Brilliance vs. Reliability: Which is More Important in the Contemporary World?
Recently, the famous Hindi actor Sunil Shetty shared a post reflecting on the value of reliability over raw talent or brilliance, drawing from his experiences in the film industry and the business world.
Shetty provided personal examples of long-standing relationships with team members who have been with him for over 30 years: Parshu, who manages his personal affairs; Kiran Dada, his makeup artist; Ashok, who handles his accounts and taxes; Kanta, who runs operations in his offices; and Muchhad, his former driver who now looks after his farmhouse.
In today’s world, brilliance is often rewarded, but the quiet power of consistently showing up and delivering is underrated. This is reflected in many areas. Forbes published an article on “What kind of characteristics, what kind of personal qualities, in the aggregate, are most valuable?” The answer is reliability over brilliance. Brilliant, difficult employees often consume a lot of management time. In a twist on the old "80-20 rule" (where 80% of your business is said to come from 20% of your customers), the author found that they spent 80% of their time on 20% of their employees—and they weren’t the calm, collaborative, easy-going, reliable ones.
However, today, this notion is slowly fading. Of course, brilliance is needed to some extent in every organization. However, it should be utilized according to need. Thanks to technology, brilliance can be acquired as a service. Organizations can buy that service, but they need a reliable team to sustain it. Hence, reliability becomes more important.
This issue extends beyond organizations—it has also crept into family systems. Parents appreciate their children’s brilliance while they pursue degrees, but it often loses value afterward. Today, in the context of marriage, if a boy or girl is reliable, this quality is often overlooked. Brilliance takes precedence in selecting a bride or groom, yet this model has proven to fail over time.
Rahul Dravid is known as “Mr. Dependable” in Indian cricket. In the 2004 India vs. Pakistan Test Match, Rahul Dravid played a 270-ball inning over almost 12 hours. Can you imagine playing for 12 hours straight? In the history of Test matches, no Indian batsman had ever played an inning that long. He is known as the "Wall" of cricket. For most of his career, Dravid was considered to be in Sachin’s shadow. However, he proved himself as a true gentleman and a complete test cricketer. This is the power of reliability.
Consider these scenarios:
• Would you buy a car that can reach 150 km per hour but whose engine fails frequently, or one that goes 50 km per hour but never fails?
• Would you invest in an asset that offers a 40% return but might plunge into negative territory, or one that offers a consistent 6% return over the long term?
• Would you take a job with the highest package, but with the risk of being laid off anytime, or one with a lower package but long-term stability?
• Would you board a train that is always on time, or a flight with unpredictable arrival times?
Today’s society is divided by these questions. One generation prioritizes risk over reward.
"Facts from paper are not the same as facts from people. The reliability of the people giving you the facts is as important as the facts themselves." – Harold Geneen.
What is your priority? Brilliance or reliability?
Ravi Saripalle
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
View Details
Like
0 Comments
Repost
You may also like
K. Hanumantha Rao
Published 7d+
Importance of Comment
All of read articles or material as part of our curriculum.We agree with some ideas and may not agree with some ideas expressed by the author or writer.With the advent of social media, we are exposed to
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
A Symphony of Knowledge with Tenneti Anuradha Madam
At Edgroom, we celebrate educators who inspire a love for learning. Today, we honor Tenneti Anuradha Madam, a passionate chemistry teacher with a unique blend of scientific expertise and musicality.A
A. Rashmi Bhavani
Published 7d+
BEYOND THE PAYCHECK
With time, as we age(or step up in the ladder of qualifications), we stop looking at subjects or domains for their specialty and start assessing them based on the income they provide and how lucrative
Dr. G. V. Sridhar
Published 7d+
Q & A with the expert in ECE ,Dr. G. V. Sridhar
What is ECE?Dr.Sridhar: Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) which is one of the prominent branches of engineering. It deals with electronic circuits and communication systems. It helps
Sri Chaitanya Ayyagari
Published 7d+
Chemical engineering: For a better tomorrow
Role of Chemical Engineer in Pharmaceutical Industry:As the world is slowly recovering from the Pandemic of COVID crisis. We all know how much damage COVID 19 virus has done to humanity. Scientists
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Departments to Domains
From Departments to Domains: Adapting Engineering Education for the Software-Driven Era- My PerspectiveDear Friends and StudentsToday I had an opportunity to listen to the Message of Ford CEO on
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
B. Tech (4 years) courses offered at IITs
What are the courses offered at IITsThe 23 IITs in India offer variety of courses for the students in different streams. Some of the IITs offer courses like Aerospace Engineering, Agricultural Engineering,
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
VIT-AP University (Vellore Institute of Technology – Andhra Pradesh): A Comprehensive Overview
VIT-AP University, located in Inavolu, Amaravati—the capital of Andhra Pradesh—is a prominent private research university. Established in 2017, it is part of the esteemed VIT Group of Institutions
Mula Lakshmi Prasanna
Published 7d+
My Journey through JEE Preparation: Books I Brought and Used
Introduction:Embarking on the journey of JEE preparation can be both exciting and overwhelming. As a student who went through this experience, I would like to share my insights on the books I brought
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
GITAM Visakhapatnam: A Detailed Overview
Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM), Visakhapatnam, is the flagship campus of GITAM Deemed to be University, established in 1980. Nestled between the Eastern Ghats and the Bay of Bengal
VENKATESH PANYAM
Published 7d+
Sunflowers Trait
Dear students when you score low marks or when you fail to get what you want, you may feel bad and want to give up. Wait a minute, don’t lose hope. Talk to your parents, or friends or teachers, and
EdGe: Your Academic Co-pilot
Published 7d+
A Mathematician Who Inspires and Transforms
Dr. Umadhar Patnaik is the Managing Director of Ascent Classes and HOD of Mathematics in Visakhapatnam.Dr. M. Umadhar Patnaik, an exceptional mathematician and dedicated educator, has been a beacon
Related Blogs
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Career Path vs Career Portfolio
Are You Working towards a “Career Path” or Building a “Career Portfolio”? Time to invest in Latter! Say Bye to “Career Path”!! Read this Interesting Perspective!!Dear
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Soul Pleasure Vs Societal Pleasure
Hard to Accept this Definition but Soft to Reject? Soul Pleasure and Pressure Vs Societal Pleasure and Pressure? Read this perspective!Dear Friends and StudentsGustavo Petro, the Mayor of Bogota,
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Dream vs Dignity
Hack the MAANG or Happy with WAIT Companies!! Dream vs Dignity?Dear Friends and StudentsSlowing Global Economic Growth is Increasingly Evident! I have been receiving multiple calls from the student
Kartikeya Kommanamanchi
Published 7d+
The Most Important Day for an Indian!
It is no surprise to boast that Independence Day is the most important day for Indians. It ought to be so for any person in the world if their country fought for Independence, especially from imperial/
ELCSLAB @ Lendi
Published 7d+
Legendary spinners in the world cricket
Legendary spinners in the world cricketRavichandran Ashwin:Ravichandran Ashwin is an Indian international cricketer from Chennai, who plays for the India cricket team. In Indian domestic cricket he
Dr. Ravi Saripalle
Published 7d+
Living in scarcity vs. Living in Abundance!!
Plenty but Purposeless results are Pathetic! Living in scarcity vs. Living in Abundance!! Read this perspectiveDear Friends and StudentA coupleuple of days back I received a LinkedIn message with the