challenges, and therefore acknowledging, facing and sharing them is part of growth, and demonstrates authentic leadership Myth #2: Happiness Comes From Building a Successful Business Truth: Happiness is often equated with the thrill of a successful product launch or a funding round. However, a deeper, more sustainable form of happiness involves living a meaningful life, embracing a range of emotions, and finding fulfilment beyond just the highs of business success. Often it starts when you ask the question, “what would be a meaningful life for me?” Myth #3: I Can Engineer My Way to Constant Happiness Truth: Founders often think they can 'hack' their happiness by optimising every aspect of their life and work. For example, some might think that more funding or higher valuations are direct paths to happiness. While it's possible to create conditions for more happiness, such as fostering a supportive company culture, expecting constant euphoria is unrealistic and unhealthy Myth #4: Constant Innovation Equals Constant Happiness Truth: Like the ever-changing tech landscape, our emotions are dynamic. While innovation and subsequent success creates happy moments, helming a startup means accepting the emotional ups and downs that come with the journey. Constant innovation won’t eliminate the dark moments. Peer or professional support can help deal with the dark side of building a startup Myth #5: Long Hours Demonstrate Passion and Lead to Happiness Truth: Long hours are equated to extreme dedication, which can mislead founders into thinking it is. In reality, sustainable working habits and work-life balance are crucial for long-term well-being and success of not just the founder, but also the company What points do you agree or violently disagree with? #founders #happiness