Imperfection: the strategy for strategists

In a world and times of rapid changes around, professionally and personally, seeking certainty can often lead to indeterminate opportunities and results. It is wiser to take sure-footed smaller yet confident baby steps, to pave the way through uncertainty.

The world today feels chaotic, with economic and other disruptions, and consequently imperfection sounds like a bad thing, but it pertains more specifically to accepting the ambiguity of not having perfect knowledge before making strategic moves. Companies and nonprofits can make a series of small moves that help them build knowledge of the uncertain world they are operating in, and slowly add capabilities, assets, and other forms of advantage so they can essentially bootstrap themselves into strategic positions, rather than making the wrong type of bold leaps or being frozen in stasis.

In a world where things are changing very quickly and fundamentally, the elementary approaches learned in business education can yield either incomplete or misleading results. The kind of uncertainty that we face today really is twofold. One is the type we see in the media, which is economic uncertainties and external shocks, while more importantly and basal kind of uncertainty are the rapid technological changes. Artificial intelligence, automation, programmable biology, and other disruptions are blurring industry boundaries and what it means to be a competitor in a particular domain.

In the world of big data, AI/ML, and other disruptive technologies, the strategy formulations and implementations need to be in real-time, more dynamic, guided by audacious questions at the top level, but at the same time also actualized by the people working at the forefront.

Being an Entrepreneur in India

Being an entrepreneur myself — Apart from handling work pressure, it also entails handling social pressure to keep progressing or making steadfast growth, which is not expected from you when you are in a job, seems as if it is a punishment by your peers and society for having the courage and taking the leap to build something on your own from ground up. When you seek jobs and employment – you are employed or jobless, but for entrepreneurs – you are either a winner or a loser. Believe you me, constantly winning is not a joke - you lose money, you lose fame, you lose clients and markets, and you even lose your family and friends.

Someone who got fired, could be sitting at home and search for another job for a while and could get through by mentioning work experience. For entrepreneurs, who may not have made big in their venture, are deemed not so successful in their professional life and if they try to get a job in the aftermath, they have to explain why there is “a gap” in the resume, which is more difficult done than said. You may even end up facing more rejections than a fresher, whilst it should be the other way round as now you have expedited skill growth, more enterprising and job ready.

Moreover, once you have been an entrepreneur, although you are more street-smart, does not give you a magic wand and make you a wizard and get things done in the blink of an eye. People assume you are influential, powerful, and rich (the tip of the iceberg is acknowledged, but not the ice beneath the surface standing for the effort to be there). Being an entrepreneur doesn't make one rich it turns them poor until break even. An employee feeds his family every month, an entrepreneur feeds his family and numerous other families who work for him. The entrepreneur has to make sure the salaries of employees get dispatched on time, even when the business is running at a loss. This is despite him not taking a single penny when the business is not working well.

An entrepreneur at all times has to pretend and fake themselves to remain confident and optimistic during all times. When employees fall sick - they depend on the company, when clients fall sick – they may delay payouts, but the company has to take care of all payables, while receivables are stagnant, which are a real nightmare for an entrepreneur.

Let us say, you have a problem in life — personally, socially, or professionally. 6 out of 10 people will help you financially, 3 out of 10 people will give you advice on how to solve your problem, one person will guide you, help you, create a path for you to sort out your problem —  that person most certainly be an entrepreneur.

An entrepreneur deals with 100s of problems in their career - day and night, so they have this ability to solve practical problems. There is a huge difference between saying “what is right” and “what will practically work out”. That is where an entrepreneur steps in and are unique and different from others.

For some reason, our films have portrayed corporates as villains. Our society strongly believes they are evil, but because of these men at the helm, lakhs of people stay sustained. People seek jobs in private companies, political parties run their rallies and functions with corporate donations, even a small-scale neighbourhood function needs sponsorship, yet entrepreneurs are "evil".

The dark side of being an entrepreneur is — being an entrepreneur in a society that does not respect them but needs them and is quite happy to keep milking them.

Business Mentor: Where & How to Find?

Identifying the right mentor involves aligning your objectives with their expertise and approach. Seek mentors through industry events, networking, and online platforms, ensuring they possess insights relevant to your field. The mentorship relationship should be built on shared values and mutual respect.

Business mentorship come in various forms, offering specialized guidance for specific needs or entrepreneurship endeavours. These platforms provide structured frameworks for mentorship, often pairing you with mentors who are experts in your field. When selecting an avenue, similar to finalizing an investor, here too consider your goals and the availabilities to ensure a meaningful match.

