!OK G. Narayana 28 Feb 2002 Final Approved 18jun05

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An inquiry into the nature, activities and results of leading from a spiritual basis
Interview conducted 28 February 2002 Specific information related to interview: Organisation: Location: Industry: Position: Years in Position: Gender: Age: Excel Industries Ltd. Mumbai, India Chemicals/Biochemical/Agriculture Executive Chairman 2 Male 60
Full transcript of an interview with:
G. NARAYANA
India
Current information (as of 2006): Current Organisation: Current Location: Current Industry: Current Position: General information: Total Years in All Leadership Positions: 38 Excel Industries Ltd. Mumbai, India Chemicals/Biochemical/Agriculture Chairman Emeritus
Previous Positions/Organisations: (All position/organisations are in India) Engineer, Voltas; General Manager, New India; Owner & CEO, Pro-Con; Owner & CEO, Prism; Management consultant (own consultancy); Board of Directors, Excel Industries/Shroff Group University Degrees: Graduate in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at Institution of Engineers, India; Institution of Electronic and Radio Engineers, England; Post Graduate in Management Studies at Bombay University, India How to refer to G. Narayana: Chairman Emeritus for Excel Industries, Ltd. in India
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CAREER
Career History After I finished my engineering education, I joined an overseas communication service, which was an international telecommunications firm. I stood first in their training. Then I saw an advertisement for Voltas and told my father I wanted to join that company. He preferred a government job career for me and refused to give his consent. I fasted for three days and he allowed me to join. After 2 years of training, I was confirmed as an engineer. During my training and working with Voltas, I studied and completed a postgraduate diploma in operations management. I had a fantastic career at Voltas. In eleven years, I received eight promotions. My ego was rising; I was an angry man and I used to break cups. Then I went to Baroda in Gujurat and joined New India, a Joint Venture Company with Germans as partners, producing and exporting large numbers of cameras. I was trained in Germany and became the first Indian General Manager. There also, I produced fantastic results and my ego further rose. Then I thought I was the greatest man on earth. One day, my colleague who was a dear friend and also a noble contributor to the company, was asked to leave the company due to internal conflicts at the top level. As a result, I resigned too, which created a chaotic state for me. I was without a job and my three children were very young. Within one week, we started a data centre called Procon. I was the proprietor and made it an all woman organisation. All the supervisors and operators were taught about quality teamwork and leadership and we became a top data preparation organisation. All the ideas that I could not implement in the large corporations I worked for, were implemented here. Procon became an experimental leadership development workshop for me. While Procon was on the way to becoming self-sufficient, I also did management consultancy. Even though Procon was going well, I started another company called Prism, which specialised in information systems. It was a computer services company and my other friends and well-wishers became partners in Prism. In Prism, we purchased a hard disk computer. I invested all of my savings in Prism and my friends invested 50% of the capital. Within six months of our purchasing the hard disc computer, the personal computers (PCs) came into the market. Personal computers were much less expensive and had much more capability. Our then outdated system could not compete with PCs and the people whom we trained had many opportunities outside because of the IT boom. As a result, people started leaving Prism. Prism had yet to pay a considerable amount of loans and at this point, my ego started melting. I realised that it was not my greatness that made things successful at Voltas and New India, it was the greatness of those organisations. Because of their resources, I was able to do the work. It was not my greatness alone. This situation brought me to great confusion and so I went to my native place. The situation at Prism was so critical that suicide became one of the alternatives. But because our children were very young, that alternative was not correct. While at my native place, we went to the Godavari river and there was an old temple nearby. While I, my wife, my senior cousin and his wife were in the waters of the river Godavari, I asked my cousin if we could go to the temple and get a memento from the ruins of the old temple. He said, Wait! Something is touching me in the river! He reached down and brought out two
Shivalingams attached to a common base (symbols of worship in Hindu religion). He gave them to me. The two Shivas represented Kaleshwar (death) and Mukteshwar (liberation). The message was clear: liberation from my death-like situation was in the offing! I thought it was a fantastic day. At 2:00 clock in the afternoon that day, my wife Sujana and I reached her parents home where my brother-in-law was reading a book. I asked him What is that book? He showed it to me and it was the Gita Makarandam, which was a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita. Till that time, I had not read even the first three verses (slokas) of the Gita and I did not know Sanskrit. I always thought, What is the need for Gita, when one is working 14 hours a day? Gita is teaching about karma yoga (yoga of work) and thats what I am already doing! I was about to return the book to my brother-in-law, Gopalakrishna, then I remembered the good omen of the Shivalingams in the morning. I thought this book, the Gita, was another blessing and I should not lose the opportunity. I opened the book at random and read, Whoever works with full dedication and offers everything to me, who work relentlessly, him, I will take out of the river of death and put him on the bank. This was the best guarantee I had ever heard. Years later, when I translated the Bhagavad Gita in my book, Song Supreme, I translated it from the original Sanskrit as: XII- 6: But who dedicates his work in Me And who considers as Supreme Me Concentrates on Me in none-other way Contemplates on Me in determined way. He shall be taken up by Me, see! From this world, a deathful Sea His deliverer, becomes Me soon With mind on Me, this boon.
