Sound values not only helped individuals and businesses become successful but also made success itself worthwhile, Wipro Chairman Azim Premji said on Saturday.

Speaking on 'Values and Principles- The Role of A Leader' at a conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry in Bangalore, he said values helped attract the right kind of people to do business with, provided a strong anchor during times of uncertainty, enabled focus and courage to stand up to distractions and gave motivation beyond reward and recognition.

India, Premji observed, had to move from being a nation of holidays to a nation that enjoyed hard work. Also, there was need for greater confidence and Indians should not 'undersell' themselves to the world. ''Nobody can make us feel inferior without our consent,'' he said.

Humility and persistence were the pre-requisites for continuous learning and to be able to absorb changes, while conviction and self-belief enabled the performance of action for its own sake and not because someone was watching, he said.

UNI