It’s the Manager
By Jim Clifton and Jim Harter
Insights from Jim Clifton and Jim Harter’s book ‘It’s the Manager’. The book is based on the largest global study by Gallup on the future of work
Operating Partner | Advent International
Shivakumar is Operating Partner at Advent International. Before this, he was President (Corporate Strategy and Business Development) at Aditya Birla Group. Earlier assignments include: Chairman & CEO at Pepsico India and prior to that, Managing Director at Nokia India. Before joining Nokia, he worked with consumer electronics maker Philips and top consumer goods firm Hindustan Unilever. He is an engineer from IIT Chennai and an MBA from IIM Calcutta.
Shivakumar has written three books: Reflections - a collection of Shivs articles; The Right Choice - Resolving Ten Career Dilemmas; and The Art of Management. The latter two are business bestsellers.
FF Insights: Sharpen your edge, Monday–Friday.
FF Life: Culture, ideas and perspectives you won't find elsewhere — Saturday.

Founding Fuel is sustained by readers who value depth, context, and independent thinking.
If this essay helped you think more clearly, you may choose to support our work.

Founding Fuel is sustained by readers who value depth, context, and independent thinking.
If this essay helped you think more clearly, you may choose to support our work.



The OpenAI incident is less about rogue machines than about a deeper shift: AI is becoming part of the cognitive architecture of modern institutions
Satish Pradhan
Independent Consultant
The OpenAI incident is less about rogue machines than about a deeper shift: AI is becoming part of the cognitive architecture of modern institutions

Independent Consultant

The six sixes made Sir Garfield Sobers famous. They barely explain why those who watched, played with and knew him still speak of him with such awe.
Anindya Dutta
Founder | Two Roads and author
The six sixes made Sir Garfield Sobers famous. They barely explain why those who watched, played with and knew him still speak of him with such awe.

Founder | Two Roads and author

The conflict is no longer just a military confrontation. It is rapidly becoming a struggle over the global energy system, maritime trade and geoeconomic power—with the Gulf caught in the middle
Vivek Y. Kelkar
Researcher, Analyst & Columnist on Geo-economics, Geopolitics and Sustainability
The conflict is no longer just a military confrontation. It is rapidly becoming a struggle over the global energy system, maritime trade and geoeconomic power—with the Gulf caught in the middle

Researcher, Analyst & Columnist on Geo-economics, Geopolitics and Sustainability
Dive into other themes from our network.