(In pic from left: Harsh Mariwala, Ritesh Agarwal, N Venkatram)
A word of caution. A word of advice. A word of inspiration. A few bosses in the big league pick the word that says it all.
‘Grit’: Harsh Mariwala, Chairman, Marico “The key word is grit, which is a combination of passion and perseverance or passion and determination. By itself, passion is not enough because if you don’t have perseverance [as well], you will not persist. Sometimes, just by passion, you won’t succeed. If you keep persevering, you’ll try again and again and that’s how you’ll succeed.”
Harsh Mariwala
‘Perseverance’: Ritesh Agarwal, Founder, OYO “When I started my entrepreneurial journey with the first hotel in Gurugram, it was about solving a problem and delivering a standardised and quality-assured experience to guests. Since I was taking care of the operation end-to-end, including housekeeping and guest experience, I learnt a lot on the go. Those learnings from my initial days formed the building blocks of what the company is today.”
Ritesh Agarwal
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‘Complacence’: Michael Ward, MD, Harrods “One word is really difficult. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything in one word. [But] I suppose, [be wary of] complacence. I hate for anyone to be complacent. If you ever feel comfortable, you will probably fail because you’re not trying for the next thing and the next thing and the next thing. You’re always striving to do [more] if you are never complacent.”
Michael Ward
‘Instinct’: N Venkatram, CEO, Deloitte India “If I had to sum up my career advice, it would be, follow your instinct. We face so many decisions or situations where you feel pressured or unsure and the best thing to do is to trust your gut. I’ve met people who regret not following their instinct.
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N Venkatram
‘Persistence’: Johnny Sandelson, Chairman, Thomas Goode & Co.
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“I wouldn’t quite say obstinate but maybe dogged or persistent. You know that Winston Churchill thing where they keep knocking you down and you have to keep standing up and fighting — it’s that sense of persistence [that will help you get to the next level].”
Johnny Sandelson
Aditya Ghosh, Dipali Goenka & Rahil Ansari: What Would Top Bosses Do With Extra Time
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These leading names are constantly racing against the clock. But what if they could add some extra minutes to their day? Here’s how they would like to best spend it.
These leading names are constantly racing against the clock. But what if they could add some extra minutes to their day? Here’s how they would like to best spend it.
“I am mad about Bollywood movies. My kids are named Vir and Jay after Sholay. Before I had kids, I would be there [at the theatre] first day, first show. I would watch all movies in the theatre. The atmosphere and the films take you into another world. And when watching a Bollywood movie, the cornier the better. Unfortunately, I don’t go to the theatre as much as I would like to. My kids are 13 and eight so I get to see all the superhero movies and the most horrendous Harry Potter.”
“I am mad about Bollywood movies. My kids are named Vir and Jay after Sholay. Before I had kids, I would be there [at the theatre] first day, first show. I would watch all movies in the theatre. The..
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“I think once you have bigger responsibilities, you need to prioritise. [For me] I haven’t really done nothing for a long time now. [If I could make more time] I would like to spend more time with my children, loved ones and friends. Then I would gradually start striking off [items on] my bucket list.”
“I think once you have bigger responsibilities, you need to prioritise. [For me] I haven’t really done nothing for a long time now. [If I could make more time] I would like to spend more time with m..
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“I wish I had more time to stay fit. I would start running again.”
“I wish I had more time to stay fit. I would start running again.”
“I am a passionate football fan and a big supporter of FC Bayern Munich. I used to follow all their matches and have even travelled across Europe to see them play in big cities like Barcelona, Madrid, Lisbon, etc. But work has kept me very busy and I have been missing out on a few games. So, I have to catch up on that, even if it’s a screening. Apart from that, I would love to play more ball sports, especially tennis. It’s a great feeling to be out on the court and to be more active. I’d also like to have that one Roger Federer moment when hitting a fantastic backhand.”
“I am a passionate football fan and a big supporter of FC Bayern Munich. I used to follow all their matches and have even travelled across Europe to see them play in big cities like Barcelona, Madri..
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“I really need to start my dancing again. I am a kathak dancer and if I had the time to do that, it would be awesome.”
“I really need to start my dancing again. I am a kathak dancer and if I had the time to do that, it would be awesome.”
“I love to cook Indian dishes. But because of my busy schedule travel and long working hours — I miss out on it. Most of the time, my wife cooks. Only when she travels, do I get a chance to prepare a meal, but that happens rarely. So, I would love to spend more time cooking. Given a chance, I would also like to devote some time to singing. It’s my favourite stress-buster and I would love to enhance my skills and become a professional.”
“I love to cook Indian dishes. But because of my busy schedule travel and long working hours — I miss out on it. Most of the time, my wife cooks. Only when she travels, do I get a chance to prepare ..
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“I wish I had more time to watch Bollywood movies. I used to watch them when I was younger. I have two daughters, and Shah Rukh Khan is the favourite of one daughter and Salman Khan of the other. I am stuck in the middle.”
“I wish I had more time to watch Bollywood movies. I used to watch them when I was younger. I have two daughters, and Shah Rukh Khan is the favourite of one daughter and Salman Khan of the other. I ..
