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Leadership & Work

Stories, briefings and ideas from Makhana Mornings.

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44 published stories

Conceptual illustration of one professional with travel luggage beside a role brief listing skills, responsibility and location, examined through a magnifying glass. It represents the role-fit test for returning technology workers, without depicting migration volumes, a net inflow or guaranteed hiring.

Number of tech professionals returning from the US nears last year’s total

Xpheno estimates that 12,700 technology professionals returned from the US through September. More people still moved in the opposite direction, while returnees face a selective Indian job market.

Makhana Mornings15 October 20263 min read

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The business lens / Business & Brands

LinkedIn’s startup list puts operations alongside AI

Zepto leads the 2026 India ranking. The businesses behind it show why scaling a startup still needs people who can run services, manage quality and keep technology reliable.

Makhana Mornings15 October 20263 min read

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Original illustration separating who participates in the labour force from who is working, without using a quantitative scale.

Behind the headline / People & Work

India’s unemployment rate stays at 5%. What do the numbers tell us?

September’s jobs survey shows more people taking part in the urban labour market. Across India, the share working eased slightly. Both measures help explain the 5% jobless rate.

Makhana Mornings15 October 20263 min read

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Illustration showing hidden workplace stress and burnout building slowly inside modern organisations

People & Work

Burnout is no longer the real workplace problem

Learn why modern workplaces are breaking down long before employees actually burn out

Makhana Mornings!25 May 20264 min read

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Illustration showing workers trapped by burnout caregiving pressures and stagnant career mobility in the modern workforce

People & Work

The workplace talks about glass ceilings but ignores 'sticky floors'

Learn how caregiving, burnout, low mobility and age bias are quietly trapping millions of workers in stagnant careers

Makhana Mornings!16 May 20265 min read

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Woman at podium with facial recognition grid on face in conference setting

People & Work

Leaders are burning cognitive energy trying to look unshakable

Learn why suppressing emotions may quietly weaken leadership performance and decision-making

Makhana Mornings!12 May 20264 min read

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Cloaked person holding lantern facing a broken stone bridge and winding staircases in foggy rocky landscape

People & Work

Burnout is rising but stress itself may not be the enemy

Learn why exhaustion is growing and how your response to stress still shapes the outcome

Makhana Mornings!3 May 20264 min read

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Five people pushing a large wooden crate wrapped in plastic in a cluttered workshop

People & Work

Resistance to change is not the problem you think it is

Learn what employee resistance actually signals and how leaders often misread it

Makhana Mornings!2 May 20263 min read

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Glowing human brain with floating spheres showing evolution, Christian cross, mosque, meditation figure, DNA, Earth, question mark, UFO, and atom symbols

People & Work

What if belief itself is shaping how well you think

Learn how expectations can influence creativity intelligence and cognitive performance

Makhana Mornings!30 April 20263 min read

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Illustration showing career shift in India driven by AI skills and evolving job roles

People & Work

India’s top companies list shows how jobs are quietly changing

Learn how AI is reshaping careers and what the best employers are doing differently.

Makhana Mornings!29 April 20263 min read

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People & Work

When CEOs become the brand things get complicated fast

As leaders grow more vocal, companies are learning that brand perception can shift overnight

Makhana Mornings!21 April 20264 min read

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Illustration of a solopreneur choosing between reversible and irreversible decisions in business

People & Work

Solopreneurs overthink decisions when most are easy to reverse

A simple framework is helping founders move faster and think clearer

Makhana Mornings!20 April 20263 min read

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Computer screen showing attendance logs and performance dashboard with charts and statistics

People & Work

Work from office is fading as leaders focus on outcomes

As the hybrid debate cools, CXOs are redesigning work around clarity, accountability, and performance

Makhana Mornings!19 April 20265 min read

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People & Work

You Just Joined the C Suite. What Happens Next?

New executives face hidden rules, power lines, and trust tests in their first weeks.

Makhana Mornings!30 January 20263 min read

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People & Work

Why the “hero CEO” myth keeps failing during real-world crises

As crises stack up, research shows leadership isn’t about superpowers anymore.

Makhana Mornings!28 January 20263 min read

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People & Work

When Board Dynamics Get Messy, CEOs Still Have to Lead

Even strong CEOs can stumble when board relationships turn difficult. Here’s what’s really at stake and why it matters now.

Makhana Mornings!26 January 20263 min read

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A professional standing in an office environment looking at a signpost with three arrows labeled Learning, Networking, and Innovation, symbolizing career growth and development.

People & Work

Feel stuck at work? Three smart ways to restart your growth

When your job turns routine, your brain tunes out. Here is how to reengage and move forward.

Makhana Mornings!26 January 20263 min read

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People & Work

When You Feel Invisible at Work, What Comes Next Matters Most

Feeling unseen is rising across teams and leaders. Here is why that feeling shapes performance and culture.

