Shant Zadoian | My Opinions

An old story is told of a father who wished to pass down a meaningful heirloom to his son: a beautiful watch that had been in the family for over two hundred years. Before handing it over, the father gave his son a small task. "Take this watch to the local repair shop at the corner of the street," he said. "Tell them you are looking to sell it, and see what they offer you." The son left and returned a short while later. "The watchmaker only offered five dollars," the son shrugged. "He said it's just an old, outdated piece of junk." The father nodded. "Now, take it to the antique shop down the road." The son did as he was told, and this time he returned with a look of surprise. "Father, the antique dealer offered five thousand dollars for it!" With a quiet smile, the father gave one final instruction. "Take it to the museum, and show it to the curator." The son went to the museum, and when he returned, he was brea...

A young boy asked his father to explain how the political system works. The father smiled and said, "Well, you are a bit too young to understand the complex theories, so let me give you a household analogy to help you process it. Look at our family: I am the sole financial provider, so think of me as the Private Sector . Your mother manages the household, so she is the Government . Because we both take care of you, you are the People . Your newborn sister represents the Future , and our maid, who keeps everything running, is the Working Class . Go to sleep, think about it, and we will discuss it in the morning." The boy went to bed, but his mind was racing as he tried to piece the analogy together. Later that night, he was startled awake by his baby sister crying hysterically. He went into her nursery and found her sitting in her crib, completely drenched in a soiled diaper. Seeking help, the boy hurried to his parents' bedroom. He tried to wake his mother, but she was ...

There's a story often told to illustrate this saying. Long ago, three men were sentenced to death by guillotine: a priest, a judge, and a physicist. The priest was brought forward first. As the executioner released the blade, the priest declared, "I am innocent. God will protect me." The blade rushed downward—but stopped just inches above his neck. The crowd gasped. Seeing this as a divine sign, the king ordered the priest to be released. Next came the judge. Before the blade fell, he said, "I am innocent. Justice will prevail." Once again, the blade dropped but halted just before reaching his neck. The king took it as another extraordinary sign and pardoned the judge as well. Finally, the physicist stepped up. Looking carefully at the guillotine, he noticed the problem immediately. Instead of remaining silent, he pointed at the mechanism and said, "The blade isn't falling because there's a knot in the rope. If you untie it, it will work properly....

An elderly woman made a humble living by selling homemade ghee to support her family. Every day, she carried a large container of ghee on her head as she walked through the marketplace. One day, a wealthy man stopped her. "What are you selling?" he asked. "Ghee," she replied with a smile. "I sell ghee." "I'll take a pound," he said. As the old woman carefully lowered the container from her head, her hands trembled. She lost her grip, and the container slipped, spilling the ghee all over the ground. Some of it splashed onto the wealthy man's expensive suit. Enraged, the man began shouting at her. "Look what you've done! You've ruined my suit! It cost me $1,000, and you're going to pay for it!" The old woman pleaded with him. "Please forgive me. It was an accident. I don't have that kind of money." But the wealthy man refused to listen. He continued insulting her and demanded every penny for the damaged s...

There was once a tribe that lived in a small village with few resources. To keep their families alive, the men regularly left for long hunting and gathering expeditions, leaving the women, children, and elderly behind. One day, while the men were away, a rival tribe descended upon the village. They slaughtered the children and the elderly, assaulted the women, and left before the hunters could return. When the attackers were gone, the women wandered through the ruined village, weeping and mourning their dead. Yet among them was one woman who neither wailed nor cried. She walked in silence. The others gathered around her and asked, "What happened to you?" She looked at them with contempt and replied, "I would never allow anyone to kill my children and violate me without resisting, even if it cost me my life. I would rather die with honor than live in disgrace and cowardice." That night, the women met in secret. Fearing what their husbands would think when they return...

Standard Operating Procedures exist for a reason, they create consistency, safety, and reliability. But when we follow them blindly, without understanding why they exist or questioning whether they still serve their purpose, they can quietly turn into barriers rather than foundations. Real growth happens when we respect the SOP and remain curious enough to challenge it, improve it, and evolve beyond it when needed. Progress isn’t about breaking the rules, it’s about understanding them deeply enough to know when they need to change.

In today's corporate landscape, we're constantly told that technical skills alone won't guarantee success. While this is undeniably true, I've been reflecting on what really matters when it comes to professional advancement, and whether the traditional playbook is worth following. The Expertise vs. Presence Paradox Technical expertise, while valuable, represents only one dimension of professional success. The way we present ourselves and interact with colleagues often carries equal weight in determining our career trajectory. But here's where it gets complicated: the "right" way to carry yourself professionally seems to be a moving target wrapped in contradictions. The False Choice Between Likability and Authority There's an ongoing tension in professional environments between approachability and authority. I've observed two dominant schools of thought: Camp One believes that friendliness and accessibility are signs of weakness that undermine prof...