“I took disagreement personally”: IIT–ISB boss admits he lost 3 employees over basic mistakes

Let’s get one thing straight-being “smart” doesn’t make you a good manager. And Siddharth Maheshwari is saying that out loud. No filters. IIT. ISB. Top degrees. Solid career start.

On paper, he had everything going for him. But when it came to leading people? He messed up. Badly enough that three good employees quit on him early in his career. Not because he was toxic. Not because he didn’t care. But because he didn’t know what he was doing - and nobody had really taught him. And that’s what makes his post hit.

“I thought I was doing the right thing. I wasn’t.”

He put it simply:No one teaches you how to manage people. You’re trained to solve problems, build strategy, hit targets.

But the human side? You figure that out the hard way. Usually by screwing up. In his case, that meant losing people who actually mattered.

Mistake #1: “I thought giving more work meant I trusted her”

One of his best performers? He kept giving her more responsibility. In his head, that meant: I trust you. You’re great.In her head? It felt like: I’m being taken for granted. He never said “you’re doing a great job.” He just assumed she knew.She didn’t. And she left. That one stings because a lot of managers do this without even realising it.

You reward good people with… more work. And forget the one thing they actually need - recognition. Not in your head. Out loud.

Mistake #2: “I took disagreement personally”

Another employee pushed back in a meeting. Had opinions. Spoke up. Cared enough to disagree. Instead of seeing that as a good thing, he got defensive. Pulled back. Stopped including him. Basically shut him out. He thought he was “handling the situation.” What he was actually doing? Pushing away someone who gave a damn. That line he shared hits hard:“The day your team stops disagreeing is the day you should worry.”

Because silence in a team isn’t respect. Most of the time, it’s people giving up.

Mistake #3: “Let’s see” is not an answer

Someone on his team wanted to grow. Try something new. He kept saying, “let’s see.” Weeks turned into months. No clarity. No decision. Just… delay. Eventually, she found her answer somewhere else - and left. And honestly, this is one of the most frustrating things for employees. People can handle a “no.” They can even handle a tough conversation. What they can’t handle is being stuck in limbo. His takeaway now? Simple:Give a clear answer. Fast.

Yes or no. With a reason.Because dragging things out is worse than saying no.

This is the part most bosses won’t admit

Here’s what makes his post worth reading:He didn’t blame the company. He didn’t blame the employees. He didn’t sugarcoat it. He said: I lost good people because of how I managed them. That’s rare. Most managers will say, “they weren’t the right fit” or “they couldn’t handle pressure.” Very few will say: I could have done better.

The uncomfortable truth about leadership

His biggest point is also the simplest:You’re not bad at managing because you’re incapable. You’re bad at it in the beginning because nobody teaches you the human side of it. Degrees don’t teach you how to:

Appreciate people properly

Handle disagreement without egoGive clarity when it mattersYou learn that after you mess up.After someone good walks out.After you realise - too late - that it was avoidable.Why this is hitting a nerve onlineBecause almost everyone has had that boss.The one who:

Never says “good job”

Gets weird when challengedKeeps things vague instead of being honestAnd if you’ve been that boss - even briefly - this hits differently.It’s uncomfortable. But it’s real.

Give him credit where it’s due

It’s easy to mess up as a manager. It’s harder to admit it publicly. And it’s even harder to learn from it and change how you lead.That’s the part worth appreciating here. He didn’t just lose people and move on. He actually paused, reflected, and fixed what he could. A lot of people don’t.

The takeaway (for every boss reading this)

If you’re leading a team right now, this is your checklist:Don’t assume people know they’re valued - say itDon’t shut down disagreement - lean into itDon’t leave people hanging - be clear, even if it’s a noBecause most people don’t leave jobs.They leave managers.And sometimes, all it takes is a few small, avoidable mistakes to push someone out the door.The scary part? You might not even realise it’s happening.Until they’re gone.