Makhana Mornings!25 January 20263 min read

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People & Work

Elon Musk Says America Would Be Weaker Without Indian Talent

In a new podcast conversation, Musk warns that restricting H-1B visas would hurt the US economy and innovation ecosystem.

Makhana Mornings!1 December 20254 min read

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People & Work

Slow Productivity Is About to Redefine Success in 2026

A global shift is unfolding as burnout rises and workers reject the pressure heavy mindset of hustle culture.

Makhana Mornings!27 November 20253 min read

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People & Work

India Overhauls Labour Rules in Its Biggest Workforce Reform in Decades

The government has finally activated four long-delayed labour codes, reshaping wages, safety and protections for millions of workers.

Makhana Mornings!21 November 20253 min read

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People & Work

Hybrid Work Is Evolving Again and This Time It Is About Purpose Not Location

Hybrid 3.0 shifts the focus from flexibility to connection, culture and meaningful work.

Makhana Mornings!20 November 20254 min read

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People & Work

The Next Trillion Dollar Industries Are Already Forming And Leaders Need To Wake Up

McKinsey identifies eighteen fast rising “arenas” that will shape global value creation through 2040.

Makhana Mornings!20 November 20256 min read

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People & Work

India’s green workforce is rising faster than its green economy

LinkedIn data shows hiring for green-skilled professionals is nearly sixty percent higher than the national average, signalling a major shift in India’s talent landscape.

Makhana Mornings!13 November 20254 min read

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A marble sculpture being shaped by human hands, representing how mastery is achieved through effort, integrity, and repeated practice.

People & Work

The Secret of Success Is Not a Secret

From ancient Greece to modern neuroscience, history has always pointed to one truth: mastery is built, not found.

Makhana Mornings!12 November 20254 min read

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People & Work

Tesla paid one trillion dollars for Elon Musk’s future, now it has to live with it

After approving Elon Musk’s record pay package, Tesla is betting a trillion dollars that its future will be built on robots, data, and belief.

Makhana Mornings!12 November 20255 min read

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Illustration of a student holding a rejected visa with a faint Canadian flag in the background, symbolizing the rising rejection rates and challenges for Indian applicants.

People & Work

Canada’s study permit wall hits Indian students hardest

Three in four Indian student visa applications to Canada were rejected in August 2025 as Ottawa tightens rules to curb fraud.

Makhana Mornings!5 November 20254 min read

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HR professionals analysing digital verification data showing increased discrepancies in BFSI, IT, and BPO sectors across India’s workforce.

People & Work

Employment Screening Trends Reveal Rising Discrepancies Across India’s Workforce

A half-year analysis shows higher verification discrepancies across BFSI, BPO, and IT sectors, highlighting the growing importance of digital identity and compliance.

Makhana Mornings!4 November 20253 min read

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Leader communicating calmly with employees showing stress and disengagement, representing emotional awareness and psychological safety in the workplace.

People & Work

Beyond Fight or Flight: The Hidden Threat Responses Shaping Workplace Behavior

Recognizing subtle defensive behaviors can help leaders build psychological safety and healthier teams.

Makhana Mornings!4 November 20254 min read

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Corporate leaders participating in training and mindfulness activities representing the growing importance of learning and self-mastery in modern leadership.

People & Work

The New Curriculum of Leadership

From boardrooms to classrooms, learning is evolving from a support function into a survival skill.

Makhana Mornings!4 November 20254 min read

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A professional sitting at a cluttered desk with a laptop and documents, holding their head in exhaustion, representing burnout and the hidden cost of over-productivity in modern leadership.

People & Work

When Productivity Turns Against You

Working smarter can still lead to burnout when focus, boundaries, and priorities are missing.

Makhana Mornings!30 October 20255 min read

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Leader pausing thoughtfully near a window to recharge emotional energy, representing authenticity and resilience in modern leadership.

People & Work

How Leaders Can Stop Faking Enthusiasm and Restore Authentic Energy

Constant positivity can drain leaders of emotional energy. Small, intentional actions can help rebuild authenticity, trust, and wellbeing.

Makhana Mornings!29 October 20254 min read

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IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers says India’s aviation policy is open and collaborative, rejecting claims of restricted flying rights as the airline expands its international network and fleet.

People & Work

IndiGo CEO Says India’s Aviation Policy Remains Open and Balanced

IndiGo chief Pieter Elbers rejects claims that India restricts bilateral flying rights, saying the country’s aviation sector continues to grow through global partnerships and sustainable…

Makhana Mornings!29 October 20254 min read

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A human hand and a robotic hand reaching toward each other above a glowing digital circuit background, symbolizing collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence.

People & Work

Leading in the Age of AI: Enhancing Human Potential, Not Replacing It

AI is reshaping work and leadership. Oracle’s Larry Ellison calls it an incredible tool to amplify human capability, while experts say its value depends on how leaders choose to lead.

Makhana Mornings!16 October 20254 min read

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