Re-routing career growth

When disruption is the norm, change becomes imminent in the multiple spheres of life — there is no better proof of this than the Covid-19 pandemic. In the inevitable chaos that follows, how best can we keep pace and stay relevant? Transformation is what we would then need in our growth journeys, according to David Nour. Moving past old ways of thinking, reimagining, reinventing, and emerging as a better version of ourselves.

This flight from now to next is a challenging one, with no road map or GPS to lead us in the right direction. It is, then, good to have a copilot to help you stick to the time frame, avoid hitting squirrels, and remember why you are going in the first place, says Mr Nour, leading us on to the theme of the book. Mr Nour’s 11th book since 2008, Curve Benders is a sequel of sorts to his earlier works  Relationship Economics  and  Co-Create. Just like the other two, this one too maintains a fine blend of academic rigour and practical wisdom. 

Curve benders are “strategic relationships that will power your non-linear personal and professional growth in the future of work”. They are transformational — pertaining to the longer-tail horizon — as opposed to transactional ones that hover around short-term goals. Such relationships serve as the compass of our lives and have the potential to re-route our growth journey. This is not to take away from what great bosses or coaches do, Mr Nour says. But that kind of growth is somewhat incremental. In contrast, curve benders profoundly impact both our direction and destination while leading us along non-linear paths. He reiterates this thought elsewhere too — for instance, when he says, “think career lattice and not ladder.” A ladder is transactional and single-directional whereas a lattice is transformational in  that it opens up a wide spectrum of opportunities.   

So, how does one find these curve benders? They do not just walk into our lives, they need to be sought out. And the best possible times to discover them are a set of points in our S-curve, which he refers to as the refraction point. Mr Nour firmly believes that we create opportunities to meet curve benders and grow through them when we intentionally invest in how we live. While drawing snippets from his life to prove his point, he cautions us against toxic relationships—“Fender Benders”, as he calls them. His advice is: “Don’t walk away. Run as quickly as possible”. Cognitive diversity in our network is all the more important too. In a sense, this calls for going against the way most  of us are wired —showing a pronounced affinity towards those that are similar.

Besides delineating the seven-step path to curve benders, Mr Nour talks about a wonderful opportunity all of us have to live a life of significance—being curve benders for others. He dwells at length upon it, showing how positively impacting other people’s lives can add immense value and meaning to our own. He tells leaders, “If you aspire to create a curve bending impact on the people in your organization, you’ll need a competent roster of shining stars beyond, below, and around your direct reports”. With the richness of such pragmatism, what the book unleashes is a fresh wave of thought—a whole new facet of relationships most of us would not ponder about otherwise. The prose is profound, but it flows with effortless ease lending a cyclic pattern to the ideas presented—a skill he seems to have perfected over the years as an author.

The theme of uncertainty runs strong throughout, and the author identifies 15 forces that can phenomenally impact how we would “work, live, play, and give” in the next two decades. Seeking out curve bender relationships around each of these — classified under “personal”, “organisational”, “industry”, and “transitionary”—would help us navigate turbulence and also improve our readiness to respond.

Talking about organisations of the future, Mr Nour makes clear that P&L leaders can display innovative behaviour. He cites the example of a CEO who openly asks, “Here is what we’ve come up with that I believe in. Shoot holes in it. What am I not seeing or thinking about?” This way, the leader is being a role model for others and creating an environment that fosters constructive criticism and collaboration. Mr Nour believes that CEOs are generally under immense pressure to meet the demands of the quarter and hence often lack the understanding of what is needed for serial innovation. Against this backdrop, he calls for the role of a chief entrepreneur who will report to the CEO but will explore new frontiers for the organisation.

 Curve Benders tilts towards the professional context, with actionable insights for leaders. But it holds a distinct wider appeal, given that navigating volatility and preparing for an uncertain future are universal challenges. Moreover, it leaves us viewing life through a new lens: With the understanding that beyond our professional background, the biggest asset in the growth journey is the insights drawn from our authentic relationships.