Ramayana : 6 Timeless Management Lessons From the Ancient Hindu Text that You Must Imbibe

• The struggle of the divine prince Rama to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king Ravana- a story we have all heard but never thought we can implement in our life
• The Valmiki Ramayana (the original text in Sanskrit) has nearly 50,000 verses with each verse enriched with wisdom to impart
• With a heart fully illuminated, a pure conscience, anybody can incorporate a divinely Rama and the life lessons he imparted into their lives

New Delhi, August 7, 2017: Lord Rama is the epitome of compassion, love and positivity. His humble demeanor and his respect for elders and younger ones works like a teaching. His unwavering devotion and service to his parents motivates us to be a better version of ourselves. His tale of brotherly love motivates us to forego greed and maintain relationships over money. Lord Rama has taught us a lot, and lessons from Ramayana have given us every reason to be like him. And I do not ask for much but to only embed 10% of his persona in my life.

The Ramayana has nearly 50,000 verses, with each verse enriched with wisdom to impart. If you have grown up in a Hindu household, you must have watched several dramatic telecasts of the Ramayana on the television every Sunday morning, but have you ever wondered about all the practical philosophies the epic has to offer? Along with tales of compassion and perseverance, Ramayana also provides us with a practical guide to be better at our work- karma.

We present a list of management concepts that you might have missed from the epic:

1. SWOT Analysis Solves Everything

Reference : As soon as Hanuman traced Sita to Lanka, the first thing he did was to survey and understand the area, and it's people – their attitude, actions, strengths and weaknesses.

Interpretation : SWOT (Strength, weakness, opportunities, threats) analysis forms a crucial part of the success of any business, regardless of what era it is undertaken in.

In order to be a smart businessman, a prerequisite is to be certain of your goals and targets, which should be followed by identifying the strengths and weaknesses of your competition and yourself. Keeping all possible threats in mind, a plan should then be devised.

And you can be sure to hit the jackpot!

ALSO READ Ramlila: Eleven countries where Ramayana enactment tradition is thriving

2. Make A Plan. Stick To It.

Reference : When Lord Ram killed Maricha who came in the disguise of a deer, he shouted "Lakshman! Sita" in Ram's voice. Assuming his brother is in danger, Sita ordered Lakshmana who was at guard, to go after the voice and save his brother. Rule 1 broken.

In spite of Lakshman strictly asking Sita to stay within the Lakshman-rekha (a secure boundary that he drew) she overstepped it to feed Ravana disguised as a sage, thus breaking rule 2. We all know what followed was an elaborate tale of abduction and fight.

Interpretation : The progress of an organization is the reason planning is important-devising a plan helps establish a set route to achieve target. It eliminates unnecessary effort and provides us with a definite set of steps to fulfill our goal. A plan also brings the entire team together by clearly attributing tasks, thus promoting better coordination.

What is equally important is to stick to the devised plan.

3. Keep A Check On The Stakeholders

Reference : King Dashratha had three wives- Kaushalya, Sumitra and Kaikeyi and four sons. Kaikeyi gave birth to the eldest son, Bharat. Ram was the son of Kaushalya. And Sumitra gave birth to Lakshmana and Shatrughan. This means three individual minds that had their own opinions and thus, influenced the king in their own ways.

Interpretation : When there are too many stakeholders, power is bound to get diluted, opinions get confusing, decision-making in turn becomes difficult and one can possible lose control of the task.

4. Importance of Communication

Reference : The fight between Bali and the demon Mayavee extended for an elongated period inside a cave, while younger brother Sugreev was ordered to keep a watch and wait at the cave's entrance. When nobody emerged from inside for an entire year, Sugreev returned to kingdom Kishkindha assuming that they both were dead, proclaimed himself as Kind and made Bali's wife his queen.

Interpretation : Miscommunication is a deadly killer- it not only creates confusion and fosters animosity, but also ends all possible scope of development. Effective communication steers away any confusion, keeping everybody aware of their roles and the growth of the business.

5. Value Your Subordinates

Reference : When in his court his younger brother Vibhishana pointed out that abducting Sita was a wrong decision, Ravana immediately shut him off. Ravana's arrogance thus resulted in him losing one of his finest and smartest ministers. When his wife expressed similar views, it didn't take long for him to lash out at her too. Look what fate Ravana brought upon himself by ignoring the suggestions of his subordinates- he not only lost his kingdom but also his life.

Interpretation : A good manager is one who knows the secret to get work done. If you believe you alone run a business, that is your arrogance. A good businessman includes everybody in the working, even the subordinate staff and makes them feel part of a team which together achieves success.

6. Mergers and Alliances

Reference : When king Janak announced the wedding of his daughter Sita, the event saw participation by some of the strongest men. However, it was Rama who won the competition, and in turn Sita. The two had been raised with the same values, and an absence of hedonistic beliefs.

In a similar way, the friendship of Sugreev and Rama serve as an example that mutual support and coordination between two parties can help achieve targets and growth.

Interpretation : A merger based on the congruence of basic values of both the parties involved is sure to lead you to a successful venture. A synergy in the respective core strengths and objectives of both parties involved helps tap their joint business potential better.

The Hindu culture not just celebrates but worships the teachings of Ramayana. Rama's journey is enriched with religious teachings, lessons, and reminders that allow the readers to tread upon the righteous path of Dharma and Karma.

When the heart is fully illuminated, and with a pure conscience, anybody can experience a divinely Rama within themselves and create their own Ram-Rajya.

– by a staff writer of NewsGram