Honestly Speaking……….

Can’t imagine a more controversial or debatable opening of a sentence than “honestly speaking…” What does the speaker imply? Is he generally not honest when he speaks? Or he is putting in special efforts to be honest? Another variation is, “I will be honest to the extent possible…..” and similar other expressions.

To me, ‘honesty’ is absolute and cannot have grades.

Yet, in my experience of more than 4 decades in the corporate world, I have seen even top management players using such expressions. May be there is some merit in it!

It is not uncommon to meet successful managers, who believe that management is nothing but manipulation to achieve a goal, just as there is nothing unholy about speaking a lie. It is simply a tool in perception management using short-cut.

Indeed, a short-cut to success for the manager but not for the business entity!

In today’s competitive world, a business entity needs honest feedback, more transparency, realistic assumptions among others than ever before. In today’s business environment nothing can be kept confidential and camouflaged. A business entity needs courage to appreciate that if its competitors are smart those will find out the reality in any case, and if those are not smart how does it really matter!

For a business entity to be successful, its strategy needs to be woven around the reality. Its plans surely can have an element of outreach but should be realistic. An example, without malice, is the idea of 70 hours of work per week. Basing plan on an assumption that is clearly neither society-friendly nor practical for the individuals could only be an extra element of de-railing the plan than success. Of course, the transition period could give some temporary benefits that could be highly misleading for the long-term planning.

For achieving sustainable business, one needs to win the war rather than some battles here and there. Weapons (tool-box of management) between a business entity and its competitors are more or less same. So, what really counts is

·      innovative strategy,

·      realistic and well-defined plans,

·      an above average execution (despite flaws and consequent setbacks),

·      motivated use of one’s weaponry (skills),

·      Empowering front-line (or de-layering management) and above all

·      honest feedback & assessment.  

Honestly speaking, in your current set of goals, strategy and skills just ADD or REFINE

• Honesty of purpose and

• Integrity of actions

to see a sustainable and high business growth becoming a reality. 

Ajay Kumar Khare

23.03.2025