If you are among those who judge a book by its cover, The Perfect Storm: Are You The New India Manager, looks like a romance gone wrong. Written by first-time author Parag Saigaonkar, it’s a compilation of blogs, anecdotes and experiences. Paras was born in India, educated in Canada, and worked across regions before returning to work in India in 2005, the perfect time to experience the India rising years.
Split into four parts, Saigaonkar keeps it breezy with some very insightful details of how some organisations in India function. He shares experiences that should be lauded for the nuances they bring, especially slotting workforce in management roles. Leading a team of 500 Gen-Yers must have been an eye-opener and his observations are unique and funny.
He adopts a novel approach— none of the characters find detailed mention or are repeated. The book mainly deals with what every manager needs—guidance on what their role is and to adapt to it as quickly as possible so that the growth path is in line with their expectations and desire.
A thoroughly enjoyable chapter was the one on leadership. Leaders need to have a high tolerance for risk and failure as well as endurance for ambiguity. They also need to have courage to shun conventional thinking and balance it with practical judgement. If you have interacted with several Gen-Yers who have started their own ventures in the past decade, you would be able to appreciate these qualities.
At times, the book drifts between experiences and generalising issues, but it still keeps you engrossed. Worth a read if you want to leaf through the experience of how the younger generation thinks and works, making workplaces very different from what the general perception is.
COMING HOME
Q What prompted this book?
When I heard of my India posting, it was about 35 years after I had left the country as a 4-year old child. I did have my India roots, but that is very different from staying and being brought up in India. So, when I came back, it was like coming back ‘home’ with an expat mindset. I watched India closely and was an active blogger, which somewhat set the base for this book.
Q Why The Perfect Storm?
In 2005, when India was on the move, my friends in Hong Kong and Canada spoke highly of the growing Indian economy, the surging confidence and the young English-speaking workforce. It was a time of transition, and major transitions precipitate into what I like to refer to as a Perfect Storm.
Q Any lessons learnt while working on this book?
Amidst the clamour of ‘nothing works here’, there are several people who want to make things work and ensure that they gain from the potential opportunities present. Leading a young and diverse mix of talented people was a learning experience, which is what has gone into the book.
