In a recent interview with McKinsey & Co., Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani shared profound insights on leadership, people management, and organisational growth. Ambani emphasized that the limitations individuals and organisations face are often not due to a lack of capability, but rather habits and rigid structures.
“I firmly believe that every individual has immense potential,” Ambani said. “What holds us back are our habits. They act as invisible barriers that prevent us from realising what we are truly capable of.”
He drew a parallel with organisational challenges, stressing that many companies are confined by their own systems. According to him, flexibility is the key to enabling high performance within structured environments. “Even after hiring through rigorous processes, organisations sometimes fail to bring out the best in their people because of inflexible systems. At Reliance Industries, we align our structures with our goals. Flexibility is the secret sauce that keeps our capabilities dynamic and scalable,” he explained.
Ambani outlined the core philosophy of Reliance’s people strategy, built around three critical Cs: Character, Competence, and Culture. Among these, character stands out as the most important. “While competence can be developed, character is foundational. Trust is non-negotiable. We focus on building teams where mutual trust drives performance,” he stated.
He added that motivation is a vital force within the organisation. “If you win someone’s heart, their mind will follow. That’s something we have always believed in. Motivation, driven by purpose, fuels excellence.”
The third pillar, corporate culture, plays a crucial role in bringing diverse talent together under one vision. “People don’t come into a company with a shared mindset. It takes intentional effort to integrate new hires into our institutional culture—our values, our philosophy, and our purpose,” Ambani said. “But once they’re in, they don’t want to leave. At Reliance, we don’t just offer careers—we offer belonging. We empower ordinary people to do extraordinary things by removing barriers and nurturing growth.”
Ambani’s people-first philosophy highlights a future-ready approach to leadership that balances structure with flexibility and prioritises emotional intelligence alongside skills.
