In 'Start with Why', Simon Sinek introduces the concept of 'The Golden Circle', which consists of 'Why', 'How', and 'What'. He argues that successful leaders and organizations start with their purpose or 'Why', which inspires loyalty and trust. Sinek uses examples such as Apple, Martin Luther King Jr., and the Wright Brothers to illustrate how this approach can lead to significant influence and success. The book emphasizes the importance of leadership and purpose in inspiring others and achieving long-term success.
The Toyota Way is a comprehensive guide to the management philosophy of Toyota Motor Corporation. The book, written by Dr. Jeffrey K. Liker, details the 14 principles that underpin Toyota's success, including long-term thinking, continuous improvement (kaizen), and respect for people. It provides insights into how Toyota's approach to lean manufacturing and organizational culture has enabled the company to maintain high-quality production while minimizing waste and optimizing processes. The book includes case studies and practical advice on how managers in various industries can apply these principles to improve their business processes.
First published in 1911, 'The Devil's Dictionary' is a collection of satirical definitions written by Ambrose Bierce. The book is a critique of the societal norms and values of Bierce's time, using humor and irony to redefine common words. It is known for its clever and often biting definitions that reflect Bierce's skeptical view of human nature and society.
In this book, John Chambers shares the lessons that transformed him from a dyslexic kid from West Virginia into one of the world's best business leaders. He recounts his journey at Cisco, turning a small router company into a $47 billion tech giant. Chambers provides a playbook on how to act before market shifts, tap customers for strategy, partner for growth, build teams, and disrupt oneself. He also discusses his experiences in transforming government and helping global leaders create new models for growth. The book is filled with practical advice, personal anecdotes, and inspiring stories, making it a valuable resource for startup founders, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists.
The book tells the story of Alex Rogo, a factory manager who is given three months to improve his underperforming plant or face its closure. With the guidance of his former physics professor, Jonah, Alex learns to apply the Theory of Constraints to identify and manage bottlenecks in the production process. Through this approach, Alex and his team transform the factory, improving efficiency, reducing inventory, and increasing profitability. The novel uses the Socratic method to teach fundamental business concepts and emphasizes the importance of continuous improvement and critical thinking in management[2][4][5].
In this book, Ben Horowitz shares his personal and often humbling experiences in the tech industry to offer essential advice and practical wisdom. He addresses various hard decisions and challenges that business leaders face, such as firing friends, managing company culture, handling layoffs, and making tough strategic decisions. Horowitz emphasizes the importance of honesty, resilience, and adaptability in leadership, drawing from his experiences with companies like Loudcloud and Andreessen Horowitz.
In 'Zero to One,' Peter Thiel argues that true innovation comes from creating something entirely new, going from 'zero to one,' rather than incrementally improving existing ideas. He emphasizes the importance of vertical progress through technology and the benefits of monopoly in driving innovation. Thiel also discusses the need for long-term planning, the importance of finding the right co-founders, and the power law in startup success. The book challenges conventional wisdom and encourages readers to think critically and aim big to build the future[2][3][5].
The Lean Startup introduces a revolutionary approach to building and scaling businesses, emphasizing continuous innovation, customer feedback, and scientific experimentation. Eric Ries defines a startup as an organization dedicated to creating something new under conditions of extreme uncertainty. The book advocates for 'validated learning,' rapid experimentation, and the Build-Measure-Learn feedback loop to shorten product development cycles and measure actual progress. It also stresses the importance of pivoting or persevering based on data and customer needs, making it an essential read for anyone involved in starting or growing a business[1][2][5].
In 'Economics in One Lesson', Henry Hazlitt provides a concise and instructive introduction to economics by dissecting common economic fallacies. The book's central lesson is that good economics involves considering the long-term and indirect consequences of any policy for all groups, not just the immediate effects on a specific group. Hazlitt uses examples like the 'broken window fallacy' to illustrate how focusing only on immediate benefits can overlook the broader, often negative, consequences. The book advocates for free markets, economic liberty, and non-governmental solutions, making it a critical read for understanding basic economic principles and the pitfalls of government intervention[1][4][5].
In 'Good to Great,' Jim Collins and his research team investigate why some companies achieve long-term greatness while others do not. The book identifies key concepts such as Level 5 Leadership, the Hedgehog Concept, a Culture of Discipline, and the Flywheel Effect. These principles are derived from a comprehensive study comparing companies that made the leap to greatness with those that did not. The research highlights that greatness is not primarily a function of circumstance but rather a result of conscious choice and discipline. The book provides practical insights and case studies to help businesses and leaders understand and apply these principles to achieve sustained greatness.
