Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership by Mayur Ramgir is an interesting book that features a novel approach to leadership. Using the life-cycle of a butterfly, the author offers powerful insights and lessons on leadership in personal life and in business. Just like a butterfly, a leader grows through four stages. First, one is like an egg, nascent and conscious of one’s leadership skills. At this stage, one is in the school of life, learning the skills required to lead. Second, one grows into a larva, a stage when one gains strength by facing challenges. Third, one gets to the transition stage when, like a pupa, one starts to listen to feedback, becomes innovative, and takes risks. Fourth, one becomes reproductive, creating a rippling impact that affects the lives of others. One learns to give back.

I found the idea behind this book very interesting and intriguing, and Mayur Ramgir makes it read so clearly and easily with his many examples, diagrams, and simplicity of writing. The voice is unique and it comes across clearly to the reader. The prose is excellent, compelling and accessible. This is one of the best books I have read on leadership that is insightful and practical at the same time. I enjoyed the fact that the author doesn’t just dish out pieces of advice and what readers need to do to lead others, but equally helps them to understand the journey of a leader and the different concepts. This is not a how-to kind of book. It is a metaphor of true leadership. Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership is one of the books to read for anyone who wants to become a successful leader.

Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership is written by Mayur Ramgir. The author brilliantly takes the reader through four stages of butterfly evolution, relating each stage to growth and development of leaders. A unique approach to climbing the corporate ladder. The sections are easy to read, accompanied by inspirational quotes at the beginning of each section. Illustrations are a nice touch for emphasizing key points. This book is also designed as a blueprint for individuals to follow to become a global leader. The book contains a decent summary of leadership mistakes. Ramgir has incorporated a strong theme of lead by example as well as a strong theme of leaders are made, not born.

A nice bonus in this approach is that it may be adopted very efficiently in personal relationships. The information is the same as you will find in most management/business books except Ramgir has packaged it in such a way that new and seasoned leaders can easily apply the concepts. Presentation of established business information frequently makes the difference on how well understood and implemented it is. Often, clues for adjusting management styles escape leaders in stress and crisis. This author packaged each section in such a way that anyone can reference the section that applies to the situation they are facing. The author uses a unique definition of leadership which is: “Leadership is about taking an ethical path to work for a cause for the betterment of the society at large.”

Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership by Mayur Ramgir is a non-fiction book on leadership and what it truly means to be a leader. This book provides a refreshing and well-thought-out take on what leadership means and, contrary to popular notions, it is not about exerting power or having people do things your own way. In fact, as Mayur explains in detail, it is about wielding responsibility in such a way that everyone who works for you and looks up to you as a leader is enhanced by that experience. Essentially, it means wielding power very responsibly with the true understanding that other people’s lives depend on you, and it is a leader’s duty to try to better their followers’ lives. In this, Mayur compares various stages of leadership development to the metamorphosis of a butterfly, and the chapters are laid out in terms of a leader’s own development of leadership qualities.

I really liked the basic premise of Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership, which is that leadership is only useful if it is for the greater good of people in general. Power can be wielded in a constructive or destructive way and it is very importance for leaders to understand this. I thought there were a lot of great insights into how different leadership and management styles work in this book. I also liked the personal anecdotes and how Mayur defines a leader as not only someone in the office, but also in families and interpersonal relationships. Overall, this is a very well written and well composed book on leadership which it is especially relevant in today’s unstable political climate where modern society appears to be all about using power in a controlling and destructive way. This book is a must-read!

I think my days as a leader are over. I try to set a good example for my students, but I don’t really lead them anywhere except toward academic excellence. This is very different than my time in the Army during the late '80s and early '90s. I don’t think I lead anymore, but I am still fascinated by the subject. Who is a good leader? What makes a good leader? Are leaders made or born? These are just some of the questions I seek answers to when I read a book about being a leader. Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership by Mayur Ramgir provided some thoughtful, practical insight into leadership and I learned a lot about the process of becoming a leader. This metamorphic approach to leadership is different from the more straightforward, practical lessons I was taught in the Army so long ago. I found the contrast fascinating. I found both ways to be useful and correct.

Evolve like a Butterfly: A Metamorphic Approach to Leadership is exactly what the title implies. Using the example found in nature of the butterfly life cycle, Mayur Ramgir takes us through the stages of development for a leader. There are four stages according to Mayur Ramgir, and each stage is complex and complicated in and of itself, but the author has an easy and direct writing style that keeps you engaged and one revelation leads naturally to the next. I found this a useful metaphor and a very good book on leadership.