UNDERSTANDING INDIAN ETHOS

Ethos defines a culture, a people and even a country. The Oxford concise English dictionary says ethos is the characteristic spirit of a culture, era or community as is reflected in its attitudes and aspirations. In today’s world, identifying a standalone ethos of a country may not be easy, given the impact that globalisation has had on the lives and cultures of people.

A new ethos, something that has evolved embracing global diversities and lifestyles, thus may well be emerging. Yet, there definitely are certain core values of a nation’s ethos that may be called a representative. In the case of India, an ancient civilisation, this may certainly be true.

Perhaps famous Indologists such as Arthur Llewellyn Basham and Max Muller had written about this ethos in their widely read accounts of India that embraced salient points of the culture and value system of Indian society. Whether we may be able to revive them or not, whether they were superior to other culture and value systems may all be debatable. But that they existed can emphatically be stated.

The purpose of this piece is to identify them, even if for academic value. As we learn that the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC) has renamed the most important address of India as Lok Kalyan Marg instead of Race Course Road, questions may have cropped up as to why. But the explanation given by NDMC that the name Race Course Road did not reflect the Indian ethos is based on sound logic. Indian ethos has always focussed on lok kalyan or the good of society. In fact, the sum and substance of vedic literature is ‘bahujan hitaya, bahujan sukhaya’ that can be translated as ‘for the common good’.

The purpose of human life as enshrined in the Upanishads was for the good of all. There was an appropriate philosophy behind this, which stated that the whole world is one family. While understanding the underlying idea behind this may require scholarly rigor and erudition, given the deep philosophical essence of the vedic texts, there are simplistic explanations that make sense.

Kabir, the famous mystic saint of India, for instance can be read to get insightful reflections of Indian ethos in his simple and earthy style. A famous and oft repeated quote of Kabir is: “Sai itna dijiye, ja mein kutumba samaye, main bhi bhookha na rahun, sadhu na bhookha jaye.” Translating this in English becomes: “O God, give me that much so that I can take care of my family; I do not remain hungry, nor the person who comes to me for alms.”

In the popular title song of the Bollywood hit of the 50s, Jis Desh Mein Ganga Behti Hai, this idea was beautifully and melodiously brought out. Translating those lines: “We Indians love our guests more than ourselves and we do not crave for more, rather enjoy with little.”

The Indian ethos has always valued parmartha or the good of others. The richness and the depth of this ethos is gradually being lost as we are becoming too preoccupied with self-interest under the influence of alien values and cultures that do not hold humanity on the same pedestal as Indian ethos. As discussions triple, the bottom line is that planet, people and profits are occupying centrestage in multitude of seminars on CSR. Let us remember that Indian ethos always talked about it and practised it as well.

STRATEGY LESSONS FROM SCRIPTURES

The recent surgical strike by the Indian Commandos in PoK to destroy the terrorist camps in a classic example of strategic warfare. A much-awaited and much-needed action, the strike proves what strategy is all about. The enemy as well as the friends came to know about it only after the act was consummated. That incidentally is the essence of an effective strategy.

Strategy today is a much talked about subject in management literature. Strategic management is a popular subject and strategy as a term has various connotations. Literature on strategy is also copious and business schools refer to popular as well as management literature to teach strategic management to budding managers in classroom lectures on strategy.

Drawing insights from all over the world, management literature has developed study material on strategy. There are American, Russian, and Chinese stories to quote in teaching strategy in classrooms. Most of these stories are war stories and the origin of strategy is often traced back to wars. A very popular book on strategy is the one by Chinese writer and wise man Sun Tzu and the name of the book isThe Art of War.

But what is found wanting in all those literature on strategy is the reference to ancient Indian literature, particularly the scriptural texts Ramayana and Mahabharata. Yes, they are mentioned but not as frequently and elaborately as the foreign ones. Of course, the writings of Kautilya and his insights in the book Arthashastra do figure, but detailed references from Ramayana and Mahabharata are rather scanty.

The fact though is that strategic management can be very effectively taught by references from these two texts. Krishna’s sagacious advice to the Pandavas during and before the course ofMahabharata war offers rich lessons on strategy. In fact, whatever he dwelt upon during his interactions with the Pandavas as well as the Kauravas are all effective lessons on strategic management. Similarly, Vidur, the wise man of Mahabharata, also appears to be a master strategist whose advise always comes handy to the Pandavas, and ignoring those proves disastrous for the Kauravas.

Interestingly it isRamayana that has to offer much more insightful lessons on strategic management. The dialogue between Rama and Bharata in Ayodhyakanda when the Lord advises his younger brother on how to administrate effectively is a rich repository on strategy. How to strengthen and rear the army, how to formulate strategies for protecting the best interests of the kingdom, and how and why to maintain state secretes are all discussed elaborately.

Similarly, in the Sunderkanda, when the Lord and his army of monkeys need to cross the ocean, the discussion between Rama and his brother come out to be classic lessons on strategic management. How to make an enemy succumb are succinctly brought out. Hanuman’s visit to Ravana’s kingdom Lanka is full of strategic lessons. And even in the Uttarkanda, when Rama sends his younger brother Shatrughana to fight the mighty demon king Lavanasura, the counsel given by the Lord to his brother is worth understanding.

