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The book launch is scheduled for:  Date: Friday, August 22, 2025 :  Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM    Venue: Bangalore International Centre, Domlur, Bengaluru

Full-Stack Leadership

Foreword to the book

In today’s world, leadership is more critical yet more misunderstood than ever. Many of us reduce leadership to mere charisma, the power of persuasion, or the ability to inspire others. Yet, as my good friend and former colleague Paramu Kurumathur clearly articulates in his book, leadership is fundamentally more complex, demanding mastery across multiple dimensions—Leading Business, Leading Execution (People and Process), and perhaps most crucially, Leading Self. These dimensions blend seamlessly to create what the author aptly terms a “full-stack leader.”
Having known many of the people at PM Power for a long time, I’ve witnessed firsthand their profound commitment to excellence and their passion for continuous learning. Even back then, they stood out as people who naturally questioned conventional wisdom, consistently pushing boundaries and exploring new ideas. These qualities served them well throughout their leadership journey and now culminate beautifully in this insightful book.

My own leadership journey, spanning diverse roles, has taught me the truth that effective leadership extends far beyond mere technical proficiency or strategic intellect—it is rooted deeply in personal authenticity, emotional intelligence, resilience, and continual self-growth. I have experienced firsthand how transformative leadership begins within oneself, a theme the book captures powerfully.
This book, Full-Stack Leadership, looks to provocatively challenge conventional ideas of leadership. It compellingly argues that true leaders must embody principles of integrity, adaptability, humility, and emotional intelligence. It asserts that these dimensions, once mastered, empower leaders to create lasting impact, influence effectively, and foster resilient organizations. One of the book’s strengths is its rich practical orientation. Drawing extensively from his hands-on experiences and those of PM Power Consulting, the author presents not just theories, but practical lessons and actionable strategies. He provocatively illustrates the importance of leadership through powerful case studies, using episodes from a fictitious organization that mirror the experiences of many real-life organizations. These case studies provide a compelling narrative on how ignoring fundamental leadership principles can lead to significant challenges, even in the most reputed organizations.

Having known Paramu since our shared tenure at Tata Burroughs and Tata Unisys, I’ve also seen another side of his leadership—the ability to balance intense focus with an easy sense of humour. Whether navigating complex technical projects or leading organizational transformations, Paramu has always been known for his sharp intellect, deep humility, and keen sense of perspective. His humour, often self-deprecating and insightful, brought lightness to the heaviest discussions, making him not only a great leader but also a delightful colleague.

Leadership, as Paramu rightly asserts, is not about authority alone. It is about engaging people, fostering collaboration, and creating an environment where teams thrive. His ability to connect with people, communicate complex ideas with clarity, and inspire through both words and actions makes Full-Stack Leadership a compelling read for anyone looking to grow as a leader.

This book invites you into a provocative journey. It dares you to question your assumptions, disrupt your beliefs, and to courageously embrace change. My own experience, both as a corporate leader and through my current role leading the consultancy firm Leadership Matters, strongly resonates with the critical importance of mastering these principles. I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of leadership grounded in authenticity and personal accountability.

As you explore Full-Stack Leadership, I encourage you not just to read, but to fully embrace the provocations within. Allow the insights in these pages to push your boundaries and ignite fresh
perspectives in how you lead yourself, your teams, and your organizations.

Your journey toward becoming an authentic, full-stack leader starts here.

Anand Pillai, MD & Chief Transformation Officer Leadership Matters

www.leadershipmatters.in

https://www.linkedin.com/in/anandpillai/



Paramu Kurumathur

Program & Project Management Expert and Principal Consultant
at PM Power Consulting

Meet the Author

Paramu Kurumathur is a partner, principal consultant, and author at PM Power Consulting. He has 44 years experience in the IT and software industry. He is an alumnus of IIT, Madras (B.Tech. 1978; M. Tech. 1980).

He is fully equipped to write a book on leadership. Before he started working with PM Power as a consultant and coach, he had set up and developed the India Development Centre for one of the largest international IT organizations and served as its General Manager; he had started a startup and led it successfully as its CEO; he had led the development and implementation of the IT strategy of a large NGO across 40 countries as its CTO. He has also worked in various other leadership roles in his 44 years in the IT industry.

He is also fully competent to write a book on leadership. He was the sole author of two of the three books published by PM Power and a co-author of the third book. He had also written a novel, The First Aryan, published by Penguin and a book on the Sanskrit language, 108 Facts about Sanskrit you didn’t know, published by Garuda Prakashan. Please visit his websites oursanskrit.com and paramukurumathur.com for more details about his books.

His personal interests include writing for enjoyment, studying and interpreting ancient Indian writings, writing limericks, travel (he has travelled to around 40 countries) and promoting humour as a way of life. He is also learning to play the guitar.
Know More About Author

Endorsements for the book

Full-Stack Leadership is a must-read for anyone looking to lead with purpose and impact in today’s fast-paced business world. Whether you’re an experienced leader or just starting your journey, PM Power offers an invaluable framework that blends strategic thinking, execution, and self-leadership. With over 48 powerful principles and more than 200 actionable practices, this book is both practical and profound, providing timeless wisdom for navigating complexity and uncertainty. In a world where AI is rapidly transforming leadership, Full-Stack Leadership strikes the perfect balance between innovation and the human touch that is essential for true leadership.
Sanjay DhawanCEO, SymphonyAI; Formerly CEO of Cerence, President and CTO of Harman Connected Services and the COO of Aricent.
“Full-Stack Leadership” by PM Power is a must-read for both experienced and aspiring leaders dealing with the challenges of today’s complex business environment. With insights drawn from extensive industry experience, this book presents a compelling leadership framework. What truly sets this book apart is its focus on self-leadership as the cornerstone of leadership. Featuring over 48 leadership principles and 200+ practices, “Full-Stack Leadership” is a practical guide and a motivating call to action. In an era influenced by AI, the book emphasizes the need for a balance between leveraging technology and preserving the human facets of leadership.
Shalabh MittalMD – Head of Strategy & Transformation, Barclays, India; Formerly Executive Director, JP Morgan Chase & Co.
The leadership principles discussed in the book align deeply with Indian philosophical thought, which symbolize the eight superpowers that a leader must embody. As India continues to establish itself as a dominant force in global technology and business, this book serves as a foundation for leaders who will drive this transformation. I look forward to witnessing the next great chapter of India’s rise, one fueled by leadership, ingenuity, and an unwavering drive for excellence.
Sharon EilonChief Customer Officer (CCO) at Aqua Security
Leadership is an extremely popular topic – everyone wants to become a leader. Plenty of articles have been written about this topic in the popular press and in professional and academic journals. It has been approached from various perspectives, including business, psychology, social science, political science, psychological and social science, ethics, and even religion. It will be impossible to list them all here. Some of the theories used in this rich literature focus on trait, contingency, style and behavior, process leadership, transactional, and transformational theories, to name a few. The book suggests that full-stack leadership contains three aspects – leading business, leading execution, and leading self. The book delves into interactions between key internal stakeholders, customers, and board members of an organization to bring forward various theories, concepts, processes, and their applications and implications. I like the way they are presented as practice and/or principles. Some topics that piqued my interest include listening to customers or consumers, customer value, branding, breaking traditions, and finding new ideas. At the end of it, the Full-Stack Leadership left me feeling that I was reading a story about leadership in a context that could be any firm and not a typical leadership book. I also loved the drawings that made key concepts come alive.
Audhesh PaswanPh.D., Vice Provost – UNT at Frisco, Dean – College of Applied and Collaborative Studies, Professor of Marketing, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203