Project Report

MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM BHAGVAD GITA AND MAHABHARATA
MANAGEMENT LESSONS
FROM MAHABHARTA AND
BHAGVAD GITA
A
PROJECT REPORT
Submitted to
FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT
In PROJECT Report for II SEM
Of
MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION
In
MEWAR UNIVERSITY CHITTORGARH
MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 1

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that this project entitled “
MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM MAHABHARTA AND BHAGVAD GITA “
submission of PROJECT Report for IInd SEM of MASTER OF BUSINESS
ADMINISTRATION to the MEWAR UNIVERSITY CHITTORGARH through Faculty of
Management done by MISS. PRIYA JOSHI, Roll No. 09MUMBA026 is an
authentic work carried out by her , under guidance of Miss SANGEETA
BHATNAGAR. The matter embodied in this project work has not been submitted
earlier for award of any degree or diploma to the best of my knowledge and
belief.
Signature of the Guide Signature of the student
Miss. SANGEETA BHATNAGAR PRIYA JOSHI
Lecturer (HRM) Roll No.: 09MUMBA026
Department of Management Enrollment No. : MUR0900495

Mewar University Chittorgarh (Raj.) Branch: MANAGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
"Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,

Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani"
How simple and how relevant even today .I think if Bhagavad gita is universally
renowned as the jewel of India's spiritual wisdom , its because of Karma Yoga. You
rarely find spiritual books/Gurus laying emphasis on doing your work.
That’s exactly what Krishna says here. Always do your best without expecting the
results and you will be happy.
How beautiful...
With venerate devotion ;I thank the Lord Almighty for ‘HIS’ graceful blessings ,for
making me an instrument to implement this assignment I am gratified to record my
sincere thanks to Ms.Sangeeta Bhatnagar, H.O.D. Management Department ,Mewar
University,Gangrar(Raj.) for providing due facilities, motivating and supporting,
environment which was necessarily needed through out.
I take the proud privilege to avail excellent opportunity to carry out my project under the
supervision of Ms.Sangeeta Bhatnagar, H.O.D. Management Department , Mewar
University,Gangrar(Raj.).I would like to express my gratitude to her for spending her
valuable time on me.
It was worth working under her constructive guidanceand gaining intellectual
experiences.
No words suffice to acknowledge the love, emotional support, inspiring guidance and
blessings bestowed over me by my reverend parents Smt.Suman Joshi,& Shri Shiv
Prakash Joshi.
I can’t forget to thank my loving brother Abhinav Joshi for his ever willing help and
ornamental creative ideas in enhancing the project, without which things would not have
been in their present shape.
I am thankful to Mr. S.K.S. Rathore ,Mr. Soumitra Bhattacharya and Ms.Charu
Dhankar for encouraging thoughts for me.
Lastly I want to express my gratitude towards my friends who helped me in a great way
to broaden my concepts for this project and ebullient encouragement.
Dated: PRIYA JOSHI
M.B.A. II Sem

DEDICATED
TO
MY RESPECTED MATERNAL
GRANDPA
For His Uncomprising Principles That Guides My Life
MY RESPECTED PARENTS
For Leading Their Children Into Intellectual Pursuits
MY BELOVED BROTHER
For His Helping Hand That Always Help My Life
MY HONARABLE TEACHERS
For All That I Am Today And Shall Be Through My Life
AND
MY PROFESSION

CONTENT
S.NO. TITLE PAGE NO.
(i) ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
(ii) PREFACE
(iii) ABSTRACT
(iv) INTRODUCTION
(v ) MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FROM THE BHAGAVAD
GITA
 OLD TRUTHS IN A NEW CONTEXT
 THE SOURCES OF THE PROBLEM
 UTILIZATION OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES
 WORK COMMITMENT
 MOTIVATION-SELF AND TRANSCENDENCE
 WORK CULTURE
 WORK RESULTS
 MANAGER’S MENTAL HEALTH
 LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM BHAGVAD GITA

(vi) MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FROM THE

MAHABHARTA
 TIME MANAGEMENT FROM MAHABHARTA
 CORPORATE MANAGEMENT-LEADERSHIP
SECRETS FROM MAHABHARTA
DUTY
WAR
SUBJECT
FRIEND
FOE
COUNSELLOR
FINANCE
CONDUCT
 MURTHY,AMBANI AND TIPS TO WIN FROM

MAHABHARTA
(vii) SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

Yada yada hi dharmasya Glanir bhavati bharata
Abhyuthanam adharmasyaTadatmanam srjamyaham
~ Bhagavad Gita (Chapter IV-7)
PREFACE

The question may be asked : “Why another commentary on Bhagavad-Gita? Hasn't

more than enough been said already in the more than 700 commentaries available, and
especially in Bhagavad-Gita As It Is?”
The answer to this query is that enough can never be said about Bhagavad-Gita. As
Sanjaya relates to Dhrtarastra toward the closing of the book: “O King, as I recall this
Wondrous and holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna, I take pleasure, being thrilled
at every moment.”We can continue to discuss and inquire about Bhagavad Gita
unlimitedly, and never find the end of its ability to produce the most profound
realizations about life, the universe, and the purpose and the person behind them.
It is also a fact that Bhagavad-Gita speaks on many levels about many different things.
This is the nature of scripture – it is purnam, or complete. Viewed from different angles it
reveals itself in different ways. As Krishna tells Arjuna: “I shall now declare unto you in
full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known nothing further
shall remain for you to know”.
How the Bhagavad-Gita is able to address all conceivable issues in only 700 verses is
Part of its mystical potency. The opportunity exists for all time for devotees of
Krishna and the Bhagavad-Gita to perform the service of highlighting and explaining
the Bhagavad-Gita's application to a given topic. The focus of this commentary is on
Leadership, and thus it is called “Leadership Lessons from Bhagavad-Gita”.
What is leadership? There are many definitions of leadership that highlight its
different aspects. John Maxwell, author of “The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership”
defines leadership as “influence, nothing more, nothing less”. He goes on to say: “He
who thinks he leads but has no-one following him, is simply taking a walk.” This is a
functional definition of leadership, one that basically says that a leader is someone
who has followers.
Leadership has been described by leadership educator Todd Duncan as “a total

commitment to purpose, accompanied by the determination to carry it out.” This is a
characteristic definition that describes the personal qualities of a leader.

My personal definition of leadership is two-fold. First of all, it is “the supply of vision

and direction in a situation of confusion and uncertainty”. This is a definition that
highlights the identity of the leader as a service provider. Secondly it is "effecting
change to take an organization from one state to another, better state". This is a
definition that helps to cast light on the nature of the service that the leader provides.
In his 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership John Maxwell presented the idea that
leadership can be described as a set of principles that can be learned and applied.
When practices align with these principles, leadership is effective. In his book Principle-
centered Leadership Stephen Covey takes this a step further. Not only are the
practices, or the “how” of leadership governed by principles, but the actual direction and
goal of leadership, or the “what” and “where”, are also subject to universal principles.
No-one can deny that Adolf Hitler was a leader in the sense that he effectively
mobilized and directed the energy of many followers toward the pursuit of distant
goals. However, not many people would be comfortable with a book entitled:
“Leadership Secrets of Adolf Hitler”. We are sure that he is not a leader worthy of
Emulating .We have a sense that leadership in not only its form, but also its function,
is governed by moral imperatives. These moral imperatives, signaled by our
conscience, or our “internal compass” in the language of Covey, indicate fundamental
principles of the universe. Leadership which conforms with these principles in terms
of its form is Effective Leadership. Leadership which conforms with these principles
in terms of its form and function is Authentic Leadership.
In these terms Hitler may have been an effective leader, but he was not an authentic
leader. It's not just how you lead the people that is governed by principles that you
should be aware of and consciously align with – where you lead them is also governed
by principles. With great power comes great responsibility. Those who lead not in
accordance with these principles, intentions not with standing, are guilty of misleading.
Bhagavad-Gita describes these fundamental universal principles – the underlying

Framework of the universe that reflects the purpose of the universal architect. Leaders

who align their practices with these principles will be effective leaders. Leaders who
align their goals and the goals of the organizations they steward with these principles
will be authentic leaders – leaders who are empowered to create a better world.
Leadership is absolutely crucial. As the oft-repeated saying has it: “everything rises or
falls on leadership”. Failures or lack of leadership can be found near the root of all
problems. At this present moment in time, with so many social and environmental
indices tottering toward the red line, the world is crying out not just for effective
leadership, but for authentic leadership. Bhagavad-Gita contains the timeless
principles that will empower leaders to be effective and authentic leaders. The greatest
need at this point in time is for those people who have been called to lead to step
forward and take up the Service of Leadership.
ABSTRACT

Bhagavad-Gita
One of the greatest contributions of India to the world is Holy Gita which is considered
to be one of the first revelations from God. The management lessons in this holy book
were brought in to light of the world by divine Maharishi Mahesh Yogi and Sri Sri Ravi
Shankar, and the spiritual philosophy by Sr. Srila Prabhupada Swami and humanism by
Mata Amritanandamayi Devi and Satya Sai Baba. Maharishi calls the Bhagavad‐Gita
the essence of Vedic Literature and a complete guide to practical life. It provides "all
that is needed to raise the consciousness of man to the highest possible level."
Maharishi reveals the deep, universal truths of life that speak to the needs and
aspirations of everyone. Arjuna got mentally depressed when he saw his relatives with
whom he has to fight. (Mental health has become a major international public health
concern now). To motivate him the Bhagavad Gita is preached in the battle field
Kurukshetra by Lord Krishna to Arjuna as counseling to do his duty while multitudes of
men stood by waiting. It has got all the management tactics to achieve the mental
equilibrium and to overcome any crisis situation. The Bhagavad Gita can be
experienced as a powerful catalyst for transformation. Bhagavad Gita means song of
the Spirit, song of the Lord. The Holy Gita has become a secret driving force behind the
unfoldment of one's life. In the days of doubt this divine book will support all spiritual

searches. This divine book will contribute to self reflection, finer feeling and deepen
one's inner process. Then life in the world can become a real education—dynamic, full
and joyful—no matter what the circumstance. May the wisdom of loving consciousness
ever guide us on our journey? What makes the Holy Gita a practical psychology
of transformation is that it offers us the tools to connect with our deepest intangible
essence and we must learn to participate in the battle of life with right knowledge?
The Holy Gita is the essence of the Vedas, Upanishads. It is a universal scripture
applicable to people of all temperaments and for all times. It is a book with sublime
thoughts and practical instructions on Yoga, Devotion, Vedanta and Action. It is
profound in thought and sublime in heights of vision. It brings peace and solace to souls
that are afflicted by the three fires of mortal existence, namely, afflictions caused by
one's own body (disease etc), those caused by beings around one (e.g. wild animals,
snakes etc.), and those caused by the gods (natural disasters, earth‐quakes, floods
etc). Mind can be one's friend or enemy. Mind is the cause for both bondage and
liberation. The word mind is derived from man to think and the word man derived from
Manu (Sanskrit word for man). "The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O
Arjuna, and is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a
machine, made of the material energy." There is no theory to be internalized and
applied in this psychology. Ancient practices spontaneously induce what each person
needs as the individual and the universal coincide. The work proceeds through
intellectual knowledge of the playing field (jnana yoga), emotional devotion to the ideal
(bhakti yoga) and right action that includes both feeling and knowledge (karma yoga).
With on going purification we approach wisdom. The Bhagavad Gita is a message
addressed to each and every human individual to help him or her to solve the vexing
problem of overcoming the present and progressing towards a bright future. Within its
eighteen chapters is revealed a human drama. This is the experience of everyone in
this world, the drama of the ascent of man from a state of utter dejection, sorrow and
total breakdown and hopelessness to a state of perfect understanding, clarity, renewed
strength and triumph. Mind is very restless, forceful and strong, O Krishna, it is more
difficult to control the mind than to control the wind ~ Arjuna to Sri Krishna.

Mahabharata
The Mahabharata, the longest epic in the world, is about couple of million words in total.
Its not just the length of the epic that makes it grand and superior, but also the quality,
reach and teachings it consists. The Mahabharat’s scope is best summarized by one
quotation: “What is found here , may be found elsewhere. What is not found here , will
not be found elsewhere”.
Few points to your notice just for the sake of perspective. There are three motifs in the
Mahabharata which flavors the story and its philosophy of life. First, the ideal of yagna-
the Raja suya in the beginning and the Asvamedha in the end. In both these rituals the
king first fights to acquire enormous wealth and then distributes all that wealth among
his citizens.
Second, the game of dice. The king is obligated to risk and wager all his wealth and
possessions in the game of dice. Third war. It is kshatriyas duty to fight incessantly to
expand his kingdom and subdue his enemies.

Life is constant risk taking, recklessly thrown to the uncertainties of chance, and the
passion to die with boots on. These are ideals of a Kshatriya. He is mainly interested in
power and fame/kirty. It is the Vaisya's duty to create wealth through agriculture/krishi,
husbandary/goraksha and commerce/vanijyam.
The Brahmin is responsible for creating knowledge and ethical values and
dissemination of those values. And the sudras, constituting 80 percent of the population,
were split into many castes according to their crafts. When we read Mahabharata this
socio-political-economic template/varnashrama dharma has to be kept in mind.
Today India is pursuing a competitive market economy and parliamentary democracy

where every citizen regardless of gender, religion, race or language are constitutionally
guaranteed equality of opportunity. We read Mahabharata for insights about human
nature and mind and interpersonal dynamics in the pursuit of power, wealth and fame.
The actual knitty -gritty of wealth creation-distribution-consumption is not the core of this
study. And high level management and leadership are essentially a matter of power or
decision making and risk taking/a mind set of living dangerously and in total freedom.
Introduction
In this modern world the art of Management has become a part and parcel of everyday
life, be it at home, in the office or factory and in Government. In all organizations, where
a group of human beings assemble for a common purpose irrespective of caste, creed,
and religion, management principles come into play through the management of

resources, finance and planning, priorities, policies and practice. Management is a

systematic way of carrying out activities in any field of human effort. Management need
to focus more on leadership skills: establishing vision and goals, communicating the
vision and goals, and guiding others to accomplish them. It also asserts that leadership
must be more facilitative, participative and empowering in how visions and goals are
established and carried out. Some people assert that this really isn't a change in the
management functions , rather it's reemphasizing certain aspects of management. “Its
task is to make people capable of joint performance, to make their weaknesses
irrelevant”, says the Management Guru Peter Drucker. It creates harmony in working
together – equilibrium in thoughts and actions, goals and achievements, plans and
performance, products and markets.
It resolves situations of scarcity, be they in the physical, technical or human fields,
through maximum utilization with the minimum available processes to achieve the goal.
Lack of management causes disorder, confusion, wastage, delay, destruction and even
depression. Managing men, money and materials in the best possible way, according to
circumstances and environment, is the most important and essential factor for a
successful management.
The great Indian epic is a big storehouse of stories. There are stories inside a story.
Each story in itself is the source of knowledge and new learning in various fields of
human life esp. management.
One such episode is the story of Yaksha’s (Dharma’s) questions to Yudhisthira

(Dharmaraja): The story in brief is; In the forest, the Pandavas plan their 13th year of
exile to live in disguise and to work in another kingdom. Nakul tries to fetch water from a
lake but is told not to use the water by an invisible voice. He ignores the warning, drinks
the water and falls down dead. His brothers meet the same fate except for Yudhisthira
answers correctly. The Yaksha reveals himself as Lord Yama and grants back the lives
of all the dead brothers.
Thus, management is a process of aligning people and getting them committed

to work for a common goal to the maximum social benefit - in search of excellence.

The critical question in all managers’ minds is how to be effective at their job.
The answer to this fundamental question is found in the Bhagavad Gita, which
repeatedly proclaims that “you must try to manage yourself.”
The modern (Western) management concepts of vision, leadership, motivation,

excellence in work, achieving goals, giving work meaning, decision making and
planning, are all discussed in the Bhagavad Gita. There is one major difference. While
Western management thought too often deals with problems at material, external and
peripheral levels, the Bhagavad Gita tackles the issues from the grass roots level of
human thinking. Once the basic thinking of man is improved, it will automatically
enhance the quality of his actions and their results.
By making the equable mind the bed-rock of all actions, the Gita evolved the goal of
unification of work ethic with ethics in work, for without ethical process no mind can
attain equipoise.
The principle of reducing our attachment to personal gains from the work done is the
Gita’s prescription for attaining equanimity. It has been held that this principle leads to
lack of incentive for effort, striking at the very root of work ethic. To the contrary,
concentration on the task for its own sake leads to the achievement of excellence – and
indeed to the true mental happiness of the worker.
Thus, while commonplace theories of motivation may be said to lead us to the bondage
or extrinsic rewards, the Gita’s principle leads us to the intrinsic rewards of mental, and
indeed moral, satisfaction.
In the sentence, ‘Aham Brahmasmi,’ or I am Brahman, the ‘I’ is that which is the One
Witnessing Consciousness, standing apart form even the intellect, different from the
ego-principle, and shining through every act of thinking, feeling, etc. This Witness-
Consciousness, being the same in all, is universal, and cannot be distinguished from
Brahman, which is the Absolute. Hence the essential ‘I’ which is full, super-rational and

resplendent, should be the same as Brahman. This is not the identification of the limited
individual ‘I’ with Brahman, but it is the Universal Substratum of individuality that is
asserted to be what it is. The copula ‘am’ does not signify any empirical relation
between two entities, but affirms the non-duality of essence. This dictum is from the
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad.
While India is emerging as a superpower, the Management systems of our generation

also have to get Indianised. India which was once the richest country of the world has
great Management Principles on which it operated. All these concepts are available to
us even today in the form of the Ancient scriptures that our ‘Rishis’ left for us.
The Managers working in various companies have to day in and day out deal with
various problems that the employees come across. Today HR is not just a department
but a bridge between the employees and the Top Management, the past and the
evolving future, company goals and human purposes.
The mahabharata deals with eternal values and truths, making its message relevant
today too. here is a collection of its lessons on what in modern parlance is called
management strategy.
Mahabharata is not plainly the story of a war or a source of wisdom for philosophers. It
exposes the secrets of leadership and the path to success. Mahabharata can be
considered equivalent to other management bibles. Whether it is man management,
human/organisational behaviour, game theory, management by objectives, all aspects
of modern management can be discovered in various characters and episodes of the
great epic.
Bhishma, an honest manager caught in diametrically opposed clashes, who was forced
to take wrong decisions by forces beyond his power. Yudhisthira is a flawless example
of managerial acumen. Karna , a manager who fought his way up the ladder but could
not keep up with the pressure and tensions and met a tragic end. Abhimanyu, the son of
Arjuna, a daredevil leader without a business-plan of escape. He fought his way into the

chakravyuha, but failed to come out and was brutally cornered and killed by Drona and
others. Draupadi is the typical model of a woman powerhouse who kept others
motivated till the goal is achieved. And Lord Krishna is the ideal example of a leader-
manager who kept his eye on the target till the desired outcome was achieved.
In today’s modern management when ethical judgment and importance of recognizing

the ethical dimensions is talked about, Mahabharata gives an excellent analogies to
identify the ethical boundaries. "Rules of ethical conduct", dharmayuddha, for the war
were framed by the supreme commanders of each side. Both sides broke most of these
laws at least once.
Lord Krishna himself advised the Pandavas that no action can be perfect in an ever-
changing dynamic world and hence he casually advocated them to keep the overall
ethical standards in view and then act according to the contingency which may require
provisional deviation from strict ethics.
For example, Krishna prevails upon Yudhisthira, an honest king, to lie or convey a “half-
truth” to psychologically depress Dronacharya. From the complete moralistic standpoint,
such a lie may be considered unethical. But as long as such lies contributed to a
desirable final outcome - it was acceptable. So the greatest challenge for the modern
corporate leader is the modification of these responses keeping in mind the ethical and
legal issues but without compromising corporate interests.
The Mahabharata war was gigantic. The stakes were very great, the whole of the land
of Bharat was at stake, and every kingdom from the biggest to the smallest brought its
armies to either the Pandavas or Kaurava side. Every king and army from all over India
stood on that battlefield. That one war changed the whole political landscape of India.

