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Managing by the Bhagavad Gītā: Timeless Lessons for Today’s Managers
Drawing upon the timeless wisdom of the Bhagavad Gītā, a philosophical-spiritual world classic, this professional book highlights the spiritual and moral dimensions of management using an inside-out leadership development approach. It interprets the Bhagavad Gītā’s teachings on the personality types and psychological makeup of managers and employees; self-knowledge and self-mastery; and the leadership concepts of vision, motivation, and empowerment. This book covers topics such as training of the mind, ethical leadership, communication, stress management, and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Collectively, the enclosed contributions provide managers with an enhanced outlook on management functions such as leading, planning, organizing, and controlling in today’s organizations, particularly those run by knowledge workers.
Management research in the 20th century has mainly focused on the industrial paradigm characterized by a hierarchical structure of authority and responsibility with an individualistic focus on the personality of the manager. However, this traditional paradigm cannot solve many of the problems that confront leaders and mangers today. Recent studies have shown that values traditionally associated with spirituality—such as integrity, honesty, trust, kindness, caring, fairness, and humility—have a demonstrable effect on managerial effectiveness and success. Although traditionally interpreted as a religious-spiritual text, the Bhagavad Gītā teaches these values which can be extrapolated and applied to practical management lessons in today’s corporate boardrooms.
Applying the text of the Bhagavad Gītā to the context of management, this book views the manager as an “enlightened sage” who operates from higher stance, guided by self-knowledge and self-mastery. It demonstrates how character is the key ingredient for effective management and leadership. This book is therefore applicable to all managers, from first-line to CEOs, in their management and leadership roles in organizations.
Management research in the 20th century has mainly focused on the industrial paradigm characterized by a hierarchical structure of authority and responsibility with an individualistic focus on the personality of the manager. However, this traditional paradigm cannot solve many of the problems that confront leaders and mangers today. Recent studies have shown that values traditionally associated with spirituality—such as integrity, honesty, trust, kindness, caring, fairness, and humility—have a demonstrable effect on managerial effectiveness and success. Although traditionally interpreted as a religious-spiritual text, the Bhagavad Gītā teaches these values which can be extrapolated and applied to practical management lessons in today’s corporate boardrooms.
Applying the text of the Bhagavad Gītā to the context of management, this book views the manager as an “enlightened sage” who operates from higher stance, guided by self-knowledge and self-mastery. It demonstrates how character is the key ingredient for effective management and leadership. This book is therefore applicable to all managers, from first-line to CEOs, in their management and leadership roles in organizations.
337 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2018
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January 16, 2024
The dramatic moral crisis that is central to the Bhagavad-Gita has inspired centuries of Indian philosophers and practical men of wisdom, as well as Western thinkers such as Thoreau, Emerson, and Eliot. Interpretations of the Gita, as it is commonly referred to in India, are as varied as the figures who have commented on it.
From Shankara, the great Hindu philosopher of the 8th century, to to the management-pundits of the 21st century, each thinker has emphasized the path to spiritual liberation that was suited to his view of reality. These various interpretations reflect the intentionally multifaceted message of Krishna's teaching.
This book shows us that the Bhagavad Gītā is as pertinent in the boardrooms of the 21st century as it was on the battlegrounds of ancient times.
Within the compass of 18 dynamic chapters, it unfolds the whole manifestation of human theater, full of trials met, fights won, and freedom attained. It teaches us how to appear from a state of utter indifference, dejection, grief, and misery to a state of perfect engagement, empathy, clarity, wisdom, renewed strength, and triumph.
