The book is divided into two sections: In the first, Pitroda describes the challenges that India faces, and provides a 10-point program to overcome them. In the second, he addresses a wide range of corporate management issues, ranging from dealing with mediocrity and downsizing to managing risk and the attributes of a leader.

In his introduction to the section on India, Pitroda writes, “India is a very complex country — one that is very difficult to manage and assess. The modern and the ancient converge here like nowhere else…To begin with, India must be praised for what we have achieved in the last 50 years. We have built a thriving democracy out of a poor, populous and socially divided region…But the rest of the world has moved too fast and too far for India’s record. Can we really achieve what the nation set out to do 50 years ago — to end poverty, ignorance, disease and inequality of opportunity?”

With the same clarity of thought, Pitroda introduces the section on corporate management with the words, “If India is full of complexities, then so is the corporate world. The idea of a company running well oiled, without incident, with employees fitting together neatly to achieve the task at hand, is an absurd concept to anyone who has ever worked even a day in business. Corporate management is a delicate process of shielding egos, making tough decisions, considering difficult, ethical issues and meeting high expectations.”

Without further ado, we present excerpts from both the sections of the book. Prepare to get a taste of Pitroda — uncut, opinionated, poetic, pragmatic and powerful.

The Magic of Teamwork

One Indian = 10 Japanese in talent, 10 Indians as a team = one Japanese. Lack of teamwork and cooperation is one of the most serious problems affecting progress in all areas of India, and wherever Indians work worldwide.

Part of the problem is our cultural background. We have feudal and hierarchical social systems, where people look at one person, as opposed to a group of people, for all the answers. In family situations, this figure is the father and in the professional world, it is the boss. This traditional system claims that whoever is senior supposedly knows best. This was fine in earlier times when knowledge and wisdom were passed on orally; but in modern society, there is no way that one person can know everything. Today, you may find that a young computer-trained person has more answers for an accounting problem than a senior accountant. Until we understand how best to leverage this diversity of experience, we will not be able to create and fully utilize the right kind of teams.

In my younger days in the United States, I attended an executive seminar for Rockwell International, where about 25 senior company executives had congregated for a week of strategic discussion. In the evenings, we would break out into five different groups of five people each. In these group workshops, someone would delegate tasks, saying: “You make coffee; you take notes; you are the chairman; and you clean the board.” The next day, there would be different duties for each group member. No one ever said, “But I made coffee twice.” I thought to myself, if this were happening in India, people would be saying, “But I am the senior secretary - why should I make the coffee and you be the chairman?” Hierarchy comes naturally in our minds.

What Keeps India Going

Should the many problems India has - widespread illiteracy, frequent power breakdowns, sanitation and water problems, unreliable telecommunications infrastructure - deter foreign investors or corporations from doing business in India? Not at all.

People often compare China with India. China, it is said, is very calm on the surface. Everything seems to be working. The society is highly organized. People lead orderly lives. But below the surface, China is seething. The people are discontented with the system. With ambition thwarted and personal drive dampened, radical ideas are constantly brewing.

India, on the other hand, presents the opposite impression. On the surface it is chaotic. Nothing seems to work. Everyone is frustrated with bureaucracy. There are long lines for essential items, shortages and inefficiencies. But at the same time, beneath the surface, all is calm. Life goes on, as if none of the chaos matters. Despite the problems, the tranquility at the lowest levels keeps India going. Where does this really come from and what does it really mean? There are several key reasons for this character of the Indian nation.

The first is diversity. India is a continent in and of itself, not just a country. As a result, even with a population of a billion people, India is self-sufficient in its basic needs. It unites different peoples, cultures, customs, foods and cuisines, musical tastes, styles and so on. Over time, people have become used to the differences and to the diverse environment. India has absorbed many external political, social and cultural influences, without discarding anything.

The second element is simplicity. Typically, India has not been a highly materialistic society. For most of the population there is no such thing as separate beds for children, or separate rooms for everybody. People often sleep on floors or wherever space is available. In a large part of rural India today, the concept of “my room, my possessions, my requirements” is foreign to families. As a result, life is very simple, at least in terms of material goods. But it is rich in terms of rituals and customs. For example, prayers in the morning, or the timing and style of routine matters such as bathing and eating.

The third factor is personal laws. People in India derive deep spiritual sustenance and support from close family ties. Indians form primary bonds very easily, and this results in strong personal networks. Networks of connections, with relatives and friends, are tied together by customs and procedures, based on personal laws that everyone follows. People don’t like to go beyond these boundaries. In India, people may have difficulty following public laws, but the personal laws are honored at all times. On the other hand, these also create boundaries, constraints and pressure to follow certain habits.

Traditionally India’s personal networks have been based on caste. But now they extend beyond caste, religion and professions. People have always respected age and seniority. As a result there is always a fear of what elders, neighbors and communities might think. That sets up barriers to how things are done, and indeed to determining what needs to be done.

Change of Guard

In today’s difficult times, it’s common to see companies make changes at the top management level. It is important to understand such changes in guard, not only from the new leader’s perspective on the process of creating a new enterprise, but also from the perspective of how people perceive the leader, their jobs and their future.

As a new CEO or senior executive, you have to carefully consider how to approach change. Take some time out to listen closely to people in the organization, no matter how much time it takes. That means talking to all functional groups — marketing, development, strategy, customers, quality, and so on. Everyone will have a different view of how the firm got into trouble and what is needed to get back on track. Where did we go wrong? Who is to be blamed? What could have been done earlier? By listening, you will develop your own view of what needs to be done.

If you are an employee at a company, get this: change is inevitable… Change is part of a successful company’s life. Help the new CEO make necessary changes by accepting them, embracing them, because they will create a new future that will be better. It’s going to be painful. The CEO may make decisions that you will not agree with because you are used to doing it one way. But if he continues to do things the same way there will be no change and nothing will be accomplished. So give him time and your support. He may not understand your business as fast as you expect him to. He’s only been there for a short period of time, and you may have been there for many years. But that’s his strength! To some extent, there is power in not being aware of all the nitty-gritty details.

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Starting in the next issue of siliconindia, expect a new beginning for the Sam Pitroda column — full of new insights and ideas every month. We hope this new material will lead to another book some time in the future.