Latest news with #HarvardBusinessReview
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Navatar Unveils AI-Powered CRM That Meets Dealmakers Where They Work From Outlook to Slack to CRM: Private Equity's First Truly Embedded Intelligence Platform For Salesforce
Leveraging Salesforce and Microsoft AI, Navatar Automates Data Entry and Turns Activity into AI-Driven Intelligence LONDON and NEW YORK, July 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Navatar, the leading cloud platform for private equity and investment banking, today announced the launch of its next-generation, fully AI-powered CRM. Designed to meet the fast-evolving needs of private capital markets, the new Navatar platform combines intelligence, automation, and usability—solving one of the biggest challenges firms face when trying to put AI to work: data. In a recent Harvard Business Review article, 'How Private Equity Firms Are Creating Value with AI', highlighting the industry's rapid embrace of artificial intelligence - from identifying targets to improving portfolio performance - the authors note a common bottleneck: without structured, usable data, AI tools can't deliver their full potential. 'Everyone wants to use AI, but few have the data to make it work,' said Alok Misra, CEO of Navatar. 'That's because most CRMs are still clunky, inflexible systems that require painful manual data entry. We built the new Navatar platform to break that cycle.' A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. Navatar automatically captures relevant information from Outlook, LinkedIn, Slack, call notes, documents and third-party data—turning your team's daily activity into structured, usable intelligence for AI to operate on. No more chasing team members to update fields or fill out forms. While many firms invested in legacy, highly customized CRMs, they've found themselves stuck: the systems are slow to change, hard to use, and often ignored by the very people driving deals. Navatar flips that experience on its head—offering: Built-in automation to eliminate manual data entry Automated multi-tagging for people, companies, deals and more Embedded AI across sourcing, diligence, fundraising, and portfolio management Fast time-to-value without the need for costly customization A modern user experience that keeps deal teams coming back AI Where You Work: Inside Outlook, Navatar or Slack Navatar combines the best of Salesforce AI (Agentforce 3) and Microsoft Copilot so dealmakers no longer need to log into a CRM to get intelligence. Whether working inside Outlook, Navatar or Slack, users receive real-time insights, recommendations, and automation—all natively delivered in the tools they already use. Within Microsoft Outlook Smart Relationship Insights: Get a 360° view of any contact—who knows them internally, recent interactions, open deals, and more—directly inside your inbox. Email Summarization & Action Suggestions: AI summarizes long email threads and suggests follow-ups, tasks, and next steps. Deal Context at Your Fingertips: See associated deals, stages, and pipeline status without leaving Outlook. Automated Meeting Prep: Copilot briefs you before a meeting by pulling intelligence from emails, calendar invites, past notes, and CRM activity. Task & Data Capture: Turn meeting notes and emails into structured CRM entries automatically—no copy-pasting. Within Navatar Thematic Deal Sourcing: Surface emerging trends and high-fit targets based on proprietary and third-party data analysis. Predictive Scoring: Rank inbound deals or prospects by likelihood to convert, based on past behavior and firm strategy. Relationship Intelligence: Auto-map referral paths, warm intros, and deal team connectivity using AI across your team's network. Document Intelligence: Use natural language processing to extract key terms, risks, and summaries from CIMs, pitch decks, and earnings calls. Pipeline Management: AI generated deal summaries for easy pipeline reporting. Automated Task Management: AI creates tasks, follow-ups based on triggers. Portfolio Alerts: Get AI-generated notifications on portfolio company performance shifts or risk flags. Fundraising & LP Intelligence: Personalize LP communications, score investor engagement, and automate routine updates. Within Slack CRM Alerts in Slack: Receive pipeline updates, LP activity alerts, and portfolio company notifications directly in relevant Slack channels. Conversation-to-CRM Linkage: Slack messages can be tagged and associated with deals, contacts, or tasks inside Navatar, making it easy to capture institutional knowledge. AI Summaries & Actions: AI monitors key deal-related channels and suggests follow-ups, summaries, or actions. Frictionless Collaboration: Deal teams can share notes, escalate issues, or push tasks to CRM—all from Slack. 'We're not just embedding AI into a CRM—we're embedding it into the workflow,' said Misra. 'Whether you're in Outlook, Slack, or Navatar itself, the intelligence meets you where you are.' For more information on Navatar for Private Equity, please visit: About Navatar Navatar (@navatargroup), the CRM platform for alternative assets and investment banking firms, is a low-touch, high-impact intelligence engine purpose-built for private markets. Now fully AI-powered, Navatar captures intelligence automatically and delivers insights directly into Outlook, Slack, and CRM—transforming routine activity into firmwide intelligence. Built on Salesforce and integrated with Microsoft Copilot, the platform eliminates manual data entry, unifies deal and relationship context, and orchestrates complex workflows without disrupting how investment professionals work. Backed by over two decades of CRM expertise, Navatar is used by hundreds of global firms to drive institutional knowledge, gain early access to opportunities, and execute smarter, faster. For more information, visit TeamNavatarsales@
