LeadershipLessons from Srimad Bhagvad Gita

Coutesy: Inderjeet Nagpal,

Business Consultant
 Institute for Science &
Spirituality
Management Lessons
Scientific Study wing of ISKCONfrom
Delhi
SRIMAD BHAGAVAD GITA

Goal Motivation

Client
Success

Advice
Training
Synopsis

• Management is the art of getting things done through others. Unless we are ourselves inspired, we
can’t inspire others. People learn far more from others’ actions than their words. This means
management is about managing the leaders and leadership style.

• But the problem is that present Management Systems deal with the problems at superficial, material,
external and peripheral levels. The management thoughts are based mostly on the lure for materialism
and a perennial thirst for profit irrespective of the quality of the means adopted to achieve that goal.

• The Bhagavad-Gita offers an inside-out approach to leadership, for it counsels a conflicted leader
to go deep within to the core of his self and find therein the wisdom to shoulder the demanding
responsibilities of leadership. Bhagavad Gîta tackles the issues from the grass roots level of
human thinking because once the basic thinking of man is improved it will automatically enhance
the quality of his actions and their results.

• The Gītā contains timeless management and leadership lessons for the contemporary organizations.
Content

• Present Situation in Corporates

• Problem With Present Systems of Business Management
• 12 Timeless Management Lessons from Bhagvad Gita
• Interview with a Successful Business Leader
Present Situation in Corporates

Why do we work ???

• Earning Money
• Positive Engagement
• Happiness
• Peace

We expect more than money from a working place

Present Situation in Corporates
What are we getting ?

• Earning Money
• Positive Engagement
• Happiness
• Peace

Many people are dissatisfied and frustrated at working place

Present Situation in corporates

Dirty Politics
Financial Frauds
Groupism
Favoritism

Jealousy

Ego

Blame game
Exploitation Leg Pulling
We need to be expert in these traits, if we want to succeed
Present Situation in Corporates

According to recent studies…

• 48% of employees worldwide don’t even like their jobs
• Only 30% feel “engaged and inspired” by their careers.
Present Situation in Corporates
What is Management ???
Problem with Present Management Systems

• Present Management Systems deals with the problems at superficial,

material, external and peripheral levels.

• The management thoughts are based mostly on the lure for

materialism and a perennial thirst for profit irrespective of the quality
of the means adopted to achieve that goal.

• Mostly Management Theories are coming from west. Anything

Western is always good – Has been inculcated in our minds.

• Our management schools have sprung up on the foundations of

materialistic approach wherein no place of importance was given to
a holistic view
Bhagavad Gita – The Ultimate Source of Management Knowledge

• The Bhagavad-Gita offers an inside-out approach to leadership, for it counsels a

conflicted leader to go deep within to the core of his self and find therein the
wisdom to shoulder the demanding responsibilities of leadership.

• It clearly positions personal leadership as the foundation of public leadership.

• Bhagavad Gîta tackles the issues from the grass roots level of human thinking
because once the basic thinking of man is improved it will automatically enhance
the quality of his actions and their results.

• The Gītā contains timeless management and leadership lessons for the
contemporary organizations.
Glorification of Bhagavad Gita by World Leaders
Glorification of Bhagavad Gita by World Leaders
Glorification of Bhagavad Gita by World Leaders

Mahatma Gandhi: When doubts haunt me, when

disappointments stare me in the face, and I see
not one ray of hope on the horizon, I turn to
Bhagavad-gita and find a verse to comfort me;
and I immediately begin to smile in the midst of
overwhelming sorrow. Those who meditate on
the Gita will derive fresh joy and new meanings
from it every day.

Albert Einstein: When I read the Bhagavad-Gita

and reflect about how God created this universe
everything else seems so superfluous.
Management Lessons from Srimad Bhagvad Gita
1. Work Culture
2. Lead by example
3. Leadership beyond position
4. Equanimity
5. Efficient Management by
understating the Three modes of nature
6. Mind Control
7. Being present
8. Work with a sense of detachment
9. Workplace Ethics
10. Managing speech
11. Deal with negative elements
12. Do your best and leave the rest
1. Work Culture
Management should build an empowering दैवी work culture
BG 16.1-3: The Supreme Divine Personality said: O scion of
• Fearlessness Bharat, these are the saintly virtues of those endowed
• Truthfulness, with a divine nature—fearlessness, purity of mind,
steadfastness in spiritual knowledge, charity, control of
• Freedom from anger, the senses, sacrifice, study of the sacred books, austerity,
• Aversion to faultfinding and straightforwardness; non-violence, truthfulness,
• Compassion for all, absence of anger, renunciation, peacefulness, restraint
from fault-finding, compassion toward all living beings,
• Gentleness; absence of covetousness, gentleness, modesty, and lack of
• Modesty fickleness; vigor, forgiveness, fortitude, cleanliness,
• Steady determination bearing enmity toward none, and absence of vanity.

