Tuesday, 25 March 2025

Work Smart, not Hard to Achieve Big—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—21st-Century Philosopher & The Father of “Soft Leadership”


 


 “Never mistake activity for achievement.” —John Wooden


Some people work hard but don’t achieve the desired outcomes. They work hard without taking feedback. They keep themselves busy throughout the day without any achievements. It seems something is wrong somewhere. In this blog post, we will discuss working hard meaningfully which is otherwise known as working smart, to accomplish your goals and objectives.



Learn when to Hold and Fold


"It's not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is, what are we busy about?" ―Henry David Thoreau


People must learn when to hold and when to fold in life. They must fix some timeframe or deadline to execute their tasks. If there is no positive outcome, they must reflect and identify the existing gaps between their expectations and realities. They must eliminate those gaps by adopting innovative tools and techniques. If they still find that they don't get the desired outcomes, they must exit with grace by learning lessons and moving on toward other goals. There is no sense in chasing too many rabbits. There is no sense in swimming against the current.


In my personal life, I did business for more than a decade. I could not achieve positive results. I gave up business and explored teaching. I enjoyed teaching students because I inspired and shaped them as global leaders. After a few years, I became a fulltime author when I lost my employment. I authored 54 books, including the bestseller See the Light in You. https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132 Unfortunately, I could not create adequate income to sustain from books. Now I am thinking of shifting to some other area where I can earn money to earn my livelihood.



Emphasize more on Achievements and less on Actions


If you want to feel secure, do what you already know how to do. If you want to be a true professional and continue to grow... Go to the cutting edge of your competency, which means a temporary loss of security. So whenever you don't quite know what you're doing, know you're growing.” ―Madeline Hunter


When we look at Nobel Laureates, they worked hard in one area for several years to accomplish their goals. They emphasized quality, not quantity. Most people who aspired for Nobel Prizes died as unsung heroes and heroines. So, we cannot conclude that focusing on one area will give us success. Life is a game and a risk. Hence, we must take the risk and focus on one area religiously forever to achieve the desired outcomes. At the same time, we must understand the difference between busyness and productiveness.


People judge you based on your achievements, not your actions. So, ensure that your actions lead to achievements occasionally, if not frequently to move forward in your life meaningfully. To conclude, work smart, not hard to achieve big in your life.


If the leader is filled with high ambition and if he pursues his aims with audacity and strength of will, he will reach them in spite of all obstacles.” —Karl Von Clausewitz


Reference

https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132


Share if you care!


Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html


Read my ‘Vision 2030 One Million Global Leaders’ URL: http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030-one_31.html


Note: I had a brain hemorrhage. I was in bed for five months. My right hand has been numb and paralyzed. I am recovering. Thanks for empathizing with me. With gratitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFJrSRLHPUk&ab_channel=ProfessorM.S.Rao


Life is great!


Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.

Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.-S.-Rao/e/B00MB63BKM

Vision 2030: https://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professormsrao

Substack: https://professormsrao.substack.com

X: http://twitter.com/professormsrao

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorMSRao

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/Professor-MS-Rao-451516514937414

See the Light in You: https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132


Thanks for reading!

Kindly share your thoughts and comments below, I’m sure someone out there will find your story useful.


Copyright©2025 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


This is a nonprofit blog to share Professor M.S. Rao’s passion and vision to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. Please don't cut articles from my blog; redistribute them by email or post them on the web. The use of this material is free provided the copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com. This material may not be sold, published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.





Are You a Leader or a Ladder?—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—21st-Century Philosopher & The Father of “Soft Leadership”

 




The leader of the past was a person who knew how to tell. The leader of the future will be a person who knows how to ask." —Peter Drucker.


Behind the success of every leader, there was someone who laid the ladder for his or her success. The ladder must have been friends, relatives, well-wishers, teachers, coaches, or God. This is a fact every successful leader must admit. Although leaders succeed with their efforts and energies there must have been a ladder that took them to the top of the world. Sometimes the ladder may be immediate superior in the corporate world who handheld them or trainers, teachers, or coaches who groomed them. Great leaders pave the way for others to become leaders by becoming ladders. It is the great leaders who groom others as leaders. It helps ensure longevity for organizations apart from making these leaders taller.


Companies began realizing that peak performance is possible only when their employees are constantly trained and upgraded with the requisite skills and abilities to manage several challenges arising out of rapid changes in technology. And this is possible only through dedicated coaches.


