Straight from the desk

“When a statesman insists that his country is his, he is probably about to prove it.” - I.F. Stone We have a strange weakness for confident people. Give us two leaders. One says: “I'm not completely sure. Let's look at the evidence.” The other says: “I know exactly what to do.” Guess who gets the applause. We like the second one. It makes life easier. There is something comforting about watching a person walk into a complicated situation and behave as though the complication

“The most terrible poverty is loneliness, and the feeling of being unloved.” - Mother Teresa We are living in enchanted times - Between the dozen communication apps and AI assistants, there are so many ways we can stay connected. Yet, a peculiar phenomenon is occurring - People are feeling lonely. A recent report on Gen Z professionals highlighted a generation with jobs, networks, and countless online connections, yet they struggle to form genuine relationships. This should c

“Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential.” - Dwight D. Eisenhower "Where do you see yourself in five years?" I have asked people this question and I've been asked this question. I've probably asked myself this question more times than I care to admit. All in equal measure. It used to be a reasonable question. Now I'm not so sure. The world changes too quickly. Jobs change. Technology changes. Companies disappear. Entire professions get reshaped. And yet we s

“The future is already here — it's just not evenly distributed.” — William Gibson A few weeks ago, I wrote about something that has been bothering a lot of UX people. 'Will AI replace us?' Someone on my team had asked me the same thing. It was a fair question. My answer then was simple: 'AI isn't going to replace good UX. But it will expose bad leadership.' Because when people are frightened, they don't need predictions. They need leadership. I still believe that. But somethi

A few weeks ago, I wrote about what India’s Gen Z student protests taught me about leadership. It became one of the most-read pieces in the series. And I think I know why. The story wasn't really about politics. It was about young people finding their voice. About purpose. About what happens when people who don't normally sit at the same table decide they have something worth standing up for. I thought that chapter was over. Boy, was I wrong. The movement has changed. The iss