Management Lesson~from the Bhagavad Gita

B MAHADEVAN

Introduction training, we have hardly made significantModern management practices and progress in addressing some of the vexing

theories were developed during the last 150 issues. These include, among others, dealingyears, ever since the industrial organisations with people around us, understanding whatof the West began to get established. It is a motivates oneself, doing one's work in thepop~lar belief that globally renowned corpora- most efficientmanner, making leaders for 'hightions adopt best practices and manage their performance' organisation and creating organi-organisations very well. Against this backdrop sations that can live long. On the other hand,consider the following statistics about how we often notice that there is a disconnectorganisations are managed according to a between quality of life at large and work life.study made in 1997. In his book, The Living We also have serious issues about sustenanceCompany, 1 Geus mentioned that most large and of firms and the environment in the long run.apparently successful corporations are Given this state of affairs, it indeedprofoundly unhealthy. According to the study, impels one to look for alternative paradigmsthe average life expectancy of Fortune 500 for better management practices. The goal ofcompanies was 40-50 years. One-third of this article is to st:iIr'ulatethinking in the mindscompanies listed in Fortune 500 in 1970 of management rest:archers and practitionersvanished by 1983and 40%of all newly created the enormous potential that ancient Indiancompanies last less than 10 years. Such a high literature has in suggesting better alternativesrate of infant mortality of organisations point for management. We will explore some aspectsto primitive stages of management that we are of these from one of the sacred spiritual textsin today. of ancient times, viz., Srimad Bhagavad Gita-a

If we conduct a survey of managers of text for spiritual progress and self realization.modern corporations we may infer that Through this article we do not hazard tomanagers in these organisations experience undermine the primary objective of this holystress, struggle for power and control, cynicism text nor do we advocate a self-study modeand a work environment that stifles rather than leading to some of the management lessonsreleases human imagination, energy and that one can derive. The sacred texts are to becommitment. Many senior executives in studied first under the guidance of a competentcompanies today will agree tC' the fact that and spiritually evolved guru. We may latereven after several years of management contemplate on multitude of ideas that the

d The author is EADS - SMI Professor of Sourcing & Supply Management, Dean (Administration), Indian Institute~ I of Management, Bangalore. 0

The Vedanta Kesari -558- DECEMBER 2008

texts offer after this initial training. We merelypoint to the endless list of benefits that thetext offers to a management practitioner andillustrate it by culling out some ideas that onemay find very useful to apply.

A Compendium of Management LessonsIn simple terms, management is a body

of knowledge that enables entities to deal witha multitude of situations involving people,process and the environment, to ensure work

is done efficiently to deliver goods and servicesuseful to the society. Good management mustresult in greater satisfaction for all stakehold~rs. If we carefully study the Gita, we inferthat the central issue is all about doing work(karma yoga), in the most efficient manner.

The cardinal principles of CflftOQq am.:rcrn:

['right to work'] and logical explanationsleading to the proclamation that Tim: ~

ctT~~ ['yoga is skill in action'] laid out inchapter 2 of the Gita and the concept of lffi:

['sacrifice'] laid out in chapter 3 of the Gitaamply demonstrate that the fundamentalrequirements of good management are con­tained in the Gita.

Gita offers a framework for stimulatinghigh levels of motivation. Otherwise how canone explain the magic transformation thatArjuna has gone through from a state of fear,mental agony and hair raising experience(~11ll.11?llfUl, ~~~) to one of waginga war against a battery of most credible andcompetent leaders in the society andeventually winning the war. A careful studyof Gita from this perspective will lead us toimportant principles that managers mustinherit to create rightful and long livingorganizations. Such a study will help usdiscover certain aspects of high performingorganizations and ,may provide vital clues foralternative paradigms of management.

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Alternative Paradigms from GitaNotion of time

One of the pressing problems thatmodern organizations face arise out of theirnotion of time. Modern organizations sufferfrom extreme levels of 'short termism.' Soft­

ware companies in India provide what isknown as quarter-on-quarter guidance. Insimple terms what it means is that they informthe market players and their stakeholders whatcan be expected of them in the next quarter.Invariably they project a positive outcomequarter after quarter and in order to meet theseguidelines they engage in a variety of activitiesthat create stress, and a short term oriented

approach to managing business. This invari­ably brings negative results in the long run.For instance, to cut costs ~nd show impressiveresults, it is customary in several organizationsto slash training budgets and expenditure onResearch and Development (R & D). Clearly,this will make the organisation less equippedfor the future. Unfortunately, a series of short

I terms never makes a long term for anyorganization. While some have understood thisaspect they have not been able to change theway they work and take decisions that areconsistent with this requirement.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Sri Krishna's firstlesson to Arjuna is to train his mind to thenotion of time that is essentially long term(Chapter 2, Slokas 11-13). A good under­standing of this helps managers to feel lesspressurized of performance targets in the shortrun and instead develop some conviction toengage in activities and decisions that seek tocreate a balance between short term and longterm. Change management becomes easier asthey develop comfort in the fact that peoplecome and go and good principles and ideasmust remain and drive choices in organisa­tions. They will also begin to realise (as it

The V a d ant a K e s a r i - 559 - DEe E M 8 E R 2008

happened to Arjuna) that whenever they facecomplicated and apparently insurmountableproblems, one way to broad-base the problemand search for acceptable solutions is to revisitthe notion of time.

