Sridhar Vembu on why Zoho employees are not allowed to praise him or the leadership in public

Sridhar Vembu

Zoho Corporation CEO Sridhar Vembu has shared an insight into the company’s internal culture and his personal philosophy on leadership. In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Vembu explained why employees are not allowed to publicly praise him or any member of the leadership team, emphasizing humility and focus on the company’s collective mission rather than individuals.

Company policy on public praise

Vembu revealed that Zoho has a long-standing principle discouraging employees from praising company leadership in public. “One long standing principle within the company is that no employee is allowed to praise the leadership, including me, in public,” he wrote. He added that this rule is periodically reinforced and has become “a core part of our culture.”

According to Vembu, this practice helps maintain balance and prevents a culture centered on individuals rather than the company’s collective effort.

Personal philosophy on leadership

The Zoho co-founder also shared his personal approach to dealing with attention and criticism. “The spiritual principle I have tried to follow in life is to let neither praise nor abuse get to me,” Vembu said. “I don't read or watch videos about me. I am not that important to me and do not want to carry the burden of being important.”

Vembu reflected on his gratitude for life itself, describing it as a spiritual practice. “I think of being alive and conscious, drawing breath, as the ultimate gift bestowed by the creator and remind myself to be thankful for that gift,” he noted, invoking the Sanskrit phrase Satchitananda (सच्चिदानन्द).

Value of feedback and humility

While he avoids personal praise, Vembu said he actively engages with criticism. “I do read critical feedback of our products or the company. They are important,” he wrote. He added that he reminds employees to be grateful even for criticism: “The fact that people take the time to tell us is a gift we must be thankful for.”

Through this reflection, Vembu underscored Zoho’s culture of humility, gratitude, and focus on collective improvement rather than individual recognition.