Management Guidelines from The Bhagavad Gita

There is an important distinction between effectiveness and efficiency in managing.

Effectiveness is doing the right things. Efficiency is doing things right. The general
principles of effective management can be applied in every field, the differences being
more in application than in principle. The Manager's functions can be summed up as:
 Forming a vision
 Planning the strategy to realize the vision
 Cultivating the art of leadership
 Establishing institutional excellence
 Building an innovative organization
 Developing human resources
 Building teams and teamwork
 Delegation, motivation, and communication
 Reviewing performance and taking corrective steps when called for

Thus, management is a process of aligning people and getting them committed to work
for a common goal to the maximum social benefit - in search of excellence. Major
functions of a manager are planning, organizing, leading and coordinating activities,
they put different emphasis and suggest different natures of activities in the following
four major functions. The critical question in all managers' minds is how to be effective
in their job. The answer to this
fundamental question is found in the Bhagavad Gita, which repeatedly proclaims that
"you must try to manage yourself." The reason is that unless a manager reaches a level
of excellence and effectiveness, he or she will be merely a face in the crowd.
Old Truths in a New Context

The Bhagavad Gita, written thousands of years ago, enlightens us on all managerial
techniques leading us towards a harmonious and blissful state of affairs in place of the
conflict, tensions, poor productivity, absence of motivation and so on, common in most
of Indian enterprises today and probably in enterprises in many other countries. The
modern (Western) management concepts of vision, leadership, motivation, excellence
in work, achieving goals, giving work meaning, decision making and planning, are all
discussed in
the Bhagavad Gita. There is one major difference. While Western management thought
too often deals with problems at material, external and peripheral levels, the Bhagavad
Gita tackles the issues from the grass roots level of human thinking. Once the basic
thinking of man is improved, it will automatically enhance the quality of his actions and
their results. The management philosophy emanating from the West is based on the
lure of materialism and on a perennial thirst for profit, irrespective of the quality of the
means adopted to achieve that goal.
This phenomenon has its source in the abundant wealth of the West and so
'management by materialism' has caught the fancy of all the countries the world over,
India being no exception to this trend. My country, India, has been in the forefront in
importing these ideas mainly because of its centuries old indoctrination by colonial
rulers, which has inculcated in us a feeling that anything Western is good and anything
Indian, is inferior. Gita does not prohibit seeking money, power, comforts, health. It
advocates active pursuit of one's goals without getting attached to the process and the
results.
The result is that, while huge funds have been invested in building temples of modem
management education, no perceptible changes are visible in the improvement of the
general quality of life - although the standards of living of a few has gone up. The same
old struggles in almost all sectors of the economy, criminalization.
The Source of The Problem

The reasons for this sorry state of affairs are not far to seek. The Western idea of
management centers on making the worker (and the manager) more efficient and more
productive. Companies offer workers more to work more, produce more, sell more and
to stick to the organization without looking for alternatives. The sole aim of extracting
better and more work from the worker is to improve the bottom-line of the enterprise.
The worker has become a hirable commodity, which can be used, replaced and
discarded at will. Thus, workers have been reduced to the state of a mercantile product.
In such a state, it should come as no surprise to us that workers start using strikes
(gheraos) sit-ins, (dharnas) go-slows and work-to-rule to get maximum benefit for
themselves from the organisations. Society-at-large is damaged. Thus we reach a
situation in which management and workers become separate and contradictory entities
with conflicting interests. There is no common goal or understanding. This predictably,
leads to suspicion, friction, disillusion and mistrust, with managers and workers at cross
purposes. The absence of human values and erosion of human touch in the
organizational structure has resulted in a crisis of confidence.
Western management philosophy may have created prosperity for some people some
of the time at least - but it has failed in the aim of ensuring betterment of individual life
and social welfare. It has remained by and large a soulless edifice and an oasis of
plenty for a few in the midst of poor quality of life for many.
Hence, there is an urgent need to reexamine prevailing management disciplines - their
objectives, scope and content. Management should be redefined to underline the
development of the worker as a person, as a human being, and not as a mere wage-
earner. With this changed perspective, management can become an instrument in the
process of social, and indeed national, development. Now let us re-examine some of
the modern management concepts in the light ofthe Bhagavad Gita which is a primer of
management-by-values.
Example taken from IBM
To identify the source of the problem:

1. When a problem arises, you might have an idea about the source of the problem
based on your experiences. In this case, check the log and trace files for the
products or components where you think the problem arises.
2. When you do not know what might have caused the problem, try to determine
which product and component in your environment is the root of the problem.
Figure . 1. Isolate the problem
Spend time on the log and trace files that are generated by DB2 Everyplace, DB2
Database and Web Sphere ® Application Server. Start with the components and
products that you are more familiar with. After investigating the logs and traces,
you will usually be able to determine the product or component to which the
problem is related. When you find the product and the component that caused
the problem, take the appropriate action:
Utilization of Available Resources

The first lesson of management science is to choose wisely and utilize scarce resources
optimally. During the curtain raiser before the Mahabharata War, Duryodhana chose Sri
Krishna's large army for his help while Arjuna selected Sri Krishna's wisdom for his
support. This episode gives us a clue as to the nature of the effective manager - the
former chose numbers, the latter, wisdom.
In many areas of the global energy industry, oil companies have been "right-sized" to
cope with a new business environment. Work still needs to be done; however,
companies no longer can justify the economics of doing everything with internal
employees. In the absence of in-house employees, some of a company's needs must
be outsourced. Additionally, outsourcing often allows certain activities or specialties to
reach economies of scale by reducing overhead, combining overhead, or fully utilizing
skilled resources. Outsourcing takes several forms, some of which are better suited to a
company's specific needs. Companies also find a need exists for outside help earlier in
the upstream business cycle, which may involve external input even in a company's
strategic development processes.
Intersecting this competitive industry environment is the national oil company (NOC),
charged with improving a country's economic base through resource growth, and
providing employment for a nation's emerging workforce. Historically, the model used by
the NOC has been the multinational oil company (MNC), which has seen the most
changes in structure over the last decade in response to the aforementioned
commercial requirements of the energy industry. Growing large, fully integrated NOCs
reminiscent of the MNC industry of the 1980s may not be a long-term solution for
dealing with the global commercial environment of the next century.
This paper describes how companies can cope with an often intermittent need for
resources and provides some guidance to growing NOCs for determining future human
resource development and forming resource partnerships. MNCs have recently turned
to effective project management concepts and are now learning to utilize a number of
best-fit resource alternatives to ensure that all technical processes are executed while
commercial goals are being met.
Introduction

Effective utilization of all available resources is an important aspect of successful project

management. In simplistic terms, there are two broad classes of resources: inside and
outside. Companies directly hire (or own) inside resources. Companies also have
indirect relationships with outside resources. Outside resources might include partners,
contractors, and vendors. The desired effect of utilizing all available resources is to
reach optimum project production at the least cost in the desired time frame. This
means companies must learn to appropriately manage not only the timing or schedule
of a project but must also understand the quality level required for each output
component. Clear judgment of all available resources is critical to achieving these
optimum relationships.
Multinational oil companies (MNCs) have been reducing staff or right sizing for a
number of years, attempting to find optimal internal and external resource balance to
accomplish their financial goals. National oil companies (NOCs) are faced with a
different problem: attempting to improve personnel capability while increasing local
reserve assets. The current state of the industry offers the NOC an increasing number
of resource alternatives. Effective planning for growth and development while utilizing
these available sources for the highest and best use may be the best direction for the
NOC to take. Primarily this requires effective project initialization and resourcing.
The Process
The basic process required to be effective in project resourcing is as follows:
-Determine the project goals and task requirements, including quality level
-Identify skill sets required
WORK COMMITMENT
A popular verse of the Gita advises "detachment" from the fruits or results of actions
performed in the course of one's duty. Being dedicated work has to mean "working for

the sake of work, generating excellence for its own sake." If we are always calculating
the date of promotion or the rate of commission before putting in our efforts, then such
work is not detached. It is not "generating excellence for its own sake" but working only
for the extrinsic reward that may (or may not) result.
Working only with an eye to the anticipated benefits, means that the quality of
performance of the current job or duty suffers ‐ through mental agitation of anxiety for
the future. In fact, the way the world works means that events do not always respond
positively to our calculations and hence expected fruits may not always be forthcoming.
So, the Gita tells us not to mortgage present commitment to an uncertain future.
Some people might argue that not seeking the business result of work and actions
makes one unaccountable.
In fact, the Bhagavad Gita is full of advice on the theory of cause and effect, making the
doer responsible for the consequences of his deeds. While advising detachment from
the avarice of selfish gains in discharging one's accepted duty, the Gita does not
absolve anybody of the consequences arising from discharge of his or her
responsibilities. Thus the best means of effective performance management is the work
itself. Attaining this state of mind (called "nishkama karma") is the right attitude to work
because it prevents the ego, the mind, from dissipation of attention through speculation
on future gains or losses
Literature reviews:-
"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always
ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary
truth the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment
one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too. All sorts of things occur to
help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues

from the decision, raising in ones favor all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings
and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way. I
have learned a deep respect for one of Goethe's couplets: 'Whatever you can do, or
dream you can, begin it! Boldness has genius, magic, and power in it.”
--W.H. Murray, of the Scottish Himalayan Expedition
"Trust only movement. Life happens at the level of events not of words. Trust
movement."
--Alfred Adler
"Objectives are not fate; they are direction. They are not commands; they are
commitments. They do not determine the future; they are means to mobilize the
resources and energies of the business for the making of the future."
”Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes... but no plans.”
--Peter Drucker
”Desire is the key to motivation, but it's determination and commitment to an unrelenting
pursuit of your goal - a commitment to excellence - that will enable you to attain the
success you seek.” --Mario Andretti
"Something in human nature causes us to start slacking off at our moment of greatest
accomplishment. As you become successful, you will need a great deal of self-discipline
not to lose your sense of balance, humility, and commitment."
--H. Ross Perot

”Today we affirm a new commitment to live out our nation's promise through civility,
courage, compassion and character. “
--George W. Bush
”Strategy is all about commitment. If what you're doing isn't irrevocable, then you don't
have a strategy -- because anyone can do it... I've always wanted to treat life like I was
an invading army and there was no turning back.
--Troy Tyler
”You have to know one big thing and stick with it. The leaders who had one very big
idea and one very big commitment. This permitted them to create something. Those
are the ones who leave a legacy.”
--Irving Kristol
MOTIVATION – SELF AND SELF TRANSCENDENCE
It has been presumed for many years that satisfying lower order needs of workers ‐
adequate food, clothing and shelter, etc. are key factors in motivation. However, it is a

common experience that the dissatisfaction of the clerk and of the Director is identical ‐
only their scales and composition vary. It should be true that once the lower‐order
needs are more than satisfied, the Director should have little problem in optimizing his
contribution to the organization and society. But more often than not, it does not happen
like that. ("The eagle soars high but keeps its eyes firmly fixed on the dead animal
below.") On the contrary, a lowly paid schoolteacher, or a self‐employed artisan, may
well demonstrate higher levels of self‐actualization despite poorer satisfaction of their
lower‐order needs. This situation is explained by the theory of self‐transcendence
propounded in the Gita. Self transcendence involves renouncing egoism, putting others
before oneself, emphasizing team work, dignity, co‐operation, harmony and trust – and,
indeed potentially sacrificing lower needs for higher goals, the opposite of Maslow.
"Work must be done with detachment."
It is the ego that spoils work and the ego is the centerpiece of most theories of
motivation. We need not merely a theory of motivation but a theory of inspiration. The
Great Indian poet, Rabindranath Tagore (1861‐1941, known as "Gurudev") says
working for love is freedom in action. A concept which is described as "disinterested
work" in the Gita where Sri Krishna says, "He who shares the wealth generated only
after serving the people, through work done as a sacrifice for them, is freed from
all sins. On the contrary those who earn wealth only for themselves, eat sins that
lead to frustration and failure."
Humanistic and Transpersonal Psychology in present context
Abraham Maslow (1954) attempted to synthesize a large body of research related to

human motivation. Prior to Maslow, researchers generally focused separately on such
factors as biology, achievement, or power to explain what energizes, directs, and
sustains human behavior. Maslow posited a hierarchy of human needs based on two
groupings: deficiency needs and growth needs. Within the deficiency needs, each lower

need must be met before moving to the next higher level. Once each of these needs
has been satisfied, if at some future time a deficiency is detected, the individual will act
to remove the deficiency. The first four levels are:
1) Physiological: hunger, thirst, bodily comforts, etc.;
2) Safety/security: out of danger;
3) Belongingness and Love: affiliate with others, be accepted; and
4) Esteem: to achieve, be competent, gain approval and recognition.
According to Maslow, an individual is ready to act upon the growth needs if and only if
the deficiency needs are met. Maslow's initial conceptualization included only one
growth need--self-actualization. Self-actualized people are characterized by: 1) being
problem-focused; 2) incorporating an ongoing freshness of appreciation of life; 3) a
concern about personal growth; and 4) the ability to have peak experiences. Maslow
later differentiated the growth need of self-actualization, specifically identifying two of

the first growth needs as part of the more general level of self-actualization (Maslow &
Lowery, 1998) and one beyond the general level that focused on growth beyond that
oriented towards self (Maslow, 1971). They are:
5) Cognitive: to know, to understand, and explore;
6) Aesthetic: symmetry, order, and beauty;
7) Self-actualization: to find self-fulfillment and realize one's potential; and
8) Self-transcendence: to connect to something beyond the ego or to help others find

self-fulfillment and realize their potential.
Maslow's basic position is that as one becomes more self-actualized and self-
transcendent, one becomes more wise (develops wisdom) and automatically knows
what to do in a wide variety of situations. Daniels (2001) suggested that Maslow's
ultimate conclusion that the highest levels of self-actualization are transcendent in their
nature may be one of his most important contributions to the study of human behavior
and motivation.
Norwood (1999) proposed that Maslow's hierarchy can be used to describe the kinds of
information individual's seek at different levels of development. For example, individuals
at the lowest level seek coping information in order to meet their basic needs.
Information that is not directly connected to helping a person meet his or her needs in a
very short time span is simply left unattended. Individuals at the safety level need
helping information. They seek to be assisted in seeing how they can be safe and
secure. Enlightening information is sought by individuals seeking to meet their
belongingness needs. Quite often this can be found in books or other materials on
relationship development. Empowering information is sought by people at the esteem
level. They are looking for information on how their egos can be developed. Finally,
people in the growth levels of cognitive, aesthetic, and self-actualization seek edifying

information. While Norwood does not specifically address the level of transcendence, I
believe it is safe to say that individuals at this stage would seek information on how to
connect to something beyond themselves or to how others could be edified.
Psychology has traditionally dealt with restoring imbalanced mental function to a more
normal condition. It has paid very little attention to the idea of human potential--that is,
to what humans can grow towards and become. In the last several decades, however,
this narrow focus has shifted somewhat to also consider and support the psychological
growth of people who are basically well-adjusted. In particular, the area now known as
Humanistic Psychology has most thoroughly incorporated this attitude of the possibility
for human actualization into its practice.
Each need builds upon its more basic neighbours. So, needs for safety can be
adequately met only after one has met one's physiological needs such as food and
sleep. Likewise, the wish to belong in a relation, a family, an organisation, a culture, or a
society, necessarily requires that one has realised a level of safety. By adequately
satisfying the demands of a level, we are more fully freed to pursue issues relating to
higher levels of self-expression and communication. Self-esteem, the liking and
acceptance of oneself by oneself, is a pivotal level in the enfoldment of human
awareness. With it, we are enabled to weather the stormy seasons of daily life; without
it, we are lost ships at sea. By believing in the basic goodness of ourselves, we can
allow ourselves to grow and blossom. If we don't fundamentally accept our own spirit,
then we shall have little cause to support activities that can help us. Once, the landmark
of self-acceptance has been secured, a person can work to achieve interesting and
meaningful goals. Such purposeful and consistent effort will, in time, be successful and
result in self-actualisation, the shaping of one's life to accord with one's highest values
and goals.

