Book Review: Sriprakash Nadadhur Sridharan’s ‘Building Blocks’ makes leadership lessons relatable through real-life experiences

There have been umpteen books on leadership across all levels, yet the ones that do stand out are those grounded in the real world and deeply relatable, entwined with personal experiences and lessons. One such book is Building Blocks: Lessons on Leadership I’ve Learnt on My Journey by Sriprakash Nadadhur Sridharan. While his name may not immediately ring a bell, Sridharan has worn several hats in his diverse professional journey, including his latest as Visiting Faculty at the Xavier Institute of Management and Entrepreneurship. In addition to running his own boutique consulting firm, Prajna Consulting, Sridharan’s two-decade-long career has taken him across companies as varied as IBM India, AC Nielsen, and MTR (now Orkla), spanning cross-functional roles in business development, consulting, and marketing.

Unlike typical management books, Sridharan breaks down all attributes—personal or professional—into “snackable” takeaways at the end of each chapter. “Snackable” because they can be consumed by everyone, right down to a school-going child. There are no complex strategies or behavioural matrices that Sridharan has conjured up—thankfully so, considering his grounding in market research! Instead, he draws from real-life episodes and instances—from his childhood and college days to his professional life and personal experiences as a parent, husband, neighbour, citizen, and close kin.

At first glance, some takeaways may seem trivial. For instance, the story of why he fought with his aunt and didn’t speak to her before making up—but the episode resonates precisely because of its relatability to our daily lives.