Power in the corporate world

About the Author

Radhakrishnan Pillai and expert  on Chanakya’s teachings, is well known for

spreading the knowledge of  Kautilya’s Arthashastra in today’s era. He studied
this ancient text from the  Chinmaya International Foundation, Kerala under
the guidance of Dr Gangadharan  Nair one of best scholars of Sanskrit
language.

Educated in the field of  management and qualified as an international

management consultant, he later  turned to discover management from Indian
roots and proceed to do an MA in  Sanskrit and Phd. He started a company
Atma Darshan in field of spiritual  tourism and has over 17 years of industry
experience. 

He has been instrumental in  reaching the knowledge of Arthashastra to

millions of people across the globe  through his lectures, workshops, training
programs, radio shows and articles  contributed in various newspapers,
magazines journals and journals. 

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 Power in the corporate world

About The book

The book Corporate Chanakya is  written by a well known author Mr.
Radhkrishnan Pillai. He is pioneer in  bringing the learning’s of Chanakya and
relating it to the modern corporate  culture and business dynamics. 

The experience curve states that  the organizations today face varied business,
people and resource challenges. There is absolutely no reason to disbelief that
these challenges cut across  varied business verticals. Thought the magnitude
and intensity may vary.  

Business today faces healthy and  unhealthy competition with dynamic

changes in business environment. Research  has proved that value of the
product has no correlation with the expectation of  the customer. Augmenting
every effort in today’s business is key to success.  The business potentials in
today’s era can be unlocked thru skill v/s will. The  book on Corporate
Chanakya highlights through the intelligent combination of Leadership,
Management and Training. 

Organization’s goals are derived  from eight different areas. Revenue from
customer, profits associated with  costs, technology with investment, and
employee with productivity. 

It is said to achieve the dream  work it required the team work. On the launch
day, August 15, 2010 at University of Mumbai, Vidyanagari campus, excerpts
was  brought to the notice of people from various walks of life. It is a matter of 
great honor to recommend this book to internalize the findings and discover
the  Chanakya in you

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 Power in the corporate world

Staying at top

To achieve position is not big thing,to sustain that position is important.

A leaders success is maintained by controlling the senses.for this six negative

behaviours that need to be avoided:

1. lust (kaam)

2. anger (krodha)

3. greed (lobha)

4. pride (mana)

5. arrogance (madh)

6. overexcitement (harsha)

1. lust

Lust is the deep hunger for any object which results from over attachment.

2. anger

Maintaining cool head is very important.

A short tempered leader is neither appreciated nor liked by team members.

3. greed

Gandhiji had rightly said there is enough in this world for every person’s need
but not enough for every person’s need but not enough for man’s greed

4. pride

A feeling that,I am the doer should not be entertained.one shoud understand

that after all his success is because of team work.

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 Power in the corporate world

5. Arrogance

Arrogant leader will always take credit for every success while he blames
failers for athers. Once motto should be , “It is ‘we’ who have successded not
‘I”.

6. Over Excitement

A leader should never get over excited . Expressing extreme happiness or

sadness has to be avoided.

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 Power in the corporate world

Create Your Own Law

In Sanskrit , ‘law’ is called Dharma meaning that ‘which holds ‘.So if you are the
leader of an organization, you have to take the lead in laying down the rules
too.But, before you do that keep the following is mind:

 A law for what

 Benefit for all

 Fit for all

Control Your Office

The Office is an integral part of any organization even in past it was compared
to a fort or durga in Sanskrit .This was from where the King would
ruled.Aspects of this office in detail:

 treasury

 Army

 Trustworthy men

So in above verse, the strategy according to Chanakya is that the leader should
control treasury (Finiance) and the army (People) from one place –the fortified
city (the office/plant)and let the trustworthy man (manger) run the show.

As the former india army chief General JJ Singh puts it “Finaly it is the man
behind the machine who makes you win the war.

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 Power in the corporate world

Leaders have the Edge

Leader has to ensure that the organization has to grow strong not only finically
but also in term of foundation and the value system set in place by the
founders and visionaries .

