Leadership Competencies for Organizational Excellence

8/18/2019 Leadership Competencies for Organizational Excellence

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Spiritual Competencies for Organizational Excellence in Bhagavat Gita

Dr.Aswathi Nair, Alliance University, Bangalore.

ABSTRACT

Modern Organizations are in a constant state o !"#. Nothing ever re$ains

"nchanged whether it is a %e"rocratic, $atri# or %o"ndary less organization.

Organizations are %eco$ing %o"ndary less and trans&arent with a diverse cross

c"lt"ral talent landsca&e and the 'eaders enco"ntering (erce %attle(eld )ind o

environ$ent on a daily %asis.

*n these t"r%"lent ti$es o 'eadershi& Crisis, *dentity Crisis and s"%se+"ent

organizational crisis where individ"als and organizations are consistently

&ress"rized in a whirl&ool o "ncertainty no individ"al or organization will %e a%le to

stand the test o ti$e i they do not do a little %it o so"l searching.

Organizations are in the loo)o"t or leaders that can see %eyond &ro(t $argins and

%ring s"staina%le growth to their shareholders in these ti$es o identity crisis. The

world has seen leadershi& crisis res"lting in (nancial crisis that a-ected $aority o

the %"siness &ost glo%alization.

Rationale / The rationale is to realize the role o s&irit"ality in creating ha&&y and

ha&&ening organizations where the sta- derive $eaning and &"r&ose in wor)&lace

and cele%rate their "ll &otential and thin) %eyond &ro(t $argins.

O%ective o the st"dy0

• To address the concern o the intra &ersonal con!ict o a 'eader1s $ind.

• To recognize sel Awareness as a deciding actor in develo&ing s&irit"al

Co$&etencies.

• To eval"ate the s&irit"al co$&etencies o Bhagavat gita and to %ring o"t its

conte$&orary relevance.

Research Implications0 2el&s B"siness leaders to (nd new ways to develo& their

own leadershi& style which is less ego centric and $ore sel/transcendence where

the e$&loyees (nd a $ore act"alized and altr"istic relationshi& to sel, others, andthe &lanet.

Sco&e 0 The research hel&s organizations to review their Mission, 3ision, core val"es,

4"ality initiatives, %"siness $odels, %"siness &ractices ,'eadershi& strategies and

re align$ent o co$&etencies.



5ey words0 wor)&lace s&irit"ality, 'eadershi& Crisis, S&irit"al 4"otient, Bhagavat

6ita, Transor$ational 'eadershi&, Transcendental 'eadershi&, 3irt"o"s

Organization.

INTRODCTION

The perennial hunt for sta!ilit"

Today1s Organizations are %o"ndary less, dyna$ic ,deals with a diverse cross

c"lt"ral wor) orce, wor)s in di-erent ti$e zones and &rod"ct gro"&s and ace

(erce %attle(eld )ind o settings d"e to the highly co$&etitive %ench$ar) and

changing %"siness environ$ents. 7#cellence in all delivera%les is the single $ost

criteria or the $odern organizations tho"gh they are consistently &ress"rized in a

whirl&ool o "ncertainty aced with a crisis o e#istence.

Organizations are in a loo)o"t or a leadershi& that gives the organization aith in its

vision and an intelligent leadershi& that transcends the t"r%"lence o the &assing

ti$e and $oves ahead o an e#cl"sive oc"s o &ro(ts to a $"lti centric a&&roach o

&ro(ts, &eo&le, and &lanet.

The crisis of meaning# the $ilemma of existence%

The "nda$ental crisis in today1s ti$e is the crisis o $eaning, the dile$$a o

e#istence, the e#istential crisis. The lie o today is a h"ge contrast ro$ the %ygone

ti$es.7verything is ast orward 'ie see$s very $"ch li)e it8s on a highway at "ll s&eed.

2"$an desires never sto&. The %rand new ho"se with designer interiors &"rchased

o"t o an 9: ; ho$e loan the %rand new car that triggers neigh%or1s envy which

also drives "s dee& into de%t the "& $ar)et Co"t"re, <rada, 'o"is 3"itton hand%ag

and designer s"nglass which we can hardly a-ord shows o"r v"lnera%ility which

cannot resist te$&tations o cons&ic"o"s cons"$&tion . =e ta)e a resh loan to

dis%"rse the loan we co"ldn1t &ay or in the (rst &lace.

B"siness leader1s aces the e#istential challenge o o&erating in an econo$ic

cli$ate o constant "ncertainty yet need to &eror$ e>ciently in diverse $ar)ets.

