The Purpose Behind the Practice: Why I Do What I Do
— A Reflection on the Question That Caught Me Off Guard, But Not Unaware
At the end of a recent two-day workshop for a group of promoted managers—each averaging around eight years of frontline leadership experience—I invited an open moment:
“You may ask me anything. But as a group, decide on one question that truly matters to you.”
After a quick deliberation, someone asked: “What is your purpose?”
I didn’t pause. The words came out almost automatically: “To help others become better versions of themselves—especially those who come across my path in any learning space I facilitate.”
It didn’t matter if it was a coaching conversation, a foresight immersion, or a workshop on strategic sense-making. That purpose anchors everything I do. And ironically, I don’t consider myself part of the traditional learning & development world.
Why I Don’t “Do Training”
Over the years, those who work with me know two things:
- I don’t do training.
- I don’t do linear engagement.
And I say that without arrogance. It’s because I believe that true learning is nonlinear, regenerative, and rooted in context—not curriculum. So, while about 20% of my time is spent facilitating learning sessions, nearly 50% of my work is consulting and advisory, shaping strategy, leadership ecosystems, and decision-making frameworks for boards and CEOs. Another 25% is spent on coaching and mentoring—especially C-suite leaders, startup founders, and policy thinkers.
But it’s the final slice—the pro bono 25%—that keeps me grounded. That time is dedicated to undergraduates, the underemployed, and the unemployed. Because to see someone with no opportunity begin to believe in their future again… that’s what I call leadership development.
“Ravi, I Need You to Facilitate This…”
I rarely accept requests to run learning engagements. But once in a while, I receive calls that go something like this:
“Ravi, I’ve tried other facilitators, and it just didn’t work. I need you to help me frame this properly and guide the room.”
They don’t ask for training. They ask for clarity. They ask for something deeper than delivery—someone to hold space with both insight and intent.
And that’s when I say yes—because they’re not hiring a facilitator. They’re inviting a sensemaker.
The Invisible Curriculum
In any room I hold, the real value often isn’t in what’s said. It’s in the signal beneath the structure:
- How we hold silence.
- How we confront discomfort.
- How we question even our most rehearsed beliefs.
This is what I call the invisible curriculum. And that’s what people carry with them long after the slide deck fades.
It’s Not About the Topic—It’s About the Transfusion
I often say I don’t transform people—I transfuse them with the capacity to reframe, to think independently, and to see possibilities in what looks like chaos. Whether it’s a boardroom conversation or a campus circle of unemployed graduates, I hold the same purpose:
To enable people to become who they were meant to be—not by teaching them, but by triggering their own clarity.
Final Thought: This isn’t about leadership training. It’s about human clarity. And clarity, once lit, needs no permission to lead.