Execute like a Yogi - it is difficult but worth it

You will agree that all Unicorns were once nothing but just ideas. Indeed, ideas are any business leader's greatest assets. However, no idea can succeed until executed par excellence. Excellence leads to high-quality scaling-up, value-creation and ultimately, organisational and individual success. To become excellent requires exceptional execution.

How does one execute well? Our civilisational legacy provides some fundamental answers. The answer lies in executing like a Yogi! You are a Yogi when you understand who you are and what your real higher purpose is and are disciplined about being detached from the fruits of your labour.

How can you execute like a Yogi? There are two powerful pillars for achieving this - focussing on what matters and taking knowledge-led and not emotions-led decisions.

1) Focussing on what matters - 'what is your eye-of-the-bird'

• As a simple test, Guru Dronacharya placed a wooden bird on a branch of a tree and asked his pupils to strike its eye. He asked: “What do you see?” Everyone including Yudhishthira, the eldest and the wisest, responded - "I see the branches, the tree, the leaves, the sky and the bird". Only Arjun (absolutely the best warrior of his times) replied: “I can see only the eye of the bird Gurudev.” At this, the Guru smiled and appreciated Arjun’s ability to concentrate on what matters. He said: “Shoot!” and Arjun shot… and hit bull’s eye! There will always be numerous distractions but you should never lose sight of the “eye of the bird” in this execution war.
• Simplify, simplify and simplify. Steve Jobs said "Simplification is the ultimate sophistication". Too many objectives can blur our focus on what really matters. If you focus on everything, you focus on nothing. Setting clear priorities for your company and every individual involved in it and aligning your teams' individual goals with only a few of your overall business goals is a must.

2) Taking knowledge-led and not emotions-led decisions  

• Just as a Yogi is driven by an unending quest for acquiring knowledge and a quest for a union with oneself, it is vital for a business leader to constantly make efforts to do the same. The basic philosophy that leads to a knowledge-led execution is called ‘Gyan Yoga’. Gyan Yoga is the state of being ‘Shunya’ (which means zero) or the “nothingness of the ego”. In this mental state of nothingness, arises the inner giant, the inner leader whose singular goal in life is to act or execute in the most efficient and effective manner and by holding the action supreme to the outcome.
• Emotions stem from within the ferocious river that is our mind. In the decision making zone, emotions can overpower logic, facts and the truth. At this time, the execution truth or 'what is the right thing to do' gets hidden behind a cloud of emotions. A successful leader takes execution decisions not from within their cloud of emotions but rather from the light of their knowledge.

Business leaders globally continue to grapple with execution challenges and how to eliminate noise and emotions from their decision making process. At Benori Knowledge, our vision is to help our clients with such challenges. We equip our clients with actionable insights and help them take informed business decisions. Our integrated and global approach using secondary research, primary research/expert consultations and data modelling supports business leaders like you to strategise and execute. Over the past 3 years, we have:

• Carried out 250,000 hours of secondary/primary research and data analysis
• Served 200+ clients (e.g. consulting, tech, FS, consumer, PE firms)
• Worked in 75 countries/20 languages
• Generated 25% cost savings

If you would like to learn more, write to us on [email protected] or [email protected]

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