6lo%al )nowledge econo$y has seen e#tensive Mergers, ac+"isitions, strategic

alliances, $"ltinational colla%orations on one side and devastating econo$ic

colla&se, (nancial crisis and $assive layo-s which create a dist"r%ing e-ect on

e$&loyee $orale on the other side. 'eadershi& is "na%le to convince the

e$&loyees, &otential investors, cons"$ers o their great ideas and not a%le to $a)e

any s"%stantial connection.



'eaders also live a lie o di&lo$acy, not challenging the$selves, not daring to ta)e

ris), not ta)ing ownershi& with a %elie that di&lo$acy is an end in itsel, rather than

a $eans to achieve organizational goals.

&ro!lem statement

Today1s leadershi& ace an intra &ersonal con!ict ,a crisis o &"r&ose ,a crisis o

$eaning and this leads to de&ression and ego/centric a&&roach to leadershi& which

oc"s $ostly on &ro$oting a wor) c"lt"re o c"t throat co$&etition and &eer

&ress"re.

Spiritual Intelligence from Bhagavat Gita%

Bhagavat 6ita,a &hiloso&hical wor) co$&osed %etween the ?th and the @nd cent"ryBC ,had a case o a highly talented leader Ar"n,the $ost o"tstanding warrior o his

ti$es ,ca"ght in identity crisis and lost his inner strength to (ght his ene$ies in a%attle(eld where he has co$e ace to ace with his entire relatives starting ro$ hisgrandather, his $entors, co"sins, his ne&hews %eing strategically &ositioned asene$ies tho"gh he has &revio"sly decided to (ght the war with the sa$e set ogro"&.

On the chosen day o the Maha%haratha %attle, the 5a"ravadescendants o 5"r"and <andavadescendants o <and" ar$ies stood ace to ace.Ar"n was to lead the <andavaar$y. 5rishna,tho"gh a )ing and $entor o Ar"na was &eror$ing the role oAr"na1s charioteer . 5rishna &laced Ar"na1s chariot in the $iddle o the ar$y o)a"ravas and &andavas.

6lancing at his relatives, co"nting his grandather, his teacher Drona on the otherside, Ar"na was weighed down with ang"ish. 2e co"ld not rationalize ho$icide inorder to %e s"ccess"l at the %attle(eld.

Intra personal Con'ict an$ (ea$ership $ilemma in Bhagavat Gita%

ro$ this t"r%"lent state o $ind, where Ar"n1s &erce&tion was clo"ded %y his

e$otions, where he was going thro"gh a cognitive as well as an a-ective con!ict,

his $entor 5rishna too) charge o the sit"ation and wal) the tal) o getting hi$ o"t

o the leadershi& crisis and g"iding hi$ to (ght the ca"se with all sense o clarity o

&"r&ose.

Ar"na aces the &ro%le$ o con!ict %etween e$otions and intellect. Most o the

ti$e, e$otions tri"$&h. Ar"n is a &erect e#a$&le or des&ondency and r"stration

$eta$or&hosed into sel disci&line with a highly trained $ind ca&a%le o carrying

o"t any tas) dis&assionately.



*n the Bhagavad 6tE, Ar"na sees hi$sel in the entangle$ent o s&irit"al dile$$a.

This e$%arrass$ent o e$otional and intellect"al con"sion leads hi$ to (nd o"t

the tr"e &"r&ose o e#istence.

(ea$ership of self) *irst Criteria of +or,place spiritualit"

'eadershi& o sel is a )ey characteristic o a transcendental leader. *t incl"des traits

as sel/awareness, sel/disci&line, as well as strength o character, develo&ing

virt"es, which are c"ltivated thro"gh intros&ection and re!ective activities.

*n Cha&ter @, 3erse FF o Bhagavat 6ita, 5rishna says / A s&irit"ally intelligent

&erson la$ents neither or one8s )in who are dead or alive. =hat e#actly is the

so"rce o all ang"ishG *t is the connection to the %ody that is res&onsi%le or ang"ish

over and a%ove its direct associates0 love and hatred. *n s&ite o this, we get

e$otionally involved to s"%stance that is considered "se"l and start hating others.

B"t ro$ the "&&er$ost &oint o o%servation, there is no two at all.

Th"s, 5rishna started giving hi$, in the very (rst ill"stration the $ost e>cienttreat$ent, At$a HEna or the sel )nowledge. 5rishna r"les o"t two o%ections that

were lingering in Ar"na1s $ind, saying that the annihilation o the &hysical %ody

does not signiy the de$olition o the so"l. The )nowledge o the &hysical %ody as

di-erent ro$ the so"l is the (rst ste& towards sel awareness. This has %een

descri%ed in the FIth cha&ter o 6ita as (eld/(elder 5shetra/5shetragna theory.

