Learning management from Bhagwad Gita

            In any setup, where people have a collective aim, planning for and management of resources is invariably a priority task. It is all about managing personnel, finances and material optimally, depending upon prevailing situations. Inter alia, it involves:

·   Incorporation of all or maximum staff.

·   Utilization of the strengths of everybody.

·   Rendering individual weaknesses redundant.

·   Ushering in a tuneful working environment.

·   Resolution of problems and crisis situations.

·   Sharing of attainments.

During the course of management of any affair, two factors, namely appositeness and effectiveness come into play. While appositeness implies doing the correct things, efficiency entails doing things correctly; the application of these factors is universal in the management of any affair. Put differently, management is nothing but a course of action intended to bring people of diverse dispositions and inclinations on to a common path with a single direction of mind to achieve a common objective.

All managers have five primary tasks:

·   Create an organizational vision and develop a plan to bring it to fruition.

·   Set up organizational distinction through leadership and personal example.

·   Lay the foundation of pioneering establishment.

·   Build teams and foster team spirit.

            All management techniques to deal with dilemmas of the mind can be unraveled from the Bhagwad Gita. It serves to expedite change and be a factor for contemplation and self-refinement. In other words, the Bhagwad Gita offers us a pragmatic tool to bond with our indefinable but genuine strength of mind to facilitate journeying through life without difficulty.

            All managers seek to be effective in their respective jobs. The Bhagwad Gita has an answer to all possible vexations that they may face. It constantly and repetitively pronounces that one should always attempt to manage oneself. This is because a manager will not be rated high unless he clocks a specific level of superiority and efficacy.

Modern-day management theories - vision perception, headship, inspiration, work superiority, attaining objectives, providing work values and judgment – they are all contained in the Bhagwad Gita. While western models devote time and space to peripheral and material issues, the Bhagwad Gita addresses all issues from their lowest level of human thought processes whereas western models. This is because once an improvement in the fundamental thinking of a person changes, improvement in his or her actions and their outcome instinctively follow.

Inferences and interpretations from Bhagwad Gita with regard to modern management theories are discussed in the succeeding paragraphs.

·   Optimum use of existing resources:  Management gurus stress on a sensible employment of resources. Much before the battle was joined, Duryodhan went for Shri Krishna’s army; on the other hand Arjun decided on His perspicacity for guidance. This speaks volumes of the character and make-up of a successful manager; Duryodhan sought quantity and numerical superiority while Arjun looked for value and qualitative eminence.

·   Disposition: People may be in similar jobs and performing identical tasks. However, they may have varying standpoints towards work. The Bhagwad Gita extols us to grow out of our shell. It urges us to build up farsighted perception in whatever activity we participate in. Every human being should toil for the good of mankind by expanding visualization and forethought.        

·   Dedication:  The Bhagwad Gita impels everybody to carry on doing good work but without looking for any reward. It is the work that is important and own attitude towards it has to be devoid of the sense of self.            

·   Spur: The Bhagwad Gita puts forward the need to abandon insensitivity and ego, quite in contrast with most dogmas that lay stress on self-worth being the beacon light of motivation. It also speaks of detached involvement at work to attain self-control and be able to seek the support of divine intelligence – this is particularly relevant to those people who accord greater importance to organizational objectives vis-à-vis individual accomplishments.       

·   Ethos:  Work ethos pertains to dynamic and untiring efforts in the performance of assigned tasks. The Bhagwad Gita makes a mention of two work cultures – divine and demonic. While divine work culture is goodness and entails courage, the other is plagued with wickedness and smacks of lack of consideration for others. The Gita thus promotes a work ethos shaped by ethical practices.

·   Outcome:  The Bhagwad Gita notes that the glory of good work done or the blame of failure is not the prerogative of the doer alone. Haughtiness and egotism together with hopelessness and discontent are thus prevented from taking shape. The harmful effects of emotional and mental assaults are thus kept at bay.

·   Robustness:   All human endeavours seek the good health of the body and mind so that a composed deportment is preserved at all times. This is what robustness is all about. The Bhagwad Gita says that a tension-free is best attained by inner endurance and single-mindedness.  Jealousy, avarice, ego, distrust and discontent are few hurdles that need to be overcome to have a happy mind.     

·   Leadership:  The Bhagwad Gita states that laymen go behind whatever the outstanding do. A leader must have zeal and initiative; he should keep the interests of the poor in mind. In the Bhagwad Gita, Shri Krishna declares that He is the muscle and might of the weak. Leadership thus also implies coming to the rescue of the aggrieved.

The Bhagwad Gita is truly a management bible, the greatest gift that India has given to the world. I am neither erudite nor a scholar, but having read its translated version, I feel that the Gita offers whatever is necessary to elevate the awareness of any human being. It is truly an all-embracing guide to practical life.