Forbes
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
How Chasing Rejection Fuels Success For Creative Leaders
Pushing past fear: Embracing rejection can open unexpected doors to growth, creativity and ... More leadership strength. Do you recall the first time you were professionally rejected? It stung, right? Your ego probably even got bruised while the self-doubt set in, especially as a creative. Did it deter you from trying again, or did it propel you forward? Sarah Feingold, attorney, professor and playwright behind Dirty Legal Secrets, understands that rejection isn't just unavoidable; it's essential. She even shares her rejection experiences in detail on LinkedIn. A 2019 study from Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management found that professionals who openly share setbacks are viewed as stronger leaders. The study highlighted the 'failure boost' effect, where the potential for setbacks leads to future success. 'If I'm not getting rejected,' she explains, 'I'm not putting myself out there enough.' This year, she set a unique goal of accumulating 50 rejections. Why? It holds her accountable to apply to more playhouses to run her play; the more you put yourself out there, the greater the chance of success. Sarah Feingold is an attorney, artist, speaker and professor. Studies from Harvard Business Review and Stanford consistently demonstrate that individuals who actively seek out and embrace rejection build greater resilience, confidence, and creativity over time. Additionally, individuals who regularly face rejection become significantly more innovative. Years Before The Rejections As Etsy's first lawyer, Feingold spent over nine years at the company, guiding it through its IPO before becoming general counsel at Vroom. However, the pivotal moment that inspired her transition from lawyer to playwright was the #MeToo movement. Feingold realized that in-house lawyers often hold untold stories about corporate America due to the attorney-client privilege. Frustrated by the silence and secrecy, she initially considered a career in journalism but quickly realized that none of her colleagues would speak openly. Instead, Feingold gathered anonymous stories and transformed them into theater, seeing the medium as a way for audiences to collectively experience laughter, shock and empathy around issues usually hidden behind legal confidentiality. Let The Rejections Begin Dirty Legal Secrets had a rough start. The rejections poured in faster than she could apply for another opportunity. Feingold could have easily given up after the tenth rejection notice, but she began treating each experience as a data point. 'I've learned more from rejections than any success I've had,' she says. 'Rejection means I'm trying. It means I'm in the arena, not on the sidelines.' Finally, last year the play had its first off-off-Broadway premiere, produced by Cellunova Productions. As the playwright continued to receive rejections from Broadway playhouses, Feingold pivoted her approach by adapting it as a television pilot, with the hope that it becomes a regular series. The storyline centers around the clash between tech startups and their lawyers. Feingold likens rejection to a muscle, one that strengthens with use: 'The first rejection really stung. But then you keep getting more, and you're like, 'Ok, that doesn't hurt as much.'' A small sampling of Sarah Feingold's rejection collection from her submissions for the "Dirty Legal ... More Secrets" playwright. How To Leverage Rejection Reframe rejection by refraining from measuring success solely by wins alone; instead, turn rejection itself into a goal. 'It flips the switch,' Feingold explains. 'Being rejected is the goal, rather than getting the thing. It reverses your brain. I'm looking to get rejected, not just to make progress'. Feingold emphasizes that clarity is key. 'One of the reasons why I've been able to move forward is because I've been very specific in what I want,' she shares. Clear goals enable targeted attempts, turning rejection into a focused step forward. 'I carefully reflect on each rejection to refine my goals, skills and strategies,' she points out. 'Rejection without reflection is just a missed opportunity.' Not all rejections are equal. 'I've received some rejections that have been extremely thoughtful,' Feingold notes. There have been some companies that have provided detailed feedback as to why they didn't choose her play. That actionable feedback helped her with her strategy and fine-tuned her pitch. Feingold treats rejection like any other critical task: it is scheduled and prioritized. 'I carve out time to prioritize and apply,' she states. 'If you don't make the time, you'll never do it.' The discipline of scheduling rejection attempts ensures consistent action rather than sporadic efforts. Embracing rejection is about harnessing it as a stepping stone to meaningful development. For Feingold, this bold approach has led to sold-out off-Broadway performances and expanded her leadership capabilities. Adopting rejection as a strategic goal disrupts the typical avoidance mindset. 'I wanted other people to feel like, if they have big goals, they should be getting rejected too,' she emphasizes. Rejection is uncomfortable; yet, accepting it becomes your strongest path toward success. The next time you hesitate, remember: sometimes the most powerful move you can make is to seek rejection deliberately, knowing that each 'no' brings you closer to your next 'yes.' 'My ultimate goal isn't just the 50 rejections,' she concludes. 'It's to become braver, smarter and bolder in my career.'