Cha&ter FI, 3erse I,Bhagavat 6ita says /

J15shetra 5shetranayor Knana$ yat ta nana$ $ata$ $a$a11

Meaning0 5nowledge o the )setra or the &hysical %ody and )setrana$ theconscio"sness or the at$a or eternal so"l is real )nowledge as &er $y o&inion. L

says 5rishna to Ar"n.

'ater in F,Danah ohar coined the ter$ Ps&irit"al intelligenceP as so"l1s

intelligence and introd"ced the idea in her %oo) rewiring the Cor&orate Brain0 Using

the New Science to Rethin) 2ow =e Str"ct"re and 'ead Organizations,F. Danah

ohar Q *an Marshall researched together and concl"ded that S4 S&irit"al

4"otient is the %asic o"ndation or an e-ective "se o 74 7$otional 4"otient and

*4 *ntelligence 4"otient. They also reer to it as the so"l8s intelligence. By their

de(nition, s&irit"al intelligence is the intelligence with which we access o"r dee&est

$eanings, &"r&oses, and highest $otivations .*t is the intelligence that $a)es "swhole, that gives "s o"r integrity. *t is the so"l8s intelligence, the intelligence o the

dee& sel. *t is the intelligence with which we as) "nda$ental +"estions and with

which we rera$e o"r answers. Danah ohar de(nes s&irit"al ca&ital as the wealth,

the &ower, and the in!"ence that we gain %y acting ro$ a dee& sense o $eaning,

o"r dee&est val"es, and a sense o higher &"r&ose, and all o these are %est

e#&ressed thro"gh a lie devoted to service.



S&IRIT-( CO.&ETENC/ TR-ITS EN(ISTED B/ SRI 0RIS1N- IN T1E

B1-G-2-D3GIT- *OR ORG-NI4-TION-( E5CE((ENCE%

Cha&ter F verses F, @ and I.

a%haya$ sattva/sa$s"ddhir, nana/yoga/vyavasthitih

dana$ da$as ca yanas ca, svadhyayas ta&a arava$

ahi$sa satya$ a)rodhas0 tyagah santir a&ais"na$,

daya %h"tesv alol"&tva$ $ardava$ hrir aca&ala$, teah )sa$a dhrtih

sa"ca$ adroho nati/$anita, %havanti sa$&ada$ daivi$, a%hiatasya %harata

F.:F/:I

-n interpretation of spiritual competenc" traits for organizationalexcellence

earlessness than di&lo$acy<"rity o heart<erseverance in sel )nowledgeSense restraint and disci&lineA"sterity2onesty

Tr"th"lnessA%sence o anger7+"ani$ityA%staining ro$ $alicio"s tal)ModestyA%sence o (c)le $indednessorgiveness=or) or the love o wor)<"rs"ing 7#cellence than s"ccess

P*n seventeen verses, ro$ the ?th to the @nd, 5rishna descri%ed in the second

cha&ter the characteristics o the sthita&raHa or the &erson o a steadast $ind

which is deter$inant or leadershi& disci&line and the e#cellence o that stage.

<7RSONA' COM<7T7NC*7S O A ST*T2A <RAKNA OR A ST7ADAST <7RSON 37RS7S

?/@ given as inter&retation %elow.

F. 7#&eriencing the oy o co$$"nion with the Ulti$ate Conscio"sness

@.6iving "& all desires or sense grati(cation



• I. A%sence o any attach$ent

.Mastery o the senses

?.Mastery o the $ind

.Constant Conte$&lation o the s"&re$e tr"th

. Acce&ts whatever co$es on its own accord.

9. Devoid o eeling o $y/ness and doershi&

• . ree as well ro$ the eeling o */ness towards the %ody and senses.

3*S*ONAR AND TRANSORMAT*ONA' '7AD7RS2*<

One rationale that visionary leadershi& is in short s"&&ly today is the val"e o"r

society &laces on one &artic"lar )ind o ca&ital//$aterial ca&ital. *t is act"al that

any )ind o vent"re we invest re+"ires so$e )ind o (nancial ca&ital i it is tos"cceed in the short ter$. B"t or leadershi& to ins&ire long/ter$ s"staina%ility it

needs to chase two additional or$s o assets as well0 social and s&irit"al ca&ital.

