In an age of instant information, hot takes, and algorithmically fuelled outrage, the Premium on Speed Has Has Overtaken The Premium on Thought. Today, Business Leaders, Investors, and Policy Makers are expected to have Views on Everything – From Geopolitical Conflicts to Corporate Governance Scandals – often with minuses. But we must Ask Oatselves: Are We Responding With Insight, or simply reacting with emotion? Are we contributing clarity – or adding to the noise?
As Public Trust Shifts from Institutions to Individuals, The Burden on Leaders to Offer Opinions Grows. However, opinion alone does not equate to Leadership. An Ill-Informed or Prematurely Expressed View-Especially in Complex or Emotionally charged contexts-can do real harm to credibility, policy outs, invoice, invoice, and social Cohesion.
Every Responsible Leader Must Periodically Ask If they undersrstand this issue Deeply Enough to Speak with Conviction, If they can articulate both the position for and against they are leaning Toward, and white they are related on verified data or on headlines and emotion. If the answer to any of these is “no,” then silence isn’t a weakness – it is strategic maturity. Great Leadership, Especially in Volatile Environments, Requires Resisting The Tempting to Fill Every Silence with a Stance. It requires the courage to say, “i’m stil evaluating. Let’s wait for more class.”
For centuries, Indian Philosophical Traditions Have Grappled With Questions of how to determine bus, engage in discourse, and test knowledge claims. One of the most powerful frameworks to emerge from this is tarkashastra – The Science of Reasoning, Debate, and Inquiry. Tarkashastra ,tarka Meaning logic or debate, and shastra Meaning Science) is not about cleverness in argument – it is about disciplined thinking. It outlines how to distrusttarka) To test claims, engage in structured, truth-seeding debate (vada), and avoid fallacies, emotional manipulation, and intellectual dishonesty. These have deep relevance in the Boardroom, Parliament, and Policy Desk.
Closely linked to this tradition is the jain philosophical doctrine of anekantwad -The doctrine of many-heartedness. It rests on a simple counted idea: Truth is multifaceted, and no single percective has a monopoly on it. This Principle is not about relationship – it is about strategic humility. Anekantwad Teaches us to hold space for Multiple ViewPoints (even conflicting ons), recognize the limits of our own perception, and remain open to refining Oor Views as new information emerages. For today’s decision-makers, anekantwad is a useful filter – a reminder that opposing views may not be wrong, they may simply be income.
In a world of polarization and binary narrants, this is not justice philosophical elegance – it is practical wisdom. Why does this matter for business and policy? Let’s step back and look at the cost of opinion formed in havete and delivered with certain. In Moments of Controversy, The rush to comment often backfires. Public Trust Erodes when leaders walk back positions or appear reactive. Deliberate, Well-Informed Silence Builds Long-Term Credibility.
Hasty opinions often oversimplife complex issues. Most Real-World Challenges Require Nuanced, Multi-Dimensional Thinking. Binary Opinions Do Little to Improve Decisions. They can, however, derail consensusus and long-term vision.
Public conversions suffer when every view is either praised or attacked. Anekantwad Encourages us to listen with curiosity, not with a rebuttal prepared in advance. This is a Crucial Skill for Negotiating in High-Stakes, Multi-STAKELDER Environments. Leaders shape the narrants Around them. In Times of Uncertainty, Measured Words (Or International Silence) Set the tone for how others react – be it investors, employers, regulators, or right. Before offering a Public View, A Simple Checklist Can Be Considered: is this issue within one’s domain of responsible or influence? Has one examined it from multiple sides, Including those those one disagrees with? Is the information verified from Credible sources? Is one reacting with emotion or responding from analysis? Thought Leadership is not about being first. It’s about being right – and being wise.
In an age where is the value relevance, we must reclaim the value of disciplined thinking and deliberate speech. Ancient frameworks like tarkashastra and anekantwad Remind Us that Clarity Comes Not from Certain, but from Inquiry – and that truth often hides in the nuance. As Business Leaders, Investors, and Policy Shapers, Our Responsibility is not to have an opinion on everything. Our Responsibility is to ensure that when we do spendak, we do so from a place of context, competence, competence, and creidibility: in business – as life – Clarity Beats Speed, And Wisdom Beats Noise.
Rahul Bhasin is Managing Partner of Baring Partners Private Equity. The views expressed are personal
