Leading with Empathy

Acknowledgments

Writing this book was more challenging than I envisioned but more fulfilling than I could have ever imagined. I was very close to my mother, and when I lost her to cancer in 2009, her death deeply impacted me. Since then, I have tried to emulate/extoll her virtues, spread awareness of her achievements, and cherish her memories. However, they always seem to have fallen short of capturing how amazing she was as a human being until I decided to dedicate this book to her. I have included several stories of how my mother shaped my life and made me a better person through her love, kindness, persistence, teachings, and discussion. I was not exactly an easy child, and I am forever indebted to her patience and for not having given up hope.

My wife, Rama, has been my rock throughout this journey. She has always been supportive of my endeavors, supporting me and staying by my side through thick and thin. Her ability to challenge my theses and provide a different perspective has kept me focused. I am eternally grateful that she does this with love and patience and still has not gotten exhausted from putting up with me and my craziness over the last 15 years. She is an immensely strong person, and I am fortunate to be a part of her life.

My son, Buddh, has been a treasure trove of learning, feedback, and a great partner in many of my experiments. Helping him adapt to virtual schooling, supplementing his emotional and physical development through a pandemic—reliving the ...