Recently, I came across an interesting article in The Economic Times discussing a recent LinkedIn post by Indian entrepreneur and author Ankur Warikoo.
Given the pace at which the world seems to be advancing with its development of artificial intelligence and automation techniques at an unprecedented scale and pace, the one question that professionals fear the most is this: “Am I still going to remain relevant?” The reality of this situation can actually prove very encouraging; you do not have to be the best at what you do; you only have to be hard to replace.
This very insightful idea keeps ringing out through the following quotes of an Indian entrepreneur named Ankur Warikoo, which say that nowadays it’s not only about being the best at one thing but combining various skills so that the result brings a competitive edge that belongs only to you. This can be accomplished according to the three-layer formula of an “anchor skill,” an “adjacent skill,” and a “creative amplifier” that makes professionals “positively unpredictable.”
Warikoo’s message is very uplifting in a world that’s so obsessed with being the “No. 1.” This is because the world remembers that “the sum of your average skills can become your strongest advantage.”
India’s Wisdom: The Crossover of Balanced Qualities
There’s an embrace of multidimensional excellence that runs through the very old texts of India. The Bhagavad-Gita speaks of the reality of yoga as the attainment of “skill in action.” Skill at one thing; it’s skilfulness—at adaptability and at executing.
There’s an excellent Indian fable of the blind men and the elephant. They each touch a different part—the leg, the tusk, the tail—and think they know the whole story. The point here is simple: the only way we can know the truth is by bringing different perspectives together. A career based on one strength might be weak; a career based on combined strengths can be very strong.
Consider the case of Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. He was not just a scientist. He could well be called a teacher, philosopher, writer, and visionary combined. This makes him totally unreplaceable.
International Insight: The Strength of “Average Greatness”
Internationally, the famous cartoonist Dilbert’s creator, Scott Adams, said that he wasn’t the best artist, the funniest writer, nor the most intelligent businessman; however, there’s still more chance of being world-class if one is reasonably adequate at more than one of these aspects. This supports the implications of Warikoo that being adequate at more than one field can certainly overcome being the world’s best at only one field.
Likewise, Steve Jobs’s expertise with a designer’s sensibilities, technology know-how, and an artist’s instinct led him to create products that changed the world. Otherwise, it’s just not the kind of expertise that could make Apple magical on its own.
The Three-Layer Framework in Real Life
Warikoo’s model helps us rethink how careers grow:
· Anchor Skill: Your core strength — teaching, surgery, design, coding, writing.
· Adjacent Skill: A complementary skill — communication, data interpretation, leadership, marketing.
· Creative Amplifier: A way of thinking — storytelling, empathy, lateral thinking.
When these come together, mastery arises out of the amalgam, not out of individual skills.
Picture an Ophthalmologist with knowledge of digital content creation and the psychology of patients’ communication. Or a teacher who specialises in the topic but incorporates narrative and technology. Or an employee of a company who brings experience of finance combined with design thinking.
This is how modern-day careers succeed, not vertically but diagonally.
Anecdote: The Bamboo Lesson
There’s an account about the growth of bamboo that originated in Japan. The plant appears as if it isn’t growing at all for several years. But under the ground, the plant’s roots are expanding in different directions. This occurs until it suddenly shoots up into an astonishing height of almost 90 feet within only six weeks.
Skill development in the modern world is just like the bamboo root system. The wider your base of skills, the stronger and quicker your growth.
Final thoughts: A Future-Proof Path in the Age of AI
A Future-Proof Path in AI-powered world where machines have the ability to excel at solo tasks better than humans. Machines lack the creativity and empathy of humans; they cannot connect the dots across functions. The question that arises according to Warikoo is:. “What new skill makes me harder to replace?” People who know how to dig deep, stretch wide, and come up with unexpected combinations will own the future.
Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh).
MBA in Healthcare & Hospital Management (BITS, Pilani),
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru).
Senior Professor and former Head,
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery.
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India.
My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius. I want to be a person with a bundle of experience.
My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!
My Values: Creating value for others.
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