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“Marketing is often urgent. But clarity must precede urgency.”
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The best part of my job is…
The best part of my job lies in recognizing what people truly need, even before they’ve found the words for it. Whether it’s a client seeking clarity, a colleague navigating a decision, or a consumer exploring choices, I listen deeply. Not just to what’s said, but to what sits beneath it. I look for patterns, pause between lines, and help surface what’s really being asked. From there comes the real fulfillment: offering a way forward that’s rooted in sincerity. Not a sales pitch. Not a performance. Just options that I genuinely believe are aligned with the individual, the moment, and the larger context. Recommending something with conviction because I know it serves purposefully, that’s deeply satisfying. The second part of the joy comes in translating this ethos across my team. Rallying people around shared values. Encouraging intention over instruction. Ensuring that what we do as a collective is coherent – with our brand’s truth, our audience’s trust, and the business’s longer arc.
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My leadership mantra
My leadership mantra is pretty simple: show up with presence, act with integrity and earn trust before expecting action. Especially in categories like real estate, where you're not just selling homes but anchoring people’s dreams, fears, and lifelong investments, this approach becomes non-negotiable. Leadership, to me, is not about constantly directing others. It’s about helping people align with what matters to the stakeholders we serve, the biggest being the consumer. That begins with how I show up in a room. Am I clear? Am I congruent? Do I speak to values, not just KPIs? Marketing is often urgent. But clarity must precede urgency. When a team knows the why, they’ll figure out the how. My job is to voice the “why” in a way that’s honest, coherent, and energizing – not just for a campaign, but for the culture. What excites me most? Seeing that shift when people stop operating on autopilot and start creating with intention. When the brief becomes a shared belief. When a brand stops being a function and starts being a force. Therefore, what I try to cultivate everyday is a space where trust flows, decisions are thoughtful, and what we build and communicate is rooted in truth and authenticity. Because in the end, if it’s not clear, kind, and purpose-led, it doesn’t move people. And if it doesn’t move people, it doesn’t matter.
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My role model
It’s not a celebrity or industry icon. It’s someone like Raghubir Singh, an imaginary name I use to represent the many unsung individuals who lead their lives with quiet purpose and unshakable integrity. Raghubir runs a small tiffin service in a Tier-II town. He wakes at dawn, cooks every meal from scratch, packs each box himself, and never compromises on quality, even when margins are tight. He cooks every meal with the same care with which we would for his own family because that is just the right thing to do. Despite rising costs and long hours, he doesn’t compromise. His customers trust him not just for a meal, but for dignity in every bite. What I admire most is his constancy; he shows up. Not for applause. Simply because he made a promise to nourish people honestly. Raghubir Singh represents what I aspire to: quiet integrity, consistent action, and the ability to lead through care. He doesn’t lead with volume, but with values. He doesn’t claim to be a changemaker. But in his way, he’s changing lives, earning trust, one plate at a time. That is leadership. That’s the kind of impact I respect most. Not grand but grounded. I think of someone like Raghubir, doing the right thing when no one’s watching, his every action rooted in purity of intent and the excellence of execution. And whenever I feel overwhelmed by scale or pace, I think of him. Someone who keeps things simple, who leads, not by position, but by presence.
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In an alternate timeline I would have been
In another life, I would have been a documentary filmmaker, not for the craft alone, but for the quiet, persistent pursuit of truth. The subtle layers of human behavior, the way people navigate uncertainty, express emotion, or hold back just enough to reveal what’s truly important have always fascinated me. The hesitation in a voice, the flicker in an eye, the space between words. That instinct, to watch closely, to listen deeply, to wait for the unspoken, feels very much like directing, not in the traditional sense of control, but in curating attention, bearing witness, and letting truth unfold on its own terms. I have spent hours on jungle safaris, not looking for drama but watching how life moves - lowly, intuitively, and very often, without the need for spectacle. It teaches you that presence is enough, that there is a truth in that quiet. You learn patience there. And reverence. You realize that life isn’t always performing, sometimes it’s just being. That’s the kind of filmmaker I imagine I would be. One who documents the inner shifts that never make headlines but change everything, narrating stories of resilience, honesty, nuance, and everyday dignity. And perhaps in some ways, I already do. As a coach, as a marketer, as a leader, I observe, reflect, and help surface truths that are awaiting their reveal. I pay attention. I ask. I wait. And I try to make the unseen feel seen. Being a documentary filmmaker or not, I think we’re all storytellers. I happen to tell mine through reflection, presence, and purpose, watching through a lens that sees both people and the forest, honouring the quiet stories.
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Books/movies/shows I re-read and re-watch
Some stories can serve as mirrors to your present self, while others open a window to our future, revealing who we are becoming. The Alchemist is a constant companion on my journey, gently reminding me that our "Personal Legend" is not a distant dream but an integral part of our being. It testifies to the fact that the universe, in its subtle ways, conspires to guide us if we are open to its whispers. The Fountainhead, on the other hand, ignites a different kind of fire within me. Roark's unwavering self-belief and his refusal to compromise his originality for societal approval inspire me to lead with clarity and conviction, even when the path is rugged and lonely. Men of Honor embodies grit, plain and simple. Carl Brashear's journey to become the Navy's first Black master diver reminds me that dignity and excellence do not always come with applause; they come with presence, persistence, and pride. Then there's Scent of a Woman, which is not just about loss or redemption, but about integrity. Frank Slade's courtroom speech on the "right path vs. easy path" resonates with me, especially when faced with difficult decisions that require backbone. I also return to Life is Beautiful and Forrest Gump for their simplicity, grace, and raw emotional truth. Guido's belief in joy amidst horror and Forrest's faith in doing the right thing, no matter the circumstances, both reflect the kind of presence I strive to bring into every room I enter. These stories anchor me. Not because they're perfect, but on the contrary, because they remind me how beautiful the imperfect, human journey can be.
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A recent ad campaign I liked
Some ads don't just sell, they shift consciousness. They become quiet nudges toward the world we want to live in. Here are six such campaigns that continue to teach enduring lessons on leadership and values. The Tanishq Remarriage ad led with courage and grace. By portraying a woman's second marriage without apology, it reframed social norms. Leadership, here, was about creating space for dignity, representation, and quiet revolution. Cadbury Dairy Milk's Cricket Girl ad (1994) celebrated spontaneity and broke gender stereotypes. A woman running onto the field in joy reminds us: leadership means showing up as your whole, uninhibited self, without waiting for permission. Hamara Bajaj was the anthem of a rising India. It captured aspiration with humility. It taught us that leadership must evolve with the people it serves, rooted in identity, yet always future facing. Fevicol's bus ad masterfully showcased the beauty of cohesion. Amid movement and noise, the bond held strong. In leadership, too, it's not about control, it's about building something that stays together, even when the world around you gets chaotic. The Surf Excel "Daag Achhe Hain" campaign was bold in its message: that getting dirty is part of learning. It championed experience over perfection, play over caution. Leadership, here, is about encouraging people to take risks, fall, get up, and grow. These aren't just ads. They're windows into a value system where empathy, authenticity, inclusion, and resilience aren't strategies; they are starting points. That's the kind of leadership the world needs more of.
