Book: My Life In Full

Author: Indra Nooyi

Nooyi lives a great example of an ordinary person running a global empire. Her upbringing was rich in the value of education despite some short change. The experiences she shared on her rise to CEO of one of the top companies in the world taught her about the need for healthcare and corporate support for family needs. What I really liked is that she is not a braggart. Rather, Nooyi tells her story as a true reflection and appreciation of how she got to where she is.

Here’s what I learned:

She knows what she’s doing.

Nooyi made an impression on several higher-ups with her business acumen. When she could not get backing from other executives, her boss believed in her numbers, insight and track-record to sway their positions.

She works hard and smart.

Nooyi revealed her habit of sleeping only 3-5 hours a night. Waking up early and going to sleep after work is done is not everyone’s thing, but I found it relatable. Also, she was diligent in her educational endeavors.  

She’s pretty cool.

She had a band that played the Beatles songs and was responsible for initiating the Super Bowl Pepsi Half Time show. Removing aspartame from Pepsi was also a good move that Nooyi made combining her level-headed, fact-based approach with compassion.

She was nurtured.

Having encouragement and support is not common in childhood or professional life. Nooyi benefited from having the sponsorship from her family and bosses. Equally important, her older sister set an example of high standards that led Nooyi to top-ranked schools in India and in the US.

She’s a fortunate immigrant.

Nooyi went from foraging for vegan food at Yale to living in an NBAers penthouse. My father had to go to the Vietnam war and eat steak soon after he landed in the USA, despite his mathematics acuity and knack for computer engineering.

She can take criticism.

An associate helped her with a style makeover. The reason behind her current look from her hair to scarf is detailed in an amusing account.

Bottom Line: Anyone who wants to develop as a focused leader in their field may find “My Life In Full” relatable and aspirational. The book would have been more candid if Nooyi added specifics on how she handled challenging interactions during her career. For example, the reader would benefit from learning how she dealt with a team that gave her pushback. The situation was simplified as: her team did not like her bluntness, her boss told her to tone it down, she did and work moved on. We all know it doesn’t work like that and why should those prone to be direct need to tone it down? Anna Wintour was not told to tone down her directness, was she?

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