To make the most of mentorship, maintain an open mind, actively seek feedback, and be willing to take calculated risks. Implement the advice you receive and incorporate it into your strategies. A strong mentor-mentee relationship is a two-way street, built on collaboration and trust. Business mentorship stands as a potent catalyst for professional advancement. It empowers individuals to reach new heights by tapping into the wisdom and experiences of seasoned professionals. Whether through online platforms or structured programs, the journey to finding a mentor is a proactive step towards success.

Where to Find a Business Mentor
a) Close to home: you may already know someone that has the skills and traits you are looking for in a mentor. Make a list of the close acquaintances, casual contacts, social media contacts and see if anyone stands out or meets your criteria.

b) At work: an obvious way to find a business mentor. Everyone has to start somewhere and asking for assistance and business advice from a coworker or manager is not a sign of weakness or failure.

c) Online: There are many online mentoring services that connect small business owners with mentors. You might meet with the person over a video conference or even by email. Just because the person is not in the same town or city as you does not mean they are not a valuable resource. In fact that is a blessing in disguise, as by learning about different local markets, you might open yourself up to new opportunities in different parts of the globe.

Why You Need a Business Mentor

The general perception about entrepreneurs is - they are individuals toiling away at their desks to create new products by "themselves", but seldom are the most successful businessmen, individual contributors or hustling singled-handed go-getters. The most common practice of business professionals who are new to the game or veterans like serial entrepreneurs spend a significant amount of time bouncing ideas off of colleagues, teammates, friends and family members.

More times than not, sustainable businesses are created by motivated and educated people that gain these traits through experience. This is where the mentors come in, whose insights help in impacting business practices, ethics and, eventually business success. They have lived through the journey and learning from their mistakes and successes, can impart some of the valuable lessons they have accumulated over the years.

The Value Add of Mentors

a) Knowledge: A mentor who has been in the industry for a while or are ideologically congruent to how you envisage to run your own enterprise can help with the business plans, budgeting tactics and even the day-to-day operations.

b) Objectivity: Mentors can give you an honest review of areas in your business that need improvement, as well as point out the areas that are doing well. So you need a mentor who is honest with you and who knows how to offer constructive criticism.

c) Discipline: A business mentor on the trek ensures accountability in goals and re-circling to check-in how well are we aligned or digressed in the process. A strong work ethic and a drive to succeed can make or break an entrepreneur.

d) Network: Although knowledge plays a significant factor in the success of a business, networking is a critical element and spoke of the wheel that lets the business roll on smoothly. Mentors often introduce you to their own professional networks, expanding your connections and opening doors to collaborations, partnerships, investments as well as help specify your target audience. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know."

Nava Paath of Nava Durga

Goddess Durga offers life lessons that inspire a wealth of meaning for the management world. Navaratri worships Goddess Durga in various forms of power. The nine forms of Goddesses, which are popularly known as "Nava Durga" signify the conquest of the dangerous demons which draw their parallels and meanings as per context – personal, professional, business and otherwise.

Goddess Shailputri

Significance – Introspection, Strength, Courage, and Composure. Helps in guiding us in our journey to explore and discover our purpose in life Helps to understand the struggle related to the initial years of setting up a business and focus on its successful continuity by evaluating the business goals.

Goddess Brahmacharini

Significance – Confidence, Competence, and Perseverance. A balanced state of mind, immense willpower, desire for success, and confidence are the most important qualities that help us in the most challenging times in the lives of entrepreneurs and businessmen.

Goddess Chandraghanta

Significance – Grace, Knowledge, Bravery, and Vigilance. With supreme bliss by being vigilant regarding any changes in policies and regulations, one must learn adaptability and upgrade technology to maintain relevance and fit to add more value to the business.

Goddess Kushmanda

Significance – Energy, harmony, wealth, and power. To create customer centricity and wealth in your business you must focus on your financial well-being and emotional well-being, which contributes positively to your business.

Goddess Skandamata

Significance – Intelligence, and compassion. A compassionate leader inspires all the team members through coordination and collaboration. This enables the leader to focus well on the business goals.

Goddess Katyayani

Significance – Knowledge, Courage, and Power. Modern businesses are dynamic with policies, trends, and competition and the business must adapt all these accordingly.

Goddess Kalratri

Significance – Happiness, Knowledge, Wealth, Perfection, and Purity of heart. As an entrepreneur or a business leader, one needs to communicate regularly with the employees and stakeholders on the plan of action to overcome the challenges.

Goddess Mahagauri

Significance – Cheerful demeanor. A leader needs to make first impressions with all stakeholders of the company with a pleasant cheer.

Goddess Siddhidatri

Significance – Knowledge, and Wisdom. As a businessman or entrepreneur, one needs to have a thorough knowledge of the business and focus on constantly building new skills and strategies that will help the business grow.

If the entrepreneur, or businessperson focusses on the above 9 important lessons from Goddess Durga, one can take the business to new heights.

Happy Dussehra!!