IOL News
a day ago
- Business
- IOL News
The emotional impact of AI: Are we losing human connection?
Generative AI is well embedded in the daily lives of millions, but a shift is underway that deserves closer scrutiny, the author said. Image: AI LAB Generative AI is well embedded in the daily lives of millions, but a shift is underway that deserves closer scrutiny. In 2023, most conversations focused on how Gen AI would transform productivity. Streamlining tasks, automating workflows, and accelerating innovation were our bread and butter. But by 2025, the data is telling a different story: the most common use of Gen AI is now personal and emotional support. This may seem like progress. Technology is stepping in to help people cope with loneliness, anxiety, and the pressures of modern life. But there is a deeper question worth asking: why is there such a widespread need for emotional support in the first place? Covid-19 lockdowns left more than an economic and health legacy. Those seismic months fundamentally changed how we interact, work, and connect with one another. The norms established during lockdowns have persisted and, in many cases, deepened. Physical communities have thinned, and social interaction has increasingly shifted online. Those temporary behaviours intended to keep us safe have contributed to a new and more permanent kind of isolation. Now, instead of rebuilding human connection, machines are becoming our companions and confidants. This is a turning point and it's not a healthy one. At iqbusiness, we've seen firsthand how Gen AI can empower teams and drive operational gains. These are tangible, valuable applications that no modern business can do without. But leaders cannot ignore the parallel trend unfolding before us: Gen AI is stepping in where human connection is faltering, and that is what needs mending. In recent analysis of the use cases of Gen AI in Harvard Business Review, Marc Zao-Sanders revealed that the top 10 most widespread uses have shown a significant shift between 2024 and 2025. In 2024, 'Generating ideas' was number one (now down to number 6) but has been replaced by 'Therapy / companionship' (up from two in 2024). Top 6 Gen AI uses 1 Therapy / companionship AI-powered tools are helping people manage stress, depression, and emotional regulation. But this surge signals something more: a deep deficit in human relationships. Leaders in businesses, government, schools, places of worship and communities need to take this moment seriously and not lose sight of what – and who – is at stake in the digital revolution. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad loading 2 Organising my life (new entrant) Many people are using Gen AI tools to track, motivate and organise their goals or tasks to enhance efficiencies and accountability. But in practice, this often results in fewer opportunities for collaboration and moments for professional assistance and insights. 3 Finding purpose (new entrant) Humans have sought purpose since time immemorial, and Gen AI has not changed that. The wise would heed the words of Holocaust survivor Viktor Frankl: 'Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms - to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one's own way.' Are we choosing our own way or allowing tech to make the choices for us? 4 Enhanced learning AI tutors and adaptive learning platforms make education and learning more personal and accessible for those online. But without mentors or community engagement, much of the learning lacks context and lived insight, and many essential inter-personal skills necessary to grow and succeed are being lost. 5 Generating code for professionals Gen AI is widely used by designers and product teams to jumpstart ideation, and developers lean on AI co-pilots to write and debug code. This is where Gen AI can have immense and sustainable value. It's efficient, but as reliance increases, deep skills may diminish as we reward speed over exploration and novelty over authenticity. 6. Generating ideas We've moved quickly from our suspicion of Gen AI just two years ago to everyday use in almost every personal and professional setting. It's use for prompting ideas has dropped from one to six this year as it's overtaken by more alarming uses. Other uses in the 2025 top ten are: Fun and nonsense, Improving code for pros, Creativity and Healthier living . Why does this matter now? The data clearly shows that humans are not only using technology more, but we are asking it to step into roles that used to belong to people without fully recognising or appreciating its social consequences. Turning to machines for comfort and connection is more than an efficiency play, and there is a real risk that this shift becomes self-reinforcing. The more we normalise AI as a substitute for human interaction, the less incentive we have to invest in rebuilding human systems of care, of investing in our families, teams, communities. The erosion of human connection is not happening in isolation. It is unfolding against a backdrop of deepening global anxiety — from geopolitical tensions and wars to climate crises and economic instability. Symbols like the Doomsday Clock, now just seconds from midnight, reflect not only existential threats but also our collective sense of unease. In such an