The Wisdom of True Planning for Long-Term Results - An Undiscussed Management Story from Ramayana

Introduction:

In today's fast-paced world, the importance of long-term result-oriented planning cannot be overstated. We see it in various domains of business management, including investment, supply chain, customer acquisition, urban planning, industrialization, and, crucially, human resource management. However, while many organizations focus on aspects like recruitment, training, and skill development as part of their long-term planning, one vital element often overlooked is loyalty. Let's explore this often-neglected aspect through a lesser-known story from the life of Lord Rama.

The Story:

Lord Rama, with the help of an army of Vanaras (monkey warriors) and his loyal brother Lakshmana, is gearing up for a fierce battle with Ravana and his formidable forces.

Two spies, Shuka and Sarana, are sent by Ravana to infiltrate Lord Rama's camp and gather crucial intelligence about his army's strength, strategies, and weaknesses. These spies successfully enter the Vanara camp but soon arouse suspicion due to their suspicious behavior. They are eventually captured by Hanuman and brought before Lord Rama.

At this point in the Ramayana, Lord Rama displays his extraordinary compassion and wisdom. He understands that these spies are only fulfilling their assigned duty, and their loyalty lies with Ravana out of fear. Lord Rama recognizes that they are not the primary threat and that killing them would not be in line with his principles of Dharma and compassion.

He instructed his soldiers to provide these spies with information about their battalion size, skills, weapons, and strategies. Some of Lord Rama's senior Vanara soldiers, such as Sugreeva and Angada, questioned this display of compassion, wondering about its purpose and necessity.

Even as I heard this story from my father, I too questioned whether Lord Rama's actions were justifiable. However, Lord Rama's compassion went beyond our comprehension. These spies returned to Lanka not only with valuable information but also with newfound respect for Lord Rama's divine qualities. They began to spread a message that they were fighting with the most Dharmic man of the times, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu. They highlighted Lord Rama's compassion compared to Ravana's pride and proclaimed that Lord Rama was fighting for his kidnapped wife while Ravana was driven by ego. These spies, initially sent to gather secrets for Ravana, ended up glorifying Lord Rama and magnifying his chances of victory.

This incident had a profound impact. Although Lord Hanuman, Angada, and Vibhishana had preached similar values in the courts of Ravana, their words had hardly any effect on the inhabitants of Lanka. However, these demons among Ravana's troops touched the hearts of many soldiers, sowing doubt in their motives, beliefs, and confidence levels. Distorted motives like these can diminish one's capabilities, ultimately affecting the ability to defeat an adversary.

The essence:

So, how did Lord Rama inspire hundreds of thousands of Vanaras to work tirelessly for him, ready to sacrifice their lives? How did personalities like Jatayu, Bharatha, and Lord Hanuman devote their lives to follow the path of Lord Rama? "Why did personalities like Sugriva (Vanara King), Vibhishana (brother of Ravana), Guha (a tribal king), Shabari (an elderly woman saint), Agastya (a saint who imparted the powerful Aditya Hrudayam to Rama), Sharabanga (a saint who sacrificed himself), Maricha (a demon prepared to face death at Rama's hands), a frog (bleed under Rama’s bow), a squirrel (served Rama to its best) and many others choose to become followers and devotees of Lord Rama?"

The answer lies in the “emphasis on relationships over results.”

The story of Lord Rama teaches us the importance of humane management, an often-missing aspect in today's organizations worldwide. Mere staffing to meet current output needs is insufficient for building a lasting and magical workforce. The ultimate goal of Human Resource Management should be to foster long-term relationships through loyalty, alongside other objectives like productivity and cost reduction.

Excited to bring you insights from my experiences of humane management practices with a team of 38 in a separate article.

Conclusion:

In conclusion, the story of Lord Rama's compassion towards even those who were initially his enemies reminds us of the transformative power of humanely managed relationships. It's a lesson that can reshape our approach to Human Resource Management and help organizations achieve unprecedented success by focusing on loyalty and long-term results.

Words for Practice:

"Though we may encounter demons like Ravana in our journey, it's important to remember that not everyone we meet is a demon. Through our respect and love, we can inspire loyalty and build meaningful relationships." – VS Telu

Additionally, here's a similar principle by Dale Carnegie:

"You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you." – Dale Carnegie

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With Best Wishes,

Venkata Suresh Telu (VS Telu)

Startups-Woxsen University

Hyderabad, India