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During my postgraduate studies, I stood first and received a Gold medal in management. Western management was in my blood. Management by objectives, planning, organising, directing and controlling were absorbed by me. Thats why my rise was so high. I had engineering plus management, but spirituality was missing. Now, I had the Gita. Since the Guru (teacher) did not come, but only the book came, I took the book to Baroda where I lived. The author was a well-respected Swami, so I thought of him as my Guru and I did an 18-day Yoga of studying the Gita. What I did then, I now call Gita Yoga. I read one chapter everyday, eating only one time a day, and completely avoiding alcohol, non vegetarian food (which I was not taking anyway), tobacco, smoking, onions, and garlic. I observed silence (maun) while studying the Gita and I underlined whatever appeared wonderful, although everything looked wonderful in the Gita! I practised celibacy during all those 18 days. It was a fantastic experience. At the end of 18 days, I stood up and the world stood up along with me. I went back to the bank and assured them that I would pay back every rupee of the loan. I rang up my partners and told them that I would pay back their investment. During those 18 days, new revelations, new understandings flowed in my thought and consciousness. My fear was gone. When I took responsibility with this new spirit, things started occurring that turned around my situation. Prism was closed after paying all the loans and Procon did better and better. With the new confidence and consciousness, solutions were shining and problems were dissolving. Then companies approached me and I became a management and turn-around advisor.
In 1987, I was called to Excel. During that year, in the first six months there was a loss. Then we all joined together as a spirited team and turned around the situation, and profits occurred in the next six months. Then Excel had a wonderful growth. Last year, 14 years later, we had a downturn and had to turn things around again, which we did. In my management consulting Ive had the opportunity to assist people to bring out the latent energies within them. The people and the companies brought out their inner potentials and excellencies; people became leaders and heroes. Then I became a hero builder and GOD is with me. (G.O.D. is also Group-Organisation-Direction) We have also formed a Samanvaya group, which is a council of companies with eight managing directors helping each other. As Chairman of that group, I serve all of them. Current Responsibilities Executive Chairman of Excel Industries Ltd.1 Chairman of the Board for: Samanvaya Group; Yash Papers Ltd.; Newton Engineering & Construction Co., Ltd.; Punjab Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals Ltd., India Director of: Aryan Paper Mills Pvt. Ltd.; Laopala Ltd.; Silverlight Nirlepware Industries Pvt. Ltd.; and mentor to the Mahavir Group of Enterprises, India. Also an honorary guide to several medium and small-scale industries and voluntary organisations. Books Authored (partial list) Appropriated Integrated Management Transformation to Transcendence Breakthrough Ideas for Leadership in the New Millennium Stairway to Excellence Responsible Leadership in Gita Dependence to Freedom Harmony and Disharmony in Life Partnership Translated Bhagavad Gita (Song Supreme) in poetic form in Telegu and English Written many articles on Management, Leadership, Education, and Life
In 2005, Excel Industries, Ltd. was demerged into two companies: Excel Industries, Ltd. and Excel Crop Care, Ltd. As of 2005, the combined revenue was Rs. 600 Crore (US$130. million) with 2,100 employees.
SPIRITUALITY
Spiritual View of Life Spirituality is inspired responsibility towards people, other living beings, and the world seeing and relating with Divinity in every aspect. Self-improvement plus world service equals spirituality. God is spirituality. Nara means man and Narayana means God. Nara to Narayana is the path of humanity to Divinity. The positive, helpful, truthful and responsible way is the Divine light way. Every human can become divine light. Nara to Narayana is this path of light. Being positive is accepting the joy of Self. Being negative is denying the joy of Self. Positiveness is the brightness of Self. Negativeness is the darkness of Self. Helping others is extending the light of Self and helping approaches the immortality of Self. Hurting others is destroying the light of Self and hurting others is the death of Self. Being truthful is lifting the Self and the truthful way is bliss for Self. Being untruthful is sinking the Self and untruthful is greed for Self. Being responsible is being divine. These concepts and practices are the essence of all philosophies, all religions, all psychological theories, all management approaches, and all self-improvement methods. Man can be what he chooses to be. This freedom to choose opens the door of immense potential within each of us. Basically, any person can be a happy person or an unhappy person, and a divine or devilish person. Divinity, happiness, unhappiness and devility (devil-ness) are the four faces of man in the four phases of life. The four keys are: positiveness is happiness negativeness is unhappiness helping others is divinity hurting others is devility. That is, a positive person is a happy person. A negative person is an unhappy person. A helping person is divine. A hurting person is devilish. When you are positive, you are happy within yourself; your positive outlook towards the world generates a happy feeling within you. But a negative outlook towards the world will generate an unhappy feeling within you. When you help others, divinity shines in and around you. When you hurt others, devility dances around you. Being positive is accepting the joy of Self. Aspects of positiveness are: appreciating, finding strengths, trusting, accepting, attending, responding, loving, recognising, respecting, sincerity, carefulness, alertness, truth, and pleasantness. Being negative is denying the joy of Self. Aspects of negativeness are: criticising, finding faults, doubting, neglecting, non-responding, blaming, insulting, anger, jealousy, insincerity, dishonesty, carelessness, laziness, falsity, and roughness. Helping others is extending the light of Self. Aspects of helping are: cooperating, adjusting, coordinating, training, sharing, facilitating, supporting, giving, guiding, motivating, inspiring, assisting, participating, accommodation, and teamwork.
