India, Oct. 19 -- Every once in a while, a book comes along that feels less like a story on paper and more like a mirror being held up to our lives. The Corporate Circus by Mayank Sharma is exactly that. As I turned its pages, I found myself smiling knowingly, nodding in recognition, and at times pausing to reflect on just how much of my own professional journey was captured within its circus tent of characters, politics, and drama.

Mayank and I have been connected on LinkedIn for a long time. We finally met in January this year when I had launched my own book, People Powered Startups. By this time, both of us had quit our full-time jobs and ventured into HR consulting. We connected on a call a few days later, and I was surprised to see ...