Mamaearth's Ghazal Alagh reveals how leadership thrives on trust not control

Ghazal Alagh shared leadership tips on LinkedIn, urging trust, teamwork, and honest talks.

Mamaearth co-founder Ghazal Alagh recently took to LinkedIn to share her thoughts on leadership, reflecting on a conversation with an aspiring entrepreneur. The individual was anxious about managing a team and remarked, "I guess everyone just solves things on their own."

Mamaearth's Ghazal Alagh shared leadership insights on LinkedIn. (X/@GhazalAlagh)

Alagh used this moment to highlight a common leadership misconception, stating, "Leadership is not about control. Last week, I spoke with someone dreaming of building his own business. The person was anxious about leading a team and said, 'I guess everyone just solves things on their own.' That made me reflect on how often leaders expect their teams to operate in isolation. It made me share my own philosophy with him, which is: 'We will figure it out.'"

The key to leadership: Trust and shared responsibility

She elaborated on how leadership is a gradual process of building trust and making changes together. "I believe that building trust with your team takes time. It's about making changes together. If you want your team to do their best, share the responsibility. Here's how:"

She then outlined three essential leadership principles:

Let your team lead – Take ownership, especially of setbacks.

Talk honestly – Be open, even when it's tough.

Encourage trying new things – Make it safe to take risks and learn from mistakes.

Five key changes for better leadership

Alagh further broke down leadership into five actionable changes:

"We will figure it out" – "Don't just hand off problems. Work with your team to solve them."

Do difficult conversations actively – "Staying silent creates confusion. Have those difficult talks; they help everyone grow."

Challenge old ways – "What can we do differently? Sticking to old ways stops progress. Challenge the usual; ask if it still works."

Take responsibility for failures, credit the team for success – "Failure is mine, success belongs to my teams. Leadership is about the team. Celebrate their wins and show appreciation."

Fail fast, learn fast, move forward – "Mistakes are how we learn. Create a culture where it's okay to fail and improve."

She concluded with a powerful message: "Your team's success starts with your mindset. Own their failures and give them credit for the wins."

Take a look here at the post:

Social media reactions

Alagh’s leadership insights struck a chord with many professionals, amassing over 1,000 likes and sparking discussion.

One user appreciated her perspective, writing, "Leadership is not about control—this post is an eye-opener for many." Another commented, "'We will figure it out' is such a simple yet powerful mindset shift."

A third user remarked, "Taking responsibility for failures while crediting the team for success—this should be a golden rule in every workplace." Someone else added, "Difficult conversations are crucial, but so many leaders avoid them. Love this advice!"

Another said, "Fail fast, learn fast, move on—this is exactly how innovation thrives." One more user chimed in, "Trust is everything in leadership. Ghazal Alagh’s approach is truly inspiring."