Podcasts

Step into the world of renaissance leadership with Nadir Godrej, Chairman of Godrej Industries, as he weaves together business acumen, scientific thinking, and poetic wisdom in this captivating Qunba conversation. Drawing from a 120-year family legacy spanning four generations, Godrej reveals how trust, innovation, and customer-centricity remain the bedrock values that have sustained one of India’s most respected conglomerates, insisting that “you don’t have to control people for them to achieve; you have to let them free.”

Discover why Godrej believes specialists should be replaced by renaissance thinkers with broad knowledge bases, why Indian parents should stop pushing children into prescribed career paths, and why empathy – often undervalued in leadership – creates self-motivated teams that don’t require micromanagement. His leadership inspirations range from JRD Tata to Mahatma Gandhi (whose spinning wheel approach he once skeptically dismissed), offering insights on balancing analytical thinking with creative expression.

From MIT chemical engineering to Harvard Business School to becoming a respected business leader and poet, Godrej shares how his family navigated crises through innovation and offers urgent wisdom on why today’s leaders must prioritize climate action as an existential imperative. Whether you’re leading a startup, navigating a family business transition, or seeking a more holistic leadership style, Godrej’s blend of scientific precision, poetic expression, and humanistic values delivers a masterclass in leading with both purpose and joy.