Exploring Raavan "The Effective Manager" in You

I have recently discovered "new face" (or say faces) of modern manager working in today's corporate world. This competitive environment expects one being like "Raavan" in one's professional world. You have to think and act in 10 different directions at the same time. You have to manage 10 different things at the same time. With one head, one brain, perhaps it may not be easy; so you have to think like "Raavan" with your 10 heads and work with 20 hands to get results. Your profession requires that you should widen your expertise everyday with the changing business demands. How will you do it if you are not working like "Raavan". I am suggesting being Raavan in your professional world because he had proved his excellence in 10 different disciplines or areas of expertise. He was a great warrior,musician,knowledgeable in all veda and shastra, sculptor and much more what can be described here. A typical MBA also studies different disciplines like Finance, Accounting, Organizational Behavior, HRM,Marketing, Strategy, Quantitative Techniques, Business Laws and many other subjects. We, the so-called management educators expect our MBA students to be expert in every subject of their choice. Are we realistic about our expectations. In two-years of MBA programme,we believe that we are creating "best managers" of this world. In other words, Are we not creating "Raavans" in the name of best managers? Because, perhaps at some moments of his life, Raavan could not channelize his knowledge, wisdom, energies and decisions in the right directions which ultimately led to disaster of not only his kingdom and family but many others who were connected with him even very remotely. A knowledge can be disastrous if not used appropriately at the right time in a right way. There are many positive sides of the mythological character "Raavan" which can be learnt for making oneself as "the effective manager".

In Ramayana and many other related epics such as Ram Charita Manas, Raavan is depicted as demon, a cruel, wicked, shrewd kind of person who is always involved in wine,women, luxuries and whatever evils are possible in this world. It is unfortunate that this side is promoted more than the positive side of Raavan. Very few people may know that Raavan was a committed devotee of Lord Shiva. He had created "Shiva Tandava Strota" in the praise of Lord Shiva. He was a "tapasvi" who was committed to in search of happiness or 'param anand'. Raavan is also known for his sacrificing of 10 heads in praise of Lord Brahma. He was also a great mathematician, musician,Ayuirvedacharya and scientist. He had written "Raavan Samhita", one of the powerful classics on Hindu Astrology. Raavan had inherited knowledge and wisdom from his father and grandfather- Rishi Pultsya and Rishi Vishrva. He also inherited political wisdom and valour from his maternal grandfather sumali. In scriptures, he was also depicted as a great scholar, a committed student, a devotee of Lord Shiva, a great king, a committed husband and a committed father to his family. His attempt to lift Mount Kailasha can be termed as extreme devotion to Lord Shiva. His wisdom was appreciated by Rama after he was defeated in the battle and Rama asked Lakshmana to learn all political wisdom from him. To express his respect to a great scholar, Rama sat at the feet of Raavan. Many people may not be knowing that Raavan was called as Purohit when Rama established Lord Shiva at Rameshvaram before he proceeded for the attack of Lanka.

Our classical scriptures and mythological characters have many things which are still relevant even this technology-driven society. I ask readers to put themselves in place of Raavan and take decisions in those situations which Raavan had faced. Almost of most of us may be ending either taking the same or even worst decisions in those circumstances. Who will not stand to fight for the honour of one's family and family members? Who will not fight a war when your enemy at your door? Who will not fight a war with an opponent even though you know your moral stand is not right? Who will not teach lesson to someone who has attempted to destroy your house? Ask any corporate leader about their "ethically wrong decisions" and they will do up to any extent to prove you wrong. Recent episodes of Bhopal Gas tragedy verdict, BP oil spill, Satyam fraud, and many more such examples can be cited where corporate leaders attempted their best to save their skins. Raavan fought for the honour of his sister and later his country. Scholars of Political Science may agree or disagree with me but in political diplomacy and war, there are no "morally rights and wrongs", there are "politically rights and wrongs".

Our management graduates are actually not learning like Raavan because nobody is committed to excellence or scholarship or wisdom or knowledge. Everybody is engaged in rat race because media also talks about competition, corporate race. Organizations are benchmarked against industry rankings (Forbes, Fortune...), so whether corporations or individuals everyone tries to be No. 1. Raavan never tried to be No. 1, he always tried to be unique - (na bhooto na bhavishyati means neither in the past nor in the future). That is the reason why Raavan is still respected today but nobody remembers Vibheeshana though he joined hands with Rama (morally right??). If you become right/left hand of a big shot, you always be a right or left hand but will not be an independent identity. Now it is up to you whether one wants to be Raavan or Vibheeshana.

Excellence can not be discovered with one head. One needs 10 heads and 20 hands to be an excellent performer in any profession of one's choice.