Lotus Leadership : A Modern Playbook of Ancient Wisdom

“A refreshing, long-overdue playbook about leadership for everyone. I wish Lotus Leadership had been around decades ago; It’s grounded in the best kind of wisdom: the kind that scales.”—Reid Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn and bestselling author of Superagency“The way yoga gave the West a new way to breathe, relieve stress, and balance our lives, so too will Lotus Leadership and the powerful Hindu goddess stories in this book give everyone a new way to lead with balance, compassion, and of course, Radical Candor.”—Kim Scott, bestselling author of Radical Candor and Radical RespectA former tech leader’s modern playbook for success, culled from the inspiring stories of a largely unrecognized cadre of luminary women of Indian heritage. We’ve been ignoring the surging force of Indian women in American business for far too long. Not anymore. In this one-of-a-kind book, Silicon Valley tech executive Kamini Ramani tells the story of these women for the first time; highlighting not just their successes, but unveiling how they got there. And the answer is powerful. Notably, it wasn’t by following the same playbook of (white or Indian) men, and it wasn’t by “leaning in.”Instead, these women—often unconsciously—drew on the learned wisdom of their heritage, and specifically the stories of the main Hindu goddesses they were raised with. At the core of this is an embrace of duality similar to the tenants of Yoga that encourages harmony rather than dissonance; an emphasis on the collective over the individual; and the ability to own your power with calm and resilience. Ramani spent a year interviewing more than thirty of the top women of Indian heritage in American business. In Lotus Leadership she distills their paths into a framework likened to a “yoga for business” practice that can be followed by everyone, no matter where they are from. In her no-nonsense “Auntie” style, Ramani unveils—petal by petal—a new way of leading based on five principles: Embracing both your so-called feminine and masculine sides in harmony, and using one or the other as the situation demands. Letting curiosity guide you, not the pursuit of titles, ladders, or a paycheck. Building harmonious life partnerships that take a long-term view of “having it all”—not keeping “50-50” score in the moment. Living in abundance beyond material wealth to include a happy family, a strong team, philanthropy, and investing in your community. Combining all these traits in a way that is completely unique to your strengths and your journey. With inspiring stories and practical advice, Lotus Leadership is a pioneering guide to blossoming in business and in life.