So, Founders fall asleep sometimes.
They doze off.
They get distracted.
They take their eye off the ball.
They ‘blink’.
Why does this happen?
Founders may:
– Think that there is nothing more to ‘achieve’. (Michael Dell in Dell)
– Believe that here is a ‘magician’ out there who can do a better job than themselves in their Company. (Subhash Chandra’s tryst with Sandeep Goyal)
– Have a board that kicks them out (Apple and Steve Jobs)
– Simply get burnt out (Jerry Yang in Yahoo)
– Think of higher causes and may want to pursue things to better society (Infosys founders Narayan Murthy and Nandan Nilekani)
Usually, while they have been away, their Companies go sideways, and sometimes downwards. Very rarely do Companies perform better.
As long as they wake up and get back to their job, the damage done is usually repairable.
However, if on the other hand they decide that Sleep is their new prerogative, then that’s their choice.
If you look at the returns stories of founders, the results are spectacular – Dell, Apple and Zee have done amazingly well. Google can only get better (!!), while Yahoo continues to drift.
I believe it’s time that Narayan Murthy and Nandan Nilekani snap out of their reveries and come back to resurrect Infosys.
The Infy Stock is beaten and their new ‘value creation’ business mantra seems unclear.
Gorillas like TCS and Cheetahs like Cognizant Technologies are at their doors.
At this critical juncture, the Infosys founders CANNOT PLAY ‘STATUE’.
Why is it SO IMPORTANT to have the duo back at Infosys and make that Company rock its stock again?
– Infosys is the Shining Example of Brainy India.
– It’s the image of a Clean, Corruption-free Indian business than can thrive on passion and ingenuity – not on favors and bribes and licenses.
– Infosys represents what Indians can achieve in the Global Market beyond polishing diamonds and making shirts and underwear.
– Infosys has made 26 year old boys take more salary home than their 60 year old fathers.
– Infosys Girls are now the brides people want. Infosys has given Women economic status in India!
If Infosys fails and stumbles, India will be hurt.
So, if Mr. Murthy wants to do social work; and Mr. Nilekani wants to run the Census Bureau, sure they can – BUT first they must make sure that their own shining example of excellence does not appear rusted. Else, everyone’s dreams will be shattered.
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