Achal Rangaswamy the Coach

03/11/2026

An Award for a Lifetime!

Felicitated by the Ahmedabad Management Association-AMA in recognition of my services as coach and mentor to thousands of sales/marketing and other professionals
Thank you AMA but even more importantly, thank you all those people who participated in my programs 🙏

-same day in 2018

01/11/2026

THE MOST POWERFUL LEADERSHIP LESSON IS OFTEN THE ONE WE LEARN ABOUT OURSELVES.

On Friday, I had the pleasure of facilitating The High Performance Sales Leader programme at the Madras Management Association (MMA), Chennai.

What made the experience particularly rewarding was not just the enthusiastic participation, but the depth of self-reflection it generated.

Three exercises stood out.

1. From Self-Awareness to Self-Actualisation: Participants reflected on their own leadership qualities and areas for development.

2. The Performance–Attitude Matrix: A lively discussion on understanding people beyond their performance numbers.

3. Personal Leadership SWOT: Perhaps the most revealing exercise of all.

Most participants were familiar with SWOT analysis for businesses, products and organisations. But applying it to themselves as leaders was an entirely new experience.

Several expressed a desire to revisit the exercise quietly over the weekend, giving it the thought and honesty it deserved.

One participant privately acknowledged that the four management habits we had discussed avoiding were, in fact, his own biggest weaknesses.

That conversation stayed with me.

Because leadership development is not merely about acquiring new techniques.

It is also about recognising the behaviours we need to change.

Which brings me to today's RANGAISM:

"The greatest value of a leadership programme is not what participants learn about others. It is what they discover about themselves."

— Achal Rangaswamy the Coach

My thanks to MMA Chennai, DGM Hari Prasad and his team, and and all the participants for making this such a meaningful learning experience.

A question for fellow leaders: When was the last time you conducted an honest SWOT analysis of yourself?

01/11/2026

SUNDAY SOLILOQUY

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES!

Why do we go mall hopping?

Because the neighbours do?

Why do we buy things we don't need, often at prices we cannot comfortably afford?

Because the boss has bought them?

Why do youngsters take to smoking?

Because the senior in college thinks it is cool?

Why do we suddenly develop a taste for classical music, Sufi, ghazals or fine wines?

Because the people we want to impress seem to enjoy them?

Why do we choose holiday destinations, restaurants, gadgets, cars and even hobbies based on what others are doing?

Because we don't want to be left behind?

Welcome to the curious world of KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES!

Somewhere along the way, we seem to have confused living well with looking successful.

We buy for approval. We spend for acceptance. We imitate for inclusion. We sometimes pretend to like things simply because they are fashionable.

And in this process, we run up bills, acquire clutter, compromise our preferences and occasionally lose a little bit of ourselves.

The irony?

The Joneses themselves may be busy keeping up with somebody else!

So, where does this madness end?

Perhaps with a few uncomfortable but necessary questions:

- Do I really want this, or do I merely want people to see me with it?
- Do I genuinely enjoy this, or am I pretending?
- Am I making a choice or simply following a trend?
- Is this adding value to my life or merely adding to my expenses?
- Am I happy with what I have, or perpetually dissatisfied with what somebody else has?

There is absolutely nothing wrong with ambition, good living, beautiful possessions or discovering new experiences.

There is nothing wrong with enjoying classical music, Sufi or ghazals either. Enjoy them if they move you. Not because they make you look sophisticated!

The problem begins when our choices stop being ours.

A little individuality, a little self-awareness and a little courage to say NO can be wonderfully liberating.

We don't have to wear what everybody wears, buy what everybody buys, visit where everybody visits or like what everybody likes.

After all, life isn't a competition with the neighbours.

And happiness certainly isn't a possession race.

BE YOURSELF. LIKE WHAT YOU LIKE. BUY WHAT YOU NEED. ENJOY WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD.

And remember...

The JONESES are probably trying to keep up with YOU!

Have a thoughtful Sunday.

— Achal Rangaswamy the Coach

21/10/2026

🚨 SALES LEADERS, IT’S TIME TO INVEST IN YOURSELF.

Targets are getting tougher. Customers expect more. Teams need stronger leadership.

The question is: are you equipped to bring out the best in your people—and deliver results consistently?

THE HIGH PERFORMANCE SALES LEADER is a one-day Management Development Programme designed to help sales leaders sharpen their leadership, strengthen accountability and build teams that perform.

📍 Madras Management Association, Chennai
📅 Friday, 30 October 2026
🕙 10:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Registrations have begun. Don’t keep postponing your own development.

Lead stronger. Build better teams. Deliver bigger results.

Register now through MMA. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScZknvlS9DnmSXgwBaBkoqZMs29wKlJmHM-2D1SQzyF_DwnNQ/viewform

20/10/2026

19/10/2026

🙏 MAHA NAVAMI — Celebrating Knowledge, Wisdom and the Tools of Our Trade

Today, we worship Goddess Saraswati, the embodiment of knowledge and wisdom.

We honour our books, musical instruments, learning aids and the tools that help us practise our craft.

And why should professionals be any different?

A salesperson can honour the tools that help them serve customers. A teacher, the books and resources that help shape minds. A musician, the instrument that gives expression to talent.

The tools deserve respect. The knowledge to use them well deserves even more.

And the children? 😄

They have their own reason to celebrate. For one day, the books can stay shut!

Perhaps there's a lesson for all of us here: learning is sacred, but so is taking a little pause to celebrate.

Respect your tools. Honour your knowledge. Never stop learning.

And today, enjoy the festivities!

Happy Maha Navami! 🙏

18/10/2026

Make it Large. At times that matters too. I stepped out of a training room to check out a participant's latest acquisition.

He offered me a ride, but the others were waiting for me for a group pic too 😀

17/10/2026

It is a great feeling to b2 acknowledged as an outstanding teacher.

17/10/2026

Be an eagle not a crow