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Business Strategy with Hirav Shah NOVEMBER 28, 2025 | The Indian Eye 36

KNIGHT OF CHESS’S AND GENIUS ON

BUSINESS — NEVER UNDERESTIMATE BOTH

Business strategy isn’t about fancy jargon or 100-page decks. It’s about choices—the kind that make your heart
race. It’s knowing when to move, when to pause, and when to do something that no one else saw coming

board may look flat, but what you do What does a knight move really look a solid launchpad.” That launchpad?
on it reveals your mindset—are you the like in business? It’s the 6+3+2 formula:
attacker, the planner, the defender, or It’s not chaos—it’s clarity with Hard work, Mindset, Skills, Strat-
the disruptor? courage. A knight move might be a new egy, Execution, Luck + Hunger, Ded-
In business, you’re surrounded product line no one expected, a bold ication, Consistency + Innovation and
by other players—teams, customers, rebrand, or an offbeat collaboration. Marketing.
competitors, trends. Each move must It might confuse people at first—but it You don’t make Knight moves
be made with clarity, but also with gut. grabs attention, opens a new lane, and blindly. You make them brilliantly.
And when you start looking at business makes others rethink their next step. Reflection Exercise:
as a game of chess, you realize—it’s Think about it: the biggest market Is Your Business Too Straight?
never about who moves first. It’s about shifts didn’t come from obvious moves. Take 5 quiet minutes. Grab a pen.
HIRAV SHAH who moves right. They came from leaps. Someone • What’s the last move you made that
jumped where others crawled. Some- truly surprised your market?
What is the role of the rook in business?
efore the world claps for your The rook is the classic corpo- one believed in a corner the market • Where are you following the crowd—
and it’s slowing you down?
ignored. That’s not guesswork. That’s
success, before your story trends rate thinker. Structured. Straight-
Bon social media—there comes a line. Obeys the rules. It moves in neat Knight work. • If you weren’t afraid, what move
would you make this quarter?
moment where you’re stuck, cornered, files—up, down, left, right. In business, Why do knight moves often succeed more • Now ask: is it time to stop walking
out of obvious moves. You’ve done this is your systems guy. Your opera- than expected moves? in lines… and start leaping like a
everything “right,” and yet something tions-heavy empire builder. Because they create surprise—and Knight?
feels off. That’s when you realize— Big brands love the rook ap- surprise is magnetic. When everyone
this isn’t just business. It’s chess. And proach—scale, replicate, repeat. It expects your next move, they plan for it. Frequently Asked Questions
the game doesn’t always reward the works. It’s solid. It’s dependable. But But when you break the pattern, they Q: Is the knight move just about taking risks?
strongest or the fastest. It rewards the here’s the twist: when every player is pause. They watch. And in that pause, No. It’s about taking calculated risks—based on
one who thinks different. The one who moving in straight lines, who really sur- you gain ground. insight, timing, and courage.
stops walking straight and dares to take prises the board? The rook wins bat- Customers love newness. Investors Q: Can small businesses make knight moves too?
the Knight move—unexpected, bold, tles. But rarely shakes the system. respect audacity. Competitors freeze. They must. Agility is their biggest weapon. One
and brilliant. This article isn’t just about What is the role of the knight in business? Knight moves don’t just disrupt—they good leap can change everything.
strategy. It’s about the mindset that Ah, the knight. It doesn’t follow reset the narrative. And in business, the Q: How do I know if my bold idea is valid?
separates the average from the unfor- the rules of movement. It doesn’t go one who controls the narrative wins the If it aligns with your long-term vision and adds
gettable. Because in the world of busi- straight. It turns. It leaps. It jumps market. value to the market—validate it and leap.
ness, the genius doesn’t walk straight. over others. That’s your visionary “When everyone expects the next Q: What’s the danger of only moving like a rook?
He leaps. move to be obvious, the Knight move You become predictable. And in a fast market,
founder. The mad one. The one who
What is business strategy—and why doesn’t fit the mold but ends up re- becomes your secret weapon.” predictable becomes invisible.
should it matter to every entrepreneur? writing the game. How do you know when it’s time for a Q: How do I make a knight move without breaking
Business strategy isn’t about fan- Knight-thinkers in business don’t knight move? everything else?
cy jargon or 100-page decks. It’s about wait for permission. They see what’s There’s no neon sign. But your Start small. Test fast. And protect your core while
leaping with precision.
choices—the kind that make your heart missing and they fill it—not with force, business whispers. You’ll feel it when Q: What if my knight move fails?
race. It’s knowing when to move, when but with finesse. They pivot. They growth feels like a grind. When your Even failed Knight moves bring growth. It’s bet-
to pause, and when to do something disrupt. They don’t play chess—they brand blends in. When your team ter to learn by leaping than to fade standing still.
that no one else saw coming. In real change chess. When a knight enters the works harder but nothing’s really shift-
business, strategy is your screenplay. board, even the queen watches. ing. That’s the moment. Final Thought
Your vision. Your battle plan. Why do most businesses still move You’ve outgrown the straight path. “Chess Ka Knight Aur Business Ka
You don’t just survive by doing like rooks? Now it’s time to turn. To leap. To sur-
more. You grow by doing what mat- Because it feels safe. It looks prise. The Knight move doesn’t just Genius—Dono Seedhe Nahi Chalte.”
ters—at the right time, in the right way. smart. It’s predictable. You can explain revive a strategy—it reawakens your Straight moves build stability.
That’s strategy. It’s the unseen hand it in boardrooms. You can justify it with story. Knight moves build legacy.
that pulls you ahead while others are data. That’s the comfort of the rook Is the knight move about recklessness or The question is—are you here to
still figuring out what’s happening. And move. But in a world that’s evolving dai- readiness? build a company… or a story worth re-
in a world that changes by the minute, ly, straight-line logic becomes straight- Let’s be clear—it’s not rebellion. membering?
strategy isn’t optional—it’s your only line growth—flat, slow, forgettable. It’s reinvention. Knight moves are bold,
shot at legacy. Writer Hirav Shah is the Global Business
As Business Strategist Hirav Shah yes. But the smart ones are always val-
Why are chess pieces powerful metaphors says, “Straight-line thinking often idated. They’re powered by data, tim- Strategist, Game Changer, and Author
for business? leads to straight-line results. The game ing, insight—and the right mindset. of 19+ books—trusted worldwide for
Because business, like chess, is a changes only when you change the pat- As Hirav Shah puts it, “Validate validating big decisions of entrepreneurs,
sportsmen, and entertainers.
game of thinking ahead. Every move tern.” Playing safe has its limits. Disrup- before you leap. Even bold moves need
says something about who you are. The tion begins where predictability ends. Email : [email protected]

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