Humanistic Psychology substantially ends at the upper reaches of self-actualisation--a

level which is assumed the summit of personal growth by most cultures. It is
Transpersonal Psychology which continues this sequence by exploring what might lie
beyond these socially constructed bounds. The subsequent level of self-transcendence
encompasses the common mystical experiences of all the world's spiritual paths. Thus,
these relatively new disciplines, see the human saga as one of natural enfoldment--one
which reaches from solely personal achievements of well-being and success through to
transpersonal achievements of universal wisdom and compassion, spiritual insight, and
enlightenment. Disinterested work finds expression in devotion, surrender and
equipoise.
The former two are psychological while the third is determination to keep the mind free
of the dualistic (usually taken to mean "materialistic") pulls of daily experiences.
Detached involvement in work is the key to mental equanimity or the state of
"nirdwanda." This attitude leads to a stage where the worker begins to feel the presence
of the Supreme Intelligence guiding the embodied individual intelligence. Such
depersonifiedintelligence is best suited for those who sincerely believe in the supremacy
of organizational goals as compared to narrow personal success and achievement.
WORK CULTURE
An effective work culture is about vigorous and arduous efforts in pursuit of given or
chosen tasks. Sri Krishna elaborates on two types of work culture – "daivi sampat" or
divine work culture and "asuri sampat" or demonic work culture. Daivi work culture ‐
involves fearlessness, purity, self‐control, sacrifice, straightforwardness, self-denial,

Calmness , absence of fault‐finding, absence of greed, gentleness, modesty, absence

of envy and pride. Asuri work culture ‐ involves egoism, delusion, personal desires,
improper performance, work not oriented towards service. Mere work ethic is not
enough. The hardened criminal exhibits an excellent work ethic. What is needed is a
work ethic conditioned by ethics in work. It is in this light that the counsel, "yogah
karmasu kausalam" should be understood. "Kausalam" means skill or technique of work
which is an indispensable component of a work ethic. “Yogah" is defined in the Gita
itself as "samatvam yogah uchyate" meaning an unchanging equipoise of mind
(detachment.) Tilak tells us that acting with an equable mind is Yoga. (Bal Gangadhar
Tilak, 1856‐1920, the precursor of Gandhiji, hailed by the people of India as
"Lokmanya," probably the most learned among the country's political leaders. For a
description of the meanings of the word "Yoga", see foot of this page.) By making the
equable mind the bed‐rock of all actions, the Gita evolved the goal of unification of
work ethic with ethics in work, for without ethical process no mind can attain equipoise.
The guru, Adi Sankara (born circa 800 AD), says that the skill necessary in the
performance of one's duty is that of maintaining an evenness of mind in face of success
and failure. The calm mind in the face of failure will lead to deeper introspection and see
clearly where the process went wrong so that corrective steps could be taken to avoid
shortcomings in future. The principle of reducing our attachment to personal gains from
the work done is the Gita's prescription for attaining equanimity. It has been held that
this principle leads to lack of incentive for effort, striking at the very root of work ethic.
To the contrary, concentration on the task for its own sake leads to the achievement of
excellence – and indeed to the true mental happiness of the worker. Thus, while
commonplace theories of motivation may be said to lead us to the bondage or extrinsic
rewards, the Gita's principle leads us to the intrinsic rewards of mental , and indeed
moral satisfaction.
What is Corporate Culture (work culture in a corporate)?

Hundreds of books and thousands of pages have been written on the subject of
corporate culture, and the danger is always that no-one is quite sure what it means.
Perhaps the best definition is ‘the way we do things around here’.
Businesses are not separate entities, but collections of people. All collections of
people produce certain common and important patterns of behaviour. So the topic of
corporate culture is really about people and the way they behave when in groups
together.
Businesses have a history which consists of experiences shared by the people who
belong to the business. This shared history sets constraints to the values of the group,
the way the group thinks about things, and the way rewards operate. A shared history is
a common feature of any group of people, whether it be a business, or a football team,
or a friendship group or a family group. So you should be able to understand exactly
what is going on here.
There are strengths and weaknesses to the constraints that affect a particular group.
For example, all groups have problems and problem members. The question is how
these problems are dealt with. The danger is that they are not dealt with because they
have become taboo. For example, Sarah Smith’s bitchiness may be a well-known
problem of a social group, but no-one is prepared to tackle it because all have agreed
that the untimely death of her father is to blame, and no-one wants to upset her by
reminding her of that sad event. Similarly, Auntie Norah’s drinking may remain
undiscussable in a family group. In a business the marketing department’s total lack of

original thought may become, like the weather, just ‘one of those things’ that have to be
lived with. This may go beyond what is talked about, and actually effect what is thought
about, so a group becomes unaware of other possibilities. This could put a business at
a serious disadvantage. On the other hand, there will be strengths to a particular group
and their habits of speech and thought.

People have a powerful need to belong. A newcomer is quickly ‘encultured’ into the way
of the group, and learns to conform to the prevailing patterns of behaviour. The reason
for this is that ‘breaking the rules’ will result in ostracism to some degree. You have to
be very brave or very right to risk this. Most people will accept a standard they know
perfectly well to be daft if it avoids confrontation and exclusion from the group. All
groups reward certain patterns of behaviour, and punish other patterns, and we all
follow these patterns because the social rewards of acceptance and peer-approval are
so powerful. A business is no different. In fact, it can be more so, because managers
have power and status, and pleasing them (even by agreeing to arrant nonsense) is
even more rewarding.
It follows from this analysis that ‘Business Culture’ is all about how groups of people that
happen to be in a business together set up and follow certain rules of behaviour and
thought. Any one set of rules has advantages and disadvantages. The business then
needs to play down the disadvantages and play up the advantages. But the prevailing
culture, the ‘way we do things around here’, sets up constraints so that some options
are closed down before they have even been properly considered. So, the business
either needs to work around the constraints or remove them.
At certain times in a business’ development and growth it becomes apparent that the
business culture is completely inappropriate for the future. Often this realisation comes
when a new management team is appointed to take a business forward into a new
stage, especially if had become clear that the previous management team wasn’t up to
the job. So the business culture has to be changed. This is extremely difficult. People
don’t like change. However daft the old system, many people will cling to the old system
because it is known territory and they have spent years learning how to manipulate it to
their own advantage; they feel comfortable with it. So convincing people that change is
both necessary and desirable is very difficult, and requires management skills of a high
order. People are very good at passively sabotaging something (as you all know very

well) they don’t approve of. Sometimes the only solution is to replace the entire work-
force, but that, too, is difficult and expensive.
All change produces winners and losers ie people who are better off under the new
arrangements and people who were better off under the old arrangements. The first
group of people can be relied upon to be broadly supportive of the change (whatever
they say to their colleagues over coffee). The question then is ‘how many of them are
there, and are they a majority? Who are they, and do they include sufficient key staff?’
The second group need understanding, and their losses compensated, possibly but not
necessarily financially. More importantly they need winning over. So communication is
vital.
When a business is going through change gossip becomes a very damaging source of
information if management don’t communicate properly. Leadership is also vital, and too
many managers are in fact administrators rather than leaders. In a sense, it is a
marketing job, as the new arrangements have to be ‘sold’ to a sceptical audience. Part
of this is re-assurance, because people will naturally fear the unknown future and
assume it will be worse for them personally.
This whole area is well-researched and discussed. There are copious case-studies
showing how real businesses have tackled this difficult area and made a good job, or a
complete mess, of it. It is, fundamentally, a people issue and solving the people
problems is at the heart of solving the whole business problem. Too many businesses
spend a lot of time and energy brilliantly solving the technical and logistical problems of
Re-organization but with too little thought about the people side.
WORK RESULTS
The Gita further explains the theory of "detachment" from the extrinsic rewards of work
in saying: If the result of sincere effort is a success, the entire credit should not be
appropriated by the doer alone. If the result of sincere effort is a failure, then too the
entire blame does not accrue to the doer. The former attitude mollifies arrogance and

conceit while the latter prevents excessive despondency, de‐motivation and self‐pity.
Thus both these dispositions safeguard the doer against psychological vulnerability, the
cause of the modem managers' companions of diabetes, high blood pressure and
ulcers. Assimilation of the ideas of the Gita leads us to the wider spectrum of
"lokasamgraha" (general welfare) but there is also another dimension to the work ethic ‐
if the "karmayoga" (service) is blended with "bhaktiyoga" (devotion), then the work itself
becomes worship, a "sevayoga" (service for its own sake.)
Along with bhakti yoga as a means of liberation, the Gita espouses the doctrine of
nishkamya karma or pure action untainted by hankering after the fruits resulting from
that action. Modern scientists have now understood the intuitive wisdom of that action in
a new light. Scientists at the US National Institute of Mental Health in Bethesda found
that laboratory monkeys that started out as procrastinators became efficient workers
after they received brain injections that suppressed a gene linked to their ability to
anticipate a reward. The scientists reported that the work ethic of rhesus macaques
wasn't all that different from that of many people: "If the reward is not immediate, you
procrastinate", Dr Richmond told LA Times. (This may sound a peculiarly religious idea
but it has a wider application. It could be taken to mean doing something because it is
worthwhile, to serve others, to make the world a better place.
Purpose
Work results are the output of any project effort. The documentation for work results is a
record that the effort has been completed and the output has been produced. It is used
as proof that the effort was put forth. As with technical documents, work results are
used for a wide variety of purposes associated with the varied nature of the work that
was completed.
Application

Documentation from work results is used as affirmation that work has been
accomplished as prescribed. If work was completed in a way other than how it was
originally specified, the work results documentation will reflect that variance. The
documentation is used as a tool to build evidence that progress is being made, that
deliverables are being produced, and that effort is being put forth. At the work package
level, that information allows the project manager to build a piece-bypiece history of
project progress. At the summary levels, that information can be presented to
management or the customer to highlight the volume and nature of work accomplished.
Content
The work results documentation content will vary somewhat, based on the type of work
that has been accomplished. The content should be structured consistently, however, to
ensure ease of understanding and use. The documentation should include the original
requirement, any coding or numbering for that requirement, the start and finish dates for
the effort, the owner of the activity, contact information for the owner, and the status or
dispensation of the final deliverable or output.
Approaches
The work results documentation may be attached directly to the work output itself. Thus,
the documentation may serve as a cover page or introductory table for that information.
Considerations
There is a temptation on some “lesser” activities (including many administrative

functions) to overlook or forego this type of documentation. That’s understandable,
because it is an administrative effort in itself. However, it is precisely those types of

activities that may be addressed most effectively by this type of data capture, since it
may highlight work that was not required, variance that has not been addressed, or
lesser levels of effort that have been overlooked or dropped.
Conclusion

During execution, project managers may become so overwhelmed with the volume of
work and the level of activity that organizational practice can easily be forgotten. Thus,
the forms and formats included herein often serve to preserve the process by virtue of
their adherence to rote performance of basic reporting, tracking, and information
storage tasks. The key is consistency. The more consistent project managers become
in their management of communications and information, the more effective they are.
MANAGER'S MENTAL HEALTH
Sound mental health is the very goal of any human activity ‐ more so management.
Sound mental health is that state of mind which can maintain a calm, positive poise, or
regain it when unsettled, in the midst of all the external vagaries of work life and social

existence. Internal constancy and peace are the pre‐requisites for a healthy stress‐free
mind. Some of the impediments to sound mental health are:
• Greed ‐ for power, position, prestige and money.
• Envy ‐ regarding others' achievements, success, rewards.
• Egotism ‐ about one's own accomplishments.
• Suspicion, anger and frustration.
• Anguish through comparisons.
The driving forces in today's businesses are speed and competition. There is a distinct
danger that these forces cause erosion of the moral fiber, that in seeking the end, one
permits oneself immoral means ‐ tax evasion, illegitimate financial holdings, being
"economical with the truth", deliberate oversight in the audit, too‐clever financial
reporting and so on. This phenomenon may be called as "yayati syndrome".
In the book, the Mahabharata, we come across a king by the name of Yayati who, in
order to revel in the endless enjoyment of flesh exchanged his old age with the youth of
his obliging youngest son for a thousand years. However, he found the pursuit of
sensual enjoyments ultimately unsatisfying and came back to his son pleading him to
take back his youth. This "yayati syndrome" shows the conflict between externally
directed acquisitions (extrinsic motivation) and inner value and conscience (intrinsic
motivation.) conflict between externally directed acquisitions (extrinsic motivation) and
inner value and conscience (intrinsic motivation.)
Motivation is an important concept in psychology. It provides insight into why we
may behave the way we do. Motivation is an internal process that reflects the desire to
achieve certain goals. Motivation can be divided into two basic types: intrinsic
motivation and extrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation reflects the desire to do something because it is enjoyable. If

we are intrinsically motivated, we would not be worried about external rewards such as
praise or awards. If we are intrinsically motivated, the enjoyment we experience would

be sufficient for us to want to perform the activity in the future.
Examples of Intrinsic Motivation
Writing short stories because you really enjoy writing them, reading a nonfiction book
because you are curious about the topic, and playing chess because you enjoy effortful
thinking are some intrinsic motivation examples.

Extrinsic Motivation
Extrinsic motivation reflects the desire to do something because of external rewards
such as awards, money, and praise. People who are extrinsically motivated may not
enjoy certain activities. They may only wish to engage in certain activities because they
wish to receive some external reward.
Examples of Extrinsic Motivation
There are many possible extrinsic motivation examples. The writer who only writes
poems to be submitted to poetry contests would be one example of extrinsic
motivation. The person who dislikes sales but accepts a sales position because he or
she desires to earn an above average salary is another example of extrinsic

motivation. A third example of extrinsic motivation is selecting a major in college based
on salary and prestige, rather than personal interest in the major.
The Possible Benefits of Intrinsic Motivation
Teachers may be very interested in fostering intrinsic movitation. If students are
only interested in receiving grades or praise, and do not enjoy learning, then teaching
may be very difficult. Students may not wish to think or apply their knowledge. They
may only be concerned with what will be on the tests. In contrast, students who are

intrinsically motivated may enjoy challenging work, and may think in greater depth about
ideas. Teachers may be able to foster intrinsic motivation by having students work on
projects that allow them to see how the information is relevant to their lives.
Supervisors may also be interested in ways to increase intrinsic motivation. The
ideal employee may be one who is self-motivated and does not require constant
supervision. Intrinsically motivated employees may be less likely to be late. They also
may be more likely to excel at their jobs. It is possible that supervisors may increase
intrinsic motivation by allowing employees to have greater autonomy, making the
workplace fun, or encouraging creativity.
INTRINSIC VERSUS EXTRINSIC MOTIVATION

The following are traits of human nature:
 To be curious
 To be active
 To initiate thought and behavior
 To make meaning from experience
 To be effective at what we value
Intrinsic motivation occurs when the learning activity and the learning environment
elicit motivation in the student.
We do not motivate students but rather create, through our teaching, opportunities
that can evoke motivation in students.
Intrinsic Motivation
The following help to create intrinsic motivation:
 When the goals and rewards of the learning are meaningful to the learner
 When the learning is important to the student
 When the learning assists the learner in obtaining valued accomplishments

 When the learning assists the learners in integrating themselves with the
world, with others, and promotes self-awareness
Extrinsic Motivation
In the classroom, it is a way of doing things to children rather than working with them"
KOHN, 1993 (p.784). This view of management disregards a child's ability to think
and reason on their own, not allowing them the chance to develop self-determination
or independent thinking.
Punishments or rewards are used to control the motivation of the students.
In situations where one person (the teacher) is clearly in power, extrinsic motivation
has a greater opportunity to be effective.
In situations where the students believe their perspectives are valid and their rights
are equal to the person distributing the rewards or punishment, there is often the
formation of "power-relationships” with a high probability of subversion, conflict,
Leadership Lessons from Bhagavad-gita
The Bhagavad-gita appears in the context of a much larger work, the Mahabharata,
which provides the back story for the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, soon
to be related by Sanjaya to Dhrtarastra. Readers wishing to gain a greater appreciation
for the wider context of Bhagavad-gita are advised to read Mahabharata by Krishna
Dharma.

Sanjaya was the charioteer of Dhrtarastra, who was a King. There are four primary
leadership roles:
1. Strategic Leadership
2. Directive Leadership
3. Team-building Leadership
4. Operational Leadership
You have a unique character, with particular strengths and weaknesses.When you
understand and play to your strengths you can develop your natural leadership ability,
and you'll find that you are suited to a particular leadership role.
Effective leadership necessitates a leadership team with the right mix of aptitudes.
One is too small a number for greatness, as the saying goes. Getting the right mix of
people on the leadership team is crucial. Too many of one aptitude and there will be
dysfunction of the organization or of the leadership team itself.Wrong mixes may
manifest as a harmonious but ineffective leadership team, or a volatile leadership team
characterized by internal strife. All of the four roles are necessary for a complete
leadership team – in areas where one person is weak, another person is strong.
It is not ordinarily possible for one person to embody all types, and especially not to
be good at all of them, because they have contradictory psychological characteristics.
Such a personality is exceedingly rare. A person is generally strong in a primary
leadership role, accompanied by a weaker predominant secondary role. Very rarely
will a person by strong in three.Wherever there are strengths there are corresponding
weaknesses. These weaknesses can become strengths when they are acknowledged
and understood, and a team is built around them. "Know Yourself", and your area of
contribution, is the beginning of individual effectiveness, leading to team
effectiveness.
Persons who are suited to Strategic Leadership are thinkers. They lead out of a
strategic strength. Their primary concern is why to do things. They love the challenge
of understanding and planning. They value knowing over doing. This gives them a
detachment which enables them to more accurately and objectively analyze the
situation. They value knowledge and wisdom, and admire perceptive and wise people.

