The Timeless and the Changeless
Smart growth, competitive advantage and the importance of an internal guidance system.
A new administration in power...
A plane crash on the Potomac...
A seismic technological shift brought on by China's DeepSeek...
Among the events we saw as January drew to a close, the one that hit home for me was something that we had not seen since 2009.
It's Personal
Gravelly Point Park is a special place to my family.
Snuggled close to Reagan National Airport on the bank of the Potomac, it sits across the river from some of the most celebrated landmarks in Washington, D.C.: the Washington Monument, the Jefferson Memorial, and, far off in the distance, the Kennedy Center. Even on a foggy day, the skyline is clearly visible.
When my daughters were young, we would visit this park often - about once every six months.
Most people feel a range of mixed emotions when they see the D.C. skyline. For me, however, that emotion is just one: awe. I am still in awe of the fact that the monuments I had only seen in movies and read about in magazines while growing up in India were the features of my fairly regular visits.
A farm-boy from India residing at the center of the world's power center!
The best part of our park visits was that we could see airplanes take off and land, up close.
Really close.
So close that we could make out the tire treads of the airplane wheels, count the windows on their sides, and peek inside the underbelly that housed their landing gears, which would be fully open.
A typical aircraft would jet over our heads with a deafening roar, vibrating through our whole body. Within seconds, the tires would hit the runway, barely a few hundred yards from us. The friction smoke that emerged from beneath the tires would sometimes be followed by a jerk and a screech. Moments later, the plane would straighten up and be on its happy way, slowly taxiing towards the gate.
We would all breathe a sigh of relief. Then promptly turn around to spot the next airplane that had lined up for a landing.
We would do this for a while but then get tired of all the excitement.
The deafening roar, the smell of gasoline, and the straining of the necks would take their toll. We would retreat back into our cars and make our way back home in complete silence. My head would still be processing the noise, and my body would be swimming in all sorts of sensations.
On the way home, I would sink deep beneath the sensations, searching for the stillness that I knew was there. If I found it - and sometimes I wouldn't - I would drive like that for the next 45 minutes, grounded in that silent place, while my daughters did whatever they did in the back seats. (iPods and iTunes were popular back then.)
As residents of the DC Metro Area, we have spent many days at Gravelly Point Park. So when we heard that an aircraft had collided with a helicopter near that spot, it felt personal.
If we were there when it had happened, we would have seen it with our own eyes.
Is it enough to ask questions, even when we can't find the answers?
As we now know, 67 lives were lost in this incident. As the dedicated first responders and others who came after them, always the heroes, worked to deal with the aftermath of this tragedy, it left me with some questions.
I have listed these questions below. Perhaps you have struggled with these questions as well. Maybe you have some answers, maybe you don't. Chances are, you have some questions of your own that are not listed below. (Please share in the comments if you do. Of course, if you have answers, share them too!)
I think the important exercise here is to ask the questions, even if the answers are not immediately available.
When lives are at stake, when the complexities of a system involve hundreds, thousands, or sometimes even hundreds of thousands of people, what would guide our decisions?
What role do our values play in how we lead a team, a business, an organization or an administration?
What is the North Star we could use as a guidance system as we navigate through our decision-making process?
Where do we go - both literally and metaphorically - to find values, principles and ideas that could guide us through change?
Do the ideas of right and wrong - benevolence and malevolence - matter in leadership? If they do, how do they affect the results that the leaders bring to their organizations and their customers?
What are the ripple effects of these decisions on people with whom we work, on those who look to us for guidance and inspiration, and on those who are the beneficiary of our decisions, such as our clients and stakeholders?
When we seek the changeless beneath the changing, the timeless within the activity, what do we find? Can that changeless be both our anchor and guidance system?
How do the ripple effects of our values - and our decision-making based on those values - reverberate through our organization?
Smart Growth and Competitive Advantage: "The Business Philosopher Within You" Podcast
As the month of January closed with some of the most consequential changes we could imagine, we on "The Business Philosopher Within You" podcast remained focused on what we do best: exploring the timeless essence of our humanness that allows us to build enduring organizations.
We continued to explore the principles drawn from this essence that make our organizations effective and our people productive yet happy.
We published two episodes in January.
You can watch both of these videos below. These are YouTube videos, so you can also save them to your YouTube viewing list and come back to them later.
"Smart Growth" with Ben Greiner, Founder of Forget Computers
Summary: Discover how aligning core values with smart business growth fosters a strong company culture, paving the way for a successful business exit.
Ben Greiner brought to us the idea of "smart growth" rooted in the cultural values of positivity, trust, clarity and efficiency.
We explored Ben's thoughts on navigating smart growth, carving a strong brand-identity and laser focus, creating a committed company culture, and the power of effective communication in the tech industry.
Watch this video and you will learn how Ben navigated the complexities of the tech industry, built a customer-centric business, and executed a successful exit strategy. You will also understand the importance of redefining growth beyond mere revenue, and how focusing on a niche market with a strong marketing message can set you apart from the competition.
Bonus Point: Why does Ben call the growth of his company "smart growth?"
Hint: You have to watch only a small portion of the video for the answer.
"There are many ways to grow, but we just only talk about revenue." ~ Ben Greiner, Founder, Forget Computers
"The Competitive Advantage" with Anupam Nandwana, Founder and CEO of P360
Summary: Learn how P360 leveraged its competitive advantage and scaled a SaaS business in the life sciences industry to 300+ employees, driving innovation and growth.
How would you build a successful, sustainable business employing over 300 employees in a hyper-competitive marketplace, teeming with global players who have deep pockets?
In this interview, Anupam Nandwana shared the business philosophy that powered P360's competitive position and sustainable growth in a highly competitive Life Sciences industry with established players.
We discussed the inception of P360, addressing the challenges of competing in a regulated and competitive industry, and the positioning of Zing, P360's flagship platform. The conversation also navigated through customer-focused business strategies, the role of marketing as an equalizer, and the necessity of a clear vision and adaptability. Effective leadership, maintaining integrity and empowering teams were underscored as essential for creating a successful and sustainable business.
Bonus point: The video is titled "The Competitive Advantage." Can you tell us what P360's competitive advantage really is?
Hint: You don't even have to watch the video for the answer - at least the answer I am thinking of. (Although I highly recommend you do.)
(Thank you Kate McQuade for making the connection that brought us together.)
"We believe in disruption." ~ Anupam Nandwana, CEO and Co-Founder, P360