environment, it is tempting to retreat into the efficiency and predictability of machines. But when artificial intelligence begins to fill the void left by fractured relationships and fatigued institutions, it risks becoming a crutch rather than a catalyst, enabling us to bypass the hard, human work of listening, empathising, and rebuilding trust. The more turbulent the world becomes, the more vital - not expendable - authentic human connection becomes. Technology can and should play a role in supporting goals, facilitating communication, easing daily pressures, and navigating challenges with seemingly no solution. But it cannot replace the emotional intelligence, empathy, and accountability that come from forging human relationships and connections. These are not 'soft' attributes; they are the very foundations healthy societies and resilient economies. Leaders in government, business and civil society must carefully balance the need to create spaces in our organisations where innovation and technology are embedded, but inherently human, real conversation and connections are prioritised. The most valuable outcomes of Gen AI won't come from what it supercedes, but from how it empowers people to do more, feel more, and relate more to one another. Adam Craker, chief executive of IQBusiness. Image: Supplied Adam Craker is CEO at iqbusiness BUSINESS REPORT
Forbes
5 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
From Tools To Teammates: How AI Agents Will Become Digital Labor
OpenAI just released its ChatGPT Agent - is this the beginning of AI agents going mainstream? The future of work just arrived. On July 17, 2025, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Agent, marking a pivotal moment in artificial intelligence evolution. This isn't just another AI chatbot. This is the beginning of digital labor. Think of having a digital colleague that can now create presentations, navigate websites, conduct deep research, and complete complex tasks on their own (in AI speak, 'autonomously'). For businesses and consumers alike, this represents a fundamental shift in how everyone will work, shop, and interact with technology. Understanding agentic AI's game-changing potential The numbers tell a compelling story: Grand View Research estimates the global AI agents market is set to explode from $5 billion in 2024 to $50 billion by 2030, a 46% compound annual growth rate. More importantly, according to new research from the Capgemini Research Institute, AI agents could generate up to $450 billion in economic value by 2028 through revenue growth and cost savings. Yet despite this massive opportunity, only 2% of organizations have deployed AI agents at scale, creating a narrow window for competitive advantage that won't remain open for long. Unlike traditional AI that responds to prompts, agentic AI possesses genuine 'agency' - the ability to set goals, make decisions, and take actions with minimal human oversight. Harvard Business Review describes these systems as having "supercharged reasoning and execution capabilities" that go far beyond simple question-answering to actually performing complex tasks. The distinction is crucial: while generative AI is more about language to language and creates content, agentic AI is about multi-step reasoning, planning and it acts. It can book your flights, process insurance claims, manage inventory, and even conduct comprehensive research across hundreds of sources. This autonomous capability transforms AI from a tool into a true digital teammate. What Exactly Is an AI Agent? Unlike traditional AI that responds to prompts, an AI agent is artificial intelligence that handles multistep tasks without requiring a human to steer it the whole time. This is now the next phase of the AI era - 'Agentic AI'. While ChatGPT answers questions, AI agents actually do things - they book flights, process invoices, debug code, and conduct research across hundreds of sources autonomously. An example of OpenAI's ChatGPT Agent in action. The key differentiator: agents can take multiple actions, connect to various applications, and work for extended periods. OpenAI's Codex agent can work for up to 30 minutes without human supervision, while Anthropic's Claude 4 can tackle coding problems for up to seven hours straight. The Seven Species of Digital Workers While there will eventually be millions of agents, let's try to organize them into the distinct types of AI agents that are now entering the workforce. The Information had a nice way to summarize the different kinds of digital labor: What they do: Handle enterprise workflows across multiple software applications Digital labor: Invoice processing, data entry, document classification, scheduling Examples: UiPath, Microsoft Power Automate, Zapier + AI What they do: Resolve customer support and employee questions through dialogue Digital labor: Customer service, IT tickets, HR tasks Examples: Salesforce Agentforce, ServiceNow NowAssist, Sierra, Decagon What they do: Retrieve, analyze, and validate information from trusted sources Digital labor: Academic research, citation sourcing, technical analysisExamples: OpenAI Deep Research, Perplexity Pro, Scite Assistant, AlphaSense What they do: Analyze data to produce graphics, charts, and reports Digital labor: Data querying, dashboard