Mischief at Mystic - Managerial Style

In Hindu mythology there are two great epics. One is called Ramayana and other is called Mahabharata. The centre 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 Kurushektra.

In Ramayana, Ram 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. Ram sets direction & also tells people what to do during difficult times. Ultimately they won the war & the final outcome was achieved.

 On the other hand Krishna told Arjuna, I won’t fight the battle. I won’t pick up any weapon; I would only be there on ur chariot as a charioteer. And he did what he said. He never picked up the weapon & he never fought. Still, Pandavas won the war & final outcome was achieved.

So, what was different? It was their managerial style & it was also the type of people who were being lead. Ram was leading an army of ‘MONKEYS’ who were not skilled fighters & they were looking for direction. While on other hand,

 Krishna was leading Arjuna who was one of the best archer of his time. While Ram’s role was to show it & 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 definitely help him see things from a very different perspective.

 Here are some of the basic differences in two styles:

Ram- A skilled warrior, lead monkeys, was emotional, gave precise roles & instructions, motivated the army to fight for his cause

Krishna: works with best the professionals, provides strategic clarity, allows team members to take lead, fights for the cause of the team, did not depict his true emotions

 Look at your team/family & reflect what type of leader/parent u are, one who keeps answering/solving problems for people/kids or who asks relevant questions from their people/kids so that they can find their own solution. Are you someone who tells/directs all the time or someone who clarifies doubts & allows their people/kids to find their own ways. Are you someone who has monkeys in the team & the way u deal with it Or you have the brightest experts in their area getting stuck with issues?

 The younger 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 Ram’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 u through Ram’s style is appropriate.

 Isn't it good for us to reflect & think what managerial style will bring the best result for you and your team/family ? Is it Ram or Krishna? The Managing Leader vs the Coaching Leader!