Being energetic is most important Quality of a leader . All great leaders who
have set a treand in an corporate world were highly motivated and inspired
.The best eg. From recent times is J.R.D Tata , he was largely responsible for
making TATA a trusted household name in the country.

A Slack leader will also cause the company he heads to become finically weak.A
leader should be physically active , mentally alert and intealcualy convinced

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 Power in the corporate world

Chanakya also known as Vishnugupta and Kautilya was born in 3rd century BC in
india.

He was a rear mastermind who became an expert in varied and specialised

fields like management, economics, politics, law,leadership,
governance,welfare,military tactics, accounting systems n several others.

Chanakya is also called as the king maker as he was responsible for bringing
down the nanda dynasty and establishing his able student chandragupta
maurya on the throne as the emperor.

He is also credited with mastermind the defeat of Alexander in India who was
on his march to conquer the world.

He was responsible for creating a nation called as Aryavartha which later

became India.

He documented his life long work in his book Kautilya Arthashastra and
Chanakya Niti.

Arthashastra when literally translated means “scripture of wealth” but it

contains knowledge about every subject under the sun. It is the knowledge of
wealth and a wealth of knowledge.

Power in the corporate world

The corporate worlds search for supremacy over competitors and players from
other industries can be summed up in one phrase-

“ the search for power”

No wonder then that the book THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu is often quated by
various Ceo’s in their strategy plans.

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 Power in the corporate world

Intellectual power :

The power of kwoledge is an intangible asset of any organization.the corporate

world is today lead by knwoledge workers.

The greatest commodity in the future will be knowledge, irrespective of the

evaluation based for the executives

Manpower

Men are the assets of the organization,there are two kinds of manpower-:

1. INTERNAL-comprises employees of the organization,the board of

directors,and the share holders.
2. EXTERNAL-includes customers and suppliers.it is because of them that
we exist.
Peter Drucker, the father of management points out “the aim of marketing
is to know and understand our customers so well that the product or
service fits them and sells itself.

Financial power :

The progress of any organization depends upon its financial success.

Jack Welch, the former chairman of GE points out,

“nothing succeeds like success”.this gives a lot of courage to the organization

to not only share its profits, but to also reinvest it in various productive areas
like research n development,venture into new projects and ideas,and
contribute to social causes.

Power of enthusiasm and morale :

This is the most important factor of all.

A leader who is charged with enthusiasm and a high level of morale can create
the other three factors.the drive to “get more” is the true sign of progress.

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 Power in the corporate world

Power brings responsibilities

Chanakya says :

“for the king, there is a danger of revolt in the interior of or in the outer
regions”.

The greatest danger for a king is revolt.it means dissatisfied employees,

shareholders, stakeholders who are integral elements of the organization,
even politicians know that if they do not rule the country properly, the
dissatisfied workers would overthrow them.

Understand the needs of the market:

As a leader it is important to understand the needs of the people in the

organization as well as in the market and the industry. As long as one is
fulfilling ones needs, they will be loyal.

Remember old clients while making new ones

Business is not a one time deal ,but a collection of deals over a period of time
which makes the business successful.

One must understand the requirements of people around himself.

He must always be on the move.

Imp-keep meeting your old clients regularly even when you are in the process
of expanding your client base.

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 Power in the corporate world

Solve the problem immediately :

To curb any revolt early action is required similarly it is necessary to curb the
dissatisfaction of the employees and clients, the moment any issue crops up.

A good leader knows that only committed employees run an organization.they

also are aware of the fact that only satisfied customers bring good business.

The art of punishment

Success to any journey depends upon how a leader deals with his employees in
any given organization.He has a very tough rule to play.

Dealing with his employees is not an easy task.

In order to reach the target set by the board of directors he has to tactfully get
the work done by his team.

He has to consider their problems immediately so that the work does not
suffer.

At the same time, he has to be disciplinarian.

He should be flexible with the employees but he should not loose focus of the
goals and priorities of the organization-the reason for which he has been
appointed.

Many a times he might have to use the way of punishments.