This book comprises of fifteen assorted articles:
1) The Text, Context, and Message of the Bhagavad Gītā : Satinder Dhiman
2) Training the Mind for the Knowledge and Creative Work: A. D. Amar
3) Doing the Right Thing: The Ethical Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gītā : Satinder Dhiman
4) Ten Key Management Messages from the Bhagavad Gita: A. D. Amar
5) Leadership and Communication in the Bhagavad Gita: Unity, Duty, and Equanimity: Jon Radwan
6) Karma Yoga: Application of Gita (2:47) for Superior Business Performance During Industry: Charles Chow
7) Bhagvad Gita Approach to Stress Mitigation and Holistic Well-Being : Radha R. Sharma and Ronak Batra
8) Ethics of Enlightened Leaders: Dennis Heaton
9) Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā and Knowledge Management with Special Focus on Jñāna Yoga: Chandan Medatwal
10) The Bhagavad Gītā as an Antidote to Duality: A Challenge to the Orthodoxy of Current Decisions Theory: K. Sankaran and C. K. Manjunath
11) Bhagavad Gita and Management: A New Perspective: Chandrashekhar alias Kiran V. Korhalkar
12) Values Based Management: Guided by the Bhagavad Gītā: Paul Palmarozza
13) Distinguishing Revelation Politics from Salvation Theology in The Bhagavad Gita’s Message for Leaders and Managers: Ajeet N. Mathur
14) LokasaMgraha: An Indigenous Construct of Leadership and Its Measure: Dharm P. S. Bhawuk
15) Epilogue: Timeless Teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā: Satinder Dhiman
What we learn from the articles can be enumerated as follows:
The Bhagavad Gītā can be approached as a powerful tool for management and as a catalyst for organizational transformation.
It teaches us how to harmonize the needs of the individual with the needs of society, and by extension, how to harmonize the needs of employees and the organization.
It employs an inside-out leadership development approach based on self-knowledge and self-mastery, the two highly important areas for practicing true self-leadership.
It is a nonsectarian spiritual text with a universal message. The Gītā contains timeless management and leadership lessons for the contemporary organizations.
Modern leadership concepts such as vision, incentive and authorization, self-awareness, self-mastery, excellence in work, importance of ethical means in achieving righteous ends, attaining meaning and fulfillment at work, service before self, and well-being of all beings are all lucidly discussed in the Bhagavad Gītā.
Likewise, many contemporary leadership constructs such as authentic leadership, servant leadership, and values-based leadership were already discussed, albeit notionally, in the Bhagavad Gītā thousands of years ago.
The message of the Gītā fosters holistic development of human personality within all of its dimensions (physical-psychological, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual) by providing guidance about the three essential spiritual practices: “training the mind,”
“transforming the passions,” and “guarding the heart.”
To conclude thus, the Gītā contains timeless lessons for contemporary organizations. Peter Senge, one of the key management thinkers of our time, has quoted the Gītā in two of his celebrated books, namely, Fifth Discipline and Presence. Steve Jobs’ credo, “Actualize Yourself,” also seems to have its implicit roots in the Gītā.
The Gītā unfolds as an infallible guide for those higher order managers and leaders who externally live a life of full engagement in the world, while internally always remaining steadfastly anchored in the wisdom of their Higher Self. Its non-sectarian, universal message speaks endearingly to people from all walks of life who are in search of abiding answers to the fundamental questions of life.
The Gītā is universal in its message, all-inclusive in its outlook, and tangible in its suggestions. As Teitsworth has correctly perceived: There is no malicious and resentful God in it, only a benevolent and loving principle, called Brahman, or the Absolute. It is brimming with the finest spiritual advice tendered without reluctance or guilt….
A thought-provoking read.
From Shankara, the great Hindu philosopher of the 8th century, to to the management-pundits of the 21st century, each thinker has emphasized the path to spiritual liberation that was suited to his view of reality. These various interpretations reflect the intentionally multifaceted message of Krishna's teaching.
This book shows us that the Bhagavad Gītā is as pertinent in the boardrooms of the 21st century as it was on the battlegrounds of ancient times.
Within the compass of 18 dynamic chapters, it unfolds the whole manifestation of human theater, full of trials met, fights won, and freedom attained. It teaches us how to appear from a state of utter indifference, dejection, grief, and misery to a state of perfect engagement, empathy, clarity, wisdom, renewed strength, and triumph.