 

While describing and discussing all this in this column may not be possible, the essentialities can be pointed out. The three essential elements are knowledge about the enemy and his strengths and weaknesses, the right assumptions about the environment, and the genuineness and quality of decisions. Of course it is the nobility of intentions that caps it all.

RAMAYANA ON MANAGEMENT

A world conference had been organised on Ramayana at the South Pacific island state Fiji this month. Its basic theme was scientific value and relevance of the book. A noble effort certainly because Ramayana does offer many lessons for living and society. We can thus say that Ramayana is a good reference material for applied social sciences. In fact, it can offer many useful lessons for management practitioners and researchers too.

The discipline of management is of rather recent origin when we compare it with other social sciences, but the practice of management is as ancient as civilisation. The ancient civilisations like the Indian, Egyptian, and Chinese all bear testimony to the fact that the practices that were adopted during those days for managing the affairs of society were quite akin the modern day elements of management function.

The literature of the yore contain copious concepts of modern management theory. Even the scriptures that are said to be eternal contain many of the ideas that management literature claims to be contemporary. Modern management literature talks about effective management practices through many theories and principles, which at time seem to be at cross purposes to one another, often confusing scholars and practitioners of management. Ramayana, on the other hand, succinctly offers lessons on management which are clear and easy to understand and the beauty lies in their universality.

It is commonly believed that managers need to act differently in different ethos, underscoring the need for culture-specific management paradigms. However, there is a need to find out whether there are management practices that can work across cultures, beyond countries and even ages. In other words, is there a management practice that would transcend time and space and be effective at all places and all times — a truly cross cultural and time tested management paradigm?

The answer to this is in the affirmative and the Ramayana offers such a paradigm. It was more than five centuries ago that Sir Thomas More had raised the question why enterprises failed to operate efficiently and concluded that it was due to poor management. Ever since the search for an answer to poor management is on. Theories galore have been propounded but rather than clearing the air, they have added to the confusion. Yet, there is wide agreement on one concept that effective leadership is the antidote to poor management. And what is that effective leadership? There may be as many answers as definitions.

However, Ramayana offers several cues on effective leadership through the descriptions of the actions of Rama. The various roles he played and the way he did justice to those roles. The way Rama handled role conflicts may be worth emulating by many CEOs.

We seem to have come a long way since the first management school gave its first degree some 116 years ago at the Amos Tuck University of USA. Those were the times when the focus was on productivity and efficiency through the use of human ingenuity popularly referred to as IQ or Intelligence Quotient. As we now realise that it is not the IQ that is crucial and Morality Quotient or MQ is the critical factor. Ramayana seems to provide fair enough cues for management practitioners to understand MQ. The eternal leadership values that have always found favour for leader success are humility, integrity, commitment, righteousness and the ability to get along with people. Ramayana has several lessons for leader-managers on these attributes.

A DAY TO REMEMBER

Today is a day to remember Mahatma Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. They both have left an indelible mark on the national ethos. Gandhi for his truth and non-violence and Shastri for his advocacy of Jai Jawan Jai Kisan. As the country looks for answers for its many problems, recapitulating the life and times of the two leaders may do a world of good if the present day leaders could adopt a lifestyle that they practised.

Both Gandhi and Shastri were epitomes of courage and morality and practised value-based leadership that is necessary today when the country is witnessing turbulence and dissatisfaction in great measure. The populace always looks to leadership in such situations and craves for value-driven people to give them solace.

Talking of Gandhi, the very fact that the United Nations celebrates his birthday as world non-violence day is ample proof to suggest what Gandhi stood for. Gandhi practised what the preached. While many may now like to find faults with his ways, the approach adopted by him was perhaps best suited for those times.

In fact, Gandhi’s views on living — that is leading a simple life — is perhaps what is the need today as from threats to the climate to social disharmony all point out at faulty lifestyles. Consumption and greed are causes of most of the societal problems. His views on economics and business, and on education may all be useful if adapted suitably.

Coming to Shastri, the one regret that the nation has is that he died early. But the two odd years of his Premiership were good enough to prove the kind of leader he was. Tough and decisive, simple and honest. Shastri epitomised values in every sense of the term. An anecdote from his life would be proof enough to suggest the mettle the man was made of.

The story dates back to the pre-Independence days when the Congress was spearheading the Indian freedom movement and many of its leaders were put behind bars by the then British Government. Shastri was also jailed. There was a Servants of the People Society that paid maintenance to the freedom fighters so that their families could be looked after. Shastri was paid `50 per month that was given to his wife, Lalita.

Shastri, on one occasion, wrote a letter to his wife from jail enquiring whether that money was enough to make the family’s ends meet. Lalita wrote back, saying she was able to manage the needs of the family by `40 and was able to save `10. On receiving this information, Shastri wrote to the Society that the sum that was paid to his family may be reduced to `40 and `10 may be given to other needy people. Such exemplary character may be difficult if not impossible to find these days, more so in politics where people seek to reduce their insecurity by more and more money.

What makes leaders great is this kind of character. Little wonder that when at the heat of the 1965 Indo-Pak war, Shastri appealed to fight the food grain crisis by skipping the Monday evening meal, most of the nation obliged. We only wish we had more such political leaders today.