Courage under Fire

Anyone who has worked in corporate life, and especially in fast-moving consumer goods, knows that crises tend to arrive without warning. Courage under Fire is Suresh Narayanan's account of how to meet them, drawn from four decades of managing difficult situations in business. Instead of abstract leadership theory, the book works through real episodes from several countries. Narayanan looks at the MAGGI noodles crisis, the Arab Spring in Egypt, the 2008 financial shock in Singapore and the decisions leaders faced during COVID. Each one shows how judgement, values and coordinated action help a leader steer through volatile times. At its core the book argues that leadership is human work, resting on trust, values, behaviour, credibility and results. The lessons that come out of these stories are plain ones: stay grounded, ask the right questions, communicate clearly and put people first.