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Book Reviews

Quest for Exceptional Leadership: Mirage to Reality

The book has something for every corporate leader of the 21st Century.

– The Times of India


Chaudhry seeks to change the world by transforming business leaders. Don Quixote didn’t manage to change the world but the world would be poorer if people like him didn’t try.

– Business Standard, India


A masterpiece worth reading!

– CFO India


So compelling, the way it touches the major issues of our time and how best to change these situations.

– Huguette Labelle, Former Chair, Transparency International


A most compelling plea for open management, a human story of values and attitude. It is a journey to get there!

– Ben Verwaayen, CEO, Alcatel Lucent, France


I do hope the book reaches out to enlighten the citizens of our country to the ills that are currently prevalent and help in building a better society for the coming generations.

– Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Group


The best book on corporate governance I’ve ever read. I keep it as reference material.

– Joshua C. Ngoma, Founder, Tranter Holdings Limited, South Africa


A rare combination of sound business thinking and accessible philosophy.

– Victor Fung, Chairman , Li & Fung Group, Hong Kong


A terrific book. Great insights.

– Dominic Barton, Global Managing Director, Mckinsey & Co


A ground-breaking new book.

– Jeff Black, Head of Creative MBA Programme, Meridian University, USA


Very inspiring and very thought provoking! Thoughts and knowledge collected over a lifetime have been condensed in very clear concepts that can be used in a very practical way by anyone in a leadership position in any organization.

– Arnold Galavazi, Director Asia, DHV Group, The Netherlands


The path from average leadership to exceptional leadership, like the track of a high mountain, is strewn with difficult choices. But there is a path, all right. And Chaudhry’s book illuminates it with ample light. The author doesn’t get bogged down by the moral or ethical rot he sees around. Or turn this book into a gigantic lament (like many others often do). Instead, he shows the reader a way from turning the apparent mirage of exceptional leadership into a reality.

– The CTO Forum


Indian business leader Ravi Chaudhry has written the best handbook for corporate executives in years, “Quest for Exceptional Leadership: Mirage to Reality.” Chaudhry takes a global, long-term look at our rapidly evolving societies and their economies. He maps the contours of the new movements to re-shape the architecture and rewrite the rules for business success.

Chaudhry’s call for exceptional leadership is based on the new realities of our multi-polar world – beyond the trite formulas of the business and financial media. We in the West need to take off our cultural blinders and hear what the brilliant new voices are saying. Chaudhry comes out of an Indian tradition based on longer time horizons – all rooted in values beyond the money coefficients measuring Western success. In laying out his criteria for exceptional leadership, Ravi Chaudhry is precise, with hundreds of examples illustrating his strategies and recommendations. Ravi Chaudhry is one of the new voices showing new ways ahead.

– Hazel Henderson, Founder, Ethical Markets Media, USA


This is an amazing book, communicating messages that come straight from the heart and the enlightened mind in a language that will be understood by all, while evolving a completely new vocabulary in the area of business management and leadership. Although the book is primarily targeted at corporate leaders, the propositions in the book apply to all leaders and in fact to all of us. It is based on a lot of solid research and has a high knowledge density. On every page there is something to be learned or understood. The references and examples are enlightening and bring about a convincing clarity. It is not just thought provoking but action provoking and is full of change triggers, from mind-set to heart-set.

– Toine Van Megen, Founder, Renewable Energy Group, Auroville, India


In his seminal book, the Indian business and thought leader Ravi Chaudhry has stressed the “quest for exceptional business leadership” that recognizes and acts on the basis of the new realities and challenges of the 21st century. Exceptional challenges require exceptional business leadership. With it we may see the apocalyptic trends reversed.

– Jean-Pierre Lehmann, Professor of International Political Economy, IMD, Switzerland


Quest for Exceptional Leadership: Mirage to Reality by Ravi Chaudhry, is a wise and practical book. Interweaving analysis with the lessons of history and ancient wisdom, he shows “how leaders today can help transform societies, by marginally transforming themselves.”

Ravi emphasizes that the “journey to the summit of leadership is not an exercise in philanthropy but an imperative action.” He begins by describing the “seven prime realities of business today that have caused havoc with our lives.” He identifies “seven allies to catalyze change” which by working together could accelerate the process of transformation. After describing the emergence of the triple bottom-line approach, he discusses how to overcome obstacles to conscientious choice and discover the triple top line of joy, peace and contentment. With insight and nuance, he discusses the three traits of exceptional leadership: wholeness, compassion, and transparency. Ravi envisions a world in which business schools would change their Masters programs from MBAs (Masters in Business Administration) to MBCs (Masters in Business with Conscience). Business schools should integrate his book into the curriculum.Bbusiness leaders will find it “a gentle guide” and a source of conviction that we need a new paradigm of leadership.

– Currents in Commerce, World Business Academy, USA


One of those rare works where straight-forward relevant management experiences and advice combine with most relevant political and philosophical foundations and provide a thrilling read! It gives a learned and incredibly imaginative guidance for top leadership in the corporate world and in other sections of society. It speaks a new language for socially responsible behaviour and shows that social responsibilities are not limited to those at the top, but rather that social responsibilities can take anybody to the top.

– Philippe Welti, Ambassador of Switzerland to India


A magnum opus – brilliant and thought provoking.

– D.R. Kaarthikeyan, Former Director General, Human Rights Commission, India


The book and the thoughts are very welcome and timely and I truly did learn a lot from reading it.

– Bill Fischer, Professor of Technology Management at IMD, Switzerland


A perfect blend of corporate governance and concept of trusteeship of Mahatma Gandhi.

– Venugopal Dhoot, Chairman, Videocon Group, India


An excellent book. The scope and depth is truly outstanding. All sectors of our society – government, private sector, media, and representatives of civil society need to undergo a mind shift change and exceptional dissertations such as this, go a long way in showing us the path.

– Dhruv Sawhney, Chairman, Triveni Group, India


An excellent treatise. While analyzing the approach of the emerging leadership to face the new challenges, the stress on human values is unexceptionable. Reading through this excellent book has been an inspired experience.
– D.N. Patodia, Former President, FICCI

A great book of leadership, enriched with personal mantra and refined wisdom of Ravi Chaudhry. Shows a crystal clear path for future leaders, the perfect mixture and harmony of the Western and Eastern cultures and philosophy.

– Mehmet Buldurgan, Founder, mbco Strategy and Investment Consulting, Turkey


This book is remarkable in its depth of research and breadth of vision, convincingly articulating why corporate objectives can no longer disregard society’s interests and why exceptional leadership comprising of wholeness, compassion and transparency can deliver enduring results for an organization in the long run. In GMR Group, we are making a journey towards building an institution in perpetuity in which, I am convinced, such leadership qualities will be essential in a rapidly changing world.
– G.M.Rao, Chairman, GMR Group