"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experiences of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired and success achieved" - Helen Keller How should start-ups forge leaders? What is a good leadership framework for start-ups? Are there some universal competencies that leaders in start-ups need to demonstrate? — We have been grappling with these are questions for over a decade. People in start-ups are starved for bandwidth and time. Putting them through traditional development programs, like the way large and mature companies do, simply doesn’t work. Therefore, the fundamental design feature of a leadership model for a start-up should involve building leadership capability on the job. One can argue that this is true for mature companies as well. Yes, of course it is true. The only difference is that in mature companies, people are not so constrained for time and these companies can afford to put their people ...