If there was one question hanging in the air at Business Unusual 2025, it was this: Are today’s leadership teams truly equipped to handle tomorrow’s challenges? The opening session didn’t dodge the question – it confronted it head-on. Kicking off the event was Harit Nagpal, MD & CEO, Tata Play Ltd & author of ADAPT and PIVOT, with a thought-provoking address titled “Leaders at Crossroads: Between Two Choices, Pick the Third”.
From the outset, Nagpal reframed how leaders should look at decision-making in an era defined by relentless change. His central idea was deceptively simple yet deeply disruptive: leadership is not about choosing between two extremes. It’s about having the courage, wisdom, and imagination to find a third option – one that lies beyond conventional barriers.
To ground this idea, Nagpal painted a vivid picture of how dramatically India has transformed. Life expectancy has increased. Poverty levels have dropped sharply – from 20% to nearly 6%. The cost of solar power has fallen by an astonishing 90% over two decades. India now has over a billion mobile phones, rising literacy rates, and digital transactions that surpass those of the US, UK & China combined. Air travel is no longer elite, metro cities are multiplying, and even conversations around mental health have entered the mainstream.
The message was clear: change is no longer episodic – it is constant. And change, he argued, always begins with a simple but powerful question: “Could this be done differently?” For any business serious about growth, that question is the spark.
What resonated strongly with the audience was Nagpal’s insistence that leaders don’t always need to polarize decisions. “There’s often a smarter, more empathetic middle path,” he noted – one shaped by experience, observation & openness. Leadership clarity, he suggested, doesn’t come from rigid certainty, but from listening deeply and staying curious.
Looking ahead, Nagpal warned that the next wave is already forming. “AI is coming. Biotechnology is happening,” he said candidly. “At this point, either we lock and perish, or we accept and grow.” History, he reminded us, shows that humanity has always moved forward by choosing the unknown – the untried third option.
In conversation with senior journalist Chitra Narayanan, the session took on a more reflective tone. Declaring that “life is jinga lala,” she urged everyone to read PIVOT. This prompted Nagpal to reveal that the book is “80% me,” even though it’s written through a fictional character. When asked how people should navigate crossroads in life, his answer was unequivocal: pivoting must become a habit.
On the delicate balance between political correctness and authenticity, Nagpal admitted that leadership today demands mindfulness. “I think three times before writing,” he said – not as self-censorship, but as conscious communication.
The discussion also touched upon one of today’s most pressing leadership challenges: managing multiple generations at work. With Gen Z reshaping workplace expectations, Nagpal’s advice was refreshingly progressive – don’t reign them in. Give them space, trust their creativity, and let them find their voice.
His leadership philosophy distilled into a few sharp principles: persistence, optimism, and values-based decision-making. CEOs face countless decisions daily but anchoring them in core values helps cut through the noise. True progress, he emphasized, comes from challenging assumptions and daring to walk the uncharted path.
“Disruption is the new norm,” Nagpal declared. From the internet to AI, the gap between disruptions is shrinking fast. “Either you disrupt, or someone else will – and the best time to do it is when you feel most comfortable.”
As a parting thought, he addressed fears around AI and employment with reassurance. India may once have been the backend of the West, but that era is over. “Frontline jobs are not going anywhere,” he said confidently.
The opening session set a powerful tone for Business Unusual 2025 – urging leaders not just to choose wisely, but to choose boldly. Sometimes, the future doesn’t lie in option A or B. It lies in having the courage to create option C.
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