Hurting others is destroying the light of Self. Aspects of hurting are: obstructing, restricting, spoiling teamwork, creating disorder, discouraging, leaving, taking without sharing, opposing, inconveniencing, snatching, misguiding, de-motivating, imposing, dictating, and rigidity. No other person can make you happy or unhappy. You cannot say that another person has made you unhappy. Even if you abuse me, I can be happy. No other person can make you divine or devil. You become divine or devil. The journey of Self-fulfilment and Self-realisation is nothing but moving from negative-ness to positive-ness and from hurting to helping. You realise your full potential when you are totally positive inside and when you are always helpful to all outside. You cannot decide what I will be. We name or blame others just for the satisfaction of our mind. One has to take responsibility for himself or herself; others can only assist in the process. You can choose and be what you want; you are the key. Plan for progress. Help others. Spiritual Theme My spiritual theme is: Noble actions, noble feelings, noble thoughts, noble responsibility. Distinction Between Spirituality and Religion Religion is seeing God above. Spirituality is experiencing Divinity in others and self. Spiritual Purpose, Principles, and Values My spiritual purpose is: to return added value to the world; to be a being of love; to contribute, endeavour, excel, and assist others to excel. My spiritual principles are: time, love, truth, responsibility, positiveness, being active, being timely, and to serve. This spirit has come to me after the Gita, the Bible, the Upanishads, the Mahabharata, the Vedas, all religions. At one time I started thinking: People go to lectures by a Swamiji (spiritual teacher), they listen to wonderful words, but nothing occurs to them. Why is this? Because there is not sufficient concentration. For example, in the Bhagavad Gita, after the war was over, Arjuna was with Krishna. On that day, they went for an evening walk and Arujuna said, Krishna, tomorrow you are going and I am very sad. Before the war you told me these wonderful things and I have forgotten them. Can you tell me once again? Krishna said, You fool, the situation was mad, I was mad, you were mad. Which means I was charged, you were charged and the situation was charged. In that, the Gita came. Now it is not a drama to play once more. It cannot be done. You have forgotten it. I will tell you some other lesson. And he tells him some other lesson, the Anu Gita. If I were Krishna, I would have given Arjuna Gita Yoga: eighteen days of living with the Gita as a tapasya (discipline). With every word going through your thinking and writing, your mind-feeling changes continuously. So it is not enough to read, you must do and live that is Gita Yoga. I have given Gita Yoga so far to 120 people and everyone has realised it. When you do Gita Yoga for 18 days, you do tapasya, you are eating and fasting, you are silent while concentrating, reading, underlining, and your mind is in meditation. In this way, you are practicing one chapter on each of 18
days. At the end of 18 days, you give food to other people. There is transcendence, and there is learning; thus all the yogas are integrated into Gita Yoga. When you are concentrating on Gita Yoga, you are going into yourself and forgetting other things, and your frame of mind changes. You become positive, active, timely, and effective. Your mind is not the same; the contents are changed. What you are getting is what you are teaching yourself, not what another teacher is giving you. This is called intuition, in-tuition andar ka. You begin to understand so many truths. What appears at the physical level, what is felt at the mind level, what is thought at the intellect level, and what is at the reality level, these four have to be understood. First love will come. Love is beyond all feelings like time is beyond all dimensions. Love is higher than time. If you love, you give time. I love each of you therefore I am giving time. You love me and you are giving time. If you do not love, you will not give time. Hope, liking, trust, and responsibility are the tangible dimensions of consciousness If hope is there, you move forward. If hopelessness is there, you move backward. If you like, you move forward. If you dislike, you move backward. If you are elated you are up, in depression you are down. Joining all of these dimensions is trust and responsibility. If you are responsible you are conscious. If you catch hold of these dimensions, you reach the super consciousness. Consciously Growing Spiritually To grow spiritually, I follow and give the following advice: Never say no. Offer, offer, offer. Work is yagna (worship) beyond the time limits. Be available. Assist always. Do not own always share. Spiritual growth often requires a turning point. Theres a story to illustrate this... In a town there was a house with a mother-in-law and a daughter-in-law. A beggar used to come everyday at 11 oclock and say, Amma (mother) give me something. She would say, Nothing is there, go. Everyday he would come at 11 oclock and say, Amma give me something and she would say, Nothing is there, go. He was persistent and she was persevering One day when the beggar came, the mother-in-law was not there. The daughter-in-law knew she must do as the mother-in-law says, so she said, I cannot give; you must go. The beggar said, Bless you and went away. In the street the beggar saw the mother-in-law and she asked what happened. The beggar told her the daughter-in-law said there was nothing there and he must go. The mother-inlaw said, Who is she to say no? and went into the house. The beggar thought he would now get something, but when he asked the mother-in-law, she said, Nothing is here; go. Then the beggar returned and waited until the father and son came back at 5:00 oclock. He spoke to them in English and they were shocked. He said, For 11 years you have given nothing, and that is why there is nothing to receive. Next day the father and son left from their house and the son went to buy a bag of sweet lime fruits. The beggar came the next day at 11 oclock and the mother-in-law again told him, There is nothing, go. Then her husband, the father, came and asked, How is that? People cannot go from our house without receiving anything. This Maharaj is good. He took and gave one fruit to him. In the meantime the son came and gave 2 fruits as he looked at his wife, the daughter-in law. The daughter-in-law became courageous and gave 4 fruits. Mother-in-law could not let daughter-in-law give more so she
