We sat down with Vishal Gupta, Professor in Organizational Behavior at the Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad, whose insightful theories on practical leadership frameworks have empowered thousands of professionals across the globe.

In this conversation, Professor Gupta details how you can become a respected and influential leader by mastering self-leadership, cultivating an empathetic communication style, and effectively navigating ethical challenges—and how the Indian epic The Mahabharata, has heavily inspired his work. Whether you're a new grad or have been in the workforce for some time, he explains why it’s never too late to embark on a journey of self-discovery and leadership development to make a difference in your career and organization.

We also cover his outlook on the future of higher education in India, and how schools like IIMA are taking steps to make themselves more universally accessible to a global audience.

From shaping company strategy to boosting organizational agility, understanding how to be an effective leader is critical to cultivating a culture that inspires and motivates employees. You can learn how to strengthen your capacity to lead across boundaries through Professor Gupta’s course—Leadership Skills—for free on Coursera.

Episode Resources:

• Demystifying Leadership: Unveiling the Mahabharata Code by Asha Kaul and Vishal Gupta

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