 There Is No Elevator To The Top |
Umesh Ramakrishnan`s new book, "There is No Elevator to the Top", has been published by the Penguin-Books India in June. It compiles the success stories of CEOs of top companies like Cadbury, Schweppes, Coca-Cola, Charles Schwab, Starbucks, Dell and Fidelity and a dozen other companies based on one-on-one interactions between the writer and corporate leaders.
The leaders share their strategies, credos and insights into what distinguishes the business people who climb the highest. He uses anecdotes from the lives of former CEO Steve Reinemund of Pepsico and Bill Amello of Lenovo.
"Good listeners make terrific leaders and the ability to communicate a complex message in a simple fashion which can be understood by workers both at the top and the bottom is a sign of good leadership," Ramakrishnan said.
The two other traits which a good CEO must have are the ability to decide quickly - based on gut and analysis - and the spunk to take tough decisions in an environment of downturn even if it means "sacrificing a sacred cow in an organisation you head".
"One must have the ability to turn around and fire his best friend," said the management expert. Credible experience is another important criterion for leadership.
"The Indian worker needs to respect the individual/boss for what the person has done in the relevant field. If you are to lead a marketing team you must have 15-20 years of relevant experience in marketing and not 30 years in HRD. In that case, the years don`t matter, but the experience does," the management guru explained.
The corporate guru`s magic mantra for success in a cutthroat MNC ambience where companies relentlessly push their brands is a line that Jim Donald, the former CEO for Starbucks told him.
The two other traits which a good CEO must have are the ability to decide quickly - based on gut and analysis - and the spunk to take tough decisions in an environment of downturn even if it means "sacrificing a sacred cow in an organisation you head".
"One must have the ability to turn around and fire his best friend," said the management expert. Credible experience is another important criterion for leadership.
"The Indian worker needs to respect the individual/boss for what the person has done in the relevant field. If you are to lead a marketing team you must have 15-20 years of relevant experience in marketing and not 30 years in HRD. In that case, the years don`t matter, but the experience does," the management guru explained.
The corporate guru`s magic mantra for success in a cutthroat MNC ambience where companies relentlessly push their brands is a line that Jim Donald, the former CEO for Starbucks told him.
"Donald told me that when he went to work for Sam Walton, the founder of Wal-Mart, he realised `one should never grow bigger than the front line`. It is the most brilliant line I have ever heard," Ramakrishnan said.
