Leading Through Inflation by Ram Charan & Geri Willigan Summary
Overview of Leading Through Inflation
In "Leading Through Inflation," business oracle Ram Charan distills 45+ years advising Fortune 500 CEOs into economic survival tactics. While others panic, discover why Warren Buffett calls inflation "the ultimate stress test" that separates visionary leaders from the soon-to-be-forgotten.
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Key takeaways
When the World Shifts Beneath Your Feet
What if the rules of business you've spent decades mastering suddenly stopped working? In February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, executives worldwide discovered that their playbooks-refined through years of stable, low-inflation growth-had become obsolete overnight. For the first time in forty years, leaders faced a trifecta of chaos: inflation spiking beyond 8%, supply chains fracturing like ice under pressure, and recession looming on the horizon. Some companies froze. Others saw the storm as a chance to separate themselves from the pack. The difference wasn't resources or size-it was the willingness to throw out old assumptions and rebuild from the ground up. Most people think inflation is simply about paying more at the pump or grocery store. But inside a business, it operates like a silent thief with a sophisticated strategy. It doesn't just raise your costs-it devours your cash through ballooning inventory expenses and stretched-out receivables. It creates timing mismatches where your costs spike on Tuesday, but you can't adjust prices until next quarter. And it distorts every calculation you make about the future. Here's what makes inflation particularly dangerous: it moves through your business unevenly, like water finding cracks in a foundation. Raw materials might jump 15% while labor costs rise 5%, and energy expenses double-all on different schedules. By the time the Consumer Price Index confirms what's happening, you're already bleeding.
Building Your Early Warning System and Reading the Signals
The Cash Obsession and Balance Sheet Protection
Pricing as Survival and Strategic Architecture
Cutting Smart and Strengthening the Value Chain
Reimagining Your Business Model for the New Reality
Your Moment to Lead Forward and Build Lasting Advantage
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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