What do you think?
Rate this book
[ THE CASE OF THE BONSAI MANAGER LESSONS FOR MANAGERS ON INTUITION BY GOPALAKRISHNAN, R.](AUTHOR)PAPERBACK
The Case of the Bonsai Manager is the perfect antidote for every manager who feels they are not achieving their full potential. Effective leadership is not just about hard facts but also about listening to, and using, your intuition. Using anecdotes from Nature and the world of management, R.Gopalakrishnan explores how you can be more intuitive, inclusive and humane.
Paperback
First published August 6, 2009
24 people are currently reading
333 people want to read
About the author
R. Gopalakrishnan
56 books21 followersR. Gopalakrishnan has been a professional manager for forty years. He has a wealth of practical managerial experience, initially in Unilever and more recently in the Tata Group. He has lived and worked in India, the UK and Saudi Arabia, and has travelled extensively all over the world. He began his career in 1967 as a computer analyst with Hindustan Lever after studying physics at Kolkata and electronics engineering at IIT, Kharagpur. He worked in the marketing function before moving to general management. During his years with Unilever, he was based in Jeddah as CEO of the Arabia unit; later, he was managing director of Brooke Bond Lipton India and then vice-chairman with Hindustan Lever. He has been president of the All India Management Association. Currently, he is the executive director of Tata Sons based in Mumbai. He also serves on the boards of other companies.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 26, 2016
Book offers career wisdom and enlightenment based on lessons from nature and from Author's own experience of working across geographies in leadership roles. A must read for every manager..
Some of the insights from the top of my mind.
- There is no one as proven manager. Every manager is bound to make mistakes. We need to keep proving ourselves daily.
- Leaders groom leaders.
-Within the first 20 years of one's career, one should get experience working across roles, functions, geographies and if possible industries.
And he quotes a part of the below snippet, which is thoroughly enlightening..
Look for more Troubles
Be thankful for the troubles of your job. They provide about half your income, because if it were not for the things that go wrong, the difficult people you have to deal with, and the problems
and unpleasantness of your working day, someone could be found to handle
your job for half of what you are being paid. It takes intelligence, resourcefulness, patience, tact and courage to meet the troubles of any job. That is why you hold your present job and it may be the reason you aren't holding down an even bigger one.
If all of us would start to look for more troubles, and learn to handle them cheerfully and with good judgment, as opportunities rather than irritations, we would find ourselves getting ahead at a surprising rate. For it is a fact that there are plenty of big jobs waiting for men and women who aren't afraid of the troubles connected with them.
Some of the insights from the top of my mind.
- There is no one as proven manager. Every manager is bound to make mistakes. We need to keep proving ourselves daily.
- Leaders groom leaders.
-Within the first 20 years of one's career, one should get experience working across roles, functions, geographies and if possible industries.
And he quotes a part of the below snippet, which is thoroughly enlightening..
Look for more Troubles
Be thankful for the troubles of your job. They provide about half your income, because if it were not for the things that go wrong, the difficult people you have to deal with, and the problems
and unpleasantness of your working day, someone could be found to handle
your job for half of what you are being paid. It takes intelligence, resourcefulness, patience, tact and courage to meet the troubles of any job. That is why you hold your present job and it may be the reason you aren't holding down an even bigger one.
If all of us would start to look for more troubles, and learn to handle them cheerfully and with good judgment, as opportunities rather than irritations, we would find ourselves getting ahead at a surprising rate. For it is a fact that there are plenty of big jobs waiting for men and women who aren't afraid of the troubles connected with them.
September 6, 2012
Don't go by the simple book cover. The book is a goldmine for management learning if you can extend the learning to situation at hand, and for future use. Mr. Gopalakrishnan says the book is for nurturing and enhancing intuition, or the gut feeling when making decisions - I would say it's highly useful for putting one's common sense in use in alignment with one's values when making decisions without enough data on hand. Highly recommend.
February 5, 2017
I found this book extremely drab. There was barely a mention of Nature but no connect as such with the corporate world. The author seemed to ramble on throughout the book without coming to any conclusion.
