5 days ago
Anand Mahindra shares wisdom on curiosity, leadership and failure: ‘Don't try to be…'
Anand Mahindra, Chairman of the Mahindra Group, recently had an insightful conversation with Ananda Sarkar, last year's Mahindra Rise Challenge winner. Shared on X, the discussion touched upon key values like curiosity, humility, and the importance of embracing failure.
Along with the video, Anand Mahindra wrote, 'Who asks tougher questions—investors or students? No prizes for guessing the right answer…'
When asked about a college habit he still maintains, Mahindra said, 'I grew up without easy access to information--no internet or ChatGPT. That made me extremely curious, and luckily, that curiosity has stayed with me. It's the real driver behind innovation.'
Advising those entering the professional world, he emphasised, 'Don't try to be the loudest person in the room. Listen carefully, find your own voice, stay humble, and never stop learning. Remember, you're rarely the smartest person in the room. Teams win, egos don't.'
Talking about campus rules he disliked, Mahindra pointed to the 'Keep off the grass' signs on beautiful lawns. 'If you build something beautiful, why stop people from enjoying it? That rule should be thrown out.'
When questioned about who asks tougher questions—investors or students--he was clear: 'Students ask deeper, existential questions. Investors can be handled with presentations, but students want to know who you truly are and why you do what you do.'
On what business schools don't teach, Mahindra offered a crucial insight: 'Failure is not a footnote in your journey—it's a chapter. Learning to fail fast and fail forward is the real MBA.'
The conversation, marked by Mahindra's trademark wisdom, is a reminder of the power of curiosity, humility, and resilience in achieving success.
