From the horse’s mouth

Leadership skills sound better when coming from a leader

- MADAN SABNAVIS

SHARING OF EXPERIENCE-BASED leadership traits is something relatively new. While management experts have drawn up such templates, it is even more constructive to hear it from CEOs who have carved a niche for themselves.

This is where Roopa Kudva’s thoughts become relevant as she looks beyond the playbook. Based on her own experiences in the corporate world, the book, Leadership Beyond the Playbook, is quite remarkable. She makes it clear that not everything that a person does at the top will be liked by everyone and nor will every strategy succeed. The aim should be to put in one’s best and get everyone involved and, more importantly, treat people with empathy. There are separate chapters for various aspects which come into play when leading an organisation. This includes questions such as dealing with stakeholders, communication, conundrums faced while doing the job and so on. It ends with what she calls a leadership manifesto, which sort of summarises the recipe that needs to be followed, before a playbook kit is presented.