R Gopalakrishnan, Author, ‘Inside the Boardroom – How Behaviour Trumps Rationality’

R Gopalakrishnan, Author, ‘Inside the Boardroom – How Behaviour Trumps Rationality’

  • Mr. Gopalakrishnan is the author of a book titled ‘Inside the Boardroom – How Behaviour Trumps Rationality’.
  • He’s the chief executive officer of Mindworks.

Podcast

Overview

In this episode, R Gopalakrishnan, corporate advisor and author, discusses insights from his book “Inside the Boardroom” on governance and human behaviour. He explores the balance of creativity and discipline needed in companies, using analogies. Gopal emphasizes the bias traps directors face. He shares perspectives on governance in startups, the steering role of governance so companies don’t “crash”, and the behavioural factors that shape strategic decisions.

00:33- About R Gopalakrishnan

  • Mr. Gopalakrishnan is the author of a book titled ‘Inside the Boardroom – How Behaviour Trumps Rationality’.
  • He’s the chief executive officer of Mindworks.
  • He’s the former vice-chairman of Hindustan Unilever Limited, the Director of Tata Sons, the Chairman of Castor Oil, India, and the Director of the Press Trust of India. 

09:59- What are some of the governance challenges that startup entrepreneurs face?

  • Startups often wrongly assume that a good idea alone leads to success when in reality there are many stages of development and execution.
  • Creativity without discipline is hopeless, and discipline without creativity is equally hopeless. Successful innovation requires a balance.
  • Different creative pursuits and cultures strike a different balance between outer creativity/informality and inner discipline

08:03- Do you see any relationship between corporate governance and corporate performance?

  • Good corporate governance is like the steering wheel of a Ferrari – while it does not assure that a company will “win the race” it ensures the car does not crash.
  • My experience at Unilever and Tata suggests that large, careful companies often also have “Ferrari engines” powering them – good governance combined with strong underlying capabilities.
  • A problematic assumption in some startups in India and elsewhere is the belief that great ideas and capabilities alone will lead to success without good governance.

RESOURCES:

Learn more about R Gopalakrishnan: LinkedIn

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Profile

  • Mr. Gopalakrishnan is the author of a book titled ‘Inside the Boardroom – How Behaviour Trumps Rationality’.
  • He’s the chief executive officer of Mindworks.
  • He’s the former vice-chairman of Hindustan Unilever Limited, the Director of Tata Sons, the Chairman of Castor Oil, India, and the Director of the Press Trust of India. 

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