Rationally Speaking: A Friend’s Masterstroke 

You can read the previous articles of ‘Rationally Speaking’ here.

A friend of mine, Rahul, is a CEO of a big company going through a crisis. There is a growing clamour to replace Rahul with Priya who is thought to be much more charismatic, competent and dynamic than him. Rahul does not want to leave the post.  Also, Rahul knows Priya very well and he knows that peoples’ perception is ludicrous. Priya is a significantly inferior version of Rahul.

In a couple of months, quarterly results are going to be announced. Rahul knows that the numbers are going to be terrible again. Rahul may be asked to make way for Priya. So, Rahul has pulled off a masterstroke. He gave Priya the role of a senior vice-president in the company with a lot of public-facing responsibilities.

Having seen Priya, regardless of the numbers, nobody will dare suggest replacing Rahul with Priya. Rahul timed it to perfection. Had he done it a lot earlier, his company would have been harmed. Had he left it for too late, he would have had to leave the position of a CEO.

Rahul is smart. And yet, everyone calls him stupid. I never understand this.