The Case of the Bonsai Manager  (English, Paperback, Gopalakrishnan R)

The Case Of The Bonsai Manager: Lessons For Managers On Intuition is a non-fiction book written on leadership by R Gopalakrishnan. Designed for managers, it includes lessons on intuition.

Summary Of The Book

The Case Of The Bonsai Manager: Lessons For Managers On Intuition is a book written in an easy-to-understand anecdotal style that has been designed to teach the managers how to be more humane, inclusive, and intuitive. Written by R. Gopalakrishnan, the book is a useful guide for those managers who are not able to use their full potential to achieve success. It emphasizes on the importance of intuition in the life of a leader. It focuses on the fact that effective leadership is incomplete if one is not able to listen to and use one’s intuition. The author draws examples from nature and the management world to teach the value of intuition. 

This new and revised edition of the book comes with additional material to reinforce the main messages of the book. Moreover, a new self-help workbook has been included with this book for further understanding of the subject. A foreword by Ratan Tata and an afterword by R.A. Mashelkar further shed light on the importance of intuition and how this book discusses its precious value.

The author not only draws inspiration from nature and a vast array of living creatures, but also shares his personal experiences in the business world. He explains why crocodiles lose their sex drive when they are imported from Thailand to China. Examples of squirrel gangs scaring off snakes and why grizzly bear cubs are trained to hook salmon are discussed here. Every endearing story has a management lesson for the readers.  

The author encourages the managers to listen to their gut instinct in the time of difficult circumstances. He claims that though no manager sets out to become a bonsai manager, yet a manager can reach out to new directions and goal by following their innate genius. The Case Of The Bonsai Manager discusses the basic characteristics of human nature, how to chart out an agenda for change, and explores the complexities of employee behavior within organizations. The change is an important aspect for managers because challenges will keep changing in the future in the management world.

Ratan Tata has appreciated Gopalakrishnan’s work and he says that the book encourages the reader to boost up their confidence in taking decisions during difficult situations.  

About R Gopalakrishnan

R Gopalakrishnan works as an Executive Director with Tata Sons.

Besides The Case of the Bonsai Manager, he has also authored When the Penny Drops: Learning What's Not Taught.

Also known as Gopal, he did his engineering from IIT, Kharagpur, and later studied management at Harvard Business School. He has been working as a professional manager for the last 45 years. He has been associated with brands like Hindustan Unilever and Tata Group. He also joined the All India Management Association as the president. Today, he is an Executive Director Tata Sons. Moreover, he is also the Chairman of Rallis India Limited, Advinus Therapeutics Private Ltd., and Tata Autocomp Systems Ltd. He has also served as a guest lecturer in India as well as in universities abroad.