took all the fruits and gave to the Swamiji. From that day onwards the house became a blessed house. For this it required a turning point. Spiritual Influences/Evolution A) B) C) D) E) F) G) H) Family background Native place spiritual centres Teachers Sense of sharing Father and Mother led spiritual lives Work as mission based on western management Crisis in life awakening and transformation Bhagavad Gita Experiences enlightenment Upanishads Vedas Tao Zen all religious writings service to people
In 1985 I got the Gita Yoga and the rest all flowed from that. The turning point for me was Gita Yoga and afterwards many revelations came and higher levels came and my mind frames changed. First I changed internally, but the physical qualities took two years. I became 90% Divine. Then I did Vipassana yoga and it helped me to further develop my qualities. Before 1985 my wife and I were enemies. My children would not give me a birthday card. They would give to my wife, but not to me. After 1985 everything changed with my family, it was the change in me, not in them. We now have a fantastic relationship. Even though I have little time with my wife, the time we have is quality time. If I am there a full hour and give her my full attention, I can solve every problem in the house; I leave her with no problem unsolved. When I am at home I do not think of office work; no, I am with her continuously and I respect her. I have gone through all of the Upanishads, all 108 of them. Sanskrit poured into me. 1 lakh slokas (100,000 verses) I read serially and underlined lots of things. I have written 220 articles and have 20 books published. There are still 200 books waiting.
STORIES OF SPIRITUAL-BASED LEADERSHIP
First Story Showing GOD When I first came to Excel I showed them GOD. What is GOD? Group plus Organisation plus Direction equals GOD. To build the Group, I did not put the system first; I put the people first. At first there were only five people in the top management group, each holding two responsibilities. We built a top team and used to meet in that room at 11 oclock everyday and take decisions together. We discussed and talked together about all fields in the company, everything was a group decision. To build the Organisation, our personnel manager became the R&D manager, our technical manager became the personnel manager, and our marketing manager became the manufacturing managerall because we were making group decisions together. To build Direction, we practiced 5-Ds: discussion, decision, drive, determination, and destination. First we discussed, made decisions, initiated drive, worked with determination, and finally reached our destination. For example, the chief executive builds a team to discuss and search for opportunities, and everyone participates. Then he empowers the leaders, including himself, to make decisions, which initiates the process with resources. The chief executive then authorises the functions to provide the drive to strive for implementing the goals. He inspires the people to stretch with determination to complete the process. Only when you stretch is there a contribution. The organisation reaches the destination and there is success, and this elevates the team for the next situation. Leadership is this process of participation (in a group), decision (for the organisation), and initiation (of the direction). When you have shared vision, shared mission, and shared plan, you must have shared success. Shared success is a prasad, a fruit. When success comes, credit must be shared and then fruit must be shared. We did all of this, like partnerships with trust and responsibility. Management is getting work done by people, by authorising them to meet the organisational goals. Management involves attitude first, then work, then leadership, and then energy. The proper attitudes are dedication, sincerity, honesty and nobility. If you do sincere work, then management will be a dedicated management. If you are dedicated in your endeavour, then you are a loving nurturer. If it is an honest contribution, then you get empowering leaders. If you are an empowering leader, you get honest contribution. When you are connecting with others, there are four means of connection: power, wealth, knowledge, and strength. (In Indian spiritual terms, these four qualities are related to the goddesses named Shakthi, Lakshmi, Saraswathi, and Parvathi.) Then there are three types of consciousness: creation, continuation, and conclusion. (In Indian spiritual terms, these three qualities are related to the gods we call Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwar.) Creation comes from knowledge, continuation comes from strength, and conclusion comes from wealth. If you have money, but no knowledge, then connect and gain knowledge. If you have knowledge, but no strength, then connect and gain strength. Thus, the power is found in connection; so connection power is super power. The moment you connect the ego is lost.
