Seven skills learn from Mahabharata - Day to Day life

Mahabharata is the longest epic in the world. It is believed that the epic holds answers to each and every quest an individual faces at any stage in life. The scriptures have insights about management of businesses, people, resources and finances. The intricate management messages are relevant even today.

- Hire the right person in the right place at the right time

One should never hire people to fill the team and have more hands at work but identify key areas and talents required to achieve the goal. The choice of the resource makes a difference between business success and failure. The effectiveness of the business largely depends on the leader’s ability to put the right person at the right place at the right time.

In Mahabharata, even when Kaurava had 11 armies they could not outperform the Pandavas. Pandavas with the help of Krishna understood the importance of having right person in the right place to win the war.

Shikhandi : To put Bhishma to rest and out of the battlefield , Dhrishtadyumna : To kill Drona in the battlefield , Abhimanyu : To break the Chakravyu and save Yudhishthira in the battlefield , Iravan(Son of Arjuna and Ulupi, A Naga Princess) : To sacrifice for Goddess Kali and reveal how the war may be won.

- Develop a diverse team and share responsibility

Diversity in a team is very important as it provides the leader with different perspectives to take better decisions. Having a right set of resources in the corporate world is the key to win the marketplace.

In Mahabharata, Kauravas had 11 armies fighting which were led by Bhishma, Drona, Karna, and Shalya. They had a centralized leadership with 11 commanders, and the command was passed on to others as and when these commanders fell in the battleground. On the other side Pandavas had 7 armies with Arjuna as Chief Commander of the army, Lord Krishna was the counsellor and Dhrishtadyumna was the Commander-in-chief of the seven armies. Thus, pandavas had diverse people in the team and everyone was a part of the decision making process and fought as one single team

-Know the potential of every team member

For managing a team one should know what kinds of roles are suitable for each and every member of the team. The leader should possess the ability to utilize each members potential to the maximum.

In Mahabharata, when Arjuna and Duryodhana went to Dwarka to ask on whose side Krishna and his battalion would be in the war, Arjuna asked for Krishna unarmed than his army because he knew Krishna had the power of strategy.

In another instance Pandavas utilized the potential of Shikhandi (elder brother of Draupadi) to overpower Bhishma in the battlefield as Bhishma refused to fight woman on the battlefield.

- Align individual Goals to company's Goals

Every team member should have individual goals cascaded down from a single Goal and vision of the team. Team members thus feel that their contributions are valuable in achieving the objective/Goal.

In Mahabharata, even when Pandavas and Kauravas had the same goal of defeating each other. The Pandavas were better coordinated as everyone had individual roles in the battle. However on the other side Kauravas had individual motives to soothe their egos in the battle.

- Improve skills and consistently learn

One should constantly focus on improving skills and constantly learn the new tricks of the trade. It is very important to have right set of skills, attitude and tools to win the battles of business.

In Mahabharata, the forest exile begins as a tragedy however turns out as good learning experience for the Pandavas. Arjuna learning and refining the skill of archery and humility from Shiva, Hanuman humbles Bhima, and they spent the 12 years learning about various skills and humility helping them becoming better human beings and thus better kings.

- Take difficult decisions in the interest of Organization

Leader often has to take decisions in the organization which may or may not be of their choice, the best way is to understand which alternative is better for organization, its people and its position.

In Mahabharata, Bhishma (Devavrata) took a vow of celibacy, to never marry, never be with a woman and never father children for the sake of his father Shantanu to remarry Satyavati. His vow stunned everyone to the level where Devas descended from skies to shower him with Flowers and gave him the name, BHISHMA, the one who took terrible vows. This decision in turn led his father to marry Satyavati and have 2 sons, Chitrangada and Vichitravirya.

- Seize every single opportunity

One should always look out for opportunities even outside their scope of work. One should tap opportunities rather than focusing on killing the competition. However, in the process if the competition dies it’s an added advantage but if newer opportunities are explored then there is another strength which gets added to the business.

In Mahabharata, there are 2 opportunists, Krishna and Shakuni (Maternal Uncle of Kaurava).

Shakuni is self-motivated character who decides to play mind games over warfare as that is his strength. He sees an opportunity at every instance.

Krishna is a strategist and analyses the scenario very carefully before acting when opportunity knocks the door. He believed in well thought plans, keeping secret weapons and using it at the right time and wins the competition.