Universally speaking, ‘Management’ and ‘Leadership’ are go-to subjects for business people in general and business management students in particular. However, the top writers known for these crucial and widely read themes are mostly foreigners, as names like Philip Kotler, Adam Grant, Seth Godin, Stephen R. Covey, Edward De Bono, and Brené Brown always come to mind. Apart from a bunch of corporate and motivational speakers, wellness advocates, and leadership trainers, one often fails to recall any notable Pakistani name dedicating his relentless scholarly efforts as well as sharing his wealth of knowledge accumulated through lifelong experience, detailed observation, and incessant reading about such specialised knowledge disciplines as ‘Management, ‘Marketing, ‘Leadership, ‘Human Resources,’ Business Creativity and Innovation,’ and the like.
Although the reason behind the dearth of specialist business writers in the local scene could be multifaceted, a prolific wordsmith like Sirajuddin Aziz, a veteran banker and seasoned columnist based in Karachi, could be referred to as an exception. If not the only one, but he is, of course, one of the few high-ranking banking professionals in the country who have continuously been passing their hard-earned knowledge and practical wisdom, laced with bittersweet experiences, on the emerging crop of business graduates from Pakistani universities in particular, who, despite their envious academic qualifications and professional credentials, happen to be relatively inconsiderate about factors beyond profits, margins, and ROI, as well as the most sought-after corporate success to be achieved at whatever cost.
Mainly focusing on management and leadership, especially in the corporate sector, the book ‘Corporate Success: Engaged Leadership – Insights & Strategies’ by Sirajuddin Aziz is another compendium of his columns and articles that appeared in newspapers in the last few years. From the word go, the book corroborates the universal elements lurking in the author’s writing tone, seeped with sensitivity and utmost care to ethical leadership, drawing all the prime attention to the application of a principled, values-driven approach to management that does not trample on human aspects or disregards ethical corporate behaviour while reaching business milestones and fulfilling enterprise objectives.
In local business schools, a significant focus is now placed on the need for business practices compliant with ethical principles. However, in marked contrast, the board of directors of some institutions also comprises the ill-famed lot of scandal-ridden business figures widely recognized as proven instruments of elite capture and are publicly known for rampant cartelization, mafia-style business conduct, and brazen market manipulation orchestrated through regime patronage, along with covert support of both known and unknown insider channels. In this unfortunate part of the world where extensive tax evasion characterises the entire business environment, anyone coming up with book after book, that too on the overarching subjects of ethical management and integrity-based leadership, merits immense appreciation.
Brimmed with a host of valuable insights and life-learned lessons directed towards today’s business leaders, managers, and organisations as a whole, the book is the author’s yet another humble yet bold attempt to delineate the dos and don’ts of sound management and effective leadership while highlighting the intrinsic flaws that prevent business leaders from becoming the inspiration source for their teams. On occasions, readers may find themselves with a different view from that of the writer. However, the writer’s intent is clearly conveyed from the beginning, which is to impart knowledge on practical grounds beyond academic walls. Other than business leaders and managers, the book is a must-read for general readers too. 
Leave a Reply