SY Exclusive: Rishav Dev on human potential, broken performance systems, and why HR must learn to hear uncomfortable truths

With over two decades across promoter-led enterprises and large organisations, Rishav Dev has led people transformations where trust deficits, legacy mindsets, and bias-heavy systems are the norm rather than the exception. A former CHRO, Head of Talent Acquisition, and ICF-certified coach, Dev brings a deeply reflective lens to work, leadership, and human behaviour.

In an interview with StrongYes Media, he explains why “human resource” is a flawed concept, why performance systems fail despite strong frameworks, and why most organisations ask the wrong questions while hiring, then complain about outcomes.

You didn’t start in HR. How did you land in Talent Acquisition and HR, and how would you sum up that journey today?

Rishav Dev: I never knew HR existed when I first joined an organisation. Even after doing my bachelor’s in computers, then sales, then an MBA in finance, my first post-MBA job was again sales.

But I somehow always felt the lack of HR. I was good at public speaking. Somebody saw that, trusted me, and believed I could do well in training. That person became my first mentor. He guided me into being a full-fledged HR professional.

So the journey went from sales to training to HR. And I really enjoyed the entire journey.

If I have to sum it up today, I would say something very simple. The term human resource has been wrongly coined. I would never like to term people as resources.

People are of potential.

I would rather call it a Human Potential Enhancement Department. HPED, if you want to shorten it. Resources are limited. They end. Human potential never ends. You never know your potential till the time you go into the grave.

Dale Carnegie once said that 95 per cent of human potential goes into the grave. That stayed with me.

You’ve worked with many legacy and family-run organisations. What is the hardest mindset shift founders struggle with when moving from a family-run setup to a process-led company?

Rishav Dev: The biggest challenge is trust.

Professionals need to be given a free hand. If the trust factor is there, people can work wonders. But if leaders believe they know everything, that becomes the problem.

This is true for promoters and professionals alike. Leadership has to believe in their teams.

Many young family-driven businesses are actually doing very well because they empower professionals instead of interfering in day-to-day operations. But there are still many who believe they know the business best. That is where the problem starts.

This mindset also affects expectations around loyalty. People think tenure and age equal loyalty. That thinking will no longer remain valid, especially with Gen Z coming into the picture.

You’ve implemented performance systems like the Balanced Scorecard multiple times. If the framework is globally proven, why do performance systems so often fail in India?

Rishav Dev: Because systems are run by human beings.

No performance management system can eliminate human bias. I have never seen a bias-free organisation. Not even one.

Bias exists everywhere. Partiality exists. Favouritism exists. Even if you wrap everything in policies and processes.

We are not saints. None of us is anywhere close to that ideal. So, expecting a bias-free environment is unrealistic.

What we can do is reduce bias to the maximum extent possible and ensure fair practice. A system that minimises bias and runs as independently as possible is the best you can design.

That is the reality.

Certifications like Great Place to Work are everywhere now. Are companies really building culture, or just optimising for external validation? How can you tell the difference?

Rishav Dev: Certifications matter because people believe in external validation. Just like in relationships, people want to hear “I love you” repeatedly. Silence, even if meaningful, is often not enough.

Organisations cannot go around saying, “We are the best.” That is why external ratification exists. But let me be very clear. There is no such thing as a dream organisation.

People should focus on becoming the best version of themselves instead of expecting organisations to give them everything. If you expect organisations to do everything for you, you will always find flaws.

An organisation is as good or as bad as you are. Work on yourself. Work for your own mental peace. Organisations will not always be there for you. That is the truth.

If you could remove one HR process tomorrow because it adds no real value, what would it be, and why does it still exist?

Rishav Dev: I would remove the recruitment question: “Why did you leave your last job?”

Do you really have the capacity to hear the truth?

People say they want honesty, but they cannot digest it. That is why relationships fail. The same applies to recruitment.

It does not matter why someone left. Do you see potential? Do you see commitment for at least a year? Take that person.

People will not stay for ages anymore. That era is gone. Stop expecting permanence.

Build a culture where people can deliver their best freely. Do not expect people to be slaves.

If you ask that question, at least have the capacity to accept the truth.

Everyone talks about “good hiring managers.” What does a truly great hiring manager do differently that most people underestimate?

Rishav Dev: A great hiring manager gives space.

Space for the person to laugh, cry, and express themselves. And the manager remains balanced and non-judgmental.

You are not a judge. You are there to see whether the person has the attitude to build themselves.

If someone can build for themselves, they will build for the organisation.

If a person cannot sell for themselves, they cannot sell for the organisation. Organisations are not charities. Even charities need money to run.

Potential and attitude matter more than anything else.