This book is the product of years of observation, research, and reflection on those patterns. My motivation stems from both professional experience and a sense of civic duty. As a scholar of leadership and governance, I have engaged directly and indirectly with SOEs, board members, executive leaders, and policymakers. I have seen up close the pressures they face and the systemic flaws they must navigate. But I have also witnessed courage, resilience, and reform-minded individuals working quietly against the grain. This book gives voice to both the failures and the possibilities.