The ancient banyan tree towered above me, its aerial roots reaching toward earth like fingers of time. Beside it lay its fallen brother. Once mighty. Now, returning to soil.
Nature’s oldest lesson was playing out before me.
Everything is temporary.
In 7 days, I’ve walked over 60 kilometers through Singapore and Bali. Through manicured gardens and untamed jungles. Past new saplings and ancient giants. But it wasn’t the growth that caught my eye.
It was the perfect balance between growth and decay. The eternal cycle of renewal.
The Leadership Paradox
You might wonder why a business newsletter is talking about fallen trees. Here’s why:
As CEOs, we chase permanence. We build systems. Perfect them. Then work to preserve them, believing that stability equals success.
We’re wrong.
The counterintuitive truth is this: The most resilient systems don’t resist change – they embrace it.
The Forest's Blueprint for Resilience
A forest’s strength isn’t in its individual trees. It’s in the cycle. Growth. Decay. Renewal.
In my work of building companies and now coaching founders, I’ve seen this pattern repeat: Those who embrace the cycles of business and life, outperform those who resist them.
Most leaders exhaust themselves trying to make things last forever. They build monuments instead of gardens.
Nature knows better.
Here’s what these forests were reminding me:
The more we try to control, the more we lose.
That thought lingered with me as I walked back.
It made me wonder:
Where in my own leadership journey am I holding on too tightly?
As always, I turned to journaling.
And what followed was a powerful reflection.
Learning to navigate impermanence is a leadership skill.
To help you master it, I’ve distilled my thoughts into two simple exercises:
The first will help you uncover where you’re holding on too tightly.
The second will show you how to loosen that grip and create space for renewal.
I call it:
Your 2-Step Leadership Audit
Begin by identifying patterns that hold you back — and explore ways to create space for growth.
1. Building Awareness (Past):
Look at your last week’s calendar.
Reflect on your approach in key meetings:
→ Were you primarily giving directions or exploring possibilities?
→ Did you lead with solutions or create space for new ideas?
→ How often did you say “this is how we’ve always done it” versus “what if we tried…”?
Notice your patterns. Where do you tend to hold tight, and where do you allow space for evolution?
2. Creating Change (Future):
Keep a simple note on your phone.
Before each significant decision in the next 3 days, pause and ask:
“Is this decision coming from
→ a need to maintain the existing way, or
→ an openness to what could emerge?”
At the end of 3 days, look for patterns in your choices.
The goal isn’t to judge, but to embrace the cycles of letting go and renewal – just like nature does.
The Path Forward
The mighty banyan tree falls.
The perfect strategy fails.
The market shifts.
But the leader who understands impermanence doesn’t just survive. They thrive.
Because they know what the forest has always known: Every ending creates space for a new beginning.
Thank you for being here, I will see you next Thursday.
Surabhi
P.S. Embracing impermanence isn’t just business philosophy for me; it’s a truth I’ve lived (#iykyk). And it’s transformed everything — how I lead, build, and grow. If you’re ready to embrace change and build a more resilient business, let’s talk.
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