• Vigor
• Forgiveness;
• Fortitude
• Cleanliness;
• Freedom from envy and from the
passion for honor
Management should discourage an Asurī work culture

• Pride
• Arrogance
• Conceit BG 16.4: O Parth, the qualities of those who possess a
demoniac nature are hypocrisy, arrogance, conceit,
• Anger anger, harshness, and ignorance.
• Harshness
• Ignorance
2. Lead By Example
Lead by example

BG-3.21
यद्यदाचरति
श्रेष्ठस्तत्तदेवेतरो जनः ।
स यत्प्रमाणं कुरुते
लोकस्तदनुवर्तते

Whatever action a great man

performs, common men follow.
The work culture management And whatever standards he sets
is a Top Down Activity by exemplary acts, all the world
pursues.
Lead by example

Question : What’s the best way to motivate people? Is it praise, or salary

or something else?

Answer : The best way to motivate people is to set an example for them. I
can’t sit in an air-conditioned room and make others do all the work.
Here I try to set an example in all manners, everything, whether it is
punctuality or inspections or the standards for specifications, finishing of
the work, anything.

-Metro Man - Mr. Sreedharan Padma Shri

3.Leadership Beyond Position
Leadership Beyond Position

• Krishna accepts the role of Chariot Driver of Arjuna

• Krishna, although himself the ruler of the kingdom of Dwaraka, took the humble role of a
mediator and negotiator to try to bring peace to the community.

• Krishna the Supreme Personality of Godhead, took charge of washing the feet of all the
incoming guests in Rajsuya Yajna of Yudhishtra.
Leadership Beyond Position
Difference – Boss VS Leader

SUGARCANE
JUICY INSIDE

BAMBOO
DRY INSIDE
Leadership Beyond Position
Difference – Boss
V/S Leader

Service • Leadership is the ability to build up

(Leader) confidence

• Leadership is a responsibility—a
call to serve—and not a position
to wield power or influence

• Great leaders approach their

work as a contribution, as a
Exploitation service.
(Boss)
Leadership Beyond Position
Difference – Boss VS Leader
4. EQUANIMITY
Develop right attitude towards Success and Failure

• Try your best – success will be there BG-14.24:

• Don`t fear from failure समदुःखसुखः स्वस्थः समलोष्टाश्मकाञ्चनः ।

तुल्यप्रियाप्रियो
धीरस्तुल्यनिन्दात्मसंस्तुतिः ॥२४॥
• Don`t loose heart if fail, try again with more
energy, enthusiasm, preparedness Who is situated in the self and regards alike
happiness and distress; who looks upon a
lump of earth, a stone and a piece of gold with
• Should not be depressed in failure and an equal eye; who is equal toward the
should not be on seventh heaven in case of desirable and the undesirable; who is steady,
situated equally well in praise and blame,
success honor and dishonor.

• Consistency in success comes from team

work for an organization
Failure V/S Success

“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that

won’t work.”

Success or failure-
both give learning

“I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.

I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I
have been entrusted to take the game-winning
shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and
over again in my life. And that is why I succeed.”
Michael Jordan
5. Three modes of nature-

How this knowledge helps in performance improvement.

Influence of Three Modes - Leadership

Sattva Guna Rajo Guna Tamo Guna

Mode of Goodness Mode of Passion Mode of Ignorance

• Knowledge • Unlimited desires • Madness

• Free from sins • Fruitive activity • Laziness
• Conditioned by sense of • Attraction between man • Sleep
happiness and woman • Intoxication
• Satisfaction • Hankering and • Illusion
lamentation • Anger
Manager in the Mode of Ignorance

• Materialistic
• Obstinate
• Cheating Bg. 18.28
• Insulting others अयुक्त: प्राकृत: स्तब्ध: शठो
नैष्कृतिकोऽलस: ।
• Lazy
विषादी दीर्घसूत्री च कर्ता तामस
• Morose उच्यते ॥ २८ ॥
• Procrastinating BG 18.28: A performer in the mode of ignorance is one who is
undisciplined, vulgar, stubborn, deceitful, slothful, despondent, and a
procrastinator.
Manager in the Mode of Passion

• The worker who is attached Bg. 18.27

to work and the fruits of work गी
रा
कर्मफलप्रेप्सुर्लुब्धो
:।
• Desiring to enjoy those fruits
हर्षशोकान्वित: कर्ता राजस:
• Greedy परिकीर्तित: ॥ २७ ॥
• Always envious
BG 18.27: The performer is considered in the mode of passion
• Impure when he or she craves the fruits of the work, is covetous,
• Moved by joy and sorrow violent-natured, impure, and moved by joy and sorrow.
Manager in the mode of Goodness

Bg. 18.26
• No false ego मुक्तसङ्गोऽनहंवादी
धृत्युत्साहसमन्वित: ।
• Great determination सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योर्निर्विकार: कर्ता
• Enthusiasm सात्त्विक उच्यते ॥ २६
• Without wavering in BG 18.26: The performer is said to be in the mode of goodness,
success or failure when he or she is free from egotism and attachment, endowed
with enthusiasm and determination, and equipoised in success
and failure.
How to cultivate the Mode of goodness?

