Personal Development

Bonus That Broke Boxes

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In a busy industrial estate in Bommasandra, Ms. Kanchan ran a firm called Vishwa Packaging. Her factory produced high-quality corrugated boxes for major electronics brands. Kanchan was known on the shop floor as a Kind Didi, someone who hated seeing a long face. Her deep desire to be the most popular person in the building led her to make a snap decision during a festive season: she announced a flat 15% cash bonus for every office employee and supervisor just to see the joy on their faces. For a week, she was the hero of the factory, showered with praise and “Thank you, Madam” messages.

Goodies beyond capacity breaks the box

However, the celebratory mood evaporated faster than steam from a pressure cooker. By the next month, the company’s bank balance was bone dry. Kanchan had used the funds meant for the annual maintenance of the heavy-duty corrugation machines and the purchase of high-grade adhesive to pay for those smiles. Soon, the consequences rattled the factory gates. The aging machines started jamming, producing boxes with weak edges that collapsed under weight. Her floor workers, the ones operating the machines, were frustrated because they were struggling with broken tools and poor-quality raw materials. When her biggest client threatened to reject a massive shipment of mobile phone boxes due to poor strength, Kanchan found herself sitting at a local tapri, sharing a cutting chai with her old mentor, Mr. Sane.

Plainspeak over Cutting Chai

Mr. Sane didn’t sugarcoat his words. He told her plainly that while she had tried to be the Sweet Sister of the canteen, she had failed as the Captain of the Ship. He explained that leadership is never about winning a popularity contest; it is about having the backbone to be right and the discipline to be fair to the entire organization and every single stakeholder. By chasing the temporary high of being liked by the office staff, she had put the long-term survival of the factory and the livelihoods of the floor workers at risk.

When a leader focuses only on being popular, the entire system begins to rot from within. Decisions are no longer made based on what the business needs to survive, but on who might get upset if they don’t get their way. This creates a soft culture where the most skilled machine operators lose respect for the boss and eventually leave, tired of seeing the production line drift into chaos. The ultimate price of this kindness is a total crash. If the factory closes its shutters, nobody is happy, not even the supervisors who spent their bonuses months ago.

Kanchan took the bitter medicine to heart. She went back to the office and held a very difficult, very quiet meeting. She cancelled the upcoming luxury staff retreat and redirected every single rupee toward the machine workshop and sourcing better paper rolls. There was plenty of grumbling at the water cooler that week, and she was no longer the coolest person in the building. But six months later, the machines were running smoothly, the client signed a five-year contract extension, and every single job on the floor was secure. Kanchan realized that a true leader doesn’t work for the applause of the moment; she works for the stability of the future.

Building a Strong Foundation : A good leader prioritizes the health of the organization above all else. This starts with making decisions based on data and long-term sustainability rather than the mood of the office. You must treat every stakeholder fairly, which means looking out for the delivery driver’s safety just as much as the manager’s bonus. Transparency is your best friend; when you have to take a tough call, explain the why behind it so people understand that while the decision is hard, it is right for the collective future. Focus on earning respect through consistency and integrity, as respect lasts much longer than the temporary high of being liked.

No Point being a Hero in Canteen

Avoiding the Popularity Trap Never make financial or strategic decisions just to avoid an awkward conversation or a grumble at the water cooler. Avoid favouritism at all costs; giving a reward to one group while neglecting the safety or tools of another isn’t being nice, it is being irresponsible. Do not ignore small problems, like a shaky brake or a dip in cash reserves, just to keep the atmosphere positive, because those small issues eventually lead to a total system crash. Finally, stop measuring your success by the number of smiles in the canteen; a leader’s true success is measured by the stability and growth of the company and the security of every job within it.

True Leadership: Influence vs. Manipulation

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In a fast-paced environment where we are all focused on results, we sometimes forget how the work actually happens. We confuse “getting things done” with real leadership. True leadership is about moving people toward a shared goal because they want to follow, not because they feel they have to. While both influence and manipulation change behavior, the intent and the long-term outcome couldn’t be further apart.

A true leader acts like a Mala (garland) thread. They string people together to create something beautiful, keeping themselves invisible. On the other hand, a manipulator is the Puppeteer, they stay hidden too, but only to pull your strings for their own show.

Influencing or Manipulating?

It is all about Intent: The line between influence and manipulation is often invisible, but it’s anchored in motives. Influence is rooted in transparency. You share the “why,” appeal to logic, and respect the other person’s autonomy. It’s a win-win. On the other hand, Manipulation is rooted in self-interest. It relies on withholding information, playing on fears, or using “smoke and mirrors” to get a specific result. It’s a win-lose.

Dhanda Logic

To lead authentically without pulling strings, we must focus on logical appeal. In our context, this is the “Dhanda” logic, showing exactly how a decision or a new direction benefits the collective bottom line and the team’s growth. (Dhanda is Business in Hindi)

When we embrace influence, we are open about our goals. Manipulation thrives on hidden agendas and fine print. One approach empowers and grows the team, creating long-term loyalty; the other drains the team, resulting only in short-term compliance.

