Achar Ke Vichar – Is it Rama or Krishna? The Managing Leader vs the Coaching Leader!
Dr. Sriharsha A Achar
First up a Good Human Being. Then the rest. Founder - S A A H A S / Former CHRO / Life Coach / Inspirational Speaker & Storyteller / Published Author / HR Advisor / Advisory Board Member / Certified Independent Director
Achar Ke Vichar – Is it Rama or Krishna? The Managing Leader vs the Coaching Leader!
In Hindu mythology there are two great epics. One is called Ramayana and other is called Mahabharata.
The central story of both these books is around victory of good on evil. In one story Ram leads his army to defeat Ravana in his land, While in the second, Krishna oversees Pandavas defeat Kauravas in the battle at Kurukshetra.
In Ramayana, Rama is the best warrior of his side. He leads his army from the front. Strategizes & directs different people to do things which will meet the objectives. His people are happy to follow orders & want to get all the appreciation for being the best executors. Rama sets direction & also tells people what to do during difficult times. Ultimately, they win the war & the final outcome is achieved.
On the other hand, in the Mahabharata, Krishna tells Arjuna, I won’t fight the battle. I won’t pick up any weapon; I will only be there on your chariot as a charioteer. And he did what he said. He never picked up a weapon & he never fought. Still, the Pandavas win the war & the final outcome is achieved.
So, what was different?
It was their managerial style & it was also the type of people who were being led.
Rama was leading an army of “VANARS” (Monkeys) who were not skilled fighters & they were looking for direction. While on the other hand, Krishna was leading Arjuna who was one of the best archers of his time.
While Rama’s role was to lead from the front, Krishna played the role of a coach whose job was to remove cobwebs from his protégée’s mind. Krishna couldn't teach Arjuna archery, but he could help him see things from a very different perspective.
Here are some of the basic differences in two styles:
Rama - A skilled warrior, led the VANAR Sena, was emotional, gave precise roles & instructions, motivated the army to fight for his cause.
Krishna: Worked with the best professionals, provided strategic clarity, allowed team members to take the lead, fought for the cause of the team, did not depict his true emotions.
Look at your team/family & reflect - what type of leader/parent you are - One who keeps answering/solving problems for people/kids or one who asks relevant questions from people/kids so that they can find their own solutions.
Are you someone who tells/directs all the time or someone who clarifies doubts & allows people/kids to find their own ways?
Are you someone who has not highly skilled members in the team & deal with it or do you have the brightest experts in their area getting stuck with issues?
Today’s generation doesn't want you to tell or show how things are done, they want to know the meaning of their task and how it makes a difference in this world. They are Arjunas who don’t necessarily seek more skill/knowledge, but they need someone to clarify the cobwebs in their mind. If you still apply Rama’s style on them, you are bound to fail as a manager.
On the other hand, if there are people who aren't skilled enough but rely on your expertise to sail through, Rama’s style is appropriate.
Isn't it good to reflect & think about what managerial style will bring the best result for you and your team/family?
Is it Rama or Krishna? The Managing Leader vs the Coaching Leader!
#acharkevichar
In pursuit of right opportunity leveraging my skills and experience in health insurance for last 2 decades towards redefining and re-engineering organizational objectives
4 年2 things comes to my mind sir... 1. Am I trying to be Krishna with vanaras as my team member 2. Are we considered as vanaras or Arjuna by our superiors?? However sir, every organisation would have Krishna and Pandavas in top level and if you consider down in the hierarchy, at one level there would be a crossover, where Rama has Pandavas or krishna has vanaras..please explain how to overcome such situation. For me I wish to be Krishna to my team and Arjuna to my boss..
TA outsourced programs (RPOs & MSPs) - Implementation, Ops, OpX | Talent supply-chain Ops, Staffing and Recruitment | Coaching, Mentoring, Training (yes, they differ from each other)
4 年Great comparison and vichaar ???? Also, dashavatara is broadly an indicator for the path through various roles (personality dev. and traits) to be the Krishna (a more holistic & consultative leader) ... then, later the Buddha - influence by presence, 4 truths, seeking a middle way (extremes of dogmatism, skepticism, emphasizing personal experience, pragmatic attitude, the use of critical thinking).
Centre of Excellence: Global Commercial Development
4 年That's a great insight from both the mythological characters. Would you therefore suggest sir that Rama might have been instrumental in honning the skill and may be bringing operational efficiency. While Krishna on the other hand had to work more on strategy , removing webs and also many other top management functions.