To assess your strength in this leadership role score one point for each of the
following characteristics of the Strategic Leader that you possess:
1. Analyst of reality
2. Create practical ways of converting vision into action
3. View emotions and sensitivity as detrimental to the cause
4. Do not hesitate to ask the hard questions
5. Do not mind creating controversy
6. Content to remain in the background
7. More loyal to the vision than to the people
8. Take great pride in being knowledgable in their area of focus
The corresponding weaknesses of this type are the following:
1. Useful but generally not popular
2. Usually portrayed as insensitive and robotic
3. Usually happier working with ideas than people
4. Often take a long time to arrive at decisions
5. Lean toward perfectionism
The extreme archetype of this leader is Spock from Star Trek.
Persons who are suited to Directive Leadership, also known as Executive Leadership,
are initiators. In the hazy smoke of battle (literal or metaphorical), while others are
stumbling around in shock and confusion, looking for guidance, the Directive Leader
is the one whose response is to charge forward boldly, and inspire others to follow
them.
They love to direct, and are able to initiate action, and to sustain action. They value
doing over knowing. A person with a reduced strength in this area may be able to
intiate, but unable to sustain action. In terms of Myers-Briggs or Keirsey personality
typing, this person is often an NT. They value competence and effectiveness, and
admire competent and effective people.
In order to get an idea of how strong in this leadership role you are, score one point
for each of the following characteristics that apply:
The Directive Leader:
1. Casts a compelling vision
2. Does not spend time or energy in the details of the process

3. High motivational capacity

4. Effective speaker
5. Good listener
6. Make people feel important
7. Intuitive decision maker
8. Air of confidence
9. Makes tough calls
10.Seldom compromises
The corollary weaknesses of this type are the following:
1. Disinterest in the minutiae of the process
2. Little patience in discussion about detail
3. Great with large groups but not especially warm with individuals
4. Restless
5. Have short attention span
6. Favour action over reflection
7. May ignore financial limitations and realities
8. Have a high interest in making good things happen now
In the language of Stephen Covey, the Directive Leader is all about efficiency –
getting people moving up the hill. The Strategic Leader is all about effectiveness,
making sure that the team is moving up the right hill.
The Directive Leader is about engagement – engaging himself or herself, and
engaging others in the task at hand. The Visionary Leader is about detachment –
stepping back and looking at the bigger picture. The two are generally complementary
roles, and a person is generally better at one or the other.
The Strategic Leader enables the Directive Leader by providing him or her with
strategic vision and direction. This is very valuable to the Directive leader as it
ultimately makes him or her more effective.
In classical terms a Directive Leader is known as a ksatriya, and a Visionary Leader is
known as a brahmana. Ksatriyas would act as Kings, and they would maintain an
advisory staff of one or more brahmanas who would act as strategic input to their
decision-making process.
Dhrtarastra is a ksatriya, a Directive Leader.

The Team Building Leader is all about people. They are natural people persons, and
generate cohesion in any group that they are part of.
Their characteristics are as follows:
1. Enjoy organising people around a common cause
2. Rely heavily on their relational network
3. Charismatic
4. Generate high morale
5. Place high value on people
6. Ability to interact with a high variety of people
7. Receives loyalty and respect from the team
Their weaknesses are:

1. Hate paperwork
2. Waffle on detail
3. Tendency to ignore agendas, action plans, and budgets
4. Allow relationships to hinder progress
5. Get hurt by people

The Operational Leader is the final leadership role. This is a very practical, on-the
ground leadership role.
The characteristics of an Operational Leader are as follows:
1. Provide stability to the organisation
2. Devise systems to make things run smoothly
3. They act as a hub through which people go in the organization
4. Often reports bad news, but is seldom responsible
5. Create new solutions to old problems
6. Often complement the other three aptitudes
Their weaknesses:
1. Easily slips from leader to manager
2. Dislike conflict
3. Fail to see the big picture

4. Lack motivational skills

5. Can be viewed as a hindrance to progress
6. Often lack the influence of the other three aptitudes
Sanjaya is part of Dhrtarastra's leadership team, and his formal position is that of an
operational leader, in charge of the King's transport. However, his actual role is
revealed in this verse. The King has approached him for guidance and for vision.
Formal roles are one thing, but the real substance of leadership is influence, and as we
have seen here, this depends on the personal qualities of a person.
King Duryodhana was the son of King Dhrtarastra. Dhrtarastra, while the eldest son
of his father, was born blind, and was therefore skipped over in the succession of the
kingdom. He and successive generations of his household were ineligible to sit on the
throne while his younger brother Pandu, or his sons, the Pandavas, were alive.
Although Duryodhana did not have a valid claim to the throne he felt that he should
be King.With his father's tacit complicity he manipulated the situation to exclude the
sons of Pandu, who was deceased, from the throne, and the pursuit of this policy
eventually led to the military confrontation that provides the backdrop of Bhagavad-
gita's conversation.
Here Duryodhana approaches his teacher, Dronacarya. Every person is a unique

individual, with a unique mix of strengths and weaknesses, which make them uniquely
suited to contribute in a particular organizational role.
Dronacarya has a personality with a highly developed primary leadership ability for
Strategic Leadership , and also a very strong secondary ability as a Directive Leader.
Both nature and nuture play a role in determining our career path, and Dronacarya's
family heritage of teaching lead him to a career as a teacher and coach of Directive
Leaders, or Ksatriyas.
The predominance of his brahmana nature – the Strategic Leadership capability -
means that he is not satisfied simply doing things – he has a deep need to teach others
to do things, accompanied by the capacity to understand the theoretical underpinnings

that affect action.

The strength of his ksatriya nature, his secondary leadership ability, weakens his
ability to act as a pure Strategic Leader, who deals with the really bigger picture
issues.
This combination makes him uniquely suited to be a military advisor and teacher. He
is a person who has a highly developed theoretical understanding of execution, greater
than that of a pure Directive Leader, combined with a personal drive for execution that
allows him to earn the respect of Directive Leaders. He is a warrior and a thinker.
While he is a warrior and a thinker, he is primarily a thinker, although his thinking is
strongest in relation to warriorship. Therefore he is here referred to as Duryodhana's
teacher. In the coming battle he will initially act primarily as a strategic advisor. Prior
to the battle he trained Duryodhana in strategy, as well as tactical execution.
Duryodhana here points out that the leaders on the other side of the battlefield,
especially their strategist Drstadyumna, the son of King Drupada, were also students
of Dronacharya In the fratricidal war that resulted from Duryodhana's ill-advised

pursuit of the throne the house of the Kurus was torn asunder and former comrades
were pitched against each other.
Leaders are both born and made.Within every person exists the potential to lead
others, to model exemplary behaviour and inspire others to rise to the occasion. Each
of us has a unique character, and the particular style of leadership and leadership role
that we are best suited for varies from person to person. The realization of this
leadership potential often begins when it is recognized and nurtured by another leader
who sees the potential within us and communicates their belief in what we can
become.
Seeing the potential in others and nurturing that is part of being a leader. The real
measure of a leader is not what they can accomplish personally or even through an
organization, but how much they are able to empower others to realize their own
leadership potential.
General Electric, under the stewardship of legendary CEO JackWelch, become one of
the world's most successful companies.While the company had a number of divisions

that produced a variety of products, the product that most distinguishes JackWelch as
a leader is the number of former GE staffers who went on to become CEOs in other
companies.
The best leaders help others to realize their full potential. They do not think: “Let me
keep this person down so that they will never be able to take my place”, and in this
way undermine and subtly sabotage their people. The best mindset to have in creating
other leaders is to always be trying to recruit and train yourself out of a job. An
authentic leader sees himself or herself as simply a placeholder, holding an office until
the properly qualified person comes to take up the reins. They are always on the
lookout for talented people, and encouraging and nurturing them.
In the case of Dronacarya, he had trained Drstadyumna even though Drstadyumna's
father, King Drupada, was his enemy. Drupada and Dronacarya had been school
mates. As children in the school they had pledged their firm friendship for life.
Dronacarya, as the son of a brahmana or teacher, while he had a strong Directive

Leadership ability, had gone on to become a teacher, while Drupada, from an
aristocratic family, had gone on to become the chief executive of a kingdom.
Years later, when Dronacarya, now destitute, had approached Drupada for assistance
he was rebuffed with the taunt that friendship could only be between equals. Drupada
had become proud due to his opulence. Dronacarya left the reunion with his face
burning and a desire to avenge the insult he had received. The strength that manifests
as the motivating power of Directive leaders has a corollary weakness in the form of
pride, and Dronacarya, as a borderline personality between Directive and Strategic
Leader was not immune to this, as was more obviously the case with his former friend
Drupada.
Had Dronacarya been born into a family with a tradition of executive leadership he
may well have been a ruler, as was the case with his former friend Drupada. The fact
that he later married a lady from such a ruling family further shows his affinity to that
way of life. However, his family tradition was one of teaching, and thus this was the
career that he entered. Dronacarya secured a position as a martial teacher in the royal
house of the Kurus, and trained the Kuru princes, including both sides of the current
conflict, in the art of war. It was customary in the Vedic culture that a graduating

student give an offering to the teacher. Dronacarya asked his students to bring King
Drupada to him bound hand and foot. First of all Duryodhana and his brothers
attempted to do so, but they were repelled by Drupada and his men. Next the five
Pandava brothers attempted, and were able to subdue Drupada and bring him to
Dronacarya.
Dronacarya then rebuked Drupada for having treated him as his inferior, and took
away half of his kingdom. King Drupada seethed with resentment and desired to have
a son who would kill Dronacharya That son was Drstadyumna, who was later trained
by Dronacarya himself, in spite of his knowing that fact.
The people we train as leaders may well go on to lead organizations that compete with
us in the marketplace. This is a fact of life, and we should give everything that we can
to help them to realize their potential, and celebrate their success. Long after we are
gone from this world the legacy of leadership that we have contributed to will live on.
If we contribute to creating a culture of authentic leadership we can be sure the needs
of the people will be served. Authentic leadership is not about you or me, it is about
the people that we serve. As leaders we have to be bigger than ourselves, and serve a
bigger cause.
Arjuna was Dronacharya’s most brilliant student. When Drupada, who along with his
son took to the battlefield on the side of the Pandavas, desired a son to kill
Dronacharya, he simultaneously desired a daughter to give in marriage to Arjuna, who
had, along with his brothers, subdued Drupada. Drupada so much appreciated Arjuna's
skill that he wanted to have him as his son-in-law.
Executive leaders admire competent and effective persons. Like Drupada they are the
“good sportsmen” who take a drubbing field and admire their opponent for their skill.
Because authentic leaders serve a cause greater than themselves they are not subject
to the same ego-insecurity that comes with a self-serving agenda. At the same time that
they might admire a misguided leader for his effectiveness, however, they lament his
lack of integrity with the principles needed to provide authentic leadership. When
leadership abilities are used for personal or extended personal gain they are misused.
Leadership is a service, and a leader is a servant of the people. Duryodhana desired
the throne for his own personal gratification, therefore he was not an authentic leader

and his leadership would be disastrous for the people.

Duryodhana is speaking for the benefit of his staff, who are overhearing this
conversation, as much as he is for Dronacharya He has emphasised the presence of
King Drupada and his son to remind Dronacharya of the seriousness of the situation
and to inspire Dronacharya to engage in the battle without reservation. He now speaks
to inspire his men, so that he will end his presentation on an inspiring note.
Duryodhana is casting vision, an important activity of a leader. One definition of
leadership is “the supply of vision and direction in a situation of uncertainty and
confusion”. Leaders help the people to have a vision that inspires and empowers them
to direct their energy toward a distant goal in a harmonious fashion. It is said that
seeing is believing, and leaders help people to see things that are as yet unmanifest,
and so align their actions with that future reality in a way that brings it about.
Author Alvin Toffler put it: “You've got to think about big things while you're doing
small things, so that all the small things go in the right direction.” Leaders help the
people to do this by casting vision, constantly reminding the people of the bigger
picture they are a part of, and working towards.
The nature of this world is that everything tends toward decay and disorder. Vision is
no exception. Organizations “leak” vision. Over a period of as little as two to three
weeks an organization can lose sight of the bigger picture and get lost in the minutiae
of the implementation details – missing the forest for the trees. Leaders have to
constantly restate the vision to keep it fresh and vibrant.
Directive Leaders excel is casting vision, but crafting vision is especially the area of
strength of Strategic Leaders. They have a highly developed ability to “feel” the
future. To inspire people, a vision must be compelling. In order to be compelling it
needs two things: first of all, it needs to include the people. A vision of someone else's
future is not as compelling for me as a vision that includes me. Number two, it needs
to be felt by the leader. Communication is all about transference of internal states
through the medium of words. A leader needs to first feel it inside themselves before
they are able to inspire others to feel it. The compelling vision of a leader is not
simply an idea of what could be – it is what should be. It carries with it a moral
imperative that is palpably felt by the leader.

When vision is aligned with eternal universal principles it is beneficial for everyone,
and not simply for one particular group at the expense of others. Aligning vision with
eternal universal principles must be a primary concern of authentic leaders.
Bhagavad-gita is an exposition of those eternal principles, and persons with
leadership ability who study these principles will be empowered to provide authentic
leadership.
On a leadership team the Strategic Leaders provide vision aligned with eternal
principles, and the Directive Leaders provide direction, aligning the people with the
vision. The Team-building Leaders generate cohesion and keep the group together,
and Operational Leaders provide leadership in the area of implementation. All types
of leaders play vital roles. Some people will have ability in multiple areas, others will
have ability focused in one area.
.
Please note that the critical factor that Duryodhana mentions in his favour is not the
equipment or technology that he and his organization have at their disposal. It is not
the strategic plan, it is not even his own ability – it is his people.
Researcher Jim Collins, author of “Good to Great”, led a team in a six year research
effort which investigated the causative factors that distinguish good companies from
so-called “good-to-great” ones, an arbitrary distinction created by the research group
of a sustained, significant performance improvement that was so stringent that only 15
companies made the cut in the entire US economy over a 40 year period.
Among a handful of significant factors was the finding that the good-to-great
companies had a relentless focus on what the researchers termed: “First Who, then
What”. They use the analogy of a bus to explain this concept. Leaders in the good-to
great companies focused first on getting the right people onto the bus and making sure
they were on the right seats, before deciding where to drive the bus. They were
prepared to leave a seat empty for as long as it took to find “the right person”, rather
than settle for someone who was less than ideal.
Leaders in the comparison companies, in contrast, would often start out with the idea
of where they wanted to go, then get people onboard to go there.
Leaders in the good-to-great companies could be compared to “helpers of a thousand

geniuses”, whereas the leaders of the comparison companies were often “geniuses
with a thousand helpers”.
Getting the right people is fundamental. Both Duryodhana and Arjuna spent a lot of
time and energy recruiting for this battle. Sun Tzu, in his classic treatise the Art of
War states leadership as one of the five essential factors that determine ultimate
victory.
Vikarna is mentioned here amongst the other big names of Duryodhana's leadership
team not because he is of the same caliber as the others, but because his loyalty was in
question. Previously, as injustices had been meted out by Duryodhana on the
Pandavas, Vikarna alone had spoken out in protest against Duryodhana's actions.
Duryodhana, in a calculated move, mentions Vikarna in an attempt to influence him,
appealing to his ego.
Vikarna, however, changes sides just before the battle, when the opportunity is given
to do so. Duryodhana's force is numerically superior and seems more likely to prevail
in this final battle in a war that up to this point he has been winning. Vikarna,
however, is loyal to a higher cause than his own self-aggrandizement or even self-
preservation, and must do what he understands to be right. This is a hallmark of an
authentic leader.
The caliber of a leader can be understood by the caliber of the leaders they have
around them. Insecure leaders tend to recruit persons who do not threaten them. They
like to feel like the smartest person in the room. They limit others growth potential in
order that they might not be outshone.
Truly great leaders, however, surround themselves with the brightest people they can
find, and empower them to do their best work. They provide a working environment
in which leaders are able to reach their full potential, and provide opportunities for
them to do significant work.
By doing this they secure the loyalty of their staff. Real loyalty comes when a leader
has made an investment in the development of the people they lead - when they have
empowered those persons and helped them to become more effective.
In the case of Karna, who was the illegitimate half-brother of the Pandavas,
Duryodhana had stood up for him when he had first appeared as an unknown in the

Kaurava court. He had personally vouched for him and granted him a royal title of a
principality, conceding some of his own land. This act of empowerment and trust
earned him Karana’s undying loyalty. Even when Karna found out his relationship to
the Pandavas, he was still unable to give up his allegiance to Duryodhana.
Duryodhana here mentions the equipment and experience of his people. Having the
right people is essential, but making sure that they have the right tools to do their job
is also important.
Duryodhana is casting the vision for his people. JackWelch, former CEO of General
Electric and author ofWinning, explains that “the leader defines the situation”. In the
language of famed management expert Max Dupre, “the leader's first duty is to define
reality.” Whenever there is a crisis leaders do not allow others to step up and define
the situation – they define the situation.
In this case the words that Duryodhana uses in the Sanskrit text of Bhagavad-gita can
be interpreted to mean completely the opposite to what has been rendered here, a
remarkable linguistic feat by the author of Bhagavad-gita, which indicates that
although he is a powerful and effective leader, because his leadership is not aligned
with the fundamental universal principles that will be described in this book, he is
ultimately doomed.
Having addressed Dronacarya with the others overhearing, Duryodhana now
addresses the rest of his people directly, urging them to give their effort in a
coordinated fashion. By casting vision transparently he has ensured that everyone
knows what is going on.When communication is fluid within an organization there
can be a high level of shared vision and shared situational awareness.With this access
to vision leaders can be self-synchronizing. The natural tendency of leaders is to
initiate action. If strategic vision is not shared across an organization the tendency will
be for leaders to initiate action which doesn't necessarily contribute to the overall
goals or momentum of the organization.
One, unfortunately common, response to this situation is to chastise and restrain
individual initiative. This severely constrains the effectiveness of the organization and
can lead to loss of talented personnel. The best response is to make sure that
communication is fluid up, down, and across the organization, and that vision is

shared and constantly restated.