Most anecdotes are from HLL & Tatas where the author has worked. However, I neither found anything revolutionary in the book nor are there any takeaways.
Most anecdotes are from HLL & Tatas where the author has worked. However, I neither found anything revolutionary in the book nor are there any takeaways.
January 17, 2016
Its an interesting read full of anecdotes from the author's experience at Unilever and Tata.
June 9, 2018
Who says business writing can't be a fun read! Gopalakrishnan's book proves that management lessons can be entertaining while being insightful. 'The Bonsai Manager' is ostensibly about the role intuition plays in successful corporate leadership. However, the author seems to forget the central theme as he narrates a series of interesting anecdotes from his years as a top honcho at HUL and the Tata Group, which have very little to do with being intuitive. Still, all those stories are rich in lessons for the aspiring manager. There is a certain timelessness about them. One glaring negative: Mashelkar's self-aggrandizing afterword. Request the publisher to lose it in the next reprint.
November 3, 2020
The book introduces you to a lot of situations and how intuition can help you overcome them. A nice parallel is drown between nature and corporate situations. A must read for every person interested in thriving in companies.
Excess resources create competition, scarcity creates adaptation and collaboration.
Excess resources create competition, scarcity creates adaptation and collaboration.
June 21, 2021
This book tries to tackle a difficult topic - "Intuition".
The author draws on nature as the base examples, and then relates corporate examples from his career.
The book needs careful reading and can't be zoomed through. The bonus feature of this book is the self-help workbook to help develop resilience.
The author draws on nature as the base examples, and then relates corporate examples from his career.
The book needs careful reading and can't be zoomed through. The bonus feature of this book is the self-help workbook to help develop resilience.
November 1, 2020
We have unfortunately been brought up by a pedagogy wherein softer aspects like intuition are either looked down upon or thought of as moonwash. I think it is about time we realise these aspects do not compete but complement Science. The book helps clear some of that fog.
November 22, 2024
After reading the book I found out twitter handle of Writer as well as his YouTube channel
India is blessed to have people like him to guide middle and senior management professionals training them to think via first principals which is an asset in today's changing business models .
India is blessed to have people like him to guide middle and senior management professionals training them to think via first principals which is an asset in today's changing business models .
October 8, 2019
It is a very useful book that takes the reference of real life case studies to emphasise on common mistakes that managers make in their professional careers and how to avoid them .
March 15, 2012
Is gardening a stress buster? Could be. But this book - The Case of the Bonsai Manager, penned by R Gopalakrishnan, executive director, Tata Sons has nothing to do with bonsai cultivation by managers.
Yes, I know, some of my fellow managers (past colleagues and current colleagues) have real (?) bonsai plants sitting pretty on their desks. Some of these fellow managers even talk kindly to them. After all this is what we learnt in biology class - talking to plants helps them to thrive.
Yes, we were taught this and much more. Later we had to absorb stuff about logical thinking and analytical techniques. Is this enough to make you or me a good manager?
R Gopalakrishnan, thinks this ain't enough. Intuition is also necessary according to him and this is not taught in any school.
The key messages in this book are:
(a) A manager can develop to his full potential by learning to be intuitive, inclusive and humane.
(b) We have knowledge and knowledge is knowing what we know. While intuition is not knowing what you know.
(c)When knowledge is integrated with intuition it becomes wisdom.
R Gopalakrishnan also admits that intuitive managers tend to be emotional creatures and may be passed over at the time of promotions. After all, the business world still wants leaders who are logical and calculative.
However, "Just be yourself", were the wise words I walked away with, after reading this book. Intuition can help save your business from doom or indeed that of your employer.So rely on your gut feel, be more open to your inner voice and indeed the voices around you - be they of your customers or team players.
This book was a very useful and interesting read.
Yes, I know, some of my fellow managers (past colleagues and current colleagues) have real (?) bonsai plants sitting pretty on their desks. Some of these fellow managers even talk kindly to them. After all this is what we learnt in biology class - talking to plants helps them to thrive.
Yes, we were taught this and much more. Later we had to absorb stuff about logical thinking and analytical techniques. Is this enough to make you or me a good manager?
