Leadership Lessons from a No-Nonsense Indian Marriage Ad

Comedian Zarna Garg once put up a personal ad on an Indian singles website. It wasn’t flowery. It wasn’t vague. It was brutally, hilariously clear.

👉 Sample lines from her now-famous ad:

“To some, I am too short or plump. Too dark or argumentative. But enough about me. Here is what I need from you.”

“Only contact me if you want to get married (NO FRIENDS!).”

And my personal favorite: “Kindly include your most recent tax returns and medical records.” 🤣

27 years later—she’s still married.

The takeaway: People who communicate clearly and simply are far more likely to get what they want than those who don’t.

This lesson applies just as much in the C-Suite as it does in love.

The best executives I know excel in clarity. But many leaders think they’re being clear when, in reality, they’re creating confusion. It shows up like this:

• Employees leave a meeting and don’t know what they’re supposed to do next.
• The CEO says, “I don’t understand what you’re trying to accomplish.”
• A decision is needed, but no one knows who’s responsible.
• Team members ask, “Is that your job or mine? What exactly is our strategy?”

If there’s one skill every executive must master, it’s this: communicate clearly, simply, and directly.

How to Do It: 8 Clarity Habits

State the decision. Open with, “Here’s the decision we need to make today.” End with, “Here’s the decision we’ve made.”

Paint the picture. Say, “An example of what this looks like in practice is…” or “What are the first 3 things you’ll do to start?”

Cut the jargon. If it sounds like a press release, rewrite it.

Say it in one line. If you can’t explain the strategy in one sentence, it’s not clear yet.

Write it down. Follow up with a quick summary email or Slack note—spoken words vanish.

Use the CEO test. Could you explain it in under 60 seconds to the CEO or board?

Call out roles. Be explicit: “This is my decision to make” or “I want your input, but I’ll decide.”

Check for understanding. Ask, “Does everyone know what they’re doing next?” Don’t assume.

You May Think You’re Being Clear, But Are You?

If there’s one area where you should always seek feedback, it’s this.

Ask employees. Ask peers. Ask your executive team if you have to. There’s nothing more counterproductive than communication that doesn’t produce results.

As Garg herself said:

👉 “I really believe the universe wants to give you what you want, but you have to make the ask very simple and clear. You can’t complicate.”

The same is true in leadership. If your team, your peers, your employees don’t understand what you want, you won’t get it—no matter how smart, capable, or committed they are.

To read the personal ad (and Garg’s incredible story) in its entirety, buy her outstanding book.

PS. If clarity is the leadership skill you need to master, that’s exactly what we build in E-Suite Impact—my advanced course for senior leaders who want to excel at the top.  Next session launches October 2025. Learn more at my website and check out program details. #executivecommunication #csuiteimpact #csuiteleadership