It has been said, with good reason, that good management consists of having the
ability to get the right people, and the humility to get out of their way while they get
the work done. Making sure that the people have the vision is a necessary step to
releasing them to realize their full potential in the service of the organization and its
goals.
Micromanagement, a sure-fire way to burn out both leaders and followers while
severely limiting organizational efficiency, can be the result of three things:

1. An insecure leader
2. Incompetent recruitment resulting in the wrong people in the wrong roles
3. Lack of vision casting
In the case of Duryodhana he is confident that his people will do what is necessary.
Bhishma, the elder statesman of the Kuru dynasty, present on the side of Duryodhana,
blew his conchshell, rousing the spirits of the troops. The symbolism of the conch is
significant, as will be revealed in the next text.
In contrast to the conchshell sounded by Bhishma, the conchshells sounded by Arjuna

and Krishna are described as “transcendental” (divya in the original Sanskrit). This is
an indication that the leadership of Arjuna and Krishna is in accordance with
underlying universal principles, as will be further explained in this work.
Effective leadership follows principles of practice which empower it to effect change.
Authentic leadership follows principles of purpose which empower it to effect holistic
positive change. Duryodhana was expert in applying the principles of practice, and as
such he was able to amass a large force of capable, competent leaders. However, he
had no interest in any purpose other than his own - the goal and direction of his
leadership was not in accord with principles, therefore he was misleading these
people. Leadership which follows principles in its form but deviates from or ignores
universal principles in its function is actually little more than manipulation. A leader
has been given a gift in the form of their ability to lead.With great power comes great
responsibility. A leader exists within the context of a universal order, as do the people
he or she leads. It is the responsibility of the leader to know what that universal order

is, and to lead in accordance with it. Bhagavad-gita is just for this purpose.
Krishna had vowed not to fight in the battle, but to join one side of the conflict. His
army, however, would fight on the other side. Duryodhana elected Krishna's army, and
Arjuna chose to have Krishna on his side. Krishna is the enunciator of the
fundamental universal principles described in Bhagavad-gita, and as He will explain
later, their source. The inner meaning of His appearing on the side of the Pandavas,
which was substantially weaker in strength than Duryodhana's side, is that leadership
which is lacking in effectiveness, in efficacy, due to a lack of understanding of the
principles of practice is preferably to leadership which is lacking in alignment with
the principles of purpose. It's better to be going in the right direction at 5 miles an
hour, than off a cliff at 100.
For all the efficiency of modern western civilization we see a number of alarming
statistics, among them rates of violent crime, suicide, divorce and other indicators that
efficiency is not everything.
Yudhishthira, Nakula, and Sahadeva are three of the five Pandava brothers. Arjuna and
Bhima are the other two.
In this opening chapter of the Bhagavad-gita we are given some insight into the
character of an authentic leader. The internal psychology of an authentic leader, their
area and scope of concern, are revealed in the following conversation between Arjuna
and Krishna.
Duryodhana is described as durbuddeh – evil-minded. The word buddheh refers to
intelligence, and the modifier dur indicates misuse. Everyone has a certain amount of
different types of intelligence. Recently the idea of “emotional intelligence” has risen
to prominence. There is also the more traditional (in theWest) idea of the type of
intelligence measured by IQ. Even the ability to mix and match colors is a type of
intelligence. Different people have different mixtures of intelligence, and how they
elect to use these talents is up to them. Duryodhana had a large degree of talent and
intelligence, but he chose to utilize them in pursuit of a program of his own devising,
without reference to universal principles. He did care about anything more than
seizing the throne for himself. Thus he is described as evil-minded, or a misuser of his
intelligence.

The stage is set. At this point of the Mahabharata, after many chapters detailing the
intrigues, the betrayals, the trials and tribulations of the Pandavas, the decisive battle,
where the fate of the kingdom will finally be decided, has at last arrived.
It is at this point, with the audience on the edge of their seats, that this crucial
conversation, an exposition of principles to guide leaders, takes place. Appropriately it
takes place in the open field between the two armies, representing a gathering of the
greatest leaders of the time.
Krishna has arranged for this situation, in order to allow this exposition of eternal
principles to take place. He now makes the final adjustments to the setting for this
lesson. Bhagavad-gita is a collection of principles accompanied by a specific, extreme
case – Arjuna's situation. Arjuna is faced with a dilemma, which Krishna is indicating
with his use of the terms “Kurus” to describe the family members. Dhrtarastra was
deliberate in the opening words of Bhagavad-gita to draw a distinction between his
sons and the sons of his brother Pandu, the Pandavas. Here Krishna identifies both
branches of the family as descendants and members of the house of Kuru. This is not
a war between two different families, two different nations, or two different groups of
people. This is a fratricidal conflict between close relatives and former comrades-
inarms.
Here we hear about the first characteristic of a leader – compassion. The dictionary
defines compassion as “Deep awareness of the suffering of another coupled with the
wish to relieve it.”
The moral authority of a leader and the moral imperative of their vision derives from
this quality in their character. Leaders are problem solvers. They identify a problem
and seek to solve it. The problem that they seek to solve involves relieving the
suffering of others.
Guy Kawasaki, former technical evangelist for Apple and venture capitalist,
recommends the 10/20/30 rule for Powerpoint presentations pitching a company for
venture capital (a form of vision casting). Basically the rule states that there should be
10 slides, the presentation should go for 20 minutes, and should use 30 point fonts.
The 10 slides are the following:
1. Problem

2. Solution
3. Business Model
4. Underlying Magic
5. Marketing and Sales
6. Competition
7. Team
8. Projections
9. Status and Timeline
10.Summary and Call to Action
The presentation begins with identifying the problem. Sometimes a presentation fails
to identify the problem that is being addressed. A vision of a solution looking for a
problem will be ineffective in motivating the people, in this case venture capitalists.
The first thing they need to hear is: “What is the pain that your product or service will
relieve?”
Arjuna is here mentioned as the son of Kunti.Women are generally more
compassionate in their nature than men, so it is fitting thatArjuna is referred to as the
son of his mother in this regard.
Here the nature of Arjuna's feelings is presented. Duryodhana had no such reaction to
the situation. His only concern was how to motivate his people to secure victory on
the battlefield. His vision has no component of relieving the suffering of others.
Rather than relying on loyalty to a vision and a higher cause, his recruitment strategy
relied on personal loyalty to himself, or to remuneration that he was able to provide.
King Salya was an uncle of the Pandava brothers, and travelled overland with his
army to join them in the battle. Approaching the site of the battle Salya arrived at a
staging area which had been prepared in anticipation of him and his army. It had many
facilities for his men, including lodgings and refreshments. As Sun Tzu explains, the
maintenance of an army in the field is terribly expensive for the kingdom, so the
provision of facilities such as these was no mere gesture but a substantial aid.
Salya and his forces put up for the night and rested well, served by the staff of the
encampment. In the morning, rested and well fed, Salya requested the staff to
introduce him to their host, as he wished to pledge his loyalty. Expecting to meet
Yudhisthira, the eldest of the Pandavas, he realized he had been tricked when the door

of the tent was whisked aside to reveal Duryodhana.

Leadership in its purest form is found in volunteer organizations. In a volunteer
organization leaders are unable to leverage job security or monetary incentives. They
rely on the pure substance of leadership – influence and the good will of those they
would lead.
Duryodhana's pitch consists of the problem that he wants to be King, and the solution
of killing the Pandavas. There is no compassion in this, there is no deep awareness of
the suffering of others coupled with the desire to relieve it. It is not a compelling
vision except for the part which says: “You can share in the spoils with me”, and this
appeals to a certain type of person only.
Bhagavad-gita is an extreme case to prove a point.We can see how Duryodhana is an
extreme archetype of the self-absorbed, manipulative leader. Arjuna is about to
demonstrate the other end of the spectrum. However, just how extreme a case
Bhagavad-gita is will be fully revealed after this, when Krishna shows how even
Arjuna's current level of leadership falls short of what is required of an authentic
leader.
This is Arjuna's calculation of the situation. Unlike Duryodhana, who relishes the idea
of vanquishing his enemies and enjoying the throne, Arjuna finds himself in a
dilemma – entering into the battle and laying waste to his kinsmen, which they will do
whether they ultimately win or lose, does not appeal to him. And the idea of ultimate
victory and the reclaiming of the throne after such a massacre has no attraction for
him.
Here we feel the full import of the situation. Duryodhana has callously divided the
entire family and driven it to the brink of annihilation through his ambition. Arjuna,
however, wants no part of this. On the one hand we see the extreme greed and
disregard for consequences of Duryodhana. On the other hand we are seeing Arjuna's
compassion and concern for others. His desire to sit on the throne is certainly not
strong enough to impell him to kill all these people, his dear family members.
Non-violence is not accepted by Arjuna as a universal principle. Violence, as with
everything else, is neither intrinsically good nor bad.What matters is how it is used.
Everything that exists has its proper use, and knowing when something is appropriate

and when it is inappropriate is the art of expert management.
In the case of aggression, Vedically it is understood to be appropriate for warriors to

respond with force when they or the people they are sworn to protect are threatened
with force. Use of force to deter aggressors is necessary – as George Orwell put it:
“People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to
do violence on their behalf.”
However, Arjuna's use of the word “such” in reference to these aggressors indicates
that while he accepts the need to use violence in situations where it is necessary, in
this case, an extreme case, where he is called to use violence against his own family
members, he feels such a use of force to be inappropriate.
His argument here is two pronged. In the first instance he argues that it is
inappropriate (sinful), and in the second that there will be no good result from it.
People are sometimes prepared to compromise on principles “if the price is right”.
Arjuna here communicates to Krishna that even if his integrity were for sale, he is not
hearing the kind of offer he would need to close the deal.
Arjuna's concern is not simply another shade of Duryodhana's self-interest, held by
someone with less evolutionary right to survive. Duryodhana is concerned about
himself only, at the expense of others. By this argument that Arjuna introduces here he
reveals that he is not simply spineless. His sphere of concern is wider than his own
self-interest.
Arjuna is concerned about the wider sociological implications of his actions. His level
of vision extends far beyond the immediate consequences and considers the larger
impact. Duryodhana thinks only of himself and his immediate desires and agenda.
Arjuna shows himself to be a leader of a higher caliber through this consideration of
the wider issues – the bigger picture.
The family unit is the basis of human society, although at present in the increasingly
globalized consumer society this is being supplanted by the individual consumer as
the basic building block.
When family traditions are disrupted or destroyed, as will be the result of this battle,
the women of the family become vulnerable to exploitation. There is no family
structure to bring pressure to bear to enforce responsible behaviour – no father to

“bring the shotgun to the wedding”. The results of this are children who are many
times not economically supported by their biological father, and do not enjoy a stable
social and economic situation for their upbringing. These children grow up with an
underlying psychological impression that they are in fact unwanted, and this
influences their future as members of society. Children from broken homes are
disproportionately represented in statistics of violent crime, substance abuse, and
suicide. Due to a lack of a successful model of stable family life they are also
disproportionately represented in divorce statistics.
Arjuna's concern for this is a symptom of his compassion, and an indication that he
has the character needed to be an authentic leader.
Traditionally the family unit has been responsible for socialization, education, and
social welfare, including the maintenance of the elderly. Parents would invest their
time, energy, and income in their children, and when they advanced in age their
children would return the favour and take care of them.
Today children are routinely abandoned by one or both parents, and parents are
encouraged to store away some of their income during their productive years in order
to “not be a burden on their children” in the future. Young people are encouraged to
seek self-actualization through an independent lifestyle of consumption along with a
partner. Both elderly parents and children are seen as a hindrance to this pursuit of
self-actualization through consumption, and thus fertility rates are at an all time low in
Western countries, with negative population growth in many populations.
Elderly people are left to fend for themselves, abandoned by their children and
relegated to old folks homes where they live in isolation from the family. In this way
the family as the basic structural unit of human society has become replaced with the
individual consumer. This is the result of the destruction of the family tradition.
Arjuna demonstrates through his concerns that aside from the legality of the
succession, he is more the indicated person to sit on the throne than Duryodhana.
This is another verse that can be read two ways – “those who destroy the family
traditions dwell always in hell”, and also “those whose family traditions are destroyed
dwell always in hell”.

The problems that arise from the destruction of the family tradition lay the individual
vulnerable to social, economic, and personal exploitation from infancy through to old
age.
Keenly aware of the implications of the battle that is at hand in a way that
Duryodhana clearly is not, Arjuna laments his involvement. In fact Duryodhana is the
one who is driven by the desire to enjoy royal happiness. As will become clear from
Arjuna's deliberations in this chapter and the next, his own motivation is something
quite different.
In the face of this realization, Arjuna loses his will to fight. It is more than simple
cowardice. He realizes what the outcome of this battle will be. Arjuna's concerns are
well founded. The battle will take place, and the unraveling of the social structure
will begin to take place soon afterwards.
Arjuna is in a clear dilemma. In neither case can he see a good outcome. Either he
fights and wins, in which case he kills his family members, the family tradition is
destroyed and society is irreparably damaged, or else he is killed, with the same
destruction of the family tradition. He reasons that the best course of action would be
to die unresisting, and in this way preserve the family tradition.
These are all characteristic sentiments of an authentic leader. An authentic leader is a
servant of the people and is aligned with and serving something greater than himself
or herself.
However, Arjuna's compassion, while admirable compared with the mentality of
Duryodhana, is still insufficient to elevate him to the position of an authentic leader.
Intentions notwithstanding, without alignment with universal principles admirable
sentiments are insufficient to empower a leader to do what is right. In any situation it
is practically impossible to calculate the possible outcomes, and any empirical method
of assessing courses of action quickly degenerates into a question of probabilities.
Leaders must provide clarity in uncertain circumstances. Krishna is about to enlighten
Arjuna to fundamental principles that will illuminate the way forward for him, and
empower him to be an authentic leader, acting in knowledge selflessly in the service
of the people.

Management Guidelines From The Mahabharata

“Yudhisthira, as though in a trance, lost all. The

only sound was Sakuni’s ‘I have won!’ Brothers
he lost and then himself, Now taunted by Sakuni
and desperate to win spoke “I stake that fairest
woman Draupadi.”A hush, a breathless silence,
till Duryodhana roared “Fetch Draupadi, for he
has lost.”
Time Management from Mahabharat

It is well known that the great battle of Mahabharat was the consequence of a long
series of intrigues and conspiracies planned and abetted by the wicked prince
Duryodhana, the eldest son of Dhritarashtra. Right from the very beginning, it had been
a major (and the only) preoccupation of Duryodhana and his maternal uncle, Shakuni,
to deprive the Pandav brothers of their legitimate rights. In order to achieve their goals,
they were bent upon using any methods foul or fair. The duo did not let any opportunity
slip by to eliminate Pandavas or at least to keep them away from the throne of
Indraprastha.
One such occasion for hatching a conspiracy presented itself when the Pandavas were
sent to Varnavrat festival. Unknown to them, Duryodhana and Shakuni had an
apparently magnificent palace erected for the Pandavas. The grandeur of the palace
impressed the Pandavas so much that they felt a very deep sense of gratitude towards
their cousin Duryodhana who, in their view, took so much pain to make their stay at
Varnavrat so comfortable.
However, Vidur, the uncle of the Pandavas and Kauravas, was not convinced that
Duryodahana and Shakuni could be doing all this as a matter of affectionate hospitality.
Vidur has always been admired - and rightly so - for his wisdom. He viewed and
examined everything critically; more so where there was involvement of Duryodhana or
Shakuni. He found out that the apparently grand palace was built of wax.
And why wax? Shakuni had worked out his scheme with meticulous planning. He had
planned that the Pandavas would be invited to Varnavrat festival and lodged in this
palace of wax, where they would be provided with generous hospitality. Their needs
would be attended to with utmost care and politeness. In the process, they would
develop an uncritical and affectionate attitude towards Duryodhana. Nothing would be
done which might incite their suspicion. They would thus stay till the last day of the
Varnavrat festival. Doing anything untoward during the days of the festival would create
confusion and invite the ire of the general population who are joyfully participating in the
festival.
Once the festival was over and the Pandavas were left alone in the palace, they would

be requested as a matter of courtesy to stay on for a couple of days more. On the last
night of their stay, the palace of wax would be put on fire. The unsuspecting Pandavas
would be consumed by fire in their sleep. The world would know of the accident only to
sympathise with Duryodhana rather despise him.
As indicated above, Vidur had anticipated some trouble, and could read through the
wicked designs of Shakuni and Duryodhana. By the time he got to know the totality of
the conspiracy, only one week was left. But he lost no time in arranging to do what the
situation demanded. He sent for a very skilled Khanik (tunnel maker) and asked him to
prepare a tunnel well before the night when the wax palace was to be put on fire. In the
meantime, Vidur was able to send across his message to the Pandavas as well,
indicating to them as to how they would escape from the palace without the knowledge
of the men of Duryodhana, who were all around the palace on a constant vigil.
As pre-planned, the wax palace was put on fire and with the help of foresight of Vidur
the tunnel was completed in time and all the Pandavas walked out of the palace,
untouched by the evil designs of Duryodhana and Shakuni.
This is a crystal clear instance of how Time Management plays a vital role in achieving
success along with meticulous planning. If these two are done, 90% of success is
inevitable.
Many people are discouraged from trying to learn new knowledge or skills because of time
issues. They already feel that their lives are too busy and they don't see how it is possible to fit
more commitments into their already jammed schedules. Other people take an overly laid-back
approach to new knowledge acquisition. They sign themselves up for classes and programs and
then don't take those classes and programs seriously. They show up late for class, or study in a
haphazard manner. They may procrastinate with regard to assignments. At the end of the
semester (when the course is over) they wonder why their grades are so low!

Both types of people described above might benefit from improving their time
management and organization skills.
The first type of people (who shy away from new challenges because they are "too
busy") might actually be able to make the necessary time available if they participate in
a values clarification session (so as to figure out whether new learning might be more
important than other current commitments), and then (if it is more important to learn), a
careful rearrangement of current commitments and responsibilities so as to move aside
things that are less important and make room for learning. Normally scheduled events
(like preparing dinner, or paying bills, or child care) might be able to be put off for a
while, or given over to someone else in the family so as to make room for school a few
nights per week, for example.
The second type of people (who take an overly laid back approach to learning) might do
much better in their chosen programs if they actually made school a priority, attended
class on schedule and studied regularly (as our study skills section recommends). Many
things can be accomplished in life when you prioritize them, and then take them
seriously enough to see that they get done in a timely manner.

