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Management lessons from Gita - Effectiveness is doing the right things and Efficiency is doing things right

Management lessons from Gita - Effectiveness is doing the right things and Efficiency is doing things right - Nirmalya Labs

Management and Leadership as a practice relates strongly to human nature, style, value system, definition of what is right and what is wrong etc. In today’s time it is both an art as well as a science. There are different philosophical outlooks both in the western and eastern world.

Here is a very powerful and interesting situation from “Gita”, the great advice as was given by Lord Krishna to Arjuna who was feeling clueless as to what should be his next course of action just when the epic battle of “Mahabharata” was about to start. The despondent position of Arjuna in the first chapter of the Gîta is typical human situation which may come in the life of all men of action some time or other. Lord Krishna in the “Gîta” advises how to manage for a better time and action.

Below is an excerpt from their conversation.

Arjuna asked Krishna, Why Karna is known to be more liberal than me?

Krishna showed a mountain of gold and asked Arjuna to give to people in a single day. Arjuna, went to the mountain and broke the mountain rock by rock to give to the people. It took him several days to complete it.

Now, same task was allocated to Karna. He gave all the people the required tools to break the mountain. He asked people to break the mountain and take whatever they wish. Everyone gathered and hit the mountain. They took away what they want and in few hours, the entire mountain is vanished.

Krishna told Arjuna, You want everything to be done by you. That is why it took you several days. You determined how much to be given. You didn't used team work and required tools to break the mountain. Wanted credit for what you are doing.

But Karna's aim was only to break the mountain in a day and distribute it to the people. He used team work, required tools and never claimed credit of giving it from his hands'.

Leaders never claim the team's credit, they stand in the front at the time of disaster, use right team member at the right place, use right tools and bring team together to complete huge task in short time.

If the result of sincere effort is a success, the entire credit should not be appropriated by the doer alone. If the result of sincere effort is a failure, then too the entire blame does not accrue to the doer. Hence, Management Needs those Who Practise what they Preach.

    26-06-2017         12 : 12 PM

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