The Jugaad Mindset

A deeply reported and engaging exploration of jugaad—the operative lens that has propelled a remarkable number of Indians to the top of corporate America—and how anyone can use this versatile mindset to find success.

Artificial intelligence, global warming, regime changes, trade wars, real wars, and more—the list of crises affecting businesses, organizations, and our own personal lives is growing daily. The five-year plan and tried-and-true playbooks no longer apply. 

Enter jugaad. This untranslatable, cultural concept rooted in South Asia sits somewhere between innovation, improvisation, and hustle, and mastery of jugaad is the reason why there are so many Indian CEOs. From the way we look at the world, to renaming problems, embracing failure, building relationships, and thoughtfully adapting while maintaining a foundation of faith, The Jugaad Mindset anchors in the interviews and profiles of global leaders like Indra Nooyi (PepsiCo), Nikesh Arora (PaloAlto Networks), Raj Subramaniam (FedEx), Ajay Banga (World Bank, Mastercard), C.S. Venkatakrishnan (Barclays), Sanjay Mehrotra (Micron), Arvind Krishna (IBM), Revathi Advaithi (Flex) and more, and parses their stories into nine key tenets to offer jugaad to the world at large.

Page by page, CEO adviser and veteran journalist Nikhil Deogun shares the wisdom and ingenuity that readers can use to survive—and thrive—through these unpredictable times.

• “This is a wonderful book that everyone should read, and while artificial intelligence and relentless disruption are rewriting the rules of success, these lessons—delightfully told—have never been more relevant.”
  Charles Duhigg, author of Supercommunicators and The Power of Habit
• “In this fascinating and useful book, Deogun reveals a cultural mindset that can help you succeed in today’s workplace and economy.”
  Walter Isaacson, author of Elon Musk and Steve Jobs
• “Through the stories of remarkable Indian-born business leaders, Nikhil Deogun shows how adaptability, resilience, and the ability to see opportunity in change are essential to great leadership. The Jugaad Mindset offers lessons for leaders everywhere.”
  Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO, BlackRock