When I was pursuing my graduation with a specialisation in marketing, I firmly believed that Indians are rational buyers, people who think logically and prioritise value for money. This belief is deeply ingrained in how we often describe ourselves as consumers and decision-makers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Over the years, real-world exposure has challenged this assumption. The more I observed individual behaviour, organisational choices, and market outcomes, the clearer it became: a large portion of decision-making around us is not rational, it is emotional, impulsive, and often contradictory<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We say we want better health, yet our first instinct is to self-medicate instead of consulting a qualified doctor. Preventive care feels expensive, but reactive treatment does not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We want to build wealth, but hesitate to pay for professional financial advice. At the same time, we readily trust online tips, YouTube ads, MLM schemes, and high-risk day trading strategies, often with little understanding of the downside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We claim to value relationships, yet frequently prioritise money, status, and appearances over people. We buy things with money we don\u2019t have, not for utility, but to impress people we don\u2019t even like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These are not isolated behaviours; they reflect a pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The same irrationality shows up clearly in organisations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We want companies to grow, yet reward office politics over merit and performance. We talk about innovation and efficiency, but resist building robust systems and processes. When faced with operational challenges, we hesitate to hire consultants or experts who can help, because we want solutions to be free or cheap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ironically, we have no problem paying the price of inefficiency: delayed decisions, employee attrition, poor execution, and stalled growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a broader level, we say we want to build a strong nation, yet are easily swayed by short-term freebies instead of long-term policy thinking. And when things don\u2019t go according to plan, we pray, donate to religious causes, and blame fate, rarely our choices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n From a business operations perspective, outcomes are rarely accidental. Poor systems, weak governance, and bad incentives don\u2019t just appear; they are the result of deliberate avoidance of hard decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Growth – whether personal, organisational, or economic demands:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trying to save money on the right<\/em> investments often turns out to be the most expensive mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, we usually get exactly what we optimise for. Real progress requires the courage to question our assumptions, take accountability for our decisions, and invest in expertise, systems, and long-term thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s not irrational spending. When I was pursuing my graduation with a specialisation in marketing, I firmly believed that Indians are rational buyers, people who think logically and prioritise value for money. This belief is deeply ingrained in how we often describe ourselves as consumers and decision-makers. Over the years, real-world exposure has challenged this assumption. The more I… <\/p>\nThe Illusion of \u201cSmart\u201d Decisions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Organizational Contradictions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Cost of Avoiding the Right Investments<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Final Thought<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
And sometimes, exactly what we deserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That\u2019s responsible leadership.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"