A modern leadership fable reveals how presence, stillness, and self-awareness can transform individuals and organizations.
In a world driven by speed, pressure, and constant performance, leadership is often measured by action and outcomes. Challenging this norm, leadership coach and storyteller Kishore Kumar Thakur presents his new book, The Stone and The Pond: A Journey of Listening, Leadership and Stillness-a reflective leadership fable that highlights the transformative power of presence, listening, and mindful awareness.
“The pond doesn’t teach the stone how to fall; it teaches everything else how to receive.”
At the heart of the story is Arun, a high-performing executive who consistently delivers results yet feels disconnected and unfulfilled. While his leadership drives output, it lacks depth and human connection. His journey takes a profound turn when he begins working with Meera, a calm and perceptive leadership coach who introduces him to a quieter, more conscious way of leading-one rooted in stillness, empathy, emotional intelligence, and reflection.
Through their coaching conversations, Arun learns to shift from reacting to responding, from control to trust, and from directing people to creating space for them to grow. As his self-awareness deepens, a quiet transformation unfolds within his team: communication improves, relationships strengthen, and organizational culture begins to change organically.
The book illustrates how one leader’s inner shift can create ripples across an entire system, offering a compelling model for sustainable leadership and cultural transformation. What begins as personal growth gradually becomes a blueprint for mindful leadership in modern organizations.
Written in a poetic and meditative style, The Stone and The Pond blends storytelling with practical insights from coaching, leadership development, and emotional intelligence. It serves as a reflective guide for leaders, coaches, educators, and seekers on a personal-growth journey-reminding readers that meaningful change does not come from force, but from attention.
True leadership transformation, the book suggests, begins with self-awareness.
And sometimes, one moment of stillness is enough to create ripples far beyond oneself.
Published by Clever Fox Publishing
About the Author
Kishore Kumar Thakur believes that conversations can change everything-if we are willing to listen deeply enough. A leadership coach, facilitator, and storyteller, he has spent years helping leaders and teams rediscover the power of reflection: the pause between doing and being, where clarity resides.
Drawing from philosophy, psychology, and lived experience, his work weaves together stillness, awareness, and action into the language of modern leadership. Through his writings, workshops, and dialogues, Kishore invites people to slow down and listen—not only to others, but to the quiet voice within.
The Stone and The Pond is more than a book to him; it is a mirror-reminding readers that every word spoken, every silence held, and every act of attention creates ripples that touch lives in unseen ways.
