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By:

Rahul Kulkarni & Rashmi Kulkarni

21 December 2025 at 3:05:33 pm

Five Quiet Fractures That Distort Teams Before They Break

Most leadership damage is not caused by bad intent. It’s caused by unseen impact Some leadership problems don’t show up as conflict. They show up as silence. Second-guessing. Cautious execution. People “playing safe” instead of thinking. A team that looks functional… but feels emotionally tired. That’s what this series was really about. After The People Paradox (Series 7) explored the founder’s view of a team that stops behaving like a family, The Boss Paradox flipped the lens. Same world....

Five Quiet Fractures That Distort Teams Before They Break

Most leadership damage is not caused by bad intent. It’s caused by unseen impact Some leadership problems don’t show up as conflict. They show up as silence. Second-guessing. Cautious execution. People “playing safe” instead of thinking. A team that looks functional… but feels emotionally tired. That’s what this series was really about. After The People Paradox (Series 7) explored the founder’s view of a team that stops behaving like a family, The Boss Paradox flipped the lens. Same world. Same tension. Different mirror. We returned to The Workshop — our composite, mid-sized firm — not because it’s unique, but because it’s painfully normal. What happens there happens in startups, family businesses, corporate units, and professional services teams everywhere. And across five parts, one idea kept repeating in different forms: Bosses think they’re leading a system. Teams experience a psychology. The Communication Gap This is where most drift begins. Leaders speak in narratives: vision, mission, strategy, direction. Teams hear consequences: deadlines, expectations, risk, evaluation. So a town hall feels like alignment to the leader… and like ambiguity to the team. People clap, nod, and then walk back to their desks carrying five different interpretations of the same message. The cost is not confusion. It’s interpretation work - employees spending cognitive energy decoding what the boss “really meant” instead of building what the company actually needs. The Power Paradox This is where trust starts getting political. Most bosses believe they reward merit. Most teams experience favoritism. Not always because leaders are biased — but because criteria often stay invisible. Access, trust, forgiveness, and “being in the room” become signals of value. The team begins to optimise for proximity rather than performance. The damage is quiet but brutal: people stop competing on excellence and start competing on closeness. The system begins to reward those who are easiest to trust… not always those who are best for the job. The Pace & Pressure Paradox This is where urgency becomes culture. A founder’s natural speed is often their superpower. But inside a team, that speed becomes emotional weather. The boss moves fast. Decides fast. Switches directions fast. The team doesn’t read it as energy — they read it as evaluation. Soon, people stop asking questions. Initiative collapses. Planning becomes reactive. Creativity gets shallow. Execution becomes obedient. The company becomes good at reacting and bad at thinking. And the founder is often the last person to realise it — because urgency feels productive when you’re the one generating it. The Boundary Collapse This is where kindness becomes control. Modern micromanagement rarely looks like shouting. It looks like: “Just loop me in.” Or: “Stay reachable.” Or: “I’ll quickly tweak it.” Leaders think they’re being supportive. Teams feel autonomy shrinking. A leave day becomes a soft obligation. A delegated task becomes a conditional trust. A decision becomes temporary until the boss’s instinct kicks in. And the real cost is not workload. It’s vigilance - employees staying mentally “on” because boundaries feel unstable. Micromanagement today rarely looks like anger. It looks like kindness without limits. The System Distortion This is where organisations drift away from the org chart. Every company has two structures: the formal hierarchy and the invisible influence map. Loyalty, competence, charisma, proximity, and external advisors quietly bend decisions. Unofficial voices start overriding official roles. The team begins to ask: “Who are we really taking direction from?” System distortion is dangerous because it is polite, deniable, and cumulative. It doesn’t create dramatic breakdowns — it creates misalignment, inconsistency, and navigational anxiety. Teams don’t follow the org chart. They follow influence. Across these five paradoxes, one truth emerges: Most leadership damage is not caused by bad intent. It’s caused by unseen impact. Bosses often mean well. Teams are often capable. But scaling amplifies small distortions into cultural truths. A phrase becomes a norm. A preference becomes politics. A pace becomes pressure. A helpful override becomes fear. An informal voice becomes governance. And suddenly, the business isn’t breaking — it’s bending. (The writers are Co-founders at PPS Consulting. They write about the human mechanics of scaling where leadership behavior, team psychology, and operating systems collide. Views personal.)

Imran Khan’s Fall from Grace

Updated: Oct 21, 2024

Imran Khan’s Fall from Grace

Imran Khan, once hailed as Pakistan’s most charismatic and resilient leader now finds himself in a position unprecedented for a man of his stature.