Simply by association of this mode

Satto
Action points:
Guna
• Cleanliness
• Eating Sattvic food
• Simplicity in body , mind and words
Rajo
We should have
• Knowledge -study of the Vedas best mix of 3 Guna
• Equanimity modes for best
• Steady determination performance
• Sense of duty and responsibility Tamo
• Regulated actions Guna
• Without attachment to result but duty
oriented
6. Mind Control
Mind Control
How do Leaders manage a Challenging Situation

Leader-A Leader-B
• Chaos
• Conflict
• Pressure
• Agitation
• Anger
• Frustration
• No solution Visible Carried away by the situation, looses
• Negativity his temper, gets angry, shouts, not able
to focus due to agitated mind. Not able
Listens attentively, understand the
to solve the problem
situation calmly, focuses on the
solution, thinks positively, able to
come out of difficult situation

Why do they behave differently ??

Mind Control

BG-6.5

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं
नात्मानमवसादयेत् ।
आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो बन्धुरात्मैव
रिपुरात्मनः
BG 6.5: Elevate yourself through the power of your
mind, and not degrade yourself, for the mind can be
the friend and also the enemy of the self.
 Mind Control
“The mind is just like a muscle - the more you exercise it, the
stronger it gets and the more it can expand.”― Idowu
Koyenikan.

There are many theories for mind control, but they are not
effective or not permanent
 Mind Control
BG-6.26

• No Shortcut यतो यतो निश्चरति मनश्चञ्चलमस्थिरम् ।

• Practice ततस्ततो नियम्यैतदात्मन्येव वशं नयेत् ॥२६

• Detachment From wherever the mind wanders due to its

flickering and unsteady nature, one must
• Bring it back ….. certainly withdraw it and bring it back under
the control of the Self

BG-6.35
श्रीभगवानुवाच
असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं चलम्
।
अभ्यासेन तु कौन्तेय वैराग्येण च
गृह्यते

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son

of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difficult
to curb the restless mind, but it is
possible by suitable Practice and by
Detachment.
Mind Control : Mantra Meditation-Sound vibrations
MAN +TRA- DELIVER THE MIND

Srila Prabhupada explains, “The easiest way to control the mind, as

suggested by Lord Chaitanya, is chanting “Hare Krishna.”

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra could

calm the mind and help anxiety and
schizophrenia, according to new
research
7. Being Present
One thing at a time
Be mindful in whatever you do

• One thing at a time

Bg. 2.41
• Being present in the moment because व्यवसायात्मिका बुद्धिरेकेह कुरूनन्दन
।
Karma can be performed only in present बहुशाखा ह्यनन्ताश्च
बुद्धयोऽव्यवसायिनाम् ॥ ४१
therefore the point of control is in the
BG 2.41: O descendent of the Kurus, the intellect of those
present. who are on this path is resolute, and their aim is one-
pointed. But the intellect of those who are irresolute is
• No Multitasking many-branched

• Finish what you start. Be Resolute

One thing at a time
Based on over a half-century of cognitive science and
multitasking.

• Multitaskers do less and miss information.

• It takes time (an average of 15 minutes) to re-orient to
a primary task after a distraction such as an email.
• Efficiency can drop by as much as 40%.
• Long-term memory suffers and creativity is reduced.

Paul Atchley, Ph.D. is an

associate professor of
Cognitive Psychology at the
University of Kansas
8.Work with the spirit of
Detachment
Work with the spirit of Detachment

• Detachment from Results but performance of

duties BG-2.47

कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु
• Does it means we should not be result oriented ? कदाचन ।
मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भूर्मा ते
सङ्गोऽस्त्वकर्मणि
• What problems are caused by over attachment to
results ? You have a right to perform your
prescribed duty, but you are not
entitled to the fruits of action. Never
consider yourself the cause of the
results of your activities, and never
be attached to not doing your duty
Work with the spirit of Detachment
Focus on action
• In the execution of management functions we should focus on karma, i.e.,
action, and not on its result, as result is the outcome of action.

