Merit Over Sentiment: Building Teams That Last

This post is inspired by my experiences and observations in sports, politics, and business. The intent is not to criticize or hurt anyone but to share insights on how we can build better organizations by focusing on merit, balance, and sustainable growth.

When you start a company, you begin with a vision and a plan, carefully assembling a team to execute that plan. In the early days, it's straightforward—you're finding people for jobs. But as organizations grow, the dynamic shifts. Suddenly, you're managing jobs for people.

This is when the challenge begins. Decisions often get influenced by emotions, perspectives, and sentiments rather than the organization's long-term goals. It happens everywhere:

• In politics, when ministerial positions are allocated to appease factions rather than based on expertise.
• In sports, when team selections prioritize loyalty or fame over performance and potential.
• In family businesses, when the next generation is ready to take charge, but the existing generation clings to control. The result? Family feuds, conspiracies, and a fractured legacy.

These compromises might seem convenient in the short term, but they eventually lead to inefficiencies, dissatisfaction, and failure. It's like building a structure with unstable LEGO blocks—it may stand for a while, but it will crumble because the foundation wasn’t solid.

Great leaders recognize this risk and prioritize solutions that strengthen the organization, not just pacify individuals. They know that sustainable growth comes from striking a balance: honoring experience while embracing innovation, valuing wisdom while fostering fresh perspectives.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna emphasizes the importance of performing one's duties without attachment to the results, a concept known as Nishkama Karma. He advises Arjuna:

"You have a right to perform your prescribed duties, but you are not entitled to the fruits of your actions. Never be attached to the results of your activities nor be attached to inaction."

This teaching underscores the value of focusing on one's responsibilities and making decisions based on merit and duty, rather than being swayed by personal attachments or desires for specific outcomes. By embracing this principle, leaders can cultivate a meritocratic environment where actions are guided by righteousness and the greater good, rather than personal sentiments or external pressures. By embracing this principle, leaders can foster a meritocratic environment, where actions are guided by the greater good rather than sentiment.

One of the hardest truths in life is this: everything is transient. Clinging to positions, power, or influence often does more harm than good, both to the individual and to the organization. True growth happens when people recognize when it’s time to step aside. By doing so, you not only elevate yourself to a higher plane of purpose and fulfillment but also create space for others to rise.

As Lao Tzu wisely said, “When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be.”

The journey of leadership—and life—isn’t about holding on. It’s about knowing when to let go, so that the entire team can thrive.