Better Management & Effective Leadership through the Indian Scriptures

Written by
Narayanji Misra
Foreword by
Dr. Karan Singh
Member of Parliament (India)

Management is NOT ‘getting things done by others’ but ‘helping ordinary people to produce extra-ordinary results.’ Productivity of men is more important that of a plant.

Today there are innumerable professionals and industrialists who are great achievers, have great social prestige yet do not enjoy life. On the other hand, there are many who are contended and happy but are not achievers. What is needed today is a combination of these two qualities. One should be a great achiever and at the same time should live a peaceful life. The book Better Management & Effective Leadership through the Indian Scriptures can offer this blending.
Quoting Bhagvat Gita to emphasise management principles is very much relevant today. Long before Peter Drucker, Philip Kotler, C.K. Prahalad, Arindam Chaudhuri and other management gurus introduced modern management concepts, Valmiki, Tulsidas, Kautilya and Šukra had applied identical strategies in their respective books/treatises, signifying their farsightedness. Take for example, the verses in Sundar Kand. Locating Sita and giving Ram’s message to her was Hanuman’s mission. Some of the key management principles in successfully completing an assignment are to prepare oneself mentally to execute the job, adopt a positive attitude, analyse the strength of competitors and then embark. Accordingly, Hanuman made his own strategy to know the strengths and weaknesses of the Lankans. Compare this with the modern management principle that involves analysing the competitor’s strength, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT). Utilising core competency of an individual or an organisation is a leading management mantra today. Sumantra Ghoshal, the noted modern management guru and professor of Strategic Leadership at London Business School, emphasises this aspect in many of his lectures.
Srimad Bhagvat Gita is a classic example of instilling motivation. When Arjuna felt dejected and desolate to face his own kith and kin on the battlefield, Krishna explained that what matters in life is to uphold the Dharma. He stressed the need to focus on duty rather than on the rewards and results springing from into. Management consultant David H. Freedman says, ‘‘It’s better to decide quickly on an imperfect plan than to spend time considering every angle and roll out a perfect plan when it is too late.’’
This book is intended to open your eyes to what is contained within ancient Indian scriptures, Rig Veda, Kath Upanishad, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda, Ramayan, Srimad Bhagvat Gita, Chanakya Sùtram, and Mahabharata etc. Explore some of the chapters in this book such as, ‘The Basic Managerial Functions’, Cultivate Your Workforce’, ‘Manager as a Leader’, ‘Managing by Least Supervision’, Management by Example’, etc. You will learn much that works during brainstorming, management games, or case studies dissection in management schools. If IIMs (Indian Institutes of Management) have started teaching spirituality, yoga, ancient Indian scriptures, etc. there must be a sound reason. So, pick up Better Management & Effective Leadership through the Indian Scriptures written by Narayanji Misra today as your appreciation and reverence to worlds’ ancient scriptures, which laid the vital foundation on which the modern management gurus have built their castles.