padiththadhil pidiththadhu -2

[Guest guest]

Dear srivaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

Some time back there was a question in the list that does "srimadh bhagavath

geethaa" talk about management. Some answers were given. see here -an article

from web site mentioned at the end of the write up. Please note the author

claims "I'm an atheist" and then goes on to highlight few points with a punch.

Since i liked the punch i thought of sharing this small but effective writeup.

I leave it tothe moderator to decide whether this can appear in the list or not.

 

dhasan

 

vasudevan m.g.

 

 

GITA: MUST FOR EVERY MANAGEMENT & PROFESSIONALS ALIKE

- by Gaurav Chhibber

 

Whenever I sit in calm and think of Unity, Supreme Power & External Management,

I cannot help wonder, what management acumen it must have taken by that supreme

force to drive what we call Universe, Earth and Life Systems. Management, as

developed, by Henri Fayol evolved through a century and half and is with us

today in form of, still a baby, evolving. But strange it may seem, our

civilization has been practicing and preaching management for all those 5000

plus years. It was the west, who re-invented the wheel in this case and got it

patented as well. Today gradually but surely world is moving away from

* hierarchies,

* systems,

* flow charts,

* command chains to holistic,

* vertical,

* amoebic (adaptable) management approaches.

The time is right for ourselves what we always had all these years, the greatest

treasure on man, time and self-management, Srimad Bhagwad Gita.

 

To start with, I'm an atheist, who does not believe in God as Ram, Krishna,

Allah or anybody else. But I have always appreciated the managerial capabilities

of that Super Power who is managing the show called Earth.

 

Back To 'Gita': I started reading 'Gita' out of curiosity but to my surprise, I

found most of the topics taught to us here by Prof. A.N. Pal, Ms. Dogra, Ms.

Budhipriya, Prof. Pandey, Mr. Dalela and all other respectable faculties as

discovered, analyzed and assessed by Freud, Kotler, Ebert or Adam Smith were

there in macro form since ages. Talk of HR, IRPM, Marketing, Consumer Behavior,

Market Research, Economics (welfare). Above all virtues, qualities of leaders,

which are essential for managers are

* Lessons on Camaraderie

* Team-work

* Effective listening

* Time management

* Stress management

* Ethics & Values

 

Once, for once read 'Gita' not as religious sermon but something on management.

You will feel the same. For once read it not as characters (i.e. Arjun,

Pandavas, Duryodhan, etc.) but as a set of proposed thoughts. As 'Pandavas' are

not five brothers but are virtues of a leader

* Calm, unbiased and just ('Yudhishtira')

* Aggressive ('Bheema')

* Powerful Sharp Shooter ('Arjuna')

* Listening to team ('Nakul' & 'Sahdev')

 

'Krishna' has more than God's virtues. It's your mind control system.

'Dhraupadi' is more of your heart, emotional appeal, which makes you human but

being with 'Krishna' (i.e. mind) it is a balanced system. The victory of

'Pandavas' over 'Kauravas' is

* Well-defined, understood system vs. inaccessible hierarchies, old dying

system.

* Better planned, managed strategy vs. overexerted financial, materialistic

power.

* Able leadership vs. undefined, non-directional leadership.

 

These and many, such comparison and analysis could be drawn from 'Gita' but more

importantly 'Gita' teaches us how to be part of a system and yet contribute

effectively. It explains how communities (business or social) are affected

through different lines of thinking and action. It draws clear and concrete

guidelines for managers as

* leaders,

* their roles,

* behavior,

* decision taking capabilities,

* attitude, etc.

 

It also comments on business or any other activity being closely linked to

society and thus the responsibilities of different communities towards society,

from which they draw their most important resources (HR), are clearly stated and

emphasized.

 

Each and every character in 'Gita' is symbolic. All the warriors on both sides,

the Gurus, the brothers, their mothers, wives, relatives, etc are symbolic.

Immaterial of whether battle of 'Maha bharata' was fought or not, this book

explains all possible 'W's'

* why,

* what,

* when,

* where,

* who

with relative ease and now for the most important part the

* Re-invention

 

Today the world is awakening to the concept of "Holistic Management", the

management of mind, body and soul rather than of structures and systems. The

time is ripe for us, Indians to bargain our pound of flesh and encash upon our

heritage and treasure house of holistic management principles, 'Srimad Bhagwad

Gita'.

 

Posted on : 7-Nov-2000 © www.mohyals.com 2000 All rights reserved