3’s Power

I write this at a time when I am assuming that Djokovic will add his 21st grand slam later today. Interestingly, this win will mark the 19th anniversary of the holy trinity (Federer, Nadal and Djokovic) winning their 1st slam (Federer won Wimbledon in 2003). In the ensuing 76 tournaments, they together have won 63 slams. The definition of collective brilliance!

I have always believed that 3 egging on each other yields magic. 2’s a duel (you likely just fight), 4’s a crowd. 3 is a complete balance; you learn while having all the great things together. Nadal likely sets the tone for doggedness, Federer for flamboyance and Djokovic for all-around brilliance in every detail. And as they shone through, the 4th (a toss-up between Wawrinka and Murray) was left far behind.

My other big passion, cricket, had a similar duel for test wickets at the beginning of the century. Warne, Murali and Kumble. Each made the other a bigger power. Warne’s flamboyance, Kumble’s planning and Murali’s tenacity brought the best out of each.

My other big influence, Bollywood, also had a 3-way fight in its golden years. Dev-Dilip-Raj: the first superstars of Indian cinema. Dilip’s method with Dev’s showmanship and Raj’s all-around excellence shone through an era when they towered above the rest.

I have always believed that for a 3 member unit to be great, a particular mix always prevails: one a showman, one the detail fanatic and the other a steely fighter.

We have carried this learning to OfBusiness too. 3 businesses form OfBusiness. 3 units form our commerce business. Even our financial services business has 3 parts. And the leaders of each are true to the playbook as above. They push each other to collective brilliance.

Read more from CEO speaks Column:-
– The 7 Faces of Manufacturing
– We Will Get There