This book comprises of fifteen assorted articles:
1) The Text, Context, and Message of the Bhagavad Gītā : Satinder Dhiman
2) Training the Mind for the Knowledge and Creative Work: A. D. Amar
3) Doing the Right Thing: The Ethical Philosophy of the Bhagavad Gītā : Satinder Dhiman
4) Ten Key Management Messages from the Bhagavad Gita: A. D. Amar
5) Leadership and Communication in the Bhagavad Gita: Unity, Duty, and Equanimity: Jon Radwan
6) Karma Yoga: Application of Gita (2:47) for Superior Business Performance During Industry: Charles Chow
7) Bhagvad Gita Approach to Stress Mitigation and Holistic Well-Being : Radha R. Sharma and Ronak Batra
8) Ethics of Enlightened Leaders: Dennis Heaton
9) Śrīmad Bhagavad Gītā and Knowledge Management with Special Focus on Jñāna Yoga: Chandan Medatwal
10) The Bhagavad Gītā as an Antidote to Duality: A Challenge to the Orthodoxy of Current Decisions Theory: K. Sankaran and C. K. Manjunath
11) Bhagavad Gita and Management: A New Perspective: Chandrashekhar alias Kiran V. Korhalkar
12) Values Based Management: Guided by the Bhagavad Gītā: Paul Palmarozza
13) Distinguishing Revelation Politics from Salvation Theology in The Bhagavad Gita’s Message for Leaders and Managers: Ajeet N. Mathur
14) LokasaMgraha: An Indigenous Construct of Leadership and Its Measure: Dharm P. S. Bhawuk
15) Epilogue: Timeless Teachings of the Bhagavad Gītā: Satinder Dhiman
What we learn from the articles can be enumerated as follows:
The Bhagavad Gītā can be approached as a powerful tool for management and as a catalyst for organizational transformation.
It teaches us how to harmonize the needs of the individual with the needs of society, and by extension, how to harmonize the needs of employees and the organization.
It employs an inside-out leadership development approach based on self-knowledge and self-mastery, the two highly important areas for practicing true self-leadership.
It is a nonsectarian spiritual text with a universal message. The Gītā contains timeless management and leadership lessons for the contemporary organizations.
Modern leadership concepts such as vision, incentive and authorization, self-awareness, self-mastery, excellence in work, importance of ethical means in achieving righteous ends, attaining meaning and fulfillment at work, service before self, and well-being of all beings are all lucidly discussed in the Bhagavad Gītā.
Likewise, many contemporary leadership constructs such as authentic leadership, servant leadership, and values-based leadership were already discussed, albeit notionally, in the Bhagavad Gītā thousands of years ago.
The message of the Gītā fosters holistic development of human personality within all of its dimensions (physical-psychological, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual) by providing guidance about the three essential spiritual practices: “training the mind,”
“transforming the passions,” and “guarding the heart.”
To conclude thus, the Gītā contains timeless lessons for contemporary organizations. Peter Senge, one of the key management thinkers of our time, has quoted the Gītā in two of his celebrated books, namely, Fifth Discipline and Presence. Steve Jobs’ credo, “Actualize Yourself,” also seems to have its implicit roots in the Gītā.
The Gītā unfolds as an infallible guide for those higher order managers and leaders who externally live a life of full engagement in the world, while internally always remaining steadfastly anchored in the wisdom of their Higher Self. Its non-sectarian, universal message speaks endearingly to people from all walks of life who are in search of abiding answers to the fundamental questions of life.
The Gītā is universal in its message, all-inclusive in its outlook, and tangible in its suggestions. As Teitsworth has correctly perceived: There is no malicious and resentful God in it, only a benevolent and loving principle, called Brahman, or the Absolute. It is brimming with the finest spiritual advice tendered without reluctance or guilt….
A thought-provoking read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review