Results win customers. Leadership discipline keeps them

Drawing themes from his new book The Dual Mandate in B2B - Driving Results. Shaping Culture, Mohan Joshi - Global C-Suite Partner & Former President, SCHOTT India, discusses leadership systems, alignment, and execution in conversation with Neha Aathavale.

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What inspired you to write The Dual Mandate in B2B, and how is it different from your earlier book?

My inspiration came from a consistent observation across B2B ecosystems: organisations rarely struggle because of technical capability — they struggle because of inconsistent leadership actions. I saw high expertise but weak alignment, unclear assumptions, delayed communication and uneven ownership. These gaps silently weaken quality, documentation, supply reliability and customer confidence.

My first book, Real Time Growth with Customers, focused on the customer-facing side of the DIG 3×3 Framework. But the deeper challenge lies inside organisations — in how leaders think, communicate and act every day. That realisation shaped The Dual Mandate in B2B, which brings results and culture together through nine leadership drivers.

As I write in the book: “Results win customers. Leadership discipline keeps them.”

My perspective comes from working closely with global suppliers to pharma companies — the organisations responsible for quality, compliance, supply assurance and customer trust. This experience deepened my understanding of how pharma stakeholders operate and why alignment between partners strengthens long-term credibility.

The first book built the foundation through the customer lens. The Dual Mandate in B2B builds the leadership system behind it.

Where do organisations struggle more in B2B — driving performance or building culture?

Leaders often assume performance is the problem. In reality, challenges begin when leadership discipline becomes inconsistent.

You see this in patterns like:

● high activity but low clarity

● high communication but low alignment

● high reporting but low movement

These gaps reduce predictability, increase friction, and frustrate customers.

As I write: “Leaders rarely fail by moving slowly — they fail by moving blindly.”