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All of these models come from GOD Group, Organisation and Direction. This is what we did in Excel we built this group process; everywhere I went I did this group process. As a leader, I must set the example. I must run myself before I can make others run. First must come leadership by example: intend and achieve, plan and achieve. If you have a plan, then you will achieve because your intention will go. Its a great learning process and provides challenges; when they do it, then they celebrate. I spoke about this at the Baroda Management Association and after that people from other organisations began to write to me and asked me to come and implement GOD (Group, Organisation and Direction) for them too. Second Story Facing critical challenges The most critical challenges I have faced here at Excel were in 1987 and in 2001. When I first came here in 1987, the company was losing money. There was no direction. The founders of the company were spiritual, so the culture here already had a spiritual base; they did a lot of service and all was going well. But, a booster dose was required for the business. So I joined them to advise and they called me Guru-ji (beloved teacher). That first year was critical. The most important thing was the formation of the group, organisation, and direction (GOD). Then also, rewards were required. There was no systematic salary structure, so we made the first salary and reward structure. We offered well and received the work, we offered and received. This is my spirit. We did not take and give, or give and take. We offered and received. Position people and give them challenges. Offer and receive. Share the success. When you practice it, it is fantastic. Four levels of offering and receiving must occur. First, we offer love and receive dedication. Then we offer value and receive work. And then, we offer knowledge and receive learning. Finally, we offer trust and receive responsibility. For example, as a manager, if you offer love, you receive dedication; in addition, if you offer dedication, you receive love. As a leader, if you offer value, you receive work; in addition, if you offer work, you receive value. These four levels of offering and receiving are interwoven in everything. We created systems for all of this. We made nurturing and learning systems. Through lots of training, we built trust and empowered people to achieve excellence. Achieving excellence only once is not enough; there must be continuous excellence. When work is done well, you become better. When the work is done excellently, the people become excellent. Even if I do not get a larger salary for doing excellent work, I become excellent. Third Story Giving love Last year, 2001, was our worst performance and was a challenging year. After a lot of growth, we and all other companies in the industry did badly. It was our worst profitability. We have recovered now. How? First of all, when trouble came, I took the responsibility. I went into introspection and then created new leadership. I respected the old group of leaders, and without disturbing them we created all new leadership: not bringing in new people, but rearranging the people we already had. We recognised the people and put them in new positions of leadership to challenge them. We gave continuous love to every person, and made sure that each one was successful. I know we cannot succeed as a group until each and every person has succeeded.
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In giving continuous love, I do not get tired, even though I travel all the time. My wife thinks that I will be coming home tired and she gets tired waiting for me. But I come running and she wants to know how that can be. But then everyone gives me love back, so I receive more than I give. Love energizes. No matter where I go, I give love, even more than information. I also give love by speaking often to people outside of the company. For the last four years, I have not slept in the same place more than 3 days. Yesterday I came from Baroda, day before yesterday I was in Delhi. This morning I came here to Mumbai, tomorrow I will go to Lucknow to speak. One day after tomorrow, I will be in Hyderabad. Whoever calls me I will go, I never say no. So I advise people to give continuous love. Fourth Story Creating partnership In the companies that I am connected with, I went to the union leaders and to management, and I told them they were doing the wrong things. I told them the secret of partnership: first trust, then agreement. If agreement is there, but not trust, then they become allies; however, if an argument comes, then they become adversaries straight away. If trust is there, but agreement is not there, they become opponents. If there is no agreement and no trust, they will become adversaries. By building trust first, you ultimately build solid agreement in the relationship. One time, I went to the union leaders because they and the top management were not talking. I went to the factory and asked them what happened. I asked them why they were not talking with management and told them to come and talk tomorrow. Normally the union leaders will surround management (have a mass demonstration) when talks are not going well. I told the union leaders, I am surrounding you! You sit inside this room with the managers and you solve the problems together. Then I called the managers and told them to talk. The next day I was waiting there for them; I had a strong intention. They talked through the problems together. I am Guru-ji (beloved teacher) to both the union leaders and the management. They all call me Guru-ji and take my blessing. I tell union leaders everywhere to offer love and receive dedication, offer value and receive work just as Ive taught our own managers. Fifth Story We can accomplish all things We can accomplish all things. All things occur because of four elements: place, time, situation, and self. So, what is the right place? right time? right situation? right person? The right place is here. When I am here, I should not be there. I should not be in Baroda now with my wife. When I am in Puttaparthi, I should be in Puttaparthi. So right place is here. The right time is now. I understand the secret of being master of past, present, and future. I cannot think of what has happened yesterday or whether I will drink coffee after one hour. Time is in my hands; I have time even when fully working. Time is two things: subjective time and objective time. Objective time is fixed, subjective time changes. There are no time limitations. I can attend to anything and I fulfil all commitments I make. The right situation is the current situation. There is no other situation. I must be in this situation here, now, in this company, this year, this month, this day. I ask, How can I do better?
