Page Pearls

Page pearls are the small yet profound insights that shimmer within the pages of a text—those concise, impactful lines that capture deep wisdom in just a few words. They stand out as moments of clarity and reflection, offering readers valuable takeaways that linger long after the page is turned.

Often subtle but powerful, these literary “pearls” elevate the reading experience, transforming ordinary passages into sources of inspiration and intellectual enrichment. I have tried to gather some pearls from the books I have been reading and I am presenting them here for those who wish to benefit from these insights.

The Rules of People

The Rules of People by Richard Templar – a simple book with fairly simple rules but one rule that caught my attention was on how to thank people the right way.    

The right way? Is there a specific way? Yes! The article read "Let the person know what you're grateful for. Is it their endless patience? Their attention to detail? Tell them in words—never assume they know. Yes, they know what they did, but they won’t know what you truly valued unless you tell them." This made me pause and reflect.  

 I’ve thanked people a million times, but I’ve not too often paused to say, "Hey, you made me feel like a million bucks" or "Thank you for your advice. You’re basically a superhero in disguise." I realized that a lot of my "thank you" notes have often been incomplete. How tragic!    

But then it hit me—when I coach my clients, they don’t just say “thank you”; they actually tell me how the coaching has helped them. Sure, they are responding to my request for feedback, but they could easily just stop at a “Thanks, It was helpful.” Instead, they share in detail how the sessions impacted them, how they felt being heard without being judged and after hearing that, I always walk away with this amazing sense of fulfillment, knowing that I’ve made at least a small difference in their world.  

 So, why haven’t I been doing this? Why haven’t I thanked people well enough to let them walk away with a sense of joy. Maybe all it took was one article to open my eyes to the fact that I’ve been royally missing the mark.    

So let’s reflect on this and share the “thank-yous” that truly matter

Trust and Inspire

"Trust and Inspire" – a perfect book that explains how great leaders unlock potential in others.    

The book highlights the diminishing relevance of the "command and control" leadership style and promotes “trust and inspire”. Command and control is transactional—focused on achieving quick results, such as closing a deal or completing a task, managing undesirable behaviors and doing it swiftly. On the other hand, "trust and inspire" is transformational. It centers on building relationships, developing people’s capabilities, enabling growth, and empowering individuals.    

One key concept from the book that particularly resonated with me and made me reflect on my own approach was the difference between motivation and inspiration. It turns out, motivating people can be boiled down to two basic categories: carrot or stick. The carrot is the shiny reward, and the stick is the threat of unpleasant consequences. (Basically, gain or pain.) Motivation works for sure, but let’s be real—it’s kind of giving someone a donut to make them run a marathon. It’ll get them moving but when the sugar high wears off, they’ll crash hard.

   But inspiration? Ah, that’s where the magic happens. Inspiration is like lighting a fire inside someone and watching them turn into a human rocket of passion and excitement. When we inspire others, they feel their work matters—and even better, that they matter. They don’t want to fail not because they’re scared of being yelled at but because they care about their work and the company. They feel proud of what they’re doing as they know they’re not just punching a clock; they’re building something meaningful. That is the power of inspiration.     

Here are some of the ways by which you can inspire your teams –

 So the next time you are dealing with your team members ask yourself if you are motivating or inspiring them? Because that’ll tell you if you're in for a short win or a long-lasting victory.

Some great tips by Naval Ravikant (from his book - The Almanack of Naval Ravikant) to learn how to read:

Start by reading what excites you, until you eventually develop a love for reading.
Reading isn't a race—when a book is really good, take your time with it.
You might grab many books, but only a few will truly shape your understanding. It doesn’t matter what you read in the beginning. Over time, your interests will guide you to the books that can profoundly change your life.
If a book doesn’t resonate with you, put it down. There are an infinite number of books out there to read.
The number of books completed is a vanity metric. As you know more, you leave more books unfinished. Focus on new concepts with predictive power.
The number of books completed is a vanity metric. As you know more, you leave more books unfinished. Focus on new concepts with predictive power.
Explain what you have learned to someone else. Teaching forces learning.
If you feel confused while reading, think of it like the physical discomfort you feel during a workout. It’s the mental equivalent, helping you.

The Almanack of Naval Ravikant

Here's a tiny tip that I believe works like magic

Start with reading three pages a day. Not more, not less. Before you know it, you'll be breezing past three without even trying.