CharacteristicAuthentic InfluenceShort-Term Manipulation
FoundationBuilt on trust and character.Built on control and tactics.
OpennessOpen about goals and methods.Hidden agendas and “fine print.”
ImpactEmpowers and grows the team.Drains and diminishes the team.
LongevityCreates long-term loyalty.Results in short-term compliance.

“If my colleagues knew everything I know about this situation, would they still make the same decision?”

If the answer is “No,” you aren’t influencing—you’re manipulating. True leadership is the art of giving people a platform to excel, not a script to follow. Let’s make “Dhanda Logic” our foundation.

A great leader teaches you how to navigate the bazaar of life. A manipulator makes sure you can’t buy a single thing without asking them first. One gives you the map; the other keeps you lost so you have to follow their voice. Choose your leadership path.

Slime or Snake?

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My Boss’s cabin in Nashik smelled of old monsoon rain and cigarette. He was my immediate boss in my 1st job,  Ramesh, a man who had survived three corporate restructuring and a heart attack. It was 4th month of my job and obvious butterflies when your boss calls you over for a discussion. I was hired by him from the campus and obviously offered me extra care (maybe because both hailed from Bengaluru).

Reassuringly, he told me to relax and offered me a cigarette. It is not about work, I am being promoted and moving to Mumbai next month before which I wanted to give you a friendly advice, which you are free to ignore. This is  something they didn’t teach you in your MBA and certainly not mentioned during your HR induction.

You see that guy Shashank in the corner cabin? The one always offering to buy everyone samosas, the one who calls you ‘Beta’ and smiles like he’s your own uncle? Keep your guard up. In this corporate jungle, the guy screaming at you is rarely the one who’ll finish your career. It’s the one who shoots over your shoulder while giving you a hug.

Take Rohan, a fresher I hired three years ago. Sharp boy, worked like a horse on ‘FTL Assembly Line.’ He had everything ready, solid data, clear ROI. But he made one mistake: He trusted a Shashank.  Shashank spent weeks mentoring Rohan. He’d sit him down and say, ‘Beta, you’re young. Kapoor (our MD), hates overconfidence. Add more slides on the risks. Show him you’re cautious. Thinking he was getting insider gold, Rohan gutted his winning presentation.

However, when Kapoor got annoyed by the negativity, Shashank did not defend the strategy he helped create. He sighed, looked at Rohan with pity and told the MD – “Sir, I tried to tell the boy to be more positive, but you know how these youngsters are so focused on the problems, no vision.” He simply threw Rohan under the bus. Shashank kept his own reputation clean and branded Rohan as lacking leadership. All while smiling.

Ramesh said, “Listen carefully, there are two types of people who will ruin you – Openly Evil and the Slimy.”

The Openly Evil are people like Rajesh. He growls. You see his claws. You know exactly where the attack is coming from. You can prepare, duck, or fight back. He’s honest about his malice.

The Slimy are people like Shashank. He doesn’t have the spine to hold his own weapon. Instead, he fires off someone else’s shoulder.  

He muttered “A slimy chap doesn’t leave fingerprints. He whispers a secret in your ear, waits for you to repeat it, and then watches from the sidelines while you get fired for spreading rumours. This is like sitting on your shoulders and biting your ears off. He plays the good chap so well that when the building is burning, everyone reaches for his hand not realizing he’s the one who leaked the petrol. “The man who smiles while pointing out your enemies is often the one creating them. He uses your mouth to speak his venom and your face to take the punch. Avoid the man who is everyone’s friend but stands behind everyone’s back.”

That was precious lesson from Ramesh and in days to come I realised he was dead right: the snake you see is a danger, but the slime you slip on is what breaks your neck.

Don’t be a ‘Meetha Churi’s’ target: If someone gives you friendly advice to change your work, send a summary email immediately. “Thanks for the input, as discussed, I’m pivoting the strategy to focus on risks per your suggestion.”  Rest assured, they will backpedal when there’s a paper trail. And today there are so many avenues to keep it on Record, WhatsApp, Mails or in the worst case – A call recording!

In India, we value politeness, and these chaps who deploy their smile as a shield, use that against you. Don’t let their vibes stop you from asking hard questions in front of others.

Own your Voice.  If you let someone else narrate your work, they’ll eventually narrate your exit.

The world is full of people who will use your back as a tripod for their own gun. Don’t offer them that!

PS: I changed just a couple of names but every word written above is something that I was so privileged to learn so early in my career. It has stood me in good stead, till I decided to call it a day. Thank you Ramesh! Though on the day, I thought you were just being possessive (and also thought you were jealous of Shashank – I realised you were way above his pay grade and NATURE too). During our latest meeting in IISc guest house, where I recalled this anecdote and a couple more, that smug smile just said “Don’t Mention”

Thank you! Watching me from wherever you are up above. I hope I lived upto your trust in my abilities