R Gopalakrishnan, thinks this ain't enough. Intuition is also necessary according to him and this is not taught in any school.
The key messages in this book are:
(a) A manager can develop to his full potential by learning to be intuitive, inclusive and humane.
(b) We have knowledge and knowledge is knowing what we know. While intuition is not knowing what you know.
(c)When knowledge is integrated with intuition it becomes wisdom.
R Gopalakrishnan also admits that intuitive managers tend to be emotional creatures and may be passed over at the time of promotions. After all, the business world still wants leaders who are logical and calculative.
However, "Just be yourself", were the wise words I walked away with, after reading this book. Intuition can help save your business from doom or indeed that of your employer.So rely on your gut feel, be more open to your inner voice and indeed the voices around you - be they of your customers or team players.
This book was a very useful and interesting read.
January 25, 2011
This is the masterpiece of the life-long experience of a seasoned professional to achieve the great hight of his own career through multinational company and being the Executive Director of the TATA group holding company. He is the rare breed of Indian Management professional with such a wide and subtle vision.
This is the perfect antidote for every manager who feels they are not achieving their full potential. Effective leadership is not just about hard facts but also about listening to, and using, your intuition. Using anecdotes from Nature and the world of management, R.Gopalakrishnan explores how you can be more intuitive, inclusive and humane.
This is the perfect antidote for every manager who feels they are not achieving their full potential. Effective leadership is not just about hard facts but also about listening to, and using, your intuition. Using anecdotes from Nature and the world of management, R.Gopalakrishnan explores how you can be more intuitive, inclusive and humane.
January 24, 2016
Very well thoughout book where the author is willingly sharing his various experiences around Managing at the top level. The examples from the various aspects of the nature and its correlation to work life is really a creative way to put forth the points. Makes the reading quite sticky in the mind. Some examples were hard to relate to being from the different field but i do intend to reread this to gain further perspective. Not sure if all the concepts can be applied in new age work place but lot of inference can be drawn. Good one overall!
May 25, 2013
The book is waste of time. Apart from the twin concepts of intuition in decision making and change management, nothing useful is discussed by the author. Although the book tries to connect the management concepts with nature. I din't find it very useful. Blink is a better book to know about intuition in decision making.
December 6, 2008
I first heard this TRUE PROFESSIONAL - R.GOPALAKRISHNAN deliver a speech to a bunch of outgoing college students in the Year 2001.This book is a must read for every professional and this reflects R.Gs skills he has acquired over years of professional career. People managers- dont miss to read!
May 2, 2010
This is an excellent book on management. Content is more relevant to an Indian scenario. Talks about the power of intuition over analytical skills as one move up in the hierarchy. Also narrates the modern management philosophies of being effective over efficiency.
Want to read
August 27, 2010learned of on 2 april 2009, bangladesh.
very positive, be patient with people, give them plenty of time to change
lessons from nature on growing
great!
all says jem jute denim man!
i've never met someone before or after who loves demin as much as this man.
very positive, be patient with people, give them plenty of time to change
lessons from nature on growing
great!
all says jem jute denim man!
i've never met someone before or after who loves demin as much as this man.
June 23, 2012
One of the best books i have read recently which gives a totally different perspective of management. It talks about why managers need intuition. Each intuitive trait is related to how its seen in nature and explained..I read it thrice :)
Currently reading
December 15, 2011itis a wonderful book even for non professionals also.i read itpiece by piece not wanting to finish it.
December 16, 2012
RG is great leader. I have had the previledge of working with him in Unilever. His style of writing is simple, straight and very easy to absorb . every MBA student should read this.
February 19, 2013
Nice book with explanations of so many challenges using anecdote from nature.
July 9, 2015
Fabulous.A must read for every manager who wants to grow exponentially being inside the corporate utopia.
March 30, 2016
Life is too short, there are too many books to read. Its completely OK if we dont finish reading a stupid book like this. Or a bonsai book like this.
September 26, 2016
Fantastic book. Great management concepts delivered in the Indian context. I am fan of R Gopalakrishnan for his simple , straightforward and non-fuzzy approach to explain concepts.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews