ABOUT THE BOOK

THE INDIAN BOSS AT WORK

Thinking Global, Acting Indian

Journey into the kaleidoscope of Indian business and explore the ‘context and forces’ and worldview of Indian leaders. Unravel secrets to building successful companies based on generational learnings, attitudes and capabilities. Read through the narratives of top Indian bosses where they reflect on their ‘Indian-ness’ that helped them transform into global leaders. From Harsh Mariwala to Som Mittal to women leaders such as Naina Lal Kidwai and Kiran Majumdar Shaw, there are many distinguished names in this book that add to the Indian leadership fold.

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LEARN

DISCOVER AND LEVERAGE​

BROWSE THROUGH

CHAPTERS AND SPOTLIGHTS

FOREWARD

Krish Shankar

CHRO - Infosys & President of NHRD

Intro & Chapter 1

WHAT IS INDIAN-NESS?

Steve Correa

Author

Chapter 2

HOW TIME (KAAL) AND PLACE (DESH) INFLUENCE

includes Spotlight - Harsh Mariwala

Chairman - Marico

Chapter 3

FACETS OF THE INDIAN LEADER

includes Spotlight - Som Mittal

‎Former President & Chairman - ‎NASSCOM

Chapter 4

ORIGINS OF THE INDIAN LEADER

includes Spotlight - Naina Kidwai

Former Chairperson - HSBC India

Chapter 5

IMPACT OF INDIAN FAMILY

includes Spotlight - Manu Saale

Managing Director & CEO - Mercedes-Benz Research & Development, India

Chapter 6

ANCIENT INHERITANCE TO MODERN DAY LEGACY

includes Spotlight - Rajiv Memani

Chairman & Regional Managing Partner - EY India

Chapter 7

THE INDIAN PSYCHOLOGY OF LEADERSHIP

includes Spotlight - Ashok Malhotra

Managing Director at Reflexive Lenses Consulting

Chapter 8

THE INDIAN BOSS (KARTA) AT WORK

includes Spotlight - Ravi Uppal

Former Managing Director and Group CEO - Jindal Steel & Power Ltd

Chapter 9

WHEN CULTURES COLLIDE

includes Spotlight - Kiran Mazumdar Shaw

Chairperson - Biocon

Chapter 10

WOMEN POWER (SHAKTI)

