Three Wishes For Business Leaders

Forbes

15-04-2025

Sonal Jain is the Global CHRO of EPL LTD.
Aladdin, a character from a Middle Eastern folktale, stumbles on an oil lamp that unleashes a powerful, larger-than-life genie who grants him three wishes.
As business leaders, don't we all want such an opportunity? Most leaders are hungry to face challenges and prove themselves as winners. But there are some situations that look daunting, unbeatable, hazy and chaotic. At these moments leaders must be saying in their hearts: "I wish ..."
Just as Aladdin was given three wishes, I believe there are three mindsets that can make leaders' dreams and wishes come true. I call these the "And Mindset," the "Growth Mindset" and the "I Am Worth It Mindset."
We live in a volatile world where geopolitical instability, changing consumer preferences and economic turmoil make the news seemingly every day. In this volatile world, we need to make choices that will deliver extraordinary outcomes on at least two fronts.
For example, consider how we might deliver profits and sustainability and ensure we make the right decisions for our organization and talent in both the short and long term. How might we keep investors and communities and employees and other stakeholders engaged and inspired? This "And Mindset" can guide us to make the right choices, which in my experience are never the extremes.
When an organization's collective leadership displays the "And Mindset," all of its functions will invariably work together and rally behind the purpose of the organization. When the "And Mindset" fails, one function becomes more powerful than the others, which starts seeding egos and failures in the long term.
I believe the "And Mindset" has the ability to identify simple solutions in a complex environment, since it forces a clear look at trade-offs. If we don't use the "And Mindset," we might choose a solution that looks simple in the beginning but is bound to create complications in the long term.
The second "wish" is the "Growth Mindset," which opens doors even in the haziest times to provide clarity and confidence. It's the belief that there is enough talent, commitment and drive to cut through all challenges and make positive progress.
Consider the famous quote by psychologist Abraham Maslow: "One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again."
Leaders often have to choose between different options. These options might be quite stark; they might create a dichotomy or sit at opposite ends of the spectrum of values of the leaders or organizations. At that moment, only good judgment grounded in the "Growth Mindset" will provide leaders with the ability to make the right decision for their chosen outcome.
My company's Global CEO, Anand Kripalu, often phrases it this way: "Growth is a virtuous cycle. Both winning and losing are habits, which depend on our mindset."
As the poet Maya Angelou once wrote, "You alone are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody."
To me, this mindset is the foundation of the value system that good leaders and organizations stand on. It's the roots in the forest that nourish the trees, giving strength, solidarity and sincerity.
One of the organizations I work with was having a tough year, and one leader was getting hugely impacted, specifically by seeing his name in red on the dashboard the company used. To my dismay, the leader started feeling depressed rather than taking the actions that were most required. It was as if he were carrying the dashboard on his forehead.
Through coaching, he realized that it was his performance that needed attention; there were aspects of his leadership that required a shift in context. Ultimately, he was able to separate his performance from who he was as a professional and human being.
Resilience plays an important role in preserving this mindset, allowing leaders to bounce back from a setback or disappointment with what is needed at that point in time.
It's not easy, but it is possible to weave these mindsets together to help the magic happen through this four-step approach:
Step back and observe what the situation really is. What are leaders trying to solve for? Is it a short-term bump or a situation where the existence of the organization is at risk? What are the options available, and what are the trade-offs they entail? Most importantly, what are the non-negotiable value systems on which the organization and leaders stand?
Once all the above factors are articulated (the "ands," if you will), leaders should assess the possibilities and challenges. Here, a growth mindset assures them that the situation can be turned around and helps identify which blockers are not allowing the shift to happen.
Once a clear assessment has been made of the actions that need to be taken, leaders should act with speed and agility, which ensures they lose no more time in this process. (After all, when a wish is granted, it needs to be acted upon right away.)
Not all actions lead to meaningful results. Even after rounds of observation, pauses and acts, things don't always work to one's expectation. This is the time to bring the I Am Worth It Mindset, and with resilience, bounce back with a new start or a new path. And if a leader believes that they are not the right individual to solve the situation, they should gracefully make the path for a new leader to step in without any emotional drama.
Choose your wishes wisely, not hastily. Make a wish that not only serves you, but also serves a larger ecosystem. If your wish hurts the environment or ecosystem, it will come back to hurt you one day.
My own wish is that all leaders are able to compassionately weave the three mindsets together to create meaningful impact in their lives and the lives of others, which can make this world a better place.
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