List of practice Questions

Abhishek, a student of a prestigious business school, gets interested in Payseasy, a fintech firm, after listening to a pre-placement talk by Neha Bhupati, a senior leader at the firm, and an alumna of the same business school. He joins Payseasy through campus placement. Neha plays a key role in recruiting him, seeing great potential in him. Abhishek starts working in the digital payments vertical under Mukesh Kumar, who reports directly to Neha. Mukesh, Abhishek’s direct superior, is impressed by his performance and rates him very high in the first year. Abhishek understands that if Mukesh consistently rates him as “Excellent Performer” for the second year as well, his chances of getting promoted will improve. (The organization promotes individuals who are consistently rated as “Excellent Performer” for at least two years by their immediate superiors.)
Over time, Abhishek realizes that the learning opportunities in his current role have plateaued. Given his longstanding interest in blockchain and cryptocurrency, he starts exploring opportunities in that vertical within the company. This change is not possible without the consent of his immediate boss, Mukesh. When Abhishek brings this up with Mukesh, he acknowledges Abhishek’s curiosity and enthusiasm; however, he emphasizes how Abhishek’s competencies fit him rightly into the current vertical. Mukesh assures Abhishek that more challenging assignments in the future are forthcoming, but he remains a good team player. Further, he shares his skepticism about the long-term prospects of cryptocurrency. Hence, Mukesh politely declines Abhishek’s request.
MultiKrack, one of the oldest FMCG companies in Eastern India, was run by the Malhotras, a traditional business family, for generations. The organization believed that key positions should be held only by family members and close friends.
But, as the organization grew in size, the top management decided to bring in fresh thinking and fill key positions from premier management institutions. The need for such a decision was also brought upon by changes in consumer preferences, which the top management felt could be best handled by recruiting premier talent from the younger generation (Gen Z).
MultiKrack drew the best talent, from premier management institutions, by offering highly attractive salaries. The first batch of Gen Z management trainees joined MultiKrack. Anindita was one of the seven management trainees recruited. She reported to Uday, a senior manager, who directly reported to the top management.
In one of the meetings, Uday was making a presentation on positioning their most popular product to make it more appealing to Gen Z. Unhappy with the discussion, Anindita candidly shared her concern regarding the assumptions Uday made about Gen Z. Uday immediately retorted: “Anindita, this is a discussion for adults. Kids, like you, should listen for a few months before sharing their opinion.” Further, he remarked, “you Gen Z have opinions about everything regardless of the subject.” Thereafter, he brushed aside any views Anindita attempted to share during the discussion. After the meeting, Anindita felt offended. However, when she discussed it with other management trainees, they did not find anything wrong with what Uday said. Even then, she decided to do something about such a treatment, since it would be seen as an approved behaviour.
Acrucial moderating factor in how people experience comparisons is self-esteem. Individuals with high self-esteem are more likely to interpret upward comparison as informative rather than threatening. They are more resilient in the face of others’ success and more likely to believe they can reach their own goals. In contrast, people with low self-esteem are more prone to interpret comparison as judgment, reinforcing negative self-views and triggering feelings of inadequacy.
This dynamic creates a self-reinforcing loop. People with high self-esteem are less vulnerable to upward comparison, which intensifies those doubts. Those with a secure sense of self are more likely to use comparison as a learning tool. The same external stimulus—a colleague’s achievements, a friend’s popularity—can have radically different effects depending on internal stability.
Self-esteem also influences how people choose their comparison targets. Research has found that individuals often engage in “selective comparison,” seeking out those who confirm their existing beliefs about themselves. This can become a subtle form of self-sabotage. Someone who feels unworthy may subconsciously seek out targets that reinforce that sense, perpetuating a narrative of inferiority. One of the most promising antidotes to social comparison is temporal comparison—evaluating oneself not against others, but against one’s own past. This method has been shown to increase motivation and satisfaction, especially when individuals can see concrete progress. Temporal comparison activates the same reward circuits as social comparison but avoids the threat systems associated with social ranking. It also reinforces agency: individuals focus on what they can control and improve rather than what others control. In therapeutic and coaching settings, temporal comparison is used to help clients build self-efficacy and track growth over time.
Moreover, people who focus on self-improvement rather than social dominance are less likely to fall into cycles of envy or self-pity. They can still use others as inspiration, but they do so without attaching their self-worth to the outcome. This is not to say they never compare—but that they focus on learning, rather than judgment. The most skilful approach to comparison may lie in eliminating it, but in reframing it as feedback. When we interpret comparison as information rather than a verdict, we can ask, “What can I learn from this?” This shift turns comparison into a growth tool. Teachers mentor their students, not as rivals. Psychologists emphasize that the key variable here is mindset.
A fixed mindset sees comparison as a threat. If someone else is better, it means we are worse. A growth mindset sees comparison as a map. If someone else has reached a certain level, it means the path exists. This reframing is not just a cognitive trick. It changes the emotional tone of comparison, making it more likely to inspire than to wound. Reframing also requires emotional regulation—the ability to notice an initial pang of envy or shame without reacting impulsively. With practice, individuals can learn to pause, reflect, and reinterpret their emotional responses. Over time, this builds resilience and self-trust, allowing comparison to become a learning tool rather than a cage.