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The right person is me. Who has to do this? Me, not the other person. So we accomplish things in and through the here, the now, the situation, and the self. But there is something more: everything is interchangeable. You can achieve anything if you have these four. This is how I have not failed in my commitments in the last 10 years since the Gita came. For example, I was invited to get an award from the Baroda Management Association on May 29th and I agreed. Then I was invited to be in Calcutta to be the marriage priest on May 29th. So I told the association I must be in Calcutta, but they said sir you are receiving the cup award. Who should receive the award then? My wife! Oh, better! She received the award; I conducted the marriage. So person, place, time, and situation are interchangeable. As another example, our vice presidents son was getting married and everyone on the board and all top management must attend the sons marriage in Poona, November 19th. So I too must be there; if I do not attend his marriage, he will be unhappy. But if I attend the marriage, I cannot attend the company board meeting in Chandigarh, where as chairman I have to approve 5 crore rupees of investments (US$1 million). What to do I have to be in Chandigarh, and I have to be in Poona? Time and place are interchangeable. If you cannot be in that place at that time, you can be in that place some other time. So I went to Poona on November 18th. In India, marriage ceremonies occur one day before. All the relatives are there, but the public is not. All the relatives, bride and groom are there and the ceremonies are going on. So I went and they said, Oh Guruji you have come today, you have come one day in advance. Yes, I have come one day in advance and we have all the time, I will spend the whole evening with you. Not only that but my brother and aunt who live in Poona came. I went with the family. They were doubly happy. I said to my vice president, Tomorrow is the marriage time for your son, and I have a board meeting in Chandigarh, so today I am here. Are you satisfied? Tomorrow I must be in Chandigarh. He said he was already happy that I was there, but tomorrow is also important. Person is also interchangeable, so I told him my brother and aunt will attend in my place. I asked, Is that OK? He said, Wonderful! You have taken so much trouble to come. So I gave him a gift in advance, blessing in advance, everything in advance. Next day, I was in Chandigarh. At 11 oclock I rang them up on my mobile while they were in the continuation of the marriage ceremony, and I told them, I am with you. So time, place, and situation are interchangeable; person is also interchangeable. Sixth Story Reprimanding employees You must build the people for success and appreciate them. When you want to reprimand, do it like a dose of medicine. Appreciation is like food: morning breakfast, afternoon lunch, evening dinner. But, discrimination and punishment you do like a medicine: required dose, required time, doctor is present. If you give continuous medicine and no food, man will die. If there is only food and no medicine, there is no correction and improvement. Regular food and required medicine ensures health and strength. Integrate recognition and correction appropriately and optimally. So in an organisation, reprimands and punishments should not be given continuously, like a mother-in-law might do. It should be mother-in-love, not mother-in-law. Whenever any person comes to me, in each transaction I evaluate: When he leaves from my office, has he become small or has he become tall? I measure. If he has become small, I will not let him go; I make him sit. Only when he becomes tall he can go. Only when he becomes happy he can go. An
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unhappy man cannot leave my room. If I were to abuse someone, when he went away I would be unhappy, and he would be unhappy. I may fight with him for eight hours, but I keep at it until he is happy. An unhappy man cannot escape from me. Only a happy man can escape from me. And everyone can judge whether the man is happy or not.
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LEADING A BUSINESS FROM A SPIRITUAL BASIS
Purpose of Business The purpose of business is to add value and happiness. I asked top management this question: Why are you making chemicals? They said, So we can sell them and make profits. So I asked, Why do you want to make profits? They replied, So that we can pay our suppliers and take care of our people. I continued: If you take care of your people, what happens? They said, Then they will be happy. Therefore, happiness of all stakeholders is the ultimate purpose: add value to humanity, add value to human values, add value to value. For a light to be there, it requires a wick. For this wick to light, it requires oil. To contain this oil and this wick it requires a pot. This material is required for the light; this material is business. We continually seek to make a better pot, better oil, and better wick so that the light can be there. So business is to make excellence and make people happily conscious. Ultimately, business must become value added oriented to value and peoples happiness. It must bring about consciousness of these things. I have decided to retire in the year 2004 from Excel as an executive and after that I will spread light wherever I go. I am already doing this, but I wish to reach more companies. It is our responsibility to take our lamps and light other lamps. My goal is to transform the movement of ethics in India and abroad through the field of education. Defining and Measuring Success for Career and for Organisation The first measure of success is the happiness of all stakeholders. Happiness is the measure. The customers must be happy, the suppliers must be happy, employees must be happy, all must be happy. So, what is happiness? It is not how much money you have made. If I earn money the wrong way, I will not get sleep. If I earn money the right way, I will get sleep. So earning money the right way is the correct thing. Ultimately, there are four things that will make employees happy. If you love them, they will be happy. If you give them value, they will be happy. Knowledge and trust you must also give so they can grow. Then, they will become dedicated, knowledgeable, responsible people and you will get dedicated, knowledgeable, responsible work. We must honour our people, by respecting them, by sharing with them. All employees are shareholders of this company; we offer all of them shares as a special issue of shares, not as a purchase. In the business, happiness is doing things the right way, in the right amount. This involves four things: cost, price, value, and worth. Cost is what we incur and we should minimize it. Price is what we are paid and we should optimise it. Value is the highest vision and we should maximise it. Worth is what we retain and we should protect it. So make your people into valuable assets. All customers must be successful, all suppliers must be successful, all shareholders must be successful, and then the company is successful.
