Book Corner

Dr OP Manchanda
CEO
Dr Lalpathlabs

What are you reading right now?

I am currently reading a very interesting study titled 'No Man's Land - Relationship dynamics between owners & CEOs' by Amrop India. The researchers explored the concept of a sustainable relationship between owners and their external executives. I am finding the study particularly interesting because many of the Indian organisations, especially SMEs face this challenge of taking the company to the next level of growth. Secondly, given my current assignment, I am able to relate with the study quite well.

Who recommended the book to you?

Nobody really recommended this study to me. I first read about it in a newspaper article. Later, Amrop India sent me a copy.

Which book is next on the list?

'Great People Decisions: Why They Matter So Much, Why They are So Hard, and How You Can Master Them' by Claudio Fernández-Aráoz. The book explores the rationale of selecting the right people for the right jobs. Irrespective of the business or product and service or strategy, it's all done with people. Great results only come when great people fill the right roles. Fernández-Aráoz is known for his passion, wisdom, deep practical experience, and analytical methods. I am looking forward to my sessions with this book.

The best book on leadership.

Some of the books I rate very high include: 'Leading People' by Robert H Rosen, 'Leading Self Directed Work Teams' by Kimball Fisher, 'The Leadership Challenge' by James M Kouzes, 'The Fifth Discipline' by Peter M Senge, and so on. I picked up vital lessons on leadership from each of these books. For example, leading teams in times of growth is a relatively easy task, despite the stiff targets. But in times of slowdown, rallying with the team is vital. To bolster the team's faith in itself is essential.

A book that changed your life/inspired you.

'Jonathan Livingston Seagull' by Richard Bach is one book which truly inspired me. I received this book in a training course while with Hindustan Lever. The story of a little bird relentlessly striving for perfection despite mounting odds is awe-inspiring.

How do you find time to read?

Earlier I used to travel quite a lot and got enough time for reading while on flight or in hotels. Now it's difficult to find time. I catch up on my reading mostly on weekends now.

What kinds of books do you like reading?

My reading habits has seen a transition of sorts over the years. At the very beginning, my interest has been in reading books on leadership. In the early part of my career as a sales manager with Hindustan Lever, that's the genre of books that I used to read. With time, as I moved up the proverbial corporate ladder with Ranbaxy and Monsanto, my interest shifted to books on business strategy, brand management and brand innovation. This change in reading habit was never pre-planned. I guess it was just natural as I moved into marketing and strategy roles. Now in addition to reading books on leadership and general management, I have started reading a bit about history, religion and spiritual books.

Given a choice, would you like to read or watch a movie/match?

I would prefer to read a good book.