The father of the nation- Mahatma Gandhi is often regarded as a freedom fighter. However many scholars have tried to dig into the ethics of his work and introduced a few of his other sites such as journalist, leader, strategist etc. One of these images is a “management expert”. There is no second thought that Mahatma Gandhi was a great leader. It is true that leadership is actually the essence of Management qualities. Mahatma Gandhi always had faith in him and in his followers. He was confident that whatever he did, his followers would agree. Remembering that, however, he did not allow his thoughts to dominate his thinking, but he did feel a deep sense of commitment.
Clearly, a lesson that any manager can learn is that he should have faith in himself and in his team and at the same time know his strengths and should have a sense of responsibility.
Mahatma Gandhi was a brilliant manager and an amazing strategist. He had amazing social