Welcome to 5 O’Clock Reflections, a daily blog by Hemant Rustogi as he explores lessons learned in life, business, and his quest for wisdom. Each month Hemant invites a person who intrigues him, to join him for a 5 pm interview to share their insights over their favorite cocktail. You can learn more here.
Ignorance is Bliss
May 2, 2024 by Leave a Comment
He who knows nothing is closer to the truth than he whose mind is filled with falsehoods and errors.
Thomas Merton
The Minimalists
May 1, 2024 by Leave a Comment
They sit in positions of power, or work in the shadows of the high performers. They do the least amount of work required to get by. They rarely make any mistakes, because they rarely make any decisions. They are “nice” people, or so they seem.
My patience wears thin for these sorts. I’d rather that folks take chances and beg for forgiveness. Asking for permission is way overrated. As long as they keep an eye on the vision and their intentions are honorable, there is a lot of latitude to make mistakes. And the occasional home run is sweet success.
I have seen both sides of this coin at both my places of work — the University and the Montessori schools. I have a lot of respect for those that take chances, and get stuff done. The others? Well, time to cut our losses and forge ahead with a smaller, but more driven team.
The Blame Game
April 29, 2024 by Leave a Comment
It doesn’t really matter who is at fault — human nature dictates we point fingers at others. Someone has to take the fall for a missed assignment. In the service business, the customer plays the “I am always right” card with alarming … [Continue reading]
The “C” Factor
April 28, 2024 by Leave a Comment
On a quiet street in suburbia, where I live, there are twenty two homes. On this street alone, eight families are dealing with cancer. One lost her son to the disease, and the others are fighting this monster with fortitude. I … [Continue reading]