Performance Metrics and Assessment

The biggest constraint for modernmanagement is the mindset towardsperformance metrics and assessment. Modernmanagement practices approach this issue inthe context of a world of duality. It works attwo stages. In the first stage, the dualperspectives are first established. For example,all act~ons and outcomes are first classifiedusing a framework of duality; good Vs bad,desirable Vs undesirable, performer Vs non­performer, belongs to my camp Vs oppositecamp, positive Vs negative and so on. Basedon these, expectations are set that pertain onlyto the positive aspects of this world of duality.At the second stage, the managers begin todevelop a false notion that only good thingsare going to happen. In modern managementpractice, it is a bad thing to expect negativeoutcomes in this scheme of duality.Consequently, they develop no skills to expectnegative outcomes, to understand why thesehappen and evolve no methods to face these.This is clearly unrealistic. In the absence ofthese, managers develop needless tension,experience stress in their work place, deal withtheir sub-ordinates in non-managerial and attimes unprofessional ways and even carrythese negative emotions and stress back homeand spoil their family life as well.

One of the greatest contributions of theBhagavad Gita is to develop a goodunderstandine of the risks of living in thiscontrived world of duality and equipping themanagers to rise above the plane of duality.Shri Krishna had devoted much time on this

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critical aspect of managing the world ofduality. In chapter 2 verse 14 he urges Arjunato learn to tolerate the ups and downs thatcharacterizes the world of duality «1jRaRterrq

'+fRO). Later in chapter 2 verse 48 he proclaimsthat developing a sense of equanimity begetsa composed and a complete personality (~"l:.im ~), which is a quintessential attributefor a leader/manager. In several chapters herevisits the notion of sense of equanimity andreminds Arjuna of the virtues of it2• Slokas 24and 25 in chapter 14 provide in a nutshell allthe important attributes pertaining to theworld of duality that a leader/manager mustpossess to be successful in his/her work place.If managers can develop a sense of equanimityas indicated in the Gita, the quality ofleadership will dramatically improve and sowill the quality of management.

Work and EfficiencyPerhaps the most profound insight that

the Bhagavad Gita offers to managers inmodern corporations is the definition of workand efficiency.The definition of work presentsitself as a paradoxical and often an un­acceptable idea to an uninformed and casualreader of the Gita. It is important to note herethat many verses in Chapter 2 and thefollowing chapters of the Gita build2 on thiscentral idea and therefore it requires a goodunderstanding in its totality. It requires deepcontemplation and guidance of a guru tounderstand the concept. There are four aspectsto the definition of work that Shri Krishnaarticulates:

(a) The doer has the right to work (CfiqoUq

3tf'~:)

(b) The doer has no control on outcomes/fruits of action (ln~~)

(c) The doer has,no control on the rootcauses of the fruits of action (In Cfiq'fl('1~<!'4.:)

The Vedanta Kesari -560- DECEMBER 20('8

(d) There is no choice to revel in inaction(l1f ~ ~sRttCfi4fQl)

Explaining the fourth component of thisdefinition is easier. On seeing the first threecomponents, one may come to the conclusionthat one may rather choose not to engage inwork. Krishna has ruled out this option. Inchapter 3 he also explains why the so called

state of inaction does not exist in reality.Managers will revolt at the idea of doing

work but having no desire and/ or control onoutcomes. However, we do not realize that

during our life time there have been severaloccasions when we indeed practiced thisvirtue. Is it not common for us that when we

do good work, we tend to say 'I was lost inthe work'? What do we mean by getting lost

in the work? It merely means we ceased tolook for outcomes and fruits of action duringthose moments of time. Simply extending thislogic, we can easily conclude that l1f ~ CflGlil"l

concept simply enables us to get lost in thework for ever and enjoy doing it.

There are other important reasons formanagers to actively consider practicing thisidea. Some of them are as follows:

Too much of result orientation breeds a sense of

fl'ar and discomfort as several of us are wary offailures. Moreover, a desire to have control on

fruits of action will invariably force us to focuson enus instead of means. Because of this,

process orientation will give 'way for result

orientation. Getting results somehow willdominate individual's behaviour. As we see

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nowadays, such behavioural patterns have the

potential not only to destroy individuals but alsoinstitutions. Results and outcomes are a matter

of future and work is a matter of present.Therefore with excessive result orientation one

tends to escape the dynamics of 'present' andg<:)after' fu ture'.

The Take AwayBased on these illustrations from the Gita,

mangers can take away some simple yetpowerful lessons. Developing a good sense ofneutrality is an important pre-requisite fordischarging one's work very effectively. Thismay appear like a simple idea. However itrequires deep contemplation of this idea anda conviction of its usefulness. Only out of sucha conviction can one generate new behaviouralpatterns consistent with this idea. The currentdominant paradigm 'I must enjoy fruits ofaction-else no work' will generate enormousamount of wasteful effort.

Embracing the overarching principle ofkarma yoga will have to be the alternativeparadigm for improving the quality of

management in organizations. If managers cantake these two important lessons from the Gita,we can not only build an alternative paradigm

of management but also succeed reasonablyin the practice of management. That can bethe greatest tribute we can offer to the sacredtext of Bhagavad Gita. May Lord Krishnabestow his divine blessings on us to achievethis goal. 0

I. (;l'US,A. (1997), Till' Livillg Company, HarvardBusiness School Press

References

I 2. d., Gita, 5.18-19, 6.7-9, 29, 32, 12.4, 13, 13.10, 39,14.24-25- -- _ ..- --------_. __ ._-_._----------------------------,

Some people do the best work when led. Not everyone is born to lead. The bestleader, however, is one who 'leads like the baby'. The baby, though apparently dependingon everyone, is the king of the household. At least, to my thinking, that is the secret ...

-Swami Vivekananda, CW, 8:428

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