• We should give sufficient time & deliberations to decide our actions. Then
we should monitor the execution of actions and not merely results. Results
will eventually come if those agreed actions are done perfectly.

• This also means that not to get too much focused on results, as that could
bring worry, which leads to anxiety and reduces the attention on the karma
being performed in the present

• Because karma is performed only in the present—not in the past or in the

future, the Bhagavad Gita places a special emphasis on the present

• Paying full attention to the present could give the best outcome
9.Workplace Ethics
Workplace Ethics

LUST

Bg. 16.21
त्रिविधं नरकस्येदं द्वारं
नाशनमात्मन: ।
ANGER काम: लोभस्तस्मादेतत्‍त्रयं त्यजेत् ॥
२१

There are three gates leading to this hell

– lust, anger and greed. Every sane man
should give these up, for they lead to the
degradation of the soul.
GREED
10. Managing speech
Managing speech

Bg. 17.15
• Truthful अनुद्वेगकरं वाक्यं सत्यं प्रियहितं
च यत् ।
• Pleasing चैव वाङ्‍मयं तप उच्यते ॥ १५ ॥
• Beneficial
• Austerity of speech consists in
Not Agitating others speaking words that are truthful,
• Also in regularly reciting pleasing, beneficial, and not
Vedic literature. agitating to others, and also in
regularly reciting Vedic literature.

BG 17.15: Words that do not cause distress, are

truthful, inoffensive, and beneficial, as well as regular
recitation of the Vedic scriptures—these are declared
as austerity of speech.
Managing speech
Cause of Conflict % Contribution
Difference of opinion 10%
Bad Tone 90%

Boomerang in Communication

Give Get
Lord Shri Krishna said: There is virtually no man in this world capable of resettling
his own mind after it has been disturbed by the insulting words of uncivilized men.
Shrimad Bhagavatam 11.23.2

Sharp arrows which pierce one's chest and reach the heart do not cause as much
suffering as the arrows of harsh, insulting words that become lodged within the
heart when
spoken by uncivilized men. Shrimad Bhagavatam 11.23.3
Managing speech
Some Examples

• Incorrect: What the hell is this?

• Correct: It seems everything is not ok here

• Incorrect: How much more time will you take, you

stupid ?
• Correct: Do you need any assistance in this work ?

• Incorrect: Why the report is not done till now ?

• Correct: When can I expect report from you, It’s urgent.
I hope you understand.
11.How to Deal with Negative
Elements
 Bhagawat Geeta 6.9
How to Deal with negative elements
सुहृन्मित्रार्युदासीनमध्यस्थद्वेष्यब
How should we see an enemy! न्धुषु ।
साधुष्वपि च पापेषु
• He is God’s arrangement to make me समबुद्धिर्विशिष्यते
humble and more evolved person!
BG 6.9: The yogis look upon all—well-wishers,
Feedback personified! friends, foes, the pious, and the sinners—with an
impartial intellect. The yogi who is of equal intellect
toward friend, companion, and foe, neutral among
• He is a barometer for me to see how enemies and relatives, and unbiased between the
much I have transcended the inner righteous and sinful, is considered to be
shackles distinguished among humans.

• Somewhere I could not meet the

expectation of this person, that is why
his disappointment is getting
expressed as a rebellious behavior
12. Do your best and Leave The Rest
Do your best and leave the rest

When situations are beyond our control , how to manage then ?

• When we perform an action, we have

certain expectations about its results. The
actual results can be equal to our BG-2.48
expectations, less than our expectations. योगस्थः कुरु कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा
धनंजय ।
सिद्ध्यसिद्ध्योः समो भूत्वा समत्वं
• Whatever be the outcome, the Gītā योग उच्यते
teaches us to accept it gracefully by
maintaining a state of evenness of mind Perform your duty equipoised, O Arjuna,
(samatā) towards the results of our abandoning all attachment to success or failure.
Such equanimity is called yoga
actions.
Perception of Success
Success

• Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence.” –
Colin Powell

• Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying,

sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do. – Pele

• “Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out.” – Robert
Collier
• “What is a success? I think it is a mixture of having a flair for the thing that you are
doing; knowing that it is not enough, that you have got to have hard work and a
certain sense of purpose.” —Margaret Thatcher

• Success isn’t always about greatness. It’s about consistency. Consistent hard work
leads to success. Greatness will come.” – Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

• “Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is

a success.” –Henry Ford
Success
BG-18.78

यत्र योगेश्वरः कृष्णो यत्र पार्थो धनुर्धरः ।

तत्र श्रीर्विजयो भूतिर्ध्रुवा नीतिर्मतिर्मम

Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, the master of all mystics,

and wherever there is Arjuna, the supreme archer,
there will also certainly be opulence, victory,
extraordinary power, and morality. That is my
opinion.
Thank you