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By:

Divyaa Advaani 

2 November 2024 at 3:28:38 am

When agreement kills growth

In the early stages of building a business, growth is often driven by clarity, speed, and conviction. Founders make decisions quickly, rely on their instincts, and push forward with a strong sense of belief in their methods. This decisiveness is not only necessary, it is often the very reason the business begins to grow. However, as businesses cross certain thresholds, particularly beyond the Rs 5 crore mark, the nature of growth begins to change. What once created momentum can quietly begin...

When agreement kills growth

In the early stages of building a business, growth is often driven by clarity, speed, and conviction. Founders make decisions quickly, rely on their instincts, and push forward with a strong sense of belief in their methods. This decisiveness is not only necessary, it is often the very reason the business begins to grow. However, as businesses cross certain thresholds, particularly beyond the Rs 5 crore mark, the nature of growth begins to change. What once created momentum can quietly begin to create limitations. In many professional environments, it is not uncommon to encounter business owners who are deeply convinced of their approach. Their methods have delivered results, their experience reinforces their judgment, and their confidence becomes a defining trait. Yet, in this very confidence lies a subtle risk that is often overlooked. When conviction turns into certainty without space for dialogue, conversations begin to narrow. Suggestions are heard, but not always considered. Perspectives are offered, but not always encouraged. Decisions are made, but not always explained. From the outside, this may still appear as strong leadership. Internally, however, a different dynamic begins to take shape. People start to agree more than they contribute. This is where many businesses unknowingly enter a critical phase. When teams, partners, or stakeholders begin to hold back their perspective, the quality of thinking around the business reduces. What appears as alignment is often silent disengagement. What looks like efficiency is sometimes the absence of challenge. Over time, this directly affects the decisions being made. At a Rs 5 crore level, this may not be immediately visible. Operations continue, revenue flows, and the business appears stable. But as the organisation attempts to grow further, this lack of diverse thinking begins to surface as a constraint. Growth slows, not because of lack of effort, but because of limited perspective. On the other side of this equation are individuals who consistently find themselves accommodating such dynamics. They recognise when their voice is not being fully heard, yet choose not to assert it. The intention is often to preserve relationships, avoid friction, or maintain a sense of professional ease. Initially, this approach appears collaborative. Over time, however, it begins to shape perception. When individuals do not express their perspective, they are gradually seen as agreeable rather than essential. Their presence is valued, but their input is not actively sought. In many cases, they become part of the process, but not part of the decision. This is where personal branding begins to influence business outcomes in ways that are not immediately obvious. A personal brand is not built only through visibility or achievement. It is built through how consistently one demonstrates clarity, confidence, and openness in moments that require it. It is shaped by whether people feel encouraged to think around you, or restricted in your presence. At higher levels of business, this distinction becomes critical. If people agree with you more than they challenge you, it may not be a sign of strong leadership. It may be an indication that your environment is no longer enabling better thinking. Similarly, if you find yourself constantly adjusting to others without expressing your own perspective, your contribution may be diminishing in ways that affect both your influence and your growth. Both situations carry a cost. They affect decision quality, limit innovation, and over time, restrict the scalability of the business itself. What makes this particularly challenging is that these patterns develop gradually, often going unnoticed until the impact becomes difficult to ignore. The most effective leaders recognise this early. They create space for dialogue without losing direction. They express conviction without dismissing perspective. They build environments where contribution is expected, not avoided. In doing so, they strengthen not only their business, but also their personal brand. For entrepreneurs operating at a stage where growth is no longer just about execution but about expanding thinking, this becomes an important point of reflection. If there is even a possibility that your current interactions are limiting the quality of thinking around you, it is worth addressing before it begins to affect outcomes. I work with a select group of founders and professionals to help them refine how they are perceived, communicate with greater impact, and build personal brands that support sustained growth. You may explore this further here: https://sprect.com/pro/divyaaadvaani In the long run, it is not only the decisions you make, but the thinking you allow around those decisions, that determines how far your business can truly grow. (The author is a personal branding expert. She has clients from 14+ countries. Views personal.)

Pawar's coded message to Shinde

Updated: Feb 14, 2025

Pawar

Mumbai: NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar heaped praise on Eknath Shinde, a move that caught the entire Maharashtra political brass by surprise. If some were shocked, in other parties, feathers were ruffled. An irate Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray) criticised Pawar for heaping praise on Shinde for his “decisive leadership”.


The sudden friendship isn’t just a chance remark. Political watchers say that the move is nothing but payback time and an attempt to take a jab at Thackeray who has been seen cozying up to Devendra Fadnavis. Leaving aside the bitterness and caustic remarks and accusations traded by both sides over the past five years, Thackeray and Fadnavis are seen to be enjoying each other’s company. If Uddhav met him a few months ago after the new government was sworn in, Aditya met the Chief Minister again in the recent past. A few hours after Fadnavis sent out a political message by visiting Raj Thackeray’s Shivaji Park home, senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leaders paid the BJP leader a courtesy visit. “Your enemy’s enemy should be your friend is what’s being played out in Maharashtra,” says a senior BJP leader from Maharashtra.


It's no secret that the relationship between Fadnavis and Shinde is at an all-time low. Miffed with losing the chief minister’s chair, Shinde sulked for days. It is said that as the chief minister, he left no stone unturned to make it difficult for BJP ministers. Even now, Shinde goes into hiding at his native place each time things don’t go his way. “For Fadnavis, a good way to unsettle Shinde is to hobnob with Thackeray. But, this is unlikely to translate into a political reunion or reconciliation,” says the BJP politician.


The sudden camaraderie between Fadnavis and Thackeray is reason enough for Pawar to take a shot at his ally in the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, a party that’s always seen as an unnatural ally. And what better way to do that than to praise the very man who shattered Thackeray’s dream run as the chief minister?


Apart from revenge, there’s more in the political pot. A BJP minister says that such remarks are an attempt to create a rift in the MVA such that Pawar can break away from it and join hands with his nephew to be on the treasury benches. For, there’s trouble brewing in the senior Pawar’s party as well. There’s talk of senior party leaders, including a member of his family, waiting to cross over to the BJP. To stem the leak, Pawar may consider reuniting with Ajit. “His recent statement could well lay the grounds for a split in the MVA. Sanjay Raut has already publicly expressed his displeasure which also seems like a ploy to find Pawar an exit from the MVA,” says the BJP leader.

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