Digital (R)evolution

Chapter 2Focus and Discipline

Executive Summary: In this chapter, we examine the importance of a focused mindset, thorough training, clarity of purpose, and quick responses. We also introduce a helpful technique for demystifying leadership decisions and sharing priorities.

All of us, no matter who we are or where we come from, face adversity in our lives. Adversity can be a great teacher.

I was raised in a small fishing village on the outskirts of Mumbai, one of India's largest and most populated cities. Our home was tiny, about 100 square feet. There were seven of us: my parents and grandmother, me, and three siblings. We had no running water. Every morning at 4:30 a.m., before he went to work, my father would bring four empty buckets to the community tap, fill them with water, and bring them back home. Three buckets were for washing, cleaning, cooking, and other daily chores. The fourth bucket was for drinking. Since we had no refrigerator, we poured our drinking water into an earthen pot. That's how we kept it cool during the day.

I'm sharing this story because it taught me several valuable lessons. I learned from an early age that resources are precious and must be managed carefully. I learned that when you have limited choices, you can devise workarounds and alternatives that will serve your purposes.

I also learned that I did not wish to spend the rest of my life in poverty. My father worked for a company that printed labels on tubes of toothpaste. As a child, I found ...