Time management skills boil down to awareness, organization and commitment. You
need to become aware of and record everything you're doing so that important things
get done on time and nothing has a chance to sneak up on you. You also need to
commit to keeping your schedule, and not wandering off when something more
momentarily interesting occurs. Time management and organization skills are
applicable to a wide range of life tasks you might decide to take on. They will benefit
you broadly in what ever you might do.
The awareness part of time management corresponds to self-monitoring methods from

our section on habit change. In this case, what you need to self-monitor are your
commitments and how much time you spend on them. Commitments are appointments,
or things you have to do like errands, or attending a class. They are also the things you
choose to do when you are avoiding your actual commitments (such as spending time
hanging out with your friends). Some commitments are predictable and follow a formal
schedule, while others are informal and occur more spontaneously. You have explicit
commitments (like classes and times you need to pick your children up from day care)
and also implicit commitments (like the time you'll need to put in studying for tests, or
researching and preparing presentations). Make sure you schedule time for both
commitment types!
PRINCIPLE APPLICABLE TO ORGANIZING
The organization function concerns how the manager organizes his work and his
environment to become more efficient in the use of time. The first organization principle
is:
 Principle of Delegation-Delegation of all possible work items consistent with the

limitations of the manager's job is essential to providing the time needed for
managerial jobs. Establishing priorities for the items of work in the daily plan

consists also of deciding which of these can be delegated. All items that can be
delegated should be, to free time for those jobs that only the manager can do.
 Principle of Activity Segmentation- Work items similar in nature and requiring

similar environment surroundings and resources for their accomplishment should
be grouped within divisions of the workday.
 Principle of Control of Interruptions- Adequate controls and/or arrangement of

activities to minimize the number and duration of unnecessary interruptions are
essential to time management. If the activities are segmented such that
subordinates meet with their manager at a certain time, telephone calls are
Placed and returned at a certain time, a time for meetings is established, and
"quiet" time is built into the day, then the efficiency of time utilization will improve
as interruptions are minimized.
 Principle of Minimization of Routine Work- Work items which are routine in nature
and which constitute little value to overall objectives should be minimized.

Corporate Management - Leadership secrets from the

Mahabharata
“The Mahabharata deals with eternal values and truths, making its message
relevant today too. Here is a collection of its lessons on what in modern parlance is
called management strategy”.
 Mahabharata, one of the greatest epics of all times, is not just the story of a
fratricidal war or a fount of wisdom for philosophers, it is also a comprehensive
manual on strategy. The analogy between kingship and leadership and the
application of kingship to modern business practices, makes Vyasa’s epic poem
a pertinent handbook on management. According to some, Mahabharata falls in
the same league as other management bibles such as The Art of War by Sun
Tzu, The Prince by Machiavelli and Go Rin No Sho (The book of five Rings) by
Miyamoto Mushasi.
Meera Uberoi, poet, painter and writer, has culled management insights from the
Mahabharata in her book, Leadership Secrets from the Mahabharata (Penguin).
The knowledge imbibed from the Santi Parva, the Bhagavad Gita Parva and the
Adi Parva from the epic, and some selected verses, stand codified in the book
under different chapters: duty, war, spy, friend, foe, finance, conduct and
counsellors.
 DUTY
A king can easily cross the oceans of the world with kingly duties as his boat, urged on
by the breeze of gifts, with the scriptures as the tackle, intelligence as its helmsman and
kept afloat by the power of righteousness.
To ascertain the successful delegation of one’s duties, at first the means to it needs to
be secured. The means are the resources like manpower and wealth, appointment of a

Skillful employee or a clever transaction of business makes all that difference.

A king who is compassionate to all creatures, who never loses time by procrastination
and who is careful in protecting his own self, succeeds in advancement.
The enjoyments of good things after sharing them with others, paying proper honour to
the ministers and subjugation of persons intoxicated with strength are said to constitute
the duties of a king.
 DUTIES OF A MANAGER IN AN ORGANIZATION
The three vital determinants of team work are the leader” subordinates and the
environment. These factors are interdependent. It is the leader’s responsibility to make
the environment conducive to work. He studies the employees individually and insists
interest in them. By encouraging the inquisitive employees and by prohibiting insidious
elements, he creates hygienic environment. He inculcates the sense of collectivism in
employees to work as a team. The resultant output will then be efficiency.
LEADER IS A REPRESENTATIVE OF SUBORDINATES
He is intermediary between the work groups and top management. They are called
linking pins by rensis likert. As linking pins they serve to integrate the entire organization
and the effectiveness depends on the strength of these linking pins. Leader shows
personal consideration for the employees. As representatives they carry the voice of the
subordinates to the to management.
LEADER IS AN APPROPRIATE COUNSELLOR

Quite often people in the work place need counseling to eliminate the emotional
disequilibrium that is created sometimes in them. Leader removes barriers and
stumbling block to effective performance. For instance, frustration that results from
blocked need drive keeps an employee derailed or the working track. It is here the
leader comes in, renders wise counsel, releases the employee of the emotional tension
and restores equilibrium.
USES POWER PROPERLY
If a leader is to effectively achieve the goal expected of him, he must have power and
authority to act in a way that will stimulate a positive response from the workers. A
leader , depending on the situation , exercises different types of power , viz reward
power and expert power. Besides the formal basis , the informal basis of power also
have a more powerful impact on organizational effectiveness. No leader is effective
unless the subordinates obey his orders. There fore, the leader uses appropriate power
so that subordinates willingly obey the orders and come forward with commitment.
LEADER MANAGES THE TIME WELL
Times is precious and vital but often overlooked in management. There are three
dimensions of time – boss – imposed – time , system- imposed –time and self –
imposed time . That are prominent in literature. Because the leader has through
knowledge of the principle of time management such as preparing time charts,
scheduling techniques, etc., he is in a position to utilize the time productively in the
organization.
STRIVES FOR EFFECTIVENESS
Quite frequently the manager are work – abolic and too busy with petty things to
address to major details of effectiveness. To fill the gap, sometimes leaders throws his
concerted efforts to bring effectiveness by encouraging and nurturing team work, by
better time management and by the proper use of power. Further, leader provides and
adequate reward structure to encourage performance of employees. Leader delegates
authority where needed and invites participation where possible to achieve the better

result. He also provides the workers with necessary resources. By communicating to

workers what is expected of them, leader brings effectiveness to organization. The
above functions of the leader are by no means comprehensive but they do suggest as
to what leaders do generally.
MANAGING AND LEADING
Leading and managing are not synonymous. One popular way of distinguishing
between managing and leading is brought out by the French terms dux and Rex. Dex is
a leader and an activist, innovators and often an inspirational type and rex is a stabilizer
or broker of manager. But more realistically, effective management required good
leadership. Bennis had once commented, there are many institutions I know are very
well managed but very poorly led”. This statement crystal – clearly demonstrates that
the difference between managing, and leading is indeed a lot. Though a layman
considers managing as a broad terms including leading function a behaviorist advances
the following points to marshall the difference between these two leading and
managing.
RELEATIONSHIPS
Managerial behavior implies the existence of a manager managed relationship. This

relationship arises with in organizational context. Where as leadership can occur why
where, it does not have to originate in the organization context. for example , a mob can
have a leader but cannot have a manager. Further, is an organization, informal. Group
have leader not managers.
SOURCES OF INFLUENCE
Another potential difference between leader and manager lies in their sources of
influence. Authority is attached to the managerial position in the case of a manager:
where as a leader may not have authority but can receive power directly from his

followers. In other words, managers obtain authority from his followers. In rather pure
terms, this is the difference between the formal authority theory and the acceptance
theory of authority.
SANCTIONS
A Manger has command over all allocation and distributions of sanctions. For Example,
manager has control over the positive sanctions such as promotion and awards for his
task performance and the contribution to organizational objectives. Manager is also in a
position to exercises the negative sanctions such as with holding promotions, or
mistakes, etc. In a sharp contrast, a leader has altogether different type of sanctions to
exercises and grant. He cans gerent or with hold access to satisfying the very purpose
of joining the group’s social satisfactions and related task rewards. These informal
sanctions are relevant to the individual with belongingness or ego needs: where as the
organizational sanctions granted or exercised by the managers are geared to the
physiological and security needs of individual.
ROLE CONTINUANCE
Another fundamental difference between managing and leading is the role continuance.
A manager may continue in office as long as his performance is satisfactory and
acceptable to the organization. In sharp contrast, a leader maintains his position only
through the day to day wish to the followers.
REASONS FOR FOLLOWING
Though in both managing and leading followers become involved, the reasons may be
different. People follow managers because their job description, supported by a system
of rewards and sanctions, requires them to follow. Where as people follow leader on
voluntary basis. Further, it there are no followers, leader no more exists. But, even if
there are no followers, a manager may be there.
EXAMPLE:-

A board of directors is a body of elected or appointed members who jointly oversee

the activities of a company or organization. The body sometimes has a different name,
such as board of trustees, board of governors, board of managers, or executive board.
It is often simply referred to as "the board."
A board's activities are determined by the powers, duties, and responsibilities delegated
to it or conferred on it by an authority outside itself. These matters are typically detailed
in the organization's bylaws. The bylaws commonly also specify the number of
members of the board, how they are to be chosen, and when they are to meet.
In an organization with voting members, e.g., a professional society, the board acts on
behalf of, and is subordinate to, the organization's full assembly, which usually chooses
the members of the board. In a stock corporation, the board is elected by the
stockholders and is the highest authority in the management of the corporation. In a
non-stock corporation with no general voting membership, e.g., a university, the board
is the supreme governing body of the institution. [1]
Typical duties of boards of directors include[2][3]
 governing the organization by establishing broad policies and objectives;

 selecting, appointing, supporting and reviewing the performance of the chief
executive;
 ensuring the availability of adequate financial resources;
 approving annual budgets;
 accounting to the stakeholders for the organization's performance.
 WAR
A king should acquire a large army consisting of four kinds of forces: infantry, cavalry,
chariot and elephant warriors. But he should first seek to accomplish what he desires
through peace. A king should first subdue himself and then seek to subdue his foes.

If by slaying a single individual a family can be saved, if by slaying a single family a

village can be saved, and if by slaying a village a kingdom can be saved, such acts of
slaughter are not transgressions.
HOW TO FIGHT A PRICE WAR: ANALYZING THE BATTLEGROUND
"Price wars," write Akshay R. Rao, Mark E. Bergen and Scott Davis, "are a fact of
life—whether we're talking about the fast-paced world of 'knowledge products,'
the marketing of Internet appliances, or the staid, traditional business of
aluminum sidings. If you're not in a battle currently, you probably will be fairly
soon."
In "How to Fight a Price War," they caution that price wars are not simply a
matter of responding to a competitor's aggressive price move with one of your

own. Instead companies should consider all of their options, including defusing
the conflict, retreating or, if a battle is unavoidable, fighting it with an arsenal of
weapons beyond just price cuts themselves.
In this excerpt, Rao, Bergen and Davis suggest careful analysis of four crucial
areas as the key to knowing which path to take.
It's necessary to understand why a price war is occurring—or may occur. But it's also
critical to recognize where to look for resources in battle. It's important to carefully
analyze your customers, company, competitors, and other players within and outside
the industry that may have an interest in how the price war plays out.
Customers and Price Sensitivity

A thoughtful evaluation of customers and their price sensitivities can provide valuable
insights about whether one should fight a competitor's price cut with a price cut in kind
or with some other strategy. Consumers are frequently unaware of substitute products
and their prices, or they may find it difficult to make comparisons among functionally
equivalent alternatives. For instance, prior to AT&T's 7-cents-a-minute plan, consumers
faced a bewildering set of pricing options for long-distance phone service. AT&T
charged 15 cents per minute per call with no monthly fee; or 10 cents per minute with a
$4.95 monthly fee. MCI offered nighttime rates of 5 cents a minute, daytime rates of up
to 25 cents a minute, and a monthly fee of $1.95. Sprint charged 5 cents per minute for
nighttime calls, rates of up to 10 cents per minute for other calls, and a $5.95 monthly
fee. The cost of determining the best plan when customers are unsure about their
calling patterns is simply too high for a low-involvement decision like long-distance
phone service. A company that wanted to compete on price could choose to simplify.
That's exactly what Sprint did. It simplified its price schedule to 10 cents a minute so
customers could compare its rates to those from MCI and AT&T.
Some consumers are more sensitive to quality than price, for a variety of reasons.
Industrial buyers are often willing to pay more for on-time delivery or consistent quality
because they need those features to make their businesses run smoother and more

profitably. The very rational belief that poor quality can endanger one's health is an
important reason that branded drugs command the prices they do relative to generic
drugs. And snob appeal allows Davidoff to sell matches at $3.25 for a box of 40 sticks to
cigar connoisseurs. The basic lesson is that different customer segments exhibit
different levels of price sensitivity for different products at different times. Businesses
that adopt a one-size-fits-all approach to pricing do so at their peril.
Company factors such as cost structures, capabilities, and strategic positioning should
also be examined carefully. Cost structures may be affected by changes in technology
or business practices, which in turn may tempt a company to cut prices in a manner that
will trigger a price war. For example, consider the implications of outsourcing. It's
probably true that it is cheaper to buy rather than make something in-house, because
the invisible hand of the marketplace will lower the acquisition price of a product. But the
cost of manufacturing something in-house is largely sunk and fixed. When that product
is purchased on the market, its acquisition cost is a variable one. In other words,
integration can lead to a cost structure with a higher fixed-cost component and a lower
variable-cost component. Consequently, the company with the lower variable costs may
be tempted to reduce prices and start a price war. But even though the lower variable
costs give the company an advantage, it should carefully consider whether a price war
is consistent with its strategic posture. The company's lower variable costs should be
used to start a price war only when it will result in the neutralization or the exit of an
undesirable rival. Consider, too, the coherence of your pricing strategy and your ability
to execute it. The actions of one participant engaged in a fierce price war in the utility
industry is telling: The company's senior management group asked its top manager to
increase market share by 20%, return prices to profitable levels, and stabilize them.
Confronted with apparently conflicting goals, the manager chose the easiest goal—build
market share—which he achieved by lowering prices, thus exacerbating the price war.
The directive to the manager was confusing, his resulting actions baffled competitors,
and that led to considerable uncertainty and increased price turbulence in the market.
When the soft costs (managerial time and attention) of changing prices through a
complex supply chain were factored in, the cost of the increased market share was very

dear. The essential insight that should emerge from this exercise is whether a simple
price cut is the best option given one's cost structure, capacity levels, and organizational
competence.
An analysis of competitors—their cost structures, capabilities, and strategic positioning

—is equally valuable. Industrywide price reductions may be appropriate under certain
circumstances. But many unprofitable price wars happen because a company sees an
opportunity to increase market share or profits through lower prices, while ignoring the
fact that competitors will respond. Market research may reveal that sales increases
following a price cut justify the action, but this same research often simply ignores
competitors' price responses.
Businesses need to pay attention at the strategic level to the twin questions of who will
respond and how. Smart product managers recognize the need to understand the
competition and empathize with them. They project how competitors will set prices by
carefully tracking historical patterns, understanding which events have triggered price
changes in the past, and by tracking the timing and magnitude of price responses. They
monitor public statements made by senior executives and published in company
reports. And they keep their eyes peeled for activity in resource markets: competitors
that acquire a new technology, labor force, information system, or distribution channel,
or that form a new brand alliance, will probably make some kind of a price move that will
affect other players in the industry. This sophisticated environmental scanning identifies
possible adversaries and their likely modus operandi.
But which competitors should you watch? Identifying competitors often has important
pricing implications. For instance, Encyclopedia Britannica discovered that its chief rival
is not Grolier's Encyclopedia but Microsoft. Britannica seemed oblivious to this important
competitor for several years until a steady erosion in encyclopedia sales alerted the
company to startling developments in technology that changed the way consumers get
information. Its books once costs thousands of dollars; Britannica now offers free
access to its database on the Web and derives its revenues from banner ads, not
consumers. A company's direct competitors that share the same technology and speak
to the same markets are important rivals. But indirect competitors that satisfy customer

needs through the use of different technologies and that have completely different cost
structures are perhaps the most dangerous. In fact, direct competitors such as major
airlines frequently coexist quite peacefully. Examining their pricing-decision rules
suggests why. U.S. Department of Transportation studies indicate that when one hub-
based airline enters another's hub, it typically does not engage in price-based
competition because it fears retaliation in its own hub. Conversely, price wars may often
be started by a company from an entirely different industry, with a radically different
technology, whose cost advantages give it enough leverage to enter your market and
steal your share.
The process of identifying competitors also reveals the strengths and weaknesses of
current and potential rivals. This has important implications for how a company
competes. It is generally wise to not stir a hornet's nest by starting a price war with a
competitor that has a significantly larger resource base or a reputation for being a fierce
price warrior. When analyzing your competition, carefully determine who they are, how
price fits with their strategic position, how they make pricing decisions, and what their
capabilities and resources are.
Contributors, Collaborators, and Other Interested Parties

Finally, it is important to monitor other players in the industry whose self-interest or
profiles may affect outcomes. Suppliers, distributors, providers of complementary goods
and services, customers, government agencies, and so on contribute significantly to the
consumption experience, including product quality, the sales pitch, and after-sales
service. They often wield considerable influence on the outcome of a price war—directly
or indirectly. Sometimes these contributors may provide the impetus for, or may
indirectly start, a price war. Motorola discovered as much when it introduced low-priced
cellular phones in China and Brazil. Soon Motorola observed that the street price for its
phones had dropped substantially in the United States. Distributors were diverting
products bound for China and Brazil to the profitable U.S. and European markets;
sometimes the products never even left the dock. Motorola's distributors had created a
"gray market" because Motorola had given them a reason to believe that prices in the
United States were too high.