Coaches are experts in the application of the right tools and techniques as per the needs of the leaders. They have their own assessments that enable leaders to realize where they stand. Above all, coaches are experts in giving feedback that helps leaders know their blind spots and ensure their corporate upward movement. That is the reason, it is rightly said that feedback is the breakfast of the champions.


Books will help you acquire certain theoretical knowledge. The application of that knowledge into skills and abilities is possible only through good coaches. Since coaches have their own experiences with research, corporate, and consultancy backgrounds they know what works well in the corporate world. They share the same with others to enhance their leadership effectiveness and success. In addition, they customize their coaching process as per the needs of the leaders. Hence, whether you are a leader or a ladder or both you need a dedicated coach to reach the top of the corporate ladder.


Share if you care!


Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html


Read my ‘Vision 2030 One Million Global Leaders’ URL: http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030-one_31.html


Note: I had a brain hemorrhage. I was in bed for five months. My right hand has been numb and paralyzed. I am recovering. Thanks for empathizing with me. With gratitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFJrSRLHPUk&ab_channel=ProfessorM.S.Rao


Life is great!


Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.

Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.-S.-Rao/e/B00MB63BKM

Vision 2030: https://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professormsrao

Substack: https://professormsrao.substack.com

X: http://twitter.com/professormsrao

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorMSRao

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/Professor-MS-Rao-451516514937414

See the Light in You: https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132


Thanks for reading!

Kindly share your thoughts and comments below, I’m sure someone out there will find your story useful.


Copyright©2025 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


This is a nonprofit blog to share Professor M.S. Rao’s passion and vision to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. Please don't cut articles from my blog; redistribute them by email or post them on the web. The use of this material is free provided the copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com. This material may not be sold, published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.









Agents in Business—Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.—21st-Century Philosopher & The Father of “Soft Leadership”


 

Any dealer can become an agent or distributor of a company with an undertaking with the company that the latter supplies the stocks solely to the former in a specific region or area. It has both merits and demerits as by taking as an agency of any specific company the agent has the sole rights to distribute to the dealers regularly and timely. But he is not supposed to sell the stocks of the competitor of the products or services of that particular company. For this, the agent gets fixed margins because he has to solely concentrate on the distribution and marketing of the company's stocks. His responsibility is also to strengthen the market for that particular product or service.


But the problem with the agency business is that the agents of other areas dump their stocks in this area by giving little discounts to the marketed prices which is popularly called undercutting or underselling in the business parlance. Besides, the agent has to lift the specified stocks regularly and sometimes the agent may be compelled to buy more stocks during the schemes. All companies come out with schemes periodically to give more benefits to the agents. But unfortunately, the agents do not digest the extra profits and on the other hand, they pass on the extra benefits as there is pressure to sell the stocks. Sometimes the agents of other areas may enter this area thereby offloading their stocks. In this process of underselling or undercutting ultimately, the consumers get the stocks at lower prices because in every stage the benefits are passed on to the next stage because of competition.


Although the company prescribes specific margins for the agents to enjoy, the latter rarely enjoy the benefits of margins because of competition.


Share if you care!


Things You Don’t Know about Professor M. S. Rao” http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2015/10/things-you-dont-know-about-professor-m.html


Read my ‘Vision 2030 One Million Global Leaders’ URL: http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com/2014/12/professor-m-s-raos-vision-2030-one_31.html


Note: I had a brain hemorrhage. I was in bed for five months. My right hand has been numb and paralyzed. I am recovering. Thanks for empathizing with me. With gratitude. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFJrSRLHPUk&ab_channel=ProfessorM.S.Rao


Life is great!


Professor M.S. Rao, Ph.D.

Founder of MSR Leadership Consultants, India

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.-S.-Rao/e/B00MB63BKM

Vision 2030: https://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/professormsrao

Substack: https://professormsrao.substack.com

X: http://twitter.com/professormsrao

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfessorMSRao

Meta: https://www.facebook.com/Professor-MS-Rao-451516514937414

See the Light in You: https://www.amazon.com/See-Light-You-Spiritual-Mindfulness/dp/1949003132


Thanks for reading!

Kindly share your thoughts and comments below, I’m sure someone out there will find your story useful.


Copyright©2025 MSR Leadership Consultants India. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.


This is a nonprofit blog to share Professor M.S. Rao’s passion and vision to build one million students as global leaders by 2030. Please don't cut articles from my blog; redistribute them by email or post them on the web. The use of this material is free provided the copyright is acknowledged and reference or link is made to the Blog http://professormsraovision2030.blogspot.com. This material may not be sold, published in any form, or used in the provision of business services to a third party without permission.