'eaders sho"ld $a)e right choices. To $a)e right choice, he sho"ld )now yo"r tr"e

nat"re. =hen yo" $a)e choices witho"t )nowing yo"r tr"e nat"re, &ro%le$s arise.

A Transor$ational 'eader sho"ld %e so$eone who has a%sol"te control over hisVher

senses and $ind. 2e has e#&erienced hi$sel as an individ"al conscio"sness

di-erent ro$ the %ody. 2e has a shared vision, strong character, co$&assion,

e+"ani$o"s $ind and wor) witho"t e#&ecting any res"lts, &eror$ %eyond

e#&ectations with incredi%le energy and wor) with "nconditional love.

The d"ty o a leader is to $aintain a vision/centric &ers&ective. Sri 5rishna

de$onstrated transor$ational leadershi& traits in $entoring Ar"na to victory in

the war. =herever there is a &owerho"se o s&irit"al intelligence, a leader li)e

5rishna and a $ind o Ar"na who has constant access to this entire wisdo$ that

&artnershi& is highly &rotected and is &ros&ero"s,s"ccess"l,air and "st.

+or,place spiritualit" an$ virtuous organization

=or)&lace s&irit"ality is the )ey a%ric o a 3irt"o"s organization. The virt"o"s

organization is one that has a well/%"ilt $oral range, and a convincing "nderta)ing

that creates val"es or clients, wor)ers, shareholders and the &"%lic.

'eaders %"ild "& strategic initiatives which stand the test o ti$e .The

Jtranscendental1 character o their leadershi& style %"ild on s&irit"al ca&ital re!ects



in transcending the %orders o sel and their conglo$erations, enco"raging an

additional line o s"ccession leadershi& within andVor o"tside their organizations.

This style o leadershi& ado&ts a colla%orative $odel that s"its today1s %"siness

dyna$ics. The leaders and the sta-s align the$selves in a colla%orative $anner

with a %road vision o wor)ing towards the welare o the glo%al a$ily and theleader generates val"e or an organization.

Transcendental leaders create virt"o"s organizations as a connective integrated

whole and their %"siness &lans translate the vision o 'o)asangraha/welare o all,

welare o anyone that to"ches the %"siness.

WORK FOR THE LOVE OF WORK-NISHKAMA KARMA as events ma" notrespon$ positivel" to our calculations%

S"ccess and ail"re are oten "n&redicta%le e#&eriences they ollow $an,alternately, witho"t any clear reason. So the see)er o &eace has to concentrate on

doing their d"ty, doing what has to %e done, and leave the rest.

All actions &ro$&ted %y desire or reward are &rohi%ited. *t is not advisa%le to

i$agine that any reward which one receives is d"e to one1s own e-orts. *t $ay %e

the res"lt o gro"& &eror$ance, &ast actions, $agnani$ity o the &rocess owner,

goodwill o the shareholders,s"&&liers,e$&loyees ,$ar)et &eror$ance, co$&any

&eror$ance and vario"s e#ternal and internal environ$ent in!"ences .7ven %y not

&eror$ing any "ndesira%le actions an o&&osite res"lt $ay occ"r. So it is i$&ortant

to do wor) or the sa)e o it witho"t e#&ecting any reward.

Conclusion

Develo&ing s&irit"al co$&etencies the %hagavat gita way o-ers a &lator$ or an

enriching and colla%orative h"$an e#&erience in organizational dyna$ics. *t is the

leadershi& o $a)ing di-erence with o"r lives or the welare o all while other styles

o leadershi& oc"s on $oney, &eo&le and &rocess.

s&irit"al traits highlighted in Bhagavat 6ita o-ers sol"tion to the +"estions o*dentity crisis, e-ective diversity $anage$ent, t"r%"lence $anage$ent, e$otions$anage$ent, anger $anage$ent, s"ccess and ail"re $anage$ent, NegativityManage$ent and achieving e#cellence "nder any t"r%"lent ti$es. The co$&etency+"otient o dis&assionate *nvolve$ent at wor) witho"t e#&ecting any res"lts andco$&assion towards all is gathering $o$ent"$ in cor&orate circles than wor) donewith a reward centric &assionate wor).

The a"thentic *ndian $odel o wor)&lace s&irit"ality has always %een that o the

Raarshi/Raa W Rishi/the leader who see %eyond/transcends. 'eadershi& style o

Bhagavat 6ita &rovides a strong val"e %ac)%one on which the entire organization

!o"rishes not "st as a &ro(t centre that oc"s on today1s strategies %"t thrives on a



glo%al vision that enco$&asses the welare o the s"staina%le "t"re o the

h"$anity.

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Leadership Competencies for Organizational Excellence