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The reality of firing is not that of capability. It’s rarely that. 
It’s that of a value mismatch. The value that is being added is lesser than expected or the strengths possessed are not valued enough. 

The same value can be significant someplace else. And it usually is. 

The hard part about firing then becomes realizing this fact. And thus still maintaining respect for the individual. 

I have personally fired 27 individuals in my life. 

Not one of them would refuse to help me if I called them one day for help. 

Most would say that the firing, though painful at that stage, was a wise decision eventually. 

They were told, with respect, of how the mismatch will not work out. For both parties involved. 

That it is best for both to move on. 

Maintaining respect for the opposite side, when the side has not delivered, is a hard thing to do. 

It is also the right thing to do. 

Respect is never situational. 

I have a golden rule for policy making

Solve for the 95%, not for the 5%

Look around you.

Most rules and policies are drafted to curb the 5% that deviate. Not to acknowledge the 95% that adhere.

No car blinds for the 5% rapists 

Punch cards for the 5% free loaders 

25 yrs drinking limits for the 5% that can’t control 

Daily reviews for the 5% that can’t self manage

Bell curve for the 5% that don’t fit in

And it’s obvious why that’s the case

It’s the 5% that create the most chaos

They make the most noise

They destroy the most

They seek the most attention

They get the most attention
The 5% will make themselves visible come what may. The hard work then is to make the 95% visible.

Don’t let the 5% takeover

Sorry, I won’t do this again 

Sorry, I didn’t think through this

Sorry, don’t punish me

Sorry, I did this on purpose 

Sorry, I do not care

Sorry, I now know what I have to do

If your sorry has multiple intents, don’t expect forgiveness as the only reaction

Jazbaa is an Urdu word

Translated in English, it means passion

It is the only thing that makes the world move 

Or not

Jazbaa is a good thing

Don’t become comfortable 

Have jazbaa 

In late Sep 2015, I started a personal initiative

“Lunch with Warikoo”

The company was growing faster than I anticipated. 

While I used to pride upon the fact that I knew the names of most people, not so much anymore

The initiative was driven by the insecurity of losing touch with my colleagues, than anything else. 

The initiative was to have lunch with a new person everyday. Across the country. 

And then to post about it on our employee Facebook group – much like “humans of New York” 

Yesterday I completed the 50th such lunch. 

18 of them in person. Rest on hangouts. 

I have had people cook for me

I have had people bring me gifts

I have had people cry in front of me

I have had people hug me

I have had people order food for me 

I have had people bring in their friends

I have had people write poetry for me

I have had people shower unconditional love, that I am largely undeserving of. 

And they have done all of this because I gave them my time. And they know it is the most precious thing I have. 

When you pick the most valuable thing in your life and are ready to share it, magic happens! 

What’s most precious to you? 

When are you sharing it? 

All of us have a weak spot. 

Something that we know is not right with us. 

And we cannot do much to change it. 

Lazy, unorganized, procrastination, sloppy, unaware, non-detailed – whatever it is 

Even if you can’t do much to change it, you can do a lot to change the world around you. 

For the physically lazy, does the world around offer everything in an arm’s distance 

For the mentally lazy, does the world around offer work at the dim of the day

For the unorganized, does the world around include you in every email chain

There are two ways of dealing with your weak spot 

Work on it 

Or create a world around that doesn’t fuel it

Find your weak spot 

And then fight it, using the world and not your own self. 

When people say, hire people smarter than you, they mean people who fill in the weak spots you have. 

Unless you are relentlessly open and honest in your communication, every single day, things fall apart. 

100% of failures and problems can be traced back to poor communication at some level

Humans, by design, crave for security and comfort. And we call it different things 

Structure 

Predictability 

Familiarity 

Logic

Dec 31st is the biggest structure created by mankind. 

Nothing changes that day or the day after. 

The sun doesn’t reset. Nor does the clock. 

Climate doesn’t change. Nor do the people around us. 

What changes though are emotions 

Every single individual out there resets their emotions on dec 31st. 

Reflect on the year gone by. Predict the year to come. Make promises. Correct the mistakes from the past. Plan ahead. 

The 365 day structure makes us operate psychologically in a powerful way. Nothing else drives humans across the world in such a concentrated fashion. 

And I think

If the 365 day structure was man made. So can be the 1 day structure that I make. 

Resetting my emotions at the end of everyday. 

Reflect on the day gone by. Predict the day to come. Make promises. Correct the mistakes from the past. Plan ahead. 

Everyday is a Dec 31st

It’s your choice to have 1 of them in a year

Or 365! 

I work with super smart people everyday. Individuals more driven and way smarter than I can ever be. 

But there is a common thread when I see how they work

They love solving. 

Anything! And everything! 

That comes their way

Being in constant solution mode will make anyone look and seem powerful. 

There is a situation – let me solve it 

The product is broken here – let me solve it 

Sales are not happening this month – let me solve it 

This guy is not performing – let me solve it 

I haven’t slept for 48 hours – let me solve it

But solving situations isn’t ever helpful. That doesn’t ensure the problem will not come back. It is tactical. It is short term. 

And some problems aren’t even problems, the way they are described. They are mostly reactions. 

Hence, ask yourself what is it that you are truly solving for? 

Is it worth your time

And your smartness

Don’t become a victim of your own smartness

Don’t solve all the time 

  
The journey has been nothing short of fascinating. I wouldn’t trade this for anything else in my life. 

Humbled. 

Excited. 

Scared.