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MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES IN BHAGAVADA GITA ppt

Presentation · March 2017

DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.19740.72321

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DR. DEEBA HASAN
INTRODUCTION
 “If a thousand suns were to rise and stand in the noon sky, blazing, such brilliance
would be like the fierce brilliance of that mighty self.”
 The most relevant benefaction of India to the world.
 Deeply insightful
 Meant to open up the mental horizons of its readers.
 Managerial perspective: *sound advice
* profound counsel

 Distinctive value proposition - “ We can have happiness, not only success”

 ‘Management’ : primeval succession of the experiences of an individual.
Krishnaplays
 Krishna playsdifferent
differentparts
partsinindifferent
differentsituations
situationsand
andunravels
unravelsaaspecific
specific management
management principle principle for each situation.
for each situation
 LITERATURE REVIEW

Bhagavad Gita : “Song of the Lord”

Gita is
Gita is at
at An
variance
variance impious
withthe
with the Likely date of composition: 2nd Century setting
general
general for a
content
text and spiritual
discourse
& style
style of of ‘Cosmic sounds of truth’.
Maha-
Maha- ??
Bharata.
bharata
Credit traditionally given to Vyasa - more
mythological than actually historic.

Early Gupta period (about the 4th century CE)

Earliest translations made around 1795 by Sir

Charles Wilkins
OBJECTIVE
 Explore the principles of management in one of India’s
oldest texts and synthesize it with modern management
science.

 Delve into the superlative contribution of the Gita to modern

management with the principles of managing oneself rather
than trying to manage extraneous factors.

 The need of the hour is to go back to our roots and delve

into the Gita which evolves and extends the theory of
Purushottama Yoga in which harmony between the
individual and the universe (samatvam yoga uchyate) is
emphasized. Performing Svakarma (selfless action) in
concert with this Atma Yoga is excellence in action.
GENESIS OF PROBLEMS: ANTIQUATED TRUTHS &
CONTEMPORARY LIES
 Large, ‘successful’ corporates are greatly unhealthy.

Western School of Management EFFICIENCY

 Western Focus: produce more, sell more and achieve quarterly goals. The human
“resource” in the demand-supply chain has become a nameless, faceless entity.

Gita EFFECTIVENESS

 Gita tackles issues from the grass root levels.

 Focuses on individual’s self-development without which there is no self-growth hence
no organizational loyalty and ultimately no organizational sustenance.
“UTILIZE AVAILABLE RESOURCES” EXTRAPOLATED
WITH MODERN PRINCIPLES OF “WORK WITH WHAT
YOU HAVE”
One of the most imp.
Managerial lessons:
how to chose wisely
among resources ?

Taught in the Gita by way of

example: Duryodhana chose the
large army over Krishna.

A real leader choses

wisdom over
numbers.
WORK ATTITUDES: FOUR ASPECTS TO THE DEFINITION OF WORK

You don’t have a

You have the choice: there is
right to work no escape from
(karmanyev work (ma tee
adhikarah) sagdo
satvakarmani)

You have no
You have no
control on the
control on the
root causes of
outcomes of
the fruits of
action (ma
action (ma
phaleshu
karmaphal
kadachan)
heturbhu)
SELF-MOTIVATION & SELF-TRANSCENDENCE: CONTRADICTION OF
WESTERN MASLOW’S THEORY OF MOTIVATION
MASLOW: BHAGAVADA GITA:
 There is a hierarchy of needs  Gita differs in this.
 Only when the lower level  Theory of self-transcendence
needs are fulfilled, can one postulated in the Gita.
progress to the higher level of  Self-transcendence involves
self-motivation. potentially sacrificing lower
needs for higher goals - the
opposite of Maslow.
WORK MORES