How much punishments can be given,when can it be given,and why has it been
given-is an art in its ownself.

This art has been perfected by kautilya in the Arthashastra.

This is one of the reasons why kautilyas arthashastra is also called as

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 Power in the corporate world

Danda niti-the art or the strategy of punishments.

Punishments may not even be necessary but it has been said that-“if the rod is
not used at all, the stronger swallows the weak in the absence of the wielder of
the rod”.

In such cases the leader or the ceo is the final authority in the matter of
punishments.if he not disciplining his team from time to time,there is always a
possibility of him being a poor leader.more importantly in his absence the law
of the jungle will take over and disturb the set up and structure of the
organization.the bully in the team will start overpowering the weak as he
would not be afraid of the boss,or the actions that will be taken when he
returns.

“the king severe with rod(punishment) becomes a terror. A king with a mid rod
is despised. The king just with the rod is honoured.”

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 Power in the corporate world

Maintaining Secrets

The power of secrecy holds a very strong portion in business. And the leader to
maintain this secrecy is also very important since he holds a very it strong
portion in the organization. At every stage of business in the key Secrets should
be known only by the leader .If the secrets are disclosed the leader will have to
face the following problems

1.He has to bend down near people who know his secret

2.He might become helpless

3.He should follow the rule of think twice before you speak.

Pillars of business

Commitment, vision and purpose from the important pillar of any organization

The pillars of an organization listed by chanakya are:

1. The King (The Leader)

Great leaders from great organization

2. The Minister (The Manager)

He is the person in action and runs the show

3. The Country (Market/Client/Customer)

No business can exist without market capitalization, clients and

customers.

3. The Fortified City (Head Office)

It is the nucleus and the center of any organization.

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 Power in the corporate world

4. The Treasury

Financé is extremely important resource and backbone of any business

5. The Army (The Team)

No organization can come into existence without its team

6. The Ally(Friend)

A friend in need is a friend indeed

Aspects of success

Success is a relative term

Every person today craves for success

Success is threefold.i.e.

1. Success by Counsel

The better the advisor, the better one is guaranteed to succeed

2. Success by Might

Success derived due to ones position or the chair that on holds

3. Success by Energy

Success can be achieved on will power. He can be successful on the

basis of his enthusiasm and the passion he shows

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 Power in the corporate world

Power Management

Artha is defined as POWER

No two situations are the same and a unique strategy must be applied for
every situation.

Management of Power is based on:

People Situation

As soon as a person attains powers the first he has to handle is the people
working under him

1. Knowledge Situations

As the world moves towards a knowledge economy the competitive

advantage will be held by people who are ahead of others in the information
sphere.

2. Material Situations

Here material means money, machines, and even technology

Bosses Are Answerable

Every boss has a boss above him. Every leader is answerable to someone else.
Every King is given a code of conduct and the duties and responsibilities that
have to be borne to

1. To Stakeholders

Usually it is understood that the person at the top is answerable to

only those from whom he has take money like financers and lenders.

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 Power in the corporate world

2. To Government And Society

Every company is governed by certain laws.

3. To Self

Well, one may not follow others one may not even like government
policies the industry standard or existing social rules.

Applying Arthashastra In Business

This science being and preserves spiritual good material well being and
pleasures and destroys spiritual evil,material loss and batred.

1. Protecting And Expanding

If one has achieved something,it has to be protected

2. Destroy the wrong

Only protecting and expanding the good is not enough

3. Expansion Of Knowledge

By studying the Arthashastra,one increases knowledge and experience.

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 Power in the corporate world

Inherited Company

While most of the work has already been done by the parents still there is an
advice to children born with a silver spoon in the mouth. Benefiting from an
inheritance to look at the positive of the business and change the negative
points with their own positives.

1. Identifying the positive aspects

As far as inheriting a business is conserened we find that the previous

generation did the most work starting up,sales,capturing the market too.

2. Neutralise the Negatives

Earlier generations lived in different times

3. Be A Positive Change
After getting the power to make decisions ,move your company slowlyto
next level without giving any serious jerks to the existing system

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