Sometimes contributors can help reduce price competition by enhancing the product's
value, as Intel does for computer manufacturers; assisting with marketing, as airline
frequent-flyer programs do for credit-card companies; and limiting the exposure to
competing products, as MITI has done for Japanese companies facing international
competition at home. Smart managers must carefully consider other players and their
interests (profit margins for suppliers and distributors, commissions for sales
representatives, and so on) before starting a price war or joining one.
 SUBJECT
Kingdoms in which anarchy prevails cannot exist. They are afflicted from without and
the inhabitants devour one another. No one should dwell in a kingdom torn by anarchy.
A king should, without doubt, look upon the subjects as his children. In determining
their disputes, however, he should not show compassion.
That king who, even when overcome with danger and fear, still keeps his eyes on the
duties of all men, earns the merit of the people.
A person who serves the king cannot (with impunity) be guilty of heedlessness in doing
the king’s work.
Management in all business areas and human organization activity is the act of getting
people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives. Management comprises
planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization (a
group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a
goal. Resourcing encompasses the deployment and manipulation of human resources,
financial resources, technological resources, and natural resources.
Because organizations can be viewed as systems, management can also be defined as

human action, including design, to facilitate the production of useful outcomes from a
system. This view opens the opportunity to 'manage' oneself, a pre-requisite to
attempting to manage others

 FRIEND
A friend whose joy knows no bounds upon beholding the aggrandizement of the
king and who is miserable at the king’s fall is the best of all friends of the king.
It may be possible that in a matter of time, a friend becomes a foe and a foe
becomes a friend, for this reason everyone should be trusted and also mistrusted.
The boon that a friend can become, a foe is capable of the same intensity of
treachery. A king cannot ignore a foe, however weak, for “a spark of fire can
produce a conflagration and a particle of poison can kill”.
Kings may have many friends as also many enemies. However, he should
ascertain who friends are and who foes are.
 HOW TO BE A MANAGER AND A FRIEND

You must be a good leader to be a successful manager and a patient,
understanding person to be friend. As a good manager and leader, you must
create an atmosphere that encourages productivity, you must also direct and
control employees' activities. A manager that is a friend will require a flexible
approach, that is based on a relationship with your employee's. There are some
things you can do to be both a manager and a friend.
Begin by building a relationship with your staff. A good relationship has several
characteristics. One of the main characteristics is trust. People who trust one
another are able to openly discuss their successes and their failure and learn
from them. Respect is another characteristic. When people respect one another
they value each other's opinions. Relationships involve people that are
considerate and honest with each other.
Create a positive work environment. As a friend and manager you want to create
the best possible work environment for employees' to work in. Reduce office politics
and other negative activities by creating team building situations. These types of
situations can strengthen employee relationships. Allow friendly conversations before
meetings and look for fun opportunities that give people a chance to get to know each

other. Encourage positive interaction among employees'. Stress the importance of

honesty and integrity, as well as team work. Remember if employees do not respect
one another, they are less likely to work as a team to reach a common goal and are
more likely to engage in negative activities such as spreading rumors around the office
and taking credit for other peoples' work.
As a manager, you will want to provide your employees with competitive salaries so
that they are productive and perform the job tasks that are required. As a friend, you
will want to provide competitive salaries, to ensure that your employees are able to
maintain their households and take care of their families. A friend would not underpay
a friend because it sends the message that their efforts and time are not important and
not valued.
Take employee concerns seriously. If they are ever feeling overwhelmed let them
know they can come to you with their concerns without having to fear harsh criticism
or negative repercussions. Follow through with assistance. Also, keep an eye out for
signs that an employee is at risk for burnout. Excessive overtime, attendance
problems and continually missing deadlines are just some of the common burnout
indicators to watch for. Encourage employees to take regular breaks and lunches
and also vacations. A manager knows that an employee that is burned out is not
productive. And a manager also know that employees that are well rested are more
productive and efficient than those that are not. As afriend, they do not want to see
each other burned out and overwhelmed. A friend offers their help and assistance.
As a friend and manager, you will want to communicate openly with employees.
Instead of just telling employees what to do, offer suggestions and encourage them
to share their own ideas and concerns. They will feel more respected and valued by
doing this then if you were to bark out orders. Offer positive feedback as much as
possible. When an employee needs to improve, offer suggestions and guidance.
Don't just point out their mistakes and errors, look for the positives.
Set the example for your employees to follow. Your actions will be observed closely
and imitated, so be sure you are professional at all times. Work at improving your

manager skills every day so that you can give your employees, who are also your
friends the best guidance and leadership possible.
 FOE
one who is allied with foes and who does not regard the interests of the king’s
subjects should be known as enemy.
No foe should be neglected through disdain.
A king should always be ready to strike, taking advantage of the foe’s weaknesses
and hiding his own.
Kings must ascertain the strength and weakness of all friends and foes and learn
to distinguish between right and wrong.
a foe that is disregarded, rises and strikes at the proper season, especially when
his enemy makes a false step.
 HOW TO DEAL WITH AN ANGRY CUSTOMER

The following is a true story.
It was late at night when I arrived at my hotel, a little past midnight. It was a long day
and I had a morning meeting with a client scheduled for the next day, so I was looking
forward to getting to sleep as soon as I could. Unfortunately, circumstances would not
allow me to do so: after asking for my name, the hotel, which is part of an American
hotel chain with a very well-respected brand image, told me that they had an
overbooked situation and had no room for me.
This was the beginning of a very tiring 15 minutes of life, mainly because the person at
the front desk as well as the “manager” that was called over to deal with me made me
feel like I was the guilty one. No feeling of apology expressed. No explanation of how
to get to the hotel that they prepared for me. No mention of the free Internet and
parking that I should have gotten at the hotel which had my reservation. I felt like they
were just trying to get rid of me.
Airlines ask for volunteers and offer vouchers when they have overbooked situations.
Why do hotels have the right to just send me away with nothing? The more I thought
about my situation, the more angry I became.
So what did I do?
I felt lonely. I was perturbed. I was very tired. It was close to 12:30 A.M. But I wanted
to tell someone what I was experiencing. So I tweeted.
I can tell you from my own real-life experience that people who tweet about bad
customer experiences useTwitter as a last-resort. No one will gain a lot of followers on
Twitter if all they do is complain. So it takes something major to push someone over the
“social media edge” to share negative experiences. I have only posted negative tweets
twice in the 1 1/2 years I have been on Twitter: this experience as well as when my
website went down and, even though multiple Twitter followers told me that they also
couldn’t see my website, the hosting service said they couldn’t “recreate” the problem.

What happened after I tweeted my complaint about this hotel should give us all some
ideas of how to deal with an angry customer on Twitter.
1) People Love to Vent. Social Media is the Equalizer for the Consumer. Get
Used to It and Start Monitoring Conversations.
When I checked in to the other hotel that was prepared for me, I told the guy at the
reception desk about my tweet. He didn’t know what Twitter was. But he did say,
“Everyone needs to vent to someone about these things.” And he’s right. When we
have good experiences we like to share them with our friends. When we have really
bad experiences we also look to others for consolation. This is human nature. Social
media makes it easy for us to share these types of information, especially Twitter
because of its ease of use on a cell phone. This is not going to change, so if you are a
big brand you’d better be monitoring conversations that are happening in social media.
I assume you already have invested in social media monitoring software, but just in
case…
2) Global Brands Need to Monitor Social Media
It was almost 12:30 A.M. when I sent my tweet. The German branch of the hotel
actually responded within an hour. This was comforting. Global brands need to have
global monitoring and global response teams. This hotel chain did well in this respect.
3) If You’re Monitoring Twitter, You Need to Learn How to Use Twitter
After I tweeted about my experience, a few of my followers commented through their

own tweets. It was the tweet from my follower in the UK that the hotel chain decided to
respond to, not mine! My UK follower had to tell the hotel chain that it was me, not him,
that they should be apologizing to! This was a major faux pas that did not make the
hotel look good…needless to say, if you have a budget to monitor Twitter, you need to
spend as much in training your staff how to properly read tweets and respond. Any
mistake in social media etiquette on Twitter that your company does can be seen
globally.

4) Take the Conversation Offline…Quickly!
When the hotel chain finally sent me a direct @Reply, they asked me to send them my
email address via a Direct Message. This is an excellent way of taking a conversation
offline and away from the huge public chat room that is Twitter. Good move.
5) Let Your Customer Vent
When the hotel chain sent me an email, they apologized and asked me to simply tell
them what had happened. They let me vent. I felt better that someone was actually
listening. A simple act for anyone incustomer support, but a very powerful one to help
an angry customer calm down.
6) Respond with an Apology. Quickly.
The next day the General Manager of the particular hotel that kicked me out responded
via email with an apology and an offer to make up for the bad experience that I had. I
received this email within 24 hours of the incident occurring. There were other staff
copied on the email. It felt official and sincere. I was satisfied and moved on.
I am not going to give out the name of the hotel chain because that is irrelevant to this
story. It really could have been any hotel chain, so I do not hold this brand at fault. I am
pleasantly surprised how quickly and, for the most part, properly they responded, so I
hope my experience will help guide your company in how to deal with an angry
customer on Twitter.
 COUNSELLOR
In his court, the king should have preceptors and mighty bowmen, persons skilled in
architecture, astronomers and astrologers, physicians and men of wisdom and
learning.

The kingdom has its roots in the counsels of policy that flow from its ministers and its
growth proceeds from the same source.
Like the tortoise protecting its limbs by withdrawing them into its shell, ministers
should protect their own counsel.
In all matters of importance, the king should appoint persons who have their senses
under control.
A king should never disclose counsels to a minister who is not devoted to him.
Many firms today realize the importance of attracting and retaining highly skilled, quality
employees as a necessary component of their competitive advantage. One of the
reasons that a quality workforce along with innovative tools for attracting and retaining
has become so important is because previous sources of competitive advantage have
become less important overtime.
For example, previously, a firm’s success was attributed to an emphasis on product and
process technology, access to financial markets, developing economies of scale &
learning curves, patents, protected and regulated markets & individual attractiveness.
Recently, however, some scholars have noted that these traditional sources of success
are less important than in the past and emphasize that the selection and management
of a quality workforce has become an increasingly critical factor to organizational
success. Today, HR practitioners are busy developing new and innovative tools to
attract and retain quality workforce.
One such tool that soon is likely to gain popularity in the corporate world is Employee
Counselling. Employee Counselling is a service offered by companies to their
employees. Organizations that care for their employees are perceived as more
meaningful and purposeful. Every organization has economic and social goals. Here, it
is worthwhile to note some observations made by the Chairman of Infosys in this
regard. He states, “The task of leadership is to make people believe in themselves, the
organization, in the aggressive targets the organization sets. Belief comes from trust:

the trust that this organization isn’t about making one set of stakeholders better off; it is
about making every one of us better off….”
A firm may gain competitive advantages from Employee Counselling activities

especially if its reputation and image is valuable, rare and not easily imitated. Employee
Counselling therefore is a very powerful tool in the hands of companies in attracting and
retaining quality workforce.
Although Counselling is known by many names like 'therapy' or 'helping' it is by and

large, an attempt to encourage change. The counselle’s problems could be so complex
that it might be difficult to see any system of help as an elegant solution. But,
Counselling has shown some effectiveness over the years, as a process of helping
people come through with their troubles.
Counselling is a process of helping people to learn how to solve certain interpersonal,

emotional and decision problems. Counsellors help their counselles to ‘learn’. The
criterion for success in any Counselling is real changes in behaviour on the part of the
counselle. Counsellors are concerned that their counselles become independent
problem solvers. Continued dependence on the counsellor as well as others is
discouraged. Counsellors are concerned with habit changes that increase peoples'
satisfaction with themselves. It could be anything from helping people choose a career
option, becoming appropriately assertive or communicating more harmoniously with
team members. Largely, Counselling has been a 'remedial approach'. But recently there
has been a slight change in emphasis, from remedial to 'preventive'.
It is rightly said, ‘half knowledge is dangerous’. People often harbour myths about
the counseling process. Some false beliefs about counseling are as follows:
(source: Magazine - Dignity Dialogue, 31July 2001)
No human being is perfect and we all constantly fight our own inadequacies in our own
ways. Working in any organization requires an individual to be geared up to face the
challenges of work-life. This does not mean he/she can escape the duties and

responsibilities of family life, whether married or unmarried. Not every individual is

competent enough to take and manage the stress of a hectic life style. Thus, we cannot
deny the fact that every individual has intra and inter-personal problems whether at
work or at home. The HR function of any organization has the most important
challenging job of "making the most" of their Human Resource. An employee can give
his best to the organization only if he is in a positive "frame of mind". A mentally
preoccupied or troubled individual will be in a position to give very little to his company.
No successful organization will ever be free from stress among its employees.
Organization should be able to deal with stress on individuals at all levels. Here the role
of Counselling comes in, where people can talk and attempt to solve their personal and
work related worries. Need for employee counselling arises due to various causes in
addition to stress. These causes include: to deal effectively with one’s own emotions,
interpersonal problems and lack of team spirit at workplace, inability to meet job
demands, over work-load, confrontation with authority, responsibility and accountability,
conflicts with superiors, subordinates and management and various family problems,
health problems, career problems, etc. Counselling is a process of helping an individual
to help himself.
Counselling, basically aims at helping individuals take charge of their lives. For this,
individuals need two types of skills: ability to make decisions wisely and altering one's
own behaviour to yield desirable consequences. A counsellor's job, then, becomes one
of arranging appropriate learning experiences so that people develop these skills.
Counsellors avoid giving speeches about what should be done, but ideas for action are
developed with the active co-operation of the counselle. The Counsellor does not try to
talk the client into feeling that the situation is hopeless. Instead, he/she encourages the
client to begin taking action, the successful consequences of which would encourage
the client to continue.
According to Eisenberg & Delaney, the aims of counselling are as follows:

1. Understanding self
2.Making impersonal decisions
3. Setting achievable goals which enhance growth

4. Planning in the present to bring about desired future
5. Effective solutions to personal and interpersonal problems.
6. Coping with difficult situations
7. Controlling self defeating emotions
8. Acquiring effective transaction skills.
9. Acquiring 'positive self-regard' and a sense of optimism about one's own ability to
satisfy one's basic needs.
Counselling is discussion of an employee’s problem that usually has an emotional

content to it, in order to help the employee cope with the situation better. Counselling
seeks to improve employee’s mental health. People feel comfortable about themselves
and about other people and are able to meet the demands of life when they are in good
mental health.
Counselling and ‘Psychological Counselling’ are different from each other.

Counselling in the form of advising, consoling and sharing happens in all spheres of life
and does not need a specialized counsellor. Even in organizations, this kind of
Counselling usually happens at all levels. This is informal or friendly form of
Counselling. Psychological Counselling is a process that emphasizes a formal
relationship between the counselle and the counselor. The focus of the relationship is
achieving specific goals, that is, solving the problems as disclosed by the clients. The
help is confined to specific times and days and the relationship ends when the
objectives are achieved. The counselor has specialized training and applies the
principles of psychology to help clients. There are several institutes, which provide
courses in counseling. These courses train postgraduate students of psychology in the
specialized field of Counselling. These professionally trained counselors are well
equipped to help individuals needing assistance. They are trained to maintain
confidentiality, to maintain objectivity and minimize biases or prejudices.

In order to establish a helpful relationship, the counsellor may acquire certain attitudes
and certain skills. The set of attitudes required for an efficient counsellor are:
• Respect i.e. High esteem for human dignity, recognition of a person's freedom & rights
and faith in human potential to grow.
• Sincerity, authenticity.
• Understanding
• Non-judgemental approach towards the counselle.
The set of skills required for an efficient counsellor are:
• Decency skills i.e. social etiquettes, warm manners

• Excellent communication skills which also include non-verbal communication and
listening skills
• Objectivity
• Maintaining confidentiality
• Empathy
Through these attitudes and skills the counselor creates a positive feeling in the
counselee, and a hope that the counselor will be of some help. The establishment of
this rapport marks the start of treatment.
There are seven core techniques given by Rogers, Carkheff and Patterson, which assist
the counselor to apply appropriate core counselling conditions. They are as follows:
☺ Structuring
☺ Active Listening
☺ Silence
☺ Responding
☺ Reflection
☺ Questioning

☺ Interpretation
Models for human development like mentoring, coaching and counselling are no longer
confined to the non-corporate world. These systems are today a part of Human
Resource Management of the corporate sector. In spite of counseling being an
upcoming HR system like coaching and mentoring, few companies recognize the
significance of Counselling and that their employees will benefit from such a service but
may not employ a full time counselor. Awareness need to be created not only at the
individual employee level but also at the industry level about Employee Counselling.
This is clearly brought out by the primary research conducted by the author herself.
 FINANCE
A king who is mindful only of the means of acquiring profit never succeeds in acquiring
either merit or wealth.
A king that has never been afflicted with calamity can never have prosperity.
The treasury is the root of felicity in heaven and victory on earth.
The one with the profit motive alone can never acquire either wealth or merit. If desirous
of prosperity, a king should adopt all arts—humility, conciliation, bowing his head,
inspiring hope and the like.
Finance is the science of funds management.[1] The general areas of finance are
business finance, personal finance, and public finance.[2] Finance includes saving
money and often includes lending money. The field of finance deals with the concepts of
time, money and risk and how they are interrelated. It also deals with how money is
spent and budgeted.Finance works most basically through individuals and business
organizations depositing money in a bank. The bank then lends the money out to other
individuals or corporations for consumption or investment, and charges interest on the
loans.

Loans have become increasingly packaged for resale, meaning that an investor buys
the loan (debt) from a bank or directly from a corporation. Bonds are debt instruments
[3]
sold to investors for organisations such as companies, governments or charities . The
investor can then hold the debt and collect the interest or sell the debt on a secondary
market. Banks are the main facilitators of funding through the provision of credit,
although private equity, mutual funds, hedge funds, and other organizations have
become important as they invest in various forms of debt. Financial assets, known as
investments, are financially managed with careful attention to financial risk management
to control financial risk. Financial instruments allow many forms of securitized assets to
be traded on securities exchanges such as stock exchanges, including debt such as
bonds as well as equity in publicly-traded corporations.[dubious – discuss]
Central banks, such as the Federal Reserve System banks in the United States and
Bank of England in the United Kingdom, are strong players in public finance, acting as
lenders of last resort as well as strong influences on monetary and credit conditions in
the economy.
 CONDUCT
The mantle of counselors should be chosen quite intelligently for the policies flow and
proceed from this source.
One who seeks to govern steeds without the proper methods only succeeds in enraging
them.
A king’s acts should lead to his own benefit as well as that of others.
A king desirous of prosperity should always act with prudence, adopting measures to
suit time and place. It is well known that time and place when taken into consideration,
always produces the greatest good.
He is the best of kings who has wisdom, who is possessed of liberality, who is ready to
take advantage of the weaknesses of his foes, who is conversant with what is bad for

each of the four orders of his subjects, who is prompt in action, who has his wealth
under control, who is not vindictive, who is high-minded, who is not irascible by
disposition, who is not given to boasting, and who vigorously pursues to completion all
the work commenced by him.
 CODE OF CONDUCT FOR SENIOR MANAGEMENT (GENERAL MANAGER &

ABOVE)
The code of conduct for senior management are broadly given as under:
• The basic responsibility is to exercise his/her business judgment and act in what
he/she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the company and its
stakeholders.
• Price sensitive information is to be handled on need to know basis i.e. disclosed only
to those who need the information. Price sensitive information to be maintained
confidential and informed to only the concerned.
• Except with any special order of directors or chairman or in the performance in good
faith of duties assigned, communicate, directly or indirectly, any official document or
any part there of to any employee or any other person to whom he is not authorized
to communicate such document or information.
• Follow and comply ‘Engineers India Limited (conduct rules and service rules)’ as
amended time to time.
• Comply the various statutory requirements.
• All communication to the media, financial community or external agencies pertaining to
the affairs of the company be through the approval of chairman or the functional
directors.
• Inform all related party transactions and interest to the board.
• Ensure and inform the board members by proper laid down procedures about risk and
internal control system in their respective area of operation to minimize the same.
• To the best of knowledge and belief no transaction of illegal and violates code of
conduct of the company to be made.
• It is basic responsibility of senior management to treat employees fairly and equitably.

