Artha Global recently hosted a closed-door conversation with Roopa Kudva on her new book, Leadership Beyond the Playbook: Craft Your Own Path. Lead with Impact. Drawing on experiences spanning corporate leadership, startups, and the social sector, the discussion explored what leadership looks like in an increasingly complex and uncertain world — particularly for professionals navigating the transition into senior leadership roles.
Rather than presenting leadership as a fixed framework, the conversation focused on the importance of judgment, strategic communication, resilience, and purposeful decision-making. A key theme that emerged was that leadership journeys are inherently personal and that purpose is not something predefined but something that evolves through experience and reflection. As Roopa noted during the discussion, “Purpose does not arrive neatly packaged; it is understood as part of your leadership journey and discovery.”
The session also reflected on the changing nature of leadership in a world shaped by AI, evolving organisations, and shifting workforce expectations. The discussion underscored that the challenge for leaders today is not simply to follow existing models, but to develop the confidence and clarity to write their own playbook.
