Name: Kanak Gupta

Title: Group Director

Organisation: Seth M.R. Jaipuria Schools

Kanak Gupta is the Group Director of Seth M.R. Jaipuria Group of Schools. Seth M.R. Jaipuria Schools operates 55 K-12 schools across 5 states, pan India, with nearly 50,000+ students and 2500+ educators associated with the group at Tier 2/ Tier 3 cities. Kanak has been instrumental in Jaipuria’s expansion ground up, and has two decades of experience working in India, the UK, and Germany.

He's a graduate of Purdue University, USA, and St Xavier's, Calcutta. He’s the recipient of many national and international accolades, including British Council Young Creative Entrepreneur, India’s Educator of the Year, Education 40 under 40, and many more. A popular blogger with #KanakUncleSpeaks, he's a regular television panelist, newspaper columnist, social activist, environmentalist (My Right to Breathe), and theatre professional (Theatrecian and Zero Drama). He's a wannabe author, chef, musician, and a full-time father.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

We’ve gone through the interviews and asked the best of the best to come back and answer 7 MORE Questions on Leadership.

I hope Kanak's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. As a leader, how do you build trust with employees, customers and other stakeholders?

Building trust as a leader is less about what you say and more about how you consistently show up, especially when it’s inconvenient. It’s about proving, time and again, that your actions align with your values. I am transparent. I always tell fellow leaders, don’t sugarcoat challenges or hide truths. Employees respect leaders who trust them with the reality of situations, even when it’s tough.

If you preach work-life balance, don’t email them at midnight. Live the values you expect from them. Invest in people. Provide opportunities for growth and development. People trust leaders who care about their trajectory, not just their output. Deliver what you promise, focus on Relationships, Not Transactions, and most importantly, own up to mistakes. Be authentic, be accountable. Make every decision with empathy and a sense of purpose. Trust isn’t just about achieving goals but about how people feel during the journey.

Don’t just say things. Say what you mean, mean what you say, and stop pretending to be perfect. People trust raw, unpolished truth far more than corporate veneers. Ultimately, trust is a currency that compounds over time. You don’t earn it overnight, but you can lose it in seconds. Keep showing up, keep being real, and keep putting people first.

2. What do 'VISION' and 'MISSION' mean to you? And what does it actually look like to use them in real-world business?

Ah, vision and mission. These are words that often get slapped onto corporate walls and PowerPoint slides but rarely leave the confines of meeting rooms. For me, though, they’re more than just lofty words—they’re the compass and fuel for any meaningful journey. Vision is the “why” behind everything. It’s the dream so big it scares you, the lighthouse that guides you through the fog. A good vision isn’t just a statement; it’s a feeling—a—pull that gets people to move, to care, to believe.

Vision is that fire-in-the-belly moment when an entrepreneur sketches their dream on a napkin, not knowing how they’ll get there but knowing they must. It’s when every small step—a sale, a meeting, a late-night brainstorm—feels like it’s building toward something greater. Vision and mission are not just for business plans; they are for people. A great leader crafts these not just for the company but to inspire every individual who touches it.

Vision makes you dream, but mission makes you believe that the dream is possible. If your vision doesn’t scare you a little, it’s probably just an excuse to sound cool. And if your mission isn’t messy, chaotic, and full of screw-ups, then you’re not actually working toward it—you’re just playing pretend. For me, vision and mission are like two hands clapping. One without the other makes no sound. Vision without mission is just fantasy; mission without vision is just busywork.

But when you combine the two, you don’t just create a business—you create a movement, a legacy, and a story worth telling. Hopefully, SOMEDAY, there will be a book from me about the journey of Jaipuria Schools. I keep saying no publisher wants to publish my story !!! Oh well. Someday :-)

3. How can a leader empower the people they're leading?

Empowerment is about connection. Make people feel seen, heard, and valued, and they’ll bring their best. Stop acting like you’re the hero. Empowerment isn’t about you being the savior; it’s about stepping aside so they can become the hero of their own story. Empowerment is simple: believe in people, and they’ll believe in themselves.

4. Who are some of the coaches or mentors in your life who have had a positive influence on your leadership? Can you please tell a meaningful story about one of them?

One of the most transformative mentors in my life has been my wife, who is not just a brilliant corporate coach but also the anchor I didn’t know I needed. There was a time when my life felt like constant firefighting—deadlines piling up, relationships fraying, and my own confidence running on fumes. I’d convinced myself that leadership meant being unshakable, but honestly, I was barely holding it together.

She didn’t just coach me; she saw me. Patiently, she guided me to confront my blind spots, asked the hard questions no one else dared to, and gave me the tools to rebuild myself from the inside out. Her journey as a coach wasn’t easy—balancing her own challenges while lifting me from my rut—but she did it with grace. It wasn’t just her expertise; it was her belief in me when I couldn’t see past my failures. Today, I lead with the confidence she restored, carrying her lessons into every room I walk into.

5. Leadership is often more about what you DON'T do. How do you maintain focus in your role?

Leadership is as much about restraint as it is about action. Maintaining focus isn’t about doing everything—it’s about choosing what not to do. Focus is about clarity. It’s knowing the few things that truly matter and having the discipline to let the rest slide. Stop pretending you can do it all. Focus isn’t about being a hero—it’s about being smart enough to choose your battles. Leadership isn’t about how much you do; it’s about doing the right things consistently and letting the rest go.

6. If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Everyone plans differently. How do you plan for the week, month and years ahead in your role?

Planning is like setting the GPS for your journey—you may not control every turn, but you’re far less likely to end up lost. I focus on priorities. Each week, I ask myself: What are the 3-5 things that absolutely need my attention? Then I structure my days to tackle these, leaving room for flexibility. This helps me avoid the overwhelm of trying to do it all. At the start of every month, I reflect on progress: What’s working? What’s not? What needs recalibration? I set specific, measurable goals for projects or teams, ensuring they align with our larger vision.

Yearly planning is about setting the compass. I revisit our long-term vision and ask, Where do we want to be by year-end? Then I break it into manageable milestones, ensuring each month contributes to that overarching goal.

Planning isn’t just about ticking off tasks; it’s about designing time for what truly matters—growth, creativity, and connection. Be real. No plan survives first contact with reality. The point isn’t perfection; it’s having a roadmap that keeps you moving forward, even if you need to course-correct.

Ultimately, planning isn’t about rigidity. It’s about creating a framework where focus, flexibility, and purpose come together to guide your actions.

7. What advice would you give to a young leader who is struggling to delegate effectively?

Stop Thinking You’re the Only One Who Can Do It Right. Perfectionism and control are your worst enemies. Ask yourself, “What’s the worst that can happen if someone else handles this?” Often, the answer is far less dramatic than you think. Letting go isn’t failure—it’s trust. Focus on Outcomes, Not Processes. Don’t obsess over how something gets done. Be clear about the goal and give your team the freedom to reach it their way. People thrive when they feel ownership over their work.

Delegate low-risk tasks first. Build confidence in their abilities—and your own ability to let go. As trust grows, you’ll feel comfortable handing over bigger responsibilities. Coach, Don’t Micromanage.

Your role isn’t to hover; it’s to guide. Be available for questions, but don’t stand over their shoulder. Trust them to figure it out, and they’ll surprise you with their creativity and competence.

Stop being a control freak. The goal isn’t to do everything; it’s to build a team that doesn’t need you to. Delegation is leadership in action. When you delegate, you’re not just completing a task—you’re building people who can lead alongside you.

Delegation isn’t about losing control; it’s about gaining a stronger, more capable team. The more you let go, the more you can grow.