Inked Thoughts

  In today’s fast-paced work environments, we often get caught up in the routine of tasks, deadlines, and meetings. Work becomes a series of to-do lists, and we rarely take the time to reflect on the stories unfolding around us. But what if we changed that perspective? What if we saw work not just as a set of responsibilities but as a rich source of narratives that shape our personal and professional growth? Why Stories Matter in the Workplace Stories help us make sense of our experiences, create connections, and inspire change. When we share stories about our challenges, achievements, and learnings, we invite others into our world, fostering deeper engagement and understanding. Storytelling in the workplace serves several key purposes: 🔹 Expands Our Imagination of Work – By telling stories, we step outside the mechanical nature of daily tasks and see the bigger picture. We recognize how our roles contribute to a larger mission. 🔹 Creates Meaning and Purpose – Every job, no mat...

  Why the Universe Is Organized into Hierarchies—a Fable "There once were two watchmakers, named Hora and Tempus. Both of them made fine watches, and they both had many customers. People dropped into their stores, and their phones rang constantly with new orders. Over the years, however, Hora prospered, while Tempus became poorer and poorer. That’s because Hora discovered the principle of hierarchy... The watches made by Hora and Tempus consisted of about one thousand parts each. Tempus put his together in such a way that if he had one partly assembled and had to put it down—to answer the phone, say—it fell to pieces. When he came back to it, Tempus would have to start all over again. The more his customers phoned him, the harder it became for him to find enough uninterrupted time to finish a watch. Hora’s watches were no less complex than those of Tempus, but he put together stable subassemblies of about ten elements each. Then he put ten of these subassemblies together into a la...

Shri Nitin Gadkari, India’s Minister for Transport, often shares an inspiring example of Ratan Tata. He recalls an incident when Ratan Tata was coming to meet him in Mumbai at Malabar Hill but lost his way. Instead of asking his driver, he personally called Shri Gadkari for directions. Surprised, Shri Gadkari asked, “Sir, where is your driver?” Shri Ratan Tata replied, “I am driving myself.” Shri Gadkari was taken aback and said, “You are such a big personality, and you don’t have a driver?” To which Tata humbly responded, “No, I don’t.” Later, when Shri Ratan Tata visited Nagpur, Shri Gadkari noticed that he was carrying his own bag. As a minister, Gadkari instinctively offered to carry it, but Shri Tata immediately stopped him and said, "No, Nitin, this is my bag. I will carry it myself." Even while getting into the car, when Shri Gadkari suggested that Tata sit in the more comfortable rear seat, he chose to sit in the front, next to the driver. Despite his immense wealth, ...