• Technology makes communication with employees quicker, easier and less

expensive. Senior management should take advantage to enhance dissemination of
information to employees and avoid spreading rumors.
• Shall not use his position of influence directly or indirectly to ensure employment for
any member of family in any private undertaking having relations with company.
• Not to accept or permit any member of family or any other person acting on his behalf
to accept gift.
• Protect the company’s asset that they are not misused.
• Ensure that all software used are properly licensed

Murthy, Ambani And Tips To Win From Mahabharata

It is an example shown by extract of Mahabharta: a direct comparison.
Scene II, Act I: Infosys chairman, Narayana Murthy, is in his own Kurukshetra, facing
attack from former Prime Minister Deve Gowda, on the Bangalore infrastructure issue.
Should he keep silent or fight back? Just like Arjuna, Murthy is fighting the battle with
his conscience. The supreme management guru Krishna comes and gives a
management insight to Murthy. He says:
"If you refuse to fight this righteous war then, shirking your duty and losing your
reputation, you will incur sin. Nay, people will also pour undying infamy on you;
infamy brought on a man enjoying popular esteem is worse than death."
This is just a glimpse of a stage-play enacted in a small village near Mysore. But the
moral message it gives to the corporate world is profound. It is the the Pandavas and
Kauravas theory of management.
Be it Narayan Murthy or the Ambani brothers - the corporate Mahabharata is the study
of the use and abuse of power. It is not that in itself power is good or bad. It is
essentially a force, a weapon, than can be used to save and foster or to harm or exhort.
Mahabharata is not simply the story of a fratricidal war or a fount of wisdom for
philosophers. It reveals the secrets of leadership and the path to success. Mahabharata
is equal, if not superior, to other management bibles such as The Art of War, The Prince
and Go Rin No Sho - The Book of Five Rings.
All characters in Mahabharata can be compared to India, Inc. leadership cutting across
the different rungs. Whether it is human behaviour, organisational behaviour, group
theory, motivational theory, game theory, management by objectives or line of control,

all facets of modern management can be discovered in Lord Krishna, Arjuna, Bhisma,
Dronacharya and others.
CEOs In Corporate Battle:
The present day corporate world is a battlefield over markets shares, customer
satisfaction, share value, innovation and quality products. Though the above are the
declared objectives of all players, often undesirable stratagems are adopted to gain
market shares and profits.
After all, 'everything is allowed in war and love'. Companies consist of people with
varying interests, backgrounds and expectations. To knit them together and motivate
them to pursue a shared goal is difficult involving many compromises.
What is the state of CEOs in the battlefield of market competition? The corporate CEO
is only interested in quarterly performance and share value. But this single-minded
pursuit doesn't save the CEO from inner conficts and ethical dilemmas. The central
question any CEOs faces is basically an ethical question - should he transgress the
laws of the land as well as corporate ethics in the pursuit of profit in a highly competitive
world?
Krishna advices the Pandavas that no action can be perfect and absolute in an ever-
changing dynamic world and hence he nonchalantly advocates them to keep the overall
ethical standards in view and then act according to the contingency of the situation
which may necessitate temporary deviation from strict ethical standards.
For example
Krishna prevails upon Yudhisthira, who never lied, to lie to psychologically harass and
depress Dronacharya. From the absolute moralistic standpoint, such a lie may be
considered immoral and unethical. But as long as such lies contributed to a desirable
final outcome and public good - it was acceptable. So the greatest challenge for the

modern corporate leader is the fine-tuning of these responses keeping in mind the
ethical and legal issues but without compromising corporate interests, like Krishna in
Mahabharata.
Mahabharata is the battle for money, power and land. And same is the goal of a
corporate manager. In the modern corporate houses, explains Swami Bodhananda, a
spiritual founder and the director of the Sambodh Foundation, New Delhi, "We find
brothers fighting for the fiefdom left behind by their illustrious predecessors. The
infamous or famous squabble between the Ambani brothers is the most recent example.
Though one may not be able to say that there were ethical issues involved between the
brothers what we learn is that human ambition invariably leads to conflict even among
brothers."
"And, there should be a way of resolving such conflicts without causing damage to the
organisation and the country. In that sense, the Ambani brothers improved upon the
performance of the Mahabharata that they could engage in a rational and enlightened
dialogue and settle the issue without much harm."
Managers in Mahabharata
Swami Bodhananda explains the role of managers giving examples from Mahabharata:
Some of the memorable names from Mahabharata in the context of management are
Bhishma, Dhritarashtra, Dharmaputra Yudhisthira, Karna, Abhimanyu, Draupadi and the
inimitable Lord Krishna himself.
Bhishma is the perfect example of an upright manager caught in irreconciliable conflicts

who was forced to take wrong decisions by forces beyond his control. With Bhisma, his
vow of celibacy takes precedence over everything else, including the public will.
He is not bothered about the chaos that will occur in Hastinapur with no one to inherit
the throne. His major concern is that his vow must remain intact. His motivation is highly
complex!

Dhritarashtra's was an example of warped decisions caused by extreme attachment to

his son Duryodhana. Yudhisthira is a shining example of managerial wisdom, though he
also was compelled to deviate from his principled stand on practical considerations,
faced with a ruthless enemy.
Krishna is the perfect example of a leader-manager who kept his eye on the ball
till the desired outcome was achieved. And Draupadi is the classical model of a
woman powerhouse who kept others motivated till the goal is achieved.
Abhimanyu, the son of Arjuna, is an example of a dare-devil leader without a business-

plan of escape. He fought his way into the chakravyuha, but failed to come out and was
brutally cornered and killed by Drona and others.
Karna is a tragic example of a manager who fought his way up the ladder but could not
keep up with the pressure and tensions and met a tragic end.
Corporate Mahabharata:
Pritam Singh, Chairman of Management Development Institute (MDI), says "It's not
easy to lead a corporate Mahabharata but at the same time it's not difficult also. Look at
Ratan Tata, Naryanan Murthy, Azim Premji and the likes - all are great leaders who
have strong belief and conviction."
Quoting from Bhagavad Gita Karmanyeva adhikaraste maphaleshu kadachana

makarma phala heturbhu mate sangotswa karmani , he expounds, "Leaders/CEOs
should perform duties sincerely and effectively without looking at the results. One
should adopt the right strategies to get the results or else it is possible that he may
adopt practices which are not proper."
Today leaders often lack decision-making power. For example, while preparing for
battle, Duryodhana chose Krishna's large army while Arjuna selected Krishna's wisdom
instead of just the army.

In the end, Arjuna emerged as the winner as he had made the right choice after having
weighed all the options carefully. The basic principle of modern management is not just
co-ordination but moving with high degree of optimism. Mahatma Gandhi was able to
use the lessons of Gita to win the war against the British without using any destructive
weapons. Interestingly, he used `the mass' as the weapon to defeat the British with
massive weapons!
"When we are dealing with management and human action we cannot take absolute
positions on passions like greed and intolerance," says the modern management guru,
Shiv Khera. "Note Arjuna was intolerant of Karna, while Duryodhana was very tolerant
of him. The source of these emotions is insecurity and the instinct for survival."
"So management is not dealing with 'categorical imperatives', it is dealing with 'optimal
choices'. Human's insecurity needs are legitimate and management deals with fulfilling
man's insecurity needs in an environment of scarcity. We must understand human
frailties like ego, greed and intolerance in that light."
And finally Swami Bodhananda says, "Today there is intense competition within as well
as between organisations. One lesson we learn from Mahabharata is that an all-out
zero-sum battle ends with the destruction of all. The victors of the Mahabharata battle
suffered equally as the losers, and what they got was a desolate land and a ravaged
country."

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
The first English translation of the Bhagavad Gita was in 1785 by Sir Charles Wilkins.
This Hindu epic, which is considered as the world's longest poem, is part of the
Mahabharata written by Rishi Veda Vyasa. The earliest of the 100,000 verses could
have been orally composed around 3140 BC, while written documentations were dated
between 300 BC and 200 AD. In the Gita, there are 700 shlokas (verses). Forming
Chapters 25 to 42 of the epic, the Gita is a little shrine in the huge temple of the
Mahabharata.
Taking perspectives from the Bhagavad Gita, an ancient Hindu epic, this paper presents
a management grid to link the profit-orientated approach with a purpose-orientated
approach in running a business. Different aspects of aptitude and attitude towards
competition and business sustainability are discussed with specific extracts from this
Indian classic.

Business is about meeting market demand by having the capability, capital and
connections (3Cs) to sustain cash flow for the generation of profit. These 3Cs are
cardinal features for an aptitude towards competition. However, business thrives on
truth and integrity, and more importantly the attitude towards customers, stakeholders,
and society--to maintain mutual trust and the management of expectations.
Development for aptitude is usually evidence-based and profit-centric. Cultivation of
attitude is experience-based and purpose-centric.
Today, there are many professional specializations in many aspects of management, for
example, human resources, real estate, and wealth. However, there is still limited
research on the essence of management. Analysis by Henri Fayol divided management
into five elements: plan, organise, command, coordinate, and control. According to
Peter Drucker, a manager does his work by getting other people to do theirs. So,
business management would include communication and commitment, in addition to the
3Cs.
Together, these 5Cs would encapsulate the essence of business management. Debate
continues on whether a manager needs to be leader in order to be efficient or effective,
including the balance between IQ (intelligence quotient) and EQ (emotional quotient).
But ultimately, all endeavors should prepare a manager for decision-making and
implementation whenever a business opportunity strikes.
To bridge the gap between profit-centric and purpose-centric management, this paper
extracts wisdom from an ancient Hindu scripture. The first part is an overview of the
Bhagavad Gita, while the second part specifies its application to the 5Cs. For the
purpose of this paper, the application of the Gita is examined from the perspectives of a
manager (the decision maker) and that of a company, that is, the legal entity for doing
business. These considerations are conceptualised in the form of a management grid.
The Mahabharata recounts a feud between cousins that ended in a war in Kurukshetra,
now a barren field in the state of Haryana of modern India. The Bhagavad Gita is an

episode in this war. It captures the dialogue between Arjuna, a warrior, and Krishna, his
chariot driver, one of the 10 incarnations of Lord Vishnu, the Hindu God of Growth.
The Hindus believe in a Supreme Being called Brahman. It is without qualities and
attributes, neither existent nor non-existent. It is universal consciousness in eternity.
This entity is not a denial of time or devoid of history, but a transfiguration of time akin to
infinity.
Our entire world is basically not real. It seems real to those who live in ignorance.
Endless chains of cause and effect (karma) bind individuals to a cosmic process
(samsara). Redemption (moksha) is only through wisdom: dissolving the ego so that the
enlightened can freely and knowingly engage in chance and choice with perfect bliss.
Although the world is not fulfilling a prearranged plan mechanically, such engagement
would, however, involve human effort that the Hindus divide into four categories:
Brahmanas (Intellectuals), Kshatriyas (Warriors), Vaisyas (Trade and finance) and
Sudras (Service). Each category is unique. Yet, the quality of individual action lies not in
performance, but in the motive or desire that prompts it. Wisdom is always present, yet
it takes the purity of intentions to reveal it. Unlike knowledge that can be acquired by
learning, wisdom is born out of insight.
Another manifestation of Brahman is the Divine Trinity comprising Brahma (creative

force), Vishnu (preserving force), and Siva (destructive force). All reinforce one another,
existing concurrently. Whenever evil forces threaten to destroy human values, an
Avatara or a descent of the divine in human form appears. In the Gita, Krishna
represents the embodiment of Vishnu. This guide is more to awaken than to instruct.
When a student is ready, the teacher appears.
Also, deep inside everyone is Atman that cannot be extinguished by death, decay or
corruption. So, the Supreme Being is within everyone. But not everyone is operating this
link, therefore the cause for suffering. Since every physical form is the result of an inside
tension, the human person enjoys an outward personality (extrovert, introvert) while
restraining the ego (pride, dignity, lust) by managing the gunas. These comprise sattva

(lightness/goodness) that brings happiness/harmony, rajas (movement/passion) that

ignites action/activity, and tamas (ignorance/ inertia) that leads to delusion/confusion.
They individually and jointly influence the psychophysical condition of a person.
Sanctification of daily work is by detachment from the fruits of labour, devotion to duty,
and the discipline to persevere for wisdom. Common distortions to such efforts are the
adherence to rituals like extravagant ceremonies, dogmas like mandatory routes of
advancement for career development, and multiple redundancy in contingencies, and
habits especially in business entertaining that distract the link to and disturb the
acceptance of one's own essential nature.
So, every individual manager and company would have an inherent aptitude:
Brahamanas are those in research and development, think tanks and corporate
planning. The Kshatriyas are those in marketing, sales, investor relations,
benchmarking, and those in physical security and espionage. The Vaisyas are in
finance, logistics and trade-related operations. Reinforcing all are the Sundras who are
service providers ranging from receptionists (call centres), toilet cleaners (contractors)
to CEOs or bureaucrats and politicians, that is, anyone with intangible contributions to a
business value chain. The attitude in business is reinforced by discipline, detachment,
and devotion.
Therefore, the various categories of human effort denote capability. The rituals, dogmas
and habits are gateways to connections, especially to competitors and supporters.
Individual management of the gunas is the most important capital, and the orifice in
communication is the humble acceptance of the Krishna-Atman guidance. Commitment
is through discipline, detachment and devotion. Hence, the 5Cs are contained in the
Bhagavad Gita.
Management Recap from Mahabharata

• Turn your weaknesses into strengths.
• Turn enemies into allies.
• Share your responsibilities.
• Teamwork scores over Individual Effort.

• Right Team = Right set of Individuals. Assign the right person for the right job.
• Commitment scores over Competence.
• Team interests over Individual interests.
• Know your enemy/challenges. Exploit its weaknesses. Take calculated risks.
• The Right Managers: To inspire, invigorate, and counsel in crisis.
• Know Ground realities. Accept different ideologies. Foster sharing and co-operation.
• Empower Women. Gender Balance is required for stability and administration.
• Time Management
Management Recap from Bhagavad Gita
• There is an important distinction between effectiveness and efficiency in managing.

• Effectiveness is doing the right things.
• Efficiency is doing things right.
• Forming a vision
• Planning the strategy to realize the vision.
• Cultivating the art of leadership.
• Establishing institutional excellence.
• Building an innovative organization.
• Developing human resources.
• Building teams and teamwork.
• Delegation, motivation, and communication.
• Reviewing performance and taking corrective steps when called for.
• Utilization Of Available Resources
• The Source Of The Problem
• Work Commitment
• Motivation Of Self And Self-Transcendence
• Work Culture
• Work Results
• Manager's Mental Health

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MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM BHAGVAD GITA AND MAHABHARATA

In PROJECT Report for II SEM

MEWAR UNIVERSITY CHITTORGARH

MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 1

This is to certify that this project entitled “

MANAGEMENT LESSONS FROM MAHABHARTA AND BHAGVAD GITA “

submission of PROJECT Report for IInd SEM of MASTER OF BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATION to the MEWAR UNIVERSITY CHITTORGARH through Faculty of

Management done by MISS. PRIYA JOSHI, Roll No. 09MUMBA026 is an

authentic work carried out by her , under guidance of Miss SANGEETA

Signature of the Guide Signature of the student

Miss. SANGEETA BHATNAGAR PRIYA JOSHI

Lecturer (HRM) Roll No.: 09MUMBA026

Department of Management Enrollment No. : MUR0900495

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"Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshu Kadachana,

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(vi) MANAGEMENT GUIDELINES FROM THE

 MURTHY,AMBANI AND TIPS TO WIN FROM

(vii) SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION

MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 6

Yada yada hi dharmasya Glanir bhavati bharata

Abhyuthanam adharmasyaTadatmanam srjamyaham

~ Bhagavad Gita (Chapter IV-7)

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The question may be asked : “Why another commentary on Bhagavad-Gita? Hasn't

Leadership has been described by leadership educator Todd Duncan as “a total

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My personal definition of leadership is two-fold. First of all, it is “the supply of vision

Bhagavad-Gita describes these fundamental universal principles – the underlying

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MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 10

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MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 12

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Today India is pursuing a competitive market economy and parliamentary democracy

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resources, finance and planning, priorities, policies and practice. Management is a

One such episode is the story of Yaksha’s (Dharma’s) questions to Yudhisthira

Thus, management is a process of aligning people and getting them committed

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The modern (Western) management concepts of vision, leadership, motivation,

MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 16

While India is emerging as a superpower, the Management systems of our generation

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In today’s modern management when ethical judgment and importance of recognizing

MEWAR UNIVERSITY Page 18

Management Guidelines from The Bhagavad Gita

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There is an important distinction between effectiveness and efficiency in managing.

 Reviewing performance and taking corrective steps when called for

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Old Truths in a New Context

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The Source of The Problem

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Example taken from IBM

To identify the source of the problem:

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Figure . 1. Isolate the problem

Utilization of Available Resources

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