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Importance and Priority of Financial and Productivity Goals Management by objectives says go for the fruit, reach the maximum return. However, the Gita says, Dont go for the fruit. I say there is no conflict between the two. If you worry about the fruits, then you have your attention on the scoreboard and not the ball. If you concentrate on the ball, the scoreboard will happen automatically. If you are looking at the scoreboard, you will lose the ball. The karma-yoga in the Gita says, If you do good work, you will get the returns, so do not worry about them. If you go for the returns, the work will not get done. Nevertheless, you must go for results on behalf of the greater whole for the company, for the family, for the group. The Gita says you work for objective results and do not worry about what I will get individually. You must do excellent work and not worry about your individual return. So maximise the objective returns, the results, for others for the well being of the society, which is God. Actually, God takes the shape of this world. If you serve the world, you serve God. See God at the physical level; see God in every moment. Every element is pure Divinity because God is everywhere. Developing an Organisational Culture Each person has a physical body level, a mind level, a thought level and a spirit level. The moment trouble comes, a man will look to the I levels first. Suppose today a building has fallen down and water has come in. At first, I am in trouble. When I join together with another person then God is there and I move from I to we. Then we begin to discuss hope and Divinity is there. We must move from I to we. It doesnt matter if anyone believes in God, Rama, Krishna, or Sai Baba, when you believe in another human being you are touching Divinity. Inside humanity is God. So if you search inside another human being, you will find God. Like the Gita says, one day the buddhi (wisdom) will come, and you will become enlightened (you will know God). Role of Business in Benefiting the Nation and Society as a Whole Business must look at not only the economy. It must look into ethics, energy, excellence, economy, and ecology. First there is ethics, which means that whatever you do, follow the dharma (righteous) way. But ethics alone cannot do anything. You require physical energy, electrical energy, and human energy. Ethics without energy is powerless, but energy without ethics is useless. So ethics and energy must go together. Use this energy within the guidelines of ethics and you get great excellence. While gaining this excellence you should do it economically, not with loss, you must add value and do not disturb the ecology. These five Es are the result of purity and beauty. If purity and beauty are there, these five Es are automatically there also. And whenever these five Es are there, you will have effectiveness and efficiency. Effectiveness is doing the right things. Efficiency is doing it the right way. And then you have enlightenment. But this is not the whole story. Whenever these five Es are there, the opposite ego is there as well. Ego is always the opposite of ethics. So there is dharma and there is ego. Ego is always accompanied by excess. With ego there are many desires and when satisfying those desires is blocked, there is anger and then estrangement. These desires are the result of blindness and ignorance, having no vision.
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So these are the two sides of vision. Purity and beauty are one side of vision. Ego and desires are the other side of vision. These five Es, plus ego and its accompanying deficiencies, are embodied in the main characters of the Mahabharat. In the Gita, right ethic is Yudhisthir, energy is Bheema, excellence is Arjuna, economy is Nakula, ecology is Sahadeva, and effectiveness is Abhimanyu. Wisdom is Krishna and all are guided by wisdom. Ego is Duryodhana, excess is Dushasana, hundred desires are the hundred brothers, anger is Ashwathama, stalemate is Karna, and wickedness is Shakuni. Responsible leadership: Learns ethics from the wisdom of the past and defines the roles and policies and enumerates them Performs the work using energy for creating results by endeavouring with perseverance Evaluates in peace Retains the worth through excellence and ensures progress Adds wealth and realises prosperity Assures the well-being of the ecology through responsibility So my concept of business is the harmony of ethics, energy, excellence, economy, ecology with effectiveness and efficiency that leads to enlightenment. All this occurs through wisdom, coming from purity and beauty. This is my vision of the future of business.