Firms are the means of economic progress. India's micro, small and medium enterprises have been hobbled for decades, and flounder even today. Sudhir Sarnobat and Narendra Shenoy join Amit Varma in episode 419 of The Seen and the Unseen to discuss this landscape -- and Sudhir's brilliant new venture that aims to tackle this. (FOR FULL LINKED SHOW NOTES, GO TO SEENUNSEEN.IN.) Also check out: 1. Sudhir Sarnobat on Twitter and LinkedIn. 2. Naren Shenoy on Twitter, Instagram and Blogspot. 3. How Frameworks — Sudhir Sarnobat’s new venture. 4. Narendra Shenoy and Mr Narendra Shenoy — Episode 250 of The Seen and the Unseen. 5. Sudhir Sarnobat Works to Understand the World -- Episode 350 of The Seen and the Unseen. 6. We Are All Amits From Africa — Episode 343 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Krish Ashok and Naren Shenoy). 7. You’re Ugly and You’re Hairy and You’re Covered in Shit but You’re Mine and I Love You -- Episode 362 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Krish Ashok and Naren Shenoy). 8. The Teaching Learning Community. 9. Ascent Foundation. 10. The Beauty of Finance -- Episode 21 of Everything is Everything. 11. Other episodes of Everything is Everything on firms: 1, 2, 3, 4. 12. The Incredible Insights of Timur Kuran -- Episode 349 of The Seen and the Unseen. 13. Restaurant Regulations in India — Episode 18 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Madhu Menon). 14. Restart -- Mihir Sharma. 15. Backstage — Montek Singh Ahluwalia. 16. The Life and Times of Montek Singh Ahluwalia — Episode 285 of The Seen and the Unseen. 17. The Devil's Dictionary -- Ambrose Bierce. 18. The Bad and Complex Tax -- Episode 74 of The Seen and the Unseen (w Shruti Rajagopalan). 19. They Stole a Bridge. They Stole a Pond -- Amit Varma. 20. Bihar real estate brokers build illegal bridge on river. 21. The Globalisation Episode -- Episode 95 of Everything is Everything. 22. Is Globalization Doomed? -- Episode 96 of Everything is Everything 23. The Brave New Future of Electricity -- Episode 40 of Everything is Everything. 24. The Case for Nuclear Electricity -- Episode 78 of Everything is Everything. 25. अंतू बरवा -- Pu La Deshpande. 26. Testaments Betrayed -- Milan Kundera. 27. The Double ‘Thank You’ Moment — John Stossel. 28. Marginal Revolution University. 29. The Bankable Wisdom of Harsh Vardhan — Episode 352 of The Seen and the Unseen. 30. Regrets for my Old Dressing Gown -- Denis Diderot. 31. Good to Great -- Jim Collins. 32. Economics in One Lesson -- Henry Hazlitt. 33. The Goal -- Eliyahu Goldratt. 34. The Toyota Way -- Jeffrey Liker. 35. Start With Why -- Simon Sinek. 36. The Lean Startup -- Eric Reis. 37. The Hard Thing About Hard Things -- Ben Horowitz. 38. Romancing the Balance Sheet -- Anil Lamba. 39. Connect the Dots -- Rashmi Bansal. 40. Zero to One -- Peter Thiel. 41. Acquired, Lenny's Podcast, EconTalk, Work Life, Rethinking, The Knowledge Project, How I Built This, Everything is Everything, HBR Podcast, Ideacast, Deep Questions. 42. How Family Firms Evolve -- Episode 34 of Everything is Everything. 43. Can We Build Switzerland in India? -- Episode 58 of Everything is Everything. 44. Dwarkesh Patel and Hannah Fry. 45. Habuild. This episode is sponsored by CTQ Compounds. Check out The Daily Reader and FutureStack. Use the code UNSEEN for Rs 2500 off. Amit Varma and Ajay Shah have launched a new course called Life Lessons, which aims to be a launchpad towards learning essential life skills all of you need. For more details, and to sign up, click here. Amit and Ajay also bring out a weekly YouTube show, Everything is Everything. Have you watched it yet? You must! And have you read Amit’s newsletter? Subscribe right away to The India Uncut Newsletter! It’s free! Also check out Amit’s online course, The Art of Clear Writing. Episode art: ‘Battleground’ by Simahina.
The Seen and the Unseen - hosted by Amit Varma 
