At the 2025 Executive Communities Executive Day, EY global controlling transformation leader Ajith Haripaul unpacked the hidden pressures of leadership, calling for vulnerability and authenticity in navigating the challenges at the top.
During the Lonely at the Top panel discussion, at this year’s Executive Day, EY global controlling transformation leader Ajith Haripaul delivered an honest reflection on the less glamorous side of leadership.
“Normally, as leaders, the truth is we don’t put ourselves out there. It should be easy because everybody wants to talk to us. But loneliness comes in when you want to advance a certain agenda and it doesn’t align with everyone else,” he said.
“And secondly, when you have to come up with a decision that impacts everyone, you have to stand by it. You might not be the popular one, but you have to stay true,” Ajith added.
He explained that leaders are often expected to remain objective and composed, without showing vulnerability. Yet, he argued that vulnerability can be a powerful antidote to isolation.
“As a person who transitioned to a global role, I found that being vulnerable helps with loneliness because you start dealing with peers and even building contacts,” he noted.
The discussion sparked thought-provoking contributions from the audience. One attendee observed that businesses frequently invest in management training but overlook leadership development. “Management and leadership are different attributes, but organisations tend to focus more on management. Leadership training is very lacking,” the attendee said.
Another participant challenged the traditional image of leadership itself. “What society has deemed as leadership is not my leadership style, and I don’t know where we got this definition from. We’ve seen very successful leaders thriving simply by being themselves,” another attendee added.
