"India's Enron" is how the media dubbed Satyam Computer Services after its founder and CEO resigned, having confessed to the $2.5B massive accounting scandal that percolated for years. The global company and its 53,000 employees were thrown into a whirlwind. Stock markets reeled; trading of Satyam's shares was suspended, and the government intervened. Those connected to Satyam were left to pick up the pieces.
Written by Priscilla Nelson and Ed Cohen, who lived in India from 2005 to 2009, Riding the Tiger: Leading Through Learning in Turbulent Times is the true story of how people react, respond, and courageously lead in the most extreme conditions imaginable. Jim Kouzes, co-author of the best selling, The Leadership Challenge, calls it a roaring good read. Tom Rath, author of the #1 bestseller StrengthsFinder 2.0, says Nelson and Cohen show leaders how to prepare themselves for a sustainable future. Satyam's legendary learning culture, which had ranked number one in the world on the ASTD BEST Awards list in 2007, helped the leaders "take that tiger by the tail" to save the company and put it on the path towards organizational renewal under the new ownership of Tech Mahindra. Now known as Mahindra Satyam, they are back on the pathway to success.
Riding the Tiger provides great insights and practical guidelines that can be implemented by leaders in any organization facing turmoil. "The turmoil faced could be a result of a significant change or lack or change; of rapid growth or rapid decline; of a merger, acquisition, or takeover; or of key leaders joining or leaving. It may be more extreme resulting from calamity such as a financial scandal or the theft of intellectual property or an unnatural (terrorist attack) or natural disaster affecting any part of the organization," explains Ann Herrmann-Nehdi in the foreword. With guidelines, templates for planning, and proven leadership techniques, the lessons contained in Riding the Tiger are invaluable.
About the Authors
Priscilla Nelson was global director of people leadership and Ed Cohen was chief learning officer for Satyam Computer Services from 2005-2009. They are both long-tenured learning leaders who took the bold move to relocate their family to India without ever having stepped foot on the subcontinent. During their tenure, Satyam received international accolades and was recognized as being the best in the world for learning and leadership development.