The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, once known for his unyielding spirit and fierce determination, now shows signs of strain. Imprisoned and facing numerous charges, Khan appears to be a shadow of the leader who once inspired millions.

Khan’s recent meeting with journalists revealed a man who is a shell of his former self. Once confident and commanding, his body now shows a sense of unease and agitation. Those who met him describe a waning spirit, a stark change for a leader once known for his steadfastness in adversity.

The journalists described Khan as a man who is aware that his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), is losing its once-iron grip on the nation’s imagination―a realisation that visibly shook him.

The PTI, once a magnet for massive crowds and inspired loyalty among its supporters, is now struggling. The much-hyped rally scheduled for August 22 in Islamabad, was embarrassingly cancelled due to a lack of public interest. Khan, in a bid to save face, claimed that the rally was called off to avoid potential violence. In a sign of growing desperation, Khan rescheduled the rally for September 8 and directed his party leaders to overcome any obstacles. This defiant stance is typical of Khan’s confrontational style, and his public directives highlight his insecurity about his party’s ability to mobilise support.

While Khan outwardly appears calm and composed, the multiple cases against him and his time in jail have left him isolated and struggling with loneliness. Even in this difficult situation, he remains in the headlines, thanks to his uncanny ability to stay in the public’s eye. Khan recently made headlines by applying for the University of Oxford Chancellorship, a move initially dismissed as a rumor but confirmed by his spokesman, Sayed Zulfikar Bukhari. As an Oxford alumnus, Khan would be the first Asian to take the role. Many see this bid as a strategic play to leverage his international profile against Pakistan’s establishment, a move that has kept him prominently in the media spotlight.

The political landscape in Pakistan is deeply divided. Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, in his second term, has failed to address critical issues including unemployment, soaring inflation, and deteriorating law and order. His administration’s inability to deliver on its promises has only deepened the public’s disillusionment, leading to growing nostalgia for Khan’s past leadership.

Shahbaz Sharif’s government is a source of frustration for the Pakistani people and a cause for concern for the country’s military. Historically, the military has shaped Pakistan’s political trajectory, stepping in when civilian governments falter. The military reportedly is growing uneasy about the government’s performance especially Sharif’s inability to stabilize the country and mend relationships with key neighbors, particularly India. Additionally, its deteriorating ties with Afghanistan and Iran have left Pakistan increasingly isolated. Even China, Pakistan’s longstanding ally, has expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s policies, a worrying sign given the importance of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) to the country’s economic future.

It is within this context of political turmoil and international isolation that Imran Khan remains a potent force. Despite his legal troubles and the challenges facing his party, Khan’s popularity endures. For millions of Pakistanis, his tenure as Prime Minister is seen as a time of relative stability and hope, a stark contrast to the current administration’s ineptitude. This perception has kept Khan’s political base intact, even as his party faces an uphill battle in the coming months.

However, Khan’s ability to navigate the current political landscape is far from guaranteed. The PTI’s diminishing support, coupled with the increasing pressure from the establishment, raises questions about Khan’s long-term strategy. His recent moves, including the application for the Oxford Chancellorship, suggest a leader willing to explore unconventional avenues to maintain his relevance. But whether these tactics will translate into a successful political comeback remains to be seen.

Pakistan’s political future is more uncertain than ever. Imran Khan’s journey from cricketing legend to political maverick has been extraordinary. Still, as he faces the toughest challenge of his career, the question remains: Can he once again defy the odds and reclaim his place at the helm of Pakistani politics, or is this the beginning of the end for a once unstoppable leader?

Khan’s story is a testament to the complexities of power and the unpredictable nature of political life in Pakistan. His rise, driven by charisma, populism, and a genuine desire for change, now faces the realities of personal and political challenges, raising the possibility that his time may be running out.

Imran Khan is a beacon of hope for his supporters, and a polarizing figure for detractors, whose ambitions have often clouded his judgment. As the nation watches, the world is left to wonder: What will Imran Khan’s next move be? And more importantly, what does it mean for the future of Pakistan? The coming months will be critical not only for Imran Khan but for Pakistan as a whole. The decisions made during this period will shape the country’s trajectory for years. Whether Khan emerges victorious or is consigned to the annals of history as a fallen leader, one thing is certain: The story of Imran Khan is far from over.

(The writer is a senior jounalist based in Islamabad. Views personal)

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