 The Gita expounds two

types of work mores -
“Daivi sampat" and “Asuri
sampat“
 Daivi work culture involves
self-control, purity,
fearlessness, sacrifice,
calmness and absence of
envy and pride.
 Asuri work culture
involves delusion, personal
desires and improper
performance. Just work
ethic is not enough.
Seasoned criminals also
display excellent work
ethic! What is required is a
work- ethic borne of ethics
in work.
Eighteen Core - Management Gems in Bhagavada Gita
1. Encouraging Leadership II.3 “Yield not, Partha, to weakness; It is not fit to be feeble like this
Weakness of heart is low, unwise, Terror of enemies! Get up and rise”.
A true leader boosts the morale of his workers when they are beset by self-doubts. Encouragement
can work wonders.
2. Present Reality II.11 “You grieve for which none should grieve. On the top of that logic you give! For
those who left and didn’t leave See my friend! Wise never grieve”.
When an employee is anxious about past mistakes or future outcomes, a true leader will bring his
focus back to the present reality – which is beyond belief or perspective.
3. Work Is the Way II.47 “Only for work you have the right, Fruits of work are not your right, Cause for
fruits you become not, in not doing the work be interested not”.
A worker should work for the sheer love of work, more so because there is no choice; there is no
escape from work.
4. Seeing the Unseen II-69
“What is darkness to living beings all, that sees the controller, the knower of all in which is
wakeful, living beings all Sees as darkness, knower of all”.
The inspired and inspiring visionary sees the reality right till the edge of knowledge.
5. Work and Knowledge – III.3
“For this world in ancient times by me were shown, paths, two kinds for seekers of self,
knowledge path, for endeavoring ones, action path”.
In order to succeed in management, one needs to develop two qualities:
o work well and
o reason well.
6. Mutual Support – III.11
“Let the divine wish you well, let you wish the divine well, mutually wish you each other
well, reap then the best and you live well”.
The successful manager recognizes that mutual cooperation is necessary to ensure
continued goodwill and support from partners.
7. Leadership by Example – III.21
“How behaves the best men So behave the rest of men His example they will show, saying he
did so! We do so!”
Leaders are always followed hence they should behave in an exemplary manner.
8. Chaos and Emerging Leadership – IV
“Whenever, wherever the right is harmed Whenever, wherever the wrong has formed, when
wrong is up and right is down, Then Bharata! I come on my own”
In crisis, a natural leader emerges without delegation and directs, leads and drives his team
out of chaos. This is in accordance with modern theories of “emergent leadership”.
9. Protecting Right – IV.8
“To protect the good and right men to destroy the evil and wrong men; to establish the right, at
each stage I occur at right time age by age”.
An inspired leader and a responsible manager will stand up to protect the rights of others
fearlessly.
10. Learning Organization – IV.34
“You may know from seeing knowledgeable and experienced ones; by approaching
and serving them and with respect enquiring them”.
Three Requirements Of A Seeking Leader-learner
11. Self-Improvement – VI.5
“Let one lift self by self. Let down not self by self. Self is best friend of self.
Self is worst enemy of self”
No one can save anyone. One has to save oneself and this can only be achieved by
controlling the mind completely.
12. Value Adding Leadership – VII-7
“There is nothing greater than me There is nothing higher than me. All these worlds 1.RESPECT
are strung by me; like a diamond on string, now you see!” .
2.COMMUNI
Inspirational leadership adds value to individual efforts and transforms it into CATION
something greater! 3.SERVICE
TO
TEACHER
13. Roles and Relations – IX. 17
“Father of the world is me; Mother grandfather, me”
A charismatic guru is multifaceted. He can don various mantles as the need arises.
14. Vision – XI.5
“Partha see forms of me! Hundreds see! thousands see! Different ones! Multishaped, colored
ones!”
The visionary leader inspires his team to see different visions of himself at different times
and establishes a ‘vision’ for the organization.

15. Conduct and Character- XIV.5,6,7,8,18,20

“Honor the seer. Suggest to sattvik. Guide the rajasik. Instruct the tamasik”
Gita mentions different kinds of personalities : the Rajasvas, Sattviks, Tamasiks and the seer.
Each kind needs to be dealt with in a manner appropriate to their situation and understanding.
16. Inner Power and Final Point — XVIII.61/66
(1) “In the hearts of beings all Arjuna! Is seated the Lord of all by his magic he moves
them all as if on a machine, they move all”
(2) “Leaving all other ways ye Take shelter only in me Removing difficulties all, whole lot
Freedom gives me, you grieve not” SUPPLICATION TO THE
DIVINE SPIRIT
Two Ways for Learner-Leader :
SELF ENDEAVOUR

17. Empowering Freedom – XVIII.63

“This knowledge was declared to you Secret of secrets by me to you Reflect upon it now
fully you as per your choice then may act you”.
After imparting wisdom, let them explore that wisdom.
18. Inspiring Path Shower and Inspired Path Walker – XVIII.78
“Where there is Krishna the great master Where there is Arjuna the great achiever there is
prosperity success, policy right, there is also growth that is my sight”.
The combination of right guide and right achiever, is the optimal combination.
ALTERNATE PARADIGMS OF MANAGEMENT EXPLORED:
Notion of Time:
long term.
First lesson to Arjuna is to train his mind to the notion of time which is essentially long term.
When managers accept this, change management becomes easier.

Karma Yoga: or the all-inclusive principle of selfless work needs to be adopted by

Selfless work
managers for ultimate fulfillment.

Transactional Analysis: The Krishna way of becoming aware of the inner self is now being
validated by modern psychology as ‘mindfulness’
“mindfulness and how it is essential for management.

The Third Truth: Gita unfolds the hidden ‘third truth’ which goes beyond the first two truths
of “I am that” and “You are that”. It reveals “This
“This is
is That”.
That” This offers oneness with the
divinity inside and a pathway towards complete liberation.
 Internal management:
The organs, the mind and the intellect all need to align ultimately in order to access
the
 Physical • PATH
SHOWERING • PATH
 Intellectual MAKING
GITA OFFERS
 Emotional and
 Spiritual facets of management.
Beyond management : EXTENDED CONCEPTS

•VISIONARY
•NURTURING
Plane of Duality: MANAGEM
ENT

The human consciousness exists in a plane of duality wherein it ascribes two distinct
sets of qualities to everything- good or bad. This extends to the management world –
This notion is an illusion.
Existentialism
And finally,
Passage of Grief: to supreme solution.
 GITA AND THE GLOBAL SCENARIO
 Across the world Bhagavada Gita is being accepted as a management-mantra rule
book while Krishna is beginning to be recognized as the true management guru
 Incorporated in Harvard, MNCs and IIMs
 Transgressed all notions of time, groups and geographical boundaries
 Followers transcend religious and geo-political boundaries.
 Emerson, Carl Jung, Aldoux Huxley, Herman Hesse, Swami Vivekananda, Mahatma
Gandhi and nuclear physicist Julius Oppenheimer.
 When the first atomic bomb was detonated, Oppenheimer was found muttering these
words from the Gita:

“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds…"

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