Essence of the Book

In the aftermath of the 2008 global economic and financial crisis, Ravi Chaudhry has analysed the dynamics of prime realities that continue to impact our businesses and our lives today. He anticipates the emergence of a new Fifth Phase of Human Enterprise that will redefine the criteria of success as well as re-contour the routes to success. Even the skills required to stay successful will undergo re-configuration. The corporate leaders who accept and embrace the new realities will emerge as the winners in the 21st century. This calls for a new ‘realistic' leadership ethos - a contemporary ethos compatible with the contemporary world.

Chaudhry outlines the practice of a new way of leadership, built on the strong pillars of a ‘Tripod of Exceptional Leadership' and charts the path to inculcate a new approach to thinking and doing things - one that fosters a robust confidence to lead your organization for sustained performance and bring in its wake, serenity and happiness.

The book makes a compelling case that the future growth and progress of corporations will be directly linked with the growth and progress of communities and societies in which they function. The key challenge is to take the step forward from ‘Corporate Social Responsibility' to ‘Individual Social Responsibility' of the CEO. From CSR to ISR. From generic corporate accountability to specific individual answerability of the CEO. From merely a symbolic, committee-led, audit-based system to a system prompted and propelled by the leader's personal sense of right and wrong.

Chaudhry acknowledges and addresses the two key challenges that confront us today: How to transform today's leaders and how to transform today the leaders of tomorrow? In practical terms, this means: How to de-corrupt the minds of today's leaders and how to make the minds of coming generations in-corruptible?

He prompts all leaders to pursue with passion the Triple Bottom Line criteria of profits with conscience, growth with equity and compatibility with nature. In the bargain, he promises them a pleasant surprise that will lead them to a ‘Triple Top Line' of joy, peace and contentment in their personal lives. Not only for them, but also in the personal lives of people all around.

It is a commonly held perception that business objectives and society's needs tend to be like the two tracks of a railway line. Looking ahead from any point, they appear to converge in the distance; in reality, they never do. This book shows a way to do precisely that. From Mirage to Reality.

A 21st century classic on Contemporary Leadership, the book creates an action blue print on how corporate leaders can improve corporate performance as well as help transform societies, by marginally transforming themselves. The book promotes a new vocabulary of success and makes a persuasive case for "a way of leadership that looks upon all dialogue as a dialogue among humans, of humans, for humans".

The journey to the summit of Exceptional Leadership is well within the grasp of each CEO. "The essence of exceptional leadership practice is not so much on honing your thoughts to become a better leader, but in realizing that no matter what you might think about the circumstances that characterize your situation, you already have within you the seeds of traits required for becoming an exceptional leader. The purpose of the book is to help you recognize this inherent potential."

The thoughtful paradigms that the book portrays are essential inputs for every person who is already in a leadership role, or aspires for one. Comprehending ‘Seven Prime Realities', 'Seven Allies to Catalyse Change', the potential triumph of ‘Realistic Companies over Unrealistic Companies', 'Quadrant Four Leadership' criteria, and 'Five Circles of Leadership Attitudes' would inspire each of them to map out their own personal track for becoming an exceptional leader.

"I look forward to the day when leading Business Schools of the world will change the nomenclature of their coveted Master's Programme from MBA (Masters in Business Administration) to MBC (Masters in Business with Conscience), and when the Fortune 500 Corporations will insist that the management graduates they recruit should come only from MBC stream. This transition from ‘MBA to MBC' culture would be more than a symbolic change. It would be an unmistakable clarion call from the business community that they are truly ready to embrace change."