Ghazal Alagh, Co-founder of Mamaearth, has sparked an important conversation on leadership and workplace culture with her recent insights on team dynamics and psychological safety.
In a LinkedIn post, Ghazal shared a personal leadership lesson, emphasizing that a team’s silence is not always a sign of loyalty—it can be a reflection of fear.
Her reflections stem from a past product launch experience, where her team did not challenge her decisions, leading to unexpected business outcomes.
The post has resonated widely, prompting discussions on the importance of open dialogue and constructive disagreement in leadership.
The Leadership Lesson by Ghazal Alagh : Fear vs. Loyalty
Ghazal recounted a critical moment from an early product launch at Mamaearth.
She was confident in the campaign direction, and with tight deadlines and high pressure, she expected her team to align without question.
They did. The campaign launched—but the product failed to perform as expected.
A week later, over a casual coffee, a team member admitted, “I had a different idea, but I didn’t know if you were open to hearing it at that moment.”
This realization struck Ghazal deeply, making her understand that if a team never disagrees with the boss, it’s not loyalty—it’s fear.
Encouraging Constructive Disagreement
Following this experience, Ghazal has actively worked to create a culture where disagreement is safe.
She believes that true loyalty in a team sounds like:
- “Can I challenge this?”
- “Is there another way?”
- “Here’s what I see from where I stand.”
She emphasized that a leader’s reaction to pushback determines whether a team blindly follows or confidently contributes.
Since then, she has ensured that disagreement is not personal or political—but an essential part of growth.
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