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BEING A SPIRITUAL-BASED LEADER
Continued Growth as a Spiritual-Based Leader The purpose of humanity is to become Divinity. From a tree we became an animal. From animal we have become man. From man we have to become Divine. This process of growing from man to Divine starts with the recognition of elemental consciousness. This is being aware of your external environment. You see outside, and inside you are responding. At a plant level, the plant is conscious of the elements and determining how to respond to space, how to grow, how to take in water, how to take in minerals, and how to deal with sunlight. This is botanical life in action. Animals are still elemental consciousness, but they can now move and see other animals. This tiger is running; I must run. This fish is going; I will catch it. It is external consciousness, being aware of others. As humans, we have the external awareness, but we must now examine our internal consciousness and ourselves. That is what meditation is. When you see what is inside your heart, then you can reach others hearts. That is, you can enter into others hearts and know what is happening within them through love. When you touch peoples hearts they remember you. Being aware of all, inside and outside, reaching the hearts of others through love, and becoming a model this is what Divinity is reaching the hearts of others. Jesus is this kind of model. Buddha is this kind of model. Sai Baba is this kind of model. They never hurt; they have done so much for society. They have reached our hearts. This is what I strive for in my own life and leadership. Inner Processes that Guide Decision-Making I ask: Is anyone unhappy? Is anyone hurt? Is anyone insecure? Every minute, its like I run the reel of my moment-to-moment life. That is, I review what I have done and how I can improve. From the last moment, I correct it, improve it, and do better in the next moment. Every next moment should be better than the last moment, and better than this moment. Never say there is no time. If you are present, there is the time. I also consider the Buddha when he says: Buddham saranama gachami, take shelter in the teacher. Dharmam saranam gachami, take shelter in dharma (the way of life). Sangam saranam gachami, take shelter in the community. If you want to solve a problem, then first go to the teacher, the expert. Ask him and he will give you an answer and your problem will be solved. You need not be the expert yourself; you have the teacher. You get the blessings of the teacher and then you start with confidence. If the teacher is not there, then you must go to the books and get the knowledge. If the books are not there, then go to the group and discuss. Finally, I follow the Vedic prayer: Asothama sadgamaya, lead me from untruth to truth. Tamosoma jyotigamaya, lead me from darkness to light. Mirthyuma amirthingmaya, lead me from death to immortality. From untruth to truth: going to the master is the best. From darkness to light: knowledge is the best. If you want to become immortal, group is best. Why is this so? Because it takes you from ego to Self, which is Divinity (ahamoma athma gamaya). Self (Divinity) is immortal; Self is light; Self is truth. But ego is death, ego is darkness, ego is untruth. So you must bring the ego to Self through group. The moment you truly come together in a group, the ego is lost.
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Guidance and Advice for Aspiring Spiritual-Based Leaders How to bring spirituality into work is to first of all make it a group process. The moment you make it a group process you are touched with God. Group does not require many people; two is enough. I give people this realisation in a shocking manner that they remember, which I call, The future is in your hands. Open your two hands. One symbolises wealth; in work there is wealth. The other symbolises knowledge. When you offer your two open hands your work/wealth and your knowledge to others, then you become Govinda (God). When you open your hand what do you see? Four fingers and a thumb. The thumb is the leader and the fingers are the members. The members are taller than the thumb, so leadership has nothing to do with size. It can be small, but it must be strong in will power. So leaders must be strong in will power. The fingers have 3 joints, while the thumb has only 2 joints. So skills of the members are more than skills of the leader. The leader must use his skills and add value differently and must help the members to do better work. Where the members are specialists, the leader is a generalist and helps them to do their work better and to be successful. The leader must also bring people together, just as the thumb can touch each finger easily, but the fingers cannot touch each other so easily. The members will be looking externally at the market, while the leader looks 50% at the members and 50% at the market. You take care of them and they take care of the work. This 50% of the leader must also look after the Divinity, and must be introspective within himself. The thumb has four views: people view, work view, upper (God) view and inner view. Leaders must have these four views. The leader and the members must also be able to bend; they should be humble and do the work. If you cut the thumb, the fingers cannot do their work, if you cut the fingers they cannot do the work. Each one requires the other. In every team there is a troublemaker; that is the pointer finger. He always points out what is wrong and wants to know why you did this. He disagrees and threatens. The leader must join this member and transform him into a top contributor, remembering that God is here in the team. If a leader does not have the upper (God) view, then he cannot reach the hearts of people. His people will do work because of knowledge, or money, or relations, but they will not do inspired work. If you look at the Divinity in the other man, then you can inspire. That is inspiring leadership.
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!OK G. Narayana 28 Feb 2002 Final Approved 18jun05

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COPYRIGHT PROTOCOLS FOR THE SBL RESEARCH AND KNOWLEDGE-BASE

STORIES OF SPIRITUAL-BASED LEADERSHIP

LEADING A BUSINESS FROM A SPIRITUAL BASIS

BEING A SPIRITUAL-BASED LEADER

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