creation, business insights Examples: Power BI Copilot, Tellius, ThoughtSpot, Glean What they do: Handle complex coding tasks for software engineers Digital labor: Code completion, debugging, documentation, site reliability Examples: Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Claude Code, Cognition's Devin What they do: Specialized work in regulated fields like law, medicine, finance Digital labor: Contract analysis, medical triage, financial analysis Examples: Harvey (legal), Hippocratic AI (healthcare), Rogo and Hebbia (finance) What they do: Navigate websites and handle repetitive online tasks Digital labor: Form filling, online ordering, social media posting Examples: OpenAI Operator, Google Project Mariner, Anthropic Computer Use OpenAI's bold vision becomes reality OpenAI's agent rollout began with Operator in January 2025, an AI capable of using web browsers like humans - clicking buttons, filling forms, and navigating websites. Then came Deep Research in February, which analyzes hundreds of sources to generate fully-cited reports in minutes. The July launch of ChatGPT Agent unified these capabilities, creating what The Wall Street Journal calls "an agent that can make spreadsheets and PowerPoints" while handling complex multi-step workflows. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, predicts these agents will "materially change the output of companies" in 2025, estimating they can already handle "a single-digit percentage of all economically valuable tasks in the world." With 41.6% accuracy on complex reasoning benchmarks (double previous models) these agents represent a quantum leap in AI capability. Transforming experiences across consumer and business landscapes AI agents are revolutionizing both consumer experiences and business operations at unprecedented scale. For consumers, the transformation is happening at remarkable speed: recent reports show 95% of customer interactions are predicted to be handled by AI in 2025, while current deployments show AI-powered systems reducing resolution times by up to 52%and delivering 31.5% higher customer satisfaction scores compared to traditional support methods. The consumer impact extends far beyond convenience. Klarna's AI assistant reduced average customer issue resolution from 11 minutes to just 2 minutes while maintaining customer satisfaction scores equal to human agents. Virgin Money's AI assistant "Redi" has handled over 2 million customer interactions with a 94% satisfaction rate, demonstrating that consumers readily embrace AI-powered service when it delivers superior results. The retail sector shows equally impressive adoption, with 24% of consumers already comfortable with AI agents making purchases on their behalf—a figure that jumps to 32% among Gen Z shoppers, while 75% of customer inquiries can now be resolved by AI tools without human intervention. The business case for AI agents is equally compelling and backed by remarkable real-world results. Organizations implementing AI report 6-10% average revenue increases, with 62% of companies expecting full 100% or greater returns on investment. The operational improvements are staggering: companies report 83% experiencing revenue growth versus 66% without AI implementation, 76% improvement in operational efficiency, and financial institutions seeing increases in profitability through enhanced fraud detection and personalized service. Real-world success stories illustrate the transformative potential across industries. JPMorgan Chase's AI-driven "Coach" tool helps wealth advisers retrieve research 95% faster, contributing to a 20% year-over-year increase in asset management sales. The bank's AI initiatives have already saved nearly $1.5 billion through fraud prevention and operational efficiencies. Wiley achieved a 40% increase in case resolution with AI agents, while 76% of e-commerce teams credit AI with revenue growth and 92% of service teams report cost reductions. Manufacturing leaders report 40% reduction in downtime through AI-driven predictive maintenance. Employee productivity transformation is equally impressive, ranging from customer service agents answering more inquiries per hour, business professionals writing more documents per hour, and programmers coding more projects per week using AI agents. These are just early use cases, but you can already see how agentic ai will fundamentally redefine what exceptional customer experiences and business performance looks like. Why This Is Just the Beginning We're in the early innings of digital labor. Current agents still make mistakes and require human oversight, but they're evolving rapidly. The combination of cheaper reasoning models, better orchestration software, and expanding application integrations means agent capabilities are compounding quickly. The workforce of 2030 won't just include humans - it will be a hybrid ecosystem where digital agents handle routine tasks while humans focus on creativity, strategy, and relationship-building. We're not just automating work; we're creating a new category of digital colleague that augments human capability rather than simply replacing it. The age of digital labor has begun. The question isn't whether these AI agents will transform work - it's how quickly businesses and consumers will adapt to this new reality.
