A Simple Bottle on My Table Revealed the Flaw in Our Leadership
Everything looked perfect—rising demand, loyal customers, a capable team, healthy profits.
But something was off. Nothing was visibly broken, yet energy felt blocked. Initiatives dragged, ownership blurred, and middle layers echoed more compliance than creativity.
Then, during a routine meeting, my eyes locked onto a water bottle on the table. Not the water—but the narrow neck and the tight lid. The base was full. But nothing could come out unless the top opened.
And in that moment—I realized: We were that bottle.
We were not failing, but succeeding with friction.
In Gullak, my collection of reflections, there’s a story about how we spend freely on laptops but neglect our “necktops”— The source of our existence our minds and mindsets.
We automate processes, but resist empowering people. We chase innovation, but fear mistakes. And then wonder—why growth slows down.
That bottle reminded me: “Real transformation doesn’t come from tightening control—it comes from opening flow.”
So ask yourself:
- Am I holding the lid too tight?
- Are my systems enabling—or restricting?
- Have I empowered people—or just equipped them?
Sometimes, transformation isn’t about adding more. It’s about loosening what’s too tight.
Next time you hold a bottle—look at the neck And reflect.
