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By:

Divyaa Advaani 

2 November 2024 at 3:28:38 am

The Price of Presence

In a world where wealth often speaks louder than wisdom, the quiet ones are rarely heard. We live in times where confidence can be mistaken for competence, and money can masquerade as merit. I’ve often observed two kinds of people — those who silently observe and add value in subtle ways, and those who walk into the room believing their wealth gives them the right to dictate its energy. The truth is uncomfortable, but undeniable: power dynamics often overshadow potential. Opportunities are...

The Price of Presence

In a world where wealth often speaks louder than wisdom, the quiet ones are rarely heard. We live in times where confidence can be mistaken for competence, and money can masquerade as merit. I’ve often observed two kinds of people — those who silently observe and add value in subtle ways, and those who walk into the room believing their wealth gives them the right to dictate its energy.
The truth is uncomfortable, but undeniable: power dynamics often overshadow potential. Opportunities are lost not because someone lacked talent, but because they lacked the perceived stature to stand beside the powerful. Relationships, too, are often dictated by who can afford to take control — emotionally or financially. It’s unfair, yes. But it’s also reality. Yet, there’s a powerful equalizer that doesn’t require deep pockets — it requires presence. Your personal brandis the bridge between how the world sees you and how you deserve to be seen. In boardrooms, at business dinners, or even across social media platforms, perception often becomes your greatest currency. The quiet observer, when strategically positioned, can outshine even the loudest voice in the room — because credibility, once built, cannot be bought. Personal branding is not about pretending to be rich or powerful.It’s about communicating your value so clearly that people feel your influence even before you speak. It’s about creating an aura of assurance — that mix of confidence, clarity, and authenticity that makes people stop and pay attention. Think of it this way: If money buys luxury, presence earns loyalty. If wealth opens doors, branding makes people hold them open for you. In the business world, many talented founders and professionals lose visibility simply because they underestimate the power of perception. They believe results should speak for themselves — but results need a microphone, and that microphone is your brand. I’ve worked with business owners who had remarkable ideas but struggled to attract investors, partners, or clients. Not because their work lacked substance — but because their presence didn’t reflect their potential. Once they refined their personal brand — their communication, digital footprint, and executive presence — things shifted almost instantly. Suddenly, they were seen, heard, and remembered. That’s the true price of presence — it demands intentionality, but it rewards you exponentially. Because in today’s world, the question is no longer “What do you do?” but “Why should we listen to you?” And that answer lies in your brand — how you show up, how you carry yourself, and how you communicate your worth. Money may give temporary advantage, but your presence gives you permanent influence. If you’ve ever felt overlooked, undervalued, or overshadowed — it’s not a lack of capability, it’s a lack of clarity in how your value is positioned. And that’s something you can change starting today. After all, people don’t pay for what you do. They pay for who you are when you do it. Many successful business owners I’ve worked with have realised that building a strong personal brand isn’t vanity — it’s strategy. If you’re ready to stop blending in and start standing out, now’s the time to act. Book a free discovery call with me today and discover how a powerful personal brand can help you attract clients, build authority, and open doors that money alone never could. Because in business, your brand is the one investment that pays dividends long after the deal is done — it’s the smartest business strategy you can invest in. In order for you to book your free discovery call, you could type the following link in your browser and select an available time slot. The link is mentioned below: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani (The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

Neutral Intentions

Updated: Nov 7, 2024

Neutral Intentions

By ordering the transfer of Maharashtra’s Director General of Police, Rashmi Shukla, just weeks before the state’s Assembly election, the Election Commission of India (ECI) is sending a clear message: it wants to be seen as an impartial arbiter in a political climate thick with accusations. Shukla’s removal, triggered by allegations of bias from the Congress party, underscores the Commission’s awareness of how vital institutional neutrality is to voters, particularly in a state roiled by high-stakes rivalries and factional splits.


Said to be close to BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis, the controversy around Shukla’s tenure is hardly new. As Commissioner of the State Intelligence Department (SID), she was accused of illegal phone tapping and partisanship against leaders of the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi (MVA) which comprises of the Congress, the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the NCP. Her transfer to Civil Defence under the Thackeray government reflected these suspicions, though she returned to prominence with the appointment of the BJP-aligned Shinde administration. It was her chequered past that led Congress leader Nana Patole to appeal to the ECI and demand her removal.


This move by the ECI may also be seen as a response to wider criticism of its impartiality. In the past few months, the Commission has faced flak form prominent opposition leaders, including Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, for awarding the official names and symbols of the Shiv Sena and the NCP to BJP-aligned factions. By acting decisively in Shukla’s case, the ECI may be seeking to restore its credibility among those who believe it has leaned toward the ruling party’s interests. The ECI’s swift action in Maharashtra mirrors its approach in Jharkhand, where it recently ordered the removal of the state’s acting police chief over similar concerns of political bias. The timing of these actions, across states with imminent elections, suggests the Commission is keen to avoid accusations of favouritism that could cast a shadow over the electoral process.


This intervention comes at a delicate time for Maharashtra, where the Shiv Sena and NCP splits have upended the traditional electoral dynamic. Besides the BJP and the Congress, the election has devolved into a four-way fight: the Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) faces off against Shinde’s BJP-backed faction, while Sharad Pawar’s NCP battles with his nephew Ajit Pawar’s pro-Mahayuti wing. In such a polarized context, perceptions of neutrality carry weight. By transferring Shukla, the ECI has signaled its commitment to an even-handed election, despite the unavoidable optics of institutional bias in a complex field.


Whether this move will convince Maharashtra’s voters of the ECI’s neutrality remains to be seen. But by removing Shukla, the Commission has shown that it is, at least, keenly aware of its need to be perceived as impartial in a climate where perceptions overshadow intent. The question is whether the Commission can maintain this perception through the final act of what promises to be one of Maharashtra’s most watched electoral contests.

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