3. LEADERSHIP
1. Leadership is a universal topic & every one of us is
affected by it in one way or the other.
2. Leadership is an art of ____________ people to
achieve organizational, societal and national goals.
3. Several research reveals that there exist a
“leadership gap” in organizations, societies &
countries.
4. Leadership theories (Western) have evolved over
the last 100 years.
4. THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
The Bhagavad-Gita (BG) is a dialogue between
Sri Krishna & Arjuna, before the commencement
of Kurukshetra war (more than 5,000 years ago).
The background for the BG is the epic
Mahabharata. The Mahabharata with 100, 000
verses was composed by Sri Vyasa Muni & was
written by Sri Ganesa (the longest epic in the
world).
The BG appears in 700 verses (of which 575 are
uttered by Sri Krishna) in Bhisma Parva of the
Mahabharata and consists of 18 chapters.
5. What the BG can offer to
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT?
The 18 chapters of the BG presents 18
lessons, descriptions, qualities, and also
perspectives about leadership
6. C1 – Yoga of Arjuna’s Crisis
1. Presents strategic leadership – observing
the armies and analyzing the strengths &
weaknesses.
2. A call for leadership as Arjuna was
reluctant to fight (intra-personal conflict).
3. C1 present a challenge for leaders to
eliminate negative culture and enhance
positive culture for their organization (also
societies and countries).
7. C2 – Yoga of Understanding
1. Leaders must give up such petty weakness of
heart and arise (2.3)
2. Leaders need to be SELF-AWARE (SA) – e.g.
who they are - EQ & SQ.
3. Leaders with high levels of SA assess their own
strength & weaknesses and are always confident
in their actions.
4. Leaders (dhira) must manage change & not to be
deluded by change (2.13)
9. C2 – Yoga of Understanding
Leaders should not delve too much into the past but to be
focus on present to create a future & leadership action &
responsibilities need to be focused; not on potential
rewards associated with the position (2.47).
Sthitaprajna leaders must conquer their enemies within -
lust, anger, greed, arrogance, envy and pride.
Sri Krishna described that from anger, complete delusion
arises, and from delusion bewilderment of memory. When
memory is bewildered, intelligence will be lost and when
intelligence is lost one falls down (2.63).
10. C3 – Yoga of Action
Leaders have to be proactive
and work for common good
without selfish interest; the
reward of their selfless work
will take them to a supreme
state (3.19).
Leaders hold the ignition key
to their organizations growth &
prosperity as people in general
will follow the standards sets
by the leaders (3.21).
11. C4 – Yoga of Knowledge
Leaders must know when to act
and when not to act and their
actions done must be with
complete self-awareness (4.18)
For effective leadership to
flourish, a leader has to learn
from a mentor who can teach
values that surpass the
leadership position itself (4.34)
12. C5 – Yoga of Renunciation
of Action
Compassionate leaders promote
equality and fairness among
followers. They see everybody
equally and do not discriminate
their followers (5.18)
This leader (5.18) neither rejoices
upon achieving something
pleasant nor laments upon
obtaining something unpleasant,
who is self-intelligent, who is un-
bewildered (5.20)
13. C6 – Yoga of Meditation
Leaders must themselves by
their own mind and they must not
let themselves to be weakened
under any circumstances or
when facing a crisis (6.5).
For leaders who has conquered
the mind, the mind is the best of
friends, but for one who has
failed to control their mind, the
mind will be the greatest enemy
(6.6).
14. C6 – Yoga of Meditation
Arjuna said: For the mind is
restless, turbulent, obstinate
and very strong, O Krishna,
and to subdue it is, it seems to
me, more difficult than
controlling the wind (6.34).
Sri Krishna said: O mighty-
armed son of Kunti (Arjuna), it
is undoubtedly very difficult to
curb the restless mind, but it is
possible by constant practice
and by detachment (6.35).
15. C6 – Yoga of Meditation
In the chariot of the body, the five
horses represent the five senses. The
reins, the driving instrument,
symbolize the mind, the driver is the
intelligence, and the passenger is the
self.
Intelligence gives the power to
discriminate & decide what it is good
for and what is not. A leader of lesser
intelligence is constantly driven by the
senses and the desire for sense
objects .
16. C6 – Yoga of Meditation
An untrained mind is very
weak & unstable, as a
result even a small
obstacle coming in its way
may make it lose initiative.
Therefore, leaders need to
use their intelligence to
control their mind
effectively, they should not
let the mind to be
controlled by the senses.
17. C6 – Yoga of Meditation
Leader’s ultimate friend is
their willpower that
resides within the inner
self.
Strong determination &
perseverance, without any
mental reservation or
doubts are the key for
leadership success (6.23).
18. THE LEADERSHIP OUTCOME
After LISTENING to Sri
Krishna (575 verses),
Arjuna was motivated,
energized and acted
according to Sri
Krishna’s instruction.
This is an outcome
of LEADERSHIP
19. CONCLUSION
Finally, wherever there
is Sri Krishna, the
master of all mystics, &
wherever there is
Arjuna, the supreme
archer, there will also
be opulence, victory,
extraordinary power
power, and morality
(18.78).
20. THANK YOU
DR. BALAKRISHNAN MUNIAPAN
Swinburne University of Technology, Malaysia
Email: mbalakrsna@yahoo.com