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
What is wrong with that MBA?
'If you want to feed a person for a day give him a fish, if you wish to feed him for a lifetime, teach him how to fish.' Dr Ajit Varwandkar is a Career Psychologist and a Thought process Transformation Expert by profession. He is working on enhancing employability through career guidance and training. Just capacity development is not his motto; enabling youth is the intent. He started his career as a mechanical engineer and eventually went into clinical psychology, management and doctoral research. He is an avid trainer of Thought Engineering for corporate and educational institutes. He is a music lover and plays the Indian classical percussion instrument – Tabla. He is the author of the book Think Success and Be Successful. He loves to write inspirational blogs on self-improvement and career development issues. He believes in living life at zero complaint level and is always keen to focus on solutions than on excuses. LESS ... MORE Laddu Pintu was known as a classic academic achiever during school and university education. He had topped every exam, nailed every group discussion, and even wore his B-school blazer like a badge of honour. His MBA batchmates knew him as 'Placement King' – the first one to get hired by a global MNC straight out of campus. But six months into the job, Laddu was miserable. The corporate world, which once looked like the promised land, now felt like a strange, chaotic classroom but with no teachers, no report cards, and certainly no one to tell him what the 'right answer' was. 'I don't get it,' he sighed one day to his mentor from B-school. 'I follow instructions, work late hours, and even meet deadlines. Still, no appreciation. My ideas are ignored. There's no feedback. What am I doing wrong?' The mentor smiled knowingly and said, 'Laddu, the problem isn't your effort. It's your expectation. You're still playing by school rules, but the corporate world is a very different game.' You cannot carry your school mindset into the workplace, dear. Grow up. Laddu's story is more common than we admit. Many young professionals enter the workforce with the exact expectations and behaviors that helped them excel in school. They wait to be taught, rather than taking initiative. They expect recognition for obedience, not innovation. Such students, especially those in Gen Z, prefer clear instructions over ambiguity, and they assume someone else will notice their work automatically and reward their effort as if it were a school event. Unfortunately, the corporate world doesn't operate on those principles. A Harvard Business Review article highlights that early-career employees often struggle because they lack 'adaptive performance' – the ability to cope with unpredictability, take ownership, and acquire unstructured skills. These are hybrid real-life skills that are not typically taught in classrooms. In short, academic pursuits condition youth to comply, but the workplace demands creativity, initiative, and vision. Taking his mentor's words seriously, Laddu did a quick audit of his own behavior. He realised he was waiting for instructions instead of identifying problems to solve. He was playing it safe instead of taking bold steps. And worst of all, he expected someone to 'grade' his performance like a teacher, when in reality, he was supposed to own his own growth. 'You cannot expect an appreciation every now and then when you are in the corporate world,' said the mentor. So, Laddu decided to change. He stopped treating his manager like a professor and started looking at him like a collaborator. He stopped asking 'What should I do?' and began saying, 'Here's what I'm thinking, what's your input?' Gradually, he became more proactive, more visible, and more confident. Within a few months, his team lead noticed the spark in him. Laddu was now not just a performer; he was seen as a go-getter. Today, Laddu Pintu isn't just surviving, he's thriving. Once he changed his mindset, he found joy in ownership, pride in problem-solving, and excitement in the face of uncertainty. His career graph may still be in its early stages, but his learning curve and his happiness are on the rise. These are three vital Lessons from Laddu's Journey: Unlearn to grow The habits that got you success in school, obedience, memorisation, safe answers, etc., may hold you back in real life. Unlearning those is the first step to evolving as a professional. Initiative beats instructions In school, doing what you're told gets you full marks. In the workplace, being able to identify tasks that need to be done even without being told sets you apart. Don't wait to be discovered At your workplace, there's no teacher walking around with a red pen. If you want to grow, seek feedback, build relationships, and make your work visible. Take bold initiative and show up. Remember: Life after school isn't about proving how smart you are. It's about showing how you think, adapt, lead, and grow in the domain of unknown and uncertain situations. When you stop waiting for permission and start designing your own journey, life becomes a lot more joyful. If you're a young professional feeling unseen or stuck, pause and ask yourself: Are you still acting like a student in a space that wants you to be a self-driven adult? If you answered yes, it's time to evolve. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