includes Spotlight - Renana Jhabvala

National Coordinator at SEWA

Chapter 11

WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR YOUNG LEADERS

includes Spotlight - Jawed Habib

Hairstylist and Businessman

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REVIEWS

"Steve reveals an indigenous Indian orientation that is in contrast to conventional notions of leadership. Its principles are universal, relevant and timely to the issues we face today. He goes beyond gender, bringing insight to what it means to be a self-leader. This book is a bridge to the two worlds of the East and the West and argues that the twain must meet."
Leena NairUnilever CHRO, LinkedIn Top Voice 2018–2019
Steve and I were colleagues, while the brand Hutch was being given a body and a soul. Going through the chapters reminded me of our free flowing conversations, during smoke breaks, near the rear gate. While the context of the 10 minute chats was linked to the business, the content travelled across space, time and beliefs. One line in the book, ‘What is the right thing to do, depends on circumstances. There is no absolute yardstick’, summarised it all for me.
Harit NagpalMD & CEO at Tata Sky Ltd
'Steve and I go back years starting from Unilever, later Diageo. His book reminds me of the innumerable conversations we have had on business and life. Steve is an enthralling communicator, gifted to see beyond the obvious. A valuable and timely piece of work, for both Indian readers and those fascinated with India".
Pankaj Gupta,Vice President - APAC Supply Chain at L'Oréal
“This book is an honest, insightful and nuanced look at the Indian leader drawing on deep understanding of India’s cultural DNA , but also the author’s multi-faceted experience in local
Gurnek BainsEx-founder and CEO of YSC and Founding Partner, Past coach to Steve and author of Cultural DNA
“I have known and worked with Steve for over two decades. Ever willing to learn outside his comfort zone, he takes risks in embracing new paradigms and in applying them. This book, balances what Steve has gained from his lived experience, and his extensive reading and research. He surprises you with ‘newer ways’ of looking at Indian Bosses. He is never complacent, always curious, and brutally honest about himself. Recognising the reader will finally want to know, ‘How can I use all this to be effective?’ he builds it in, with relevant examples and suggestions”.
Zahid H GangjeeCEO, Zahid Gangjee & Associates, Kolkata, Former: Chief of Manpower Development Group, ITC Ltd
"Steve has attempted to describe Indian-ness (not an easy task) while drawing extensively on psychologists work on India. The books’ strength lies in emphasizing the role of context in understanding individuals and societies. His rich MNC and Indian Company experience allows him to nuance the context. A Good read on how Indian leaders struggle with dilemmas and paradoxes that make us distinctive."
Vasanthi SrinivasanCEOProfessor – OB & HRM, IIM Bangalore
“Steve, not quite the quintessential CHRO, is impishly curious and, an indefatigable provocateur, belying an astute student of executive behaviour. This well researched, articulate and seminal body of work is littered with lucid anecdotes and deep insights, underlining his rich and varied global experience across Blue Chip MNCs and Indian Business Houses. His grasp of the nuanced styles and cultural influences that define contemporary Indian leadership is truly absorbing ! "
Sandip DasIndependent Board Director and Former MD JIO
“India will be the third largest economy by 2030 and Indian managers will work across the world. This book will give you a deep view of the Indian manager and how he thinks, how he works and what makes him who he is. Steve has written on a relevant topic for India and the world”.
D. ShivakumarGroup Executive President - Corporate Strategy and Business, Aditya Birla Group
“I know Steve since his days in Vodafone. With his wide exposure to multiple companies, association with multiple leaders and operating styles, his observations are invaluable - a truly remarkable book on leadership. The choice of Spotlight leaders is appropriate and insightful. His observations on Desh and Kaal strike a personal chord and I can easily relate to success stories of Sundar Pichai, Indira Nooyi and others”.
D. Sivanandhan (IPS Retd)Founder Roti Bank, Mumbai
“Amongst the plethora of books on Indian leaders and their management style, Steve Correa’s book stands out as a refreshing analysis based on extensive research, yet presented candidly in a free flowing conversational style narration. The width of research, carefully acknowledged, lends credence to his assessment of Indian psyche. This book will of immense significance to experienced professionals as well as emerging leaders”.
Dr Aquil BusraiFormer Executive Director HR - IBM, Shell Malaysia and Motorola Asia Pacific
“Steve offers a compelling narrative combining stories from workplace and mythology, research and voices of diverse industry stalwarts to shine the light on Indian-ness and the Indian Leader. Just when you know where you are headed, he does the unexpected and opens up a new vista of thought and self-reflection. Brilliantly written, it is a must read for all practitioners, prospective leaders and those curious about the Indian emergence”.
Indranil ChakrabortyAuthor, Stories at Work
“Steve has surpassed himself in his maiden book. This masterful and honest narrative captures the core of an Indian Leader. Steve has treated the subject with a unique blend of research, Spotlights, his own reflective experience and has skilfully used reflexivity to present a compelling drama of how Indian Leaders Think, Feel and Act. Highly Recommended”.
Dr. Santrupt B MisraCEO, Carbon Black Business; Director, Chemicals; & Director, Group H.R. Aditya Birla Group
“The Indian Boss” is a must read for Global leaders of all types – in all industries, in private and public sector and in all geographies! It provides an important reminder about contextual leadership – understanding in this case, the uniqueness of India as nation, its leaders and individuals as part of a “Global leadership playbook.” It’s also a reminder of the opposite—the power of Indian leadership on a global stage."
Honorable Terry D. KramerFormer U.S. Ambassador, Former Vodafone Group Plc Executive, Faculty Director, UCLA Anderson School of Mgmt
“I highly recommend this book to build, enrich and refine one’s understanding of Indian leadership and recognise that which is uniquely Indian that will separate the winners from the rest in an increasingly VUCA world.
Amrit ThomasFormer CMO Diageo and Former Chairman – Royal Challengers Bangalore
“An ancient culture awakens and is beginning to find its voice in today’s world. Steve provides a comprehensive insight of ‘Indian-ness’ and the psyche of the Indian Leader. A must read for all young people who wish to be future leaders”.
Indu ShahaniPresident & Chair: ISDI | ISME | ISDI WPP
“An exceptional narrative, one of its kind, that deals with the Indian Cultural Context influencing Leadership. Steve delves deep into the recesses of Indianness combining research insights and his own experience to reveal the Indian leaders’ distinctiveness. This book is a must read for students, practitioners, and those who truly wish to leverage on Indian Leadership. Insightful and reflective it invites the reader to explore within deeply”.
Y.V. Lakshminarayan PanditFormer Managing Director, SHL, India
“Brilliantly argued, the book captures the essence of ‘Indian-ness’ and uses it as a lens to analyse the complex Indian leadership ethos. Lucidly written to engage with the reader, Steve draws over his Indian and global experiences in the corporate world, significant insights from Indian leaders and deeply mined research data. The book is a fount of wisdom. A recommended and very refreshing read for every aspiring leader who strives to excel”.
RR NairCEO Coach
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FREE BOOK SUMMARY

The book draws on extensive research both global and indigenous, and Spotlight interviews with Indian Stalwart leaders, along with the authors professional experience working both from inside (as CHRO) and outside (as a Leadership Consultant). In this summary you will discover:

  • What are the winning traits of Indian bosses?
  • What cultural influences have shaped their mindsets?
  • What can the West learn from India on leadership?

And more…

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

STEVE CORREA

Steve Correa is a commerce and law graduate from XLRI and a Chevening scholar. He currently works as an Independent Executive Coach and OD Consultant and is a Fellow of Sumedhas, Academy for Human Context. He has over three decades of corporate experience. Of this, 18+ years have been as CHRO, with overall responsibility for the HR function. He has worked across a wide spectrum of enterprises, ranging from major global corporates (MNCs) to family-led professional businesses. He has diverse industry exposure that includes pharmaceuticals, office automation, FMCG, telecommunications, IT/ITES and alcohol beverage. His exposure spans across India as well as abroad.

Steve was involved with Project Millennium at Unilever, India. He helped in M&A from single license to national footprint across 23 circles in Vodafone India (earlier Hutch) also talent transformation across Global Technology while based in the UK. He was involved in pre-Jio launch and responsible for driving the people and organization strategy at Diageo India, and its integration with United Spirits. He is currently on his second innings as an independent OD Consultant and Executive Coach.

Steve is an avid reader, loves travelling, blogging and is active on social media. He was featured in LinkedIn Power Profile 2017. He is based in Bengaluru.

Those who know Steve find him to be passionate, who enjoys freewheeling conversations and, even if the context is linked often to business, the content encompasses space, time and belief. His energy is infectious, and he is most happy when he is in ‘training’ mode. Deeply curious, he penetrates deep into his lifelong hobby of what it means to be human unto oneself and others.

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