Nitin Arora, CEO, Creambell Ice Cream

What are you reading at the moment? What have you learnt from it?
I am currently reading a book titled White Hat Leadership by T.R. Warren. The central theme of this book is how to maximise personal and employee productivity. It dwells on how to tap people’s potential, use every ounce they offer to the company and to encourage them to communicate, collaborate and innovate at all levels in the organisation.

I just finished re-reading The Speed Of Trust by Stephen M. Covey. At its core it explains how greater trust produces better results, at less cost and a whole lot faster. It applies to both work and in personal life. Like so many things in life, we too often have a tendency to take trust for granted. Covey illustrates as to how this critical intangible has such an enormous impact on the bottom line and that when the degree of trust goes up, the speed as well goes up, while costs come down.
 
The one book all leaders must read... and why?
Without a doubt it has to be Good To Great by Jim Collins. The route to greatness as expounded by Collins is based on amazing insights. Collins contends that ‘good to great’ transformations never happen all at once. They are the results of years of persistence. It might look dramatic and revolutionary from the outside, but on the inside it is more of an organic developmental process.

One book everyone in your sector should pick up... and why?
The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People by Steven Covey. To my mind this book has eternal values and is worth its price in gold. What I find most exceptional is the simple, cogent manner in which it is written, making it so easy for a reader to relate to it.

7 Habits... offers a road map for improving professional and personal management and forming quality relationships with other people. It is a panacea for anyone who wants to live a more productive and wholesome life.

What kind of books would you normally buy while travelling?
Mostly books on management, business and self learning. I do make an exception now and then, opting for some light reading with best selling fiction, particularly by John Grisham or Jeffrey Archer.

Have you written any books? If not, do you plan to write in future?
Not till now. However, this could probably fill up my time after I have hung my boots. I may like to possibly look back and share my experience/learnings in a highly specialised frozen industry where I have spent better part of my working life.

The books you grew up with? What did you like most about it?
I used to read Archie, Superman, Batman besides those on World War 2 to name a few.

Your book shelf consists of...
A selection of management/business/self learning (Built To Last, Stay Hungry Stay Foolish, Winning, The Daily Drucker) and fiction authors like Dan Brown, John Grisham, Paulo Coelho among others.

Where do you shop for books?
Tekson’s at times. Now a lot of it from Flipkart...

Have your reading habits changed in the past four or five years? If so, how...
Not really. Although the time is increasingly getting squeezed. I still make it a point to spend at least half an hour catching up with some form of reading before retiring for the day.

One book you cherish that you received as a gift... and who gave it to you?
Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki, My brother gave it to me about 10 years ago.

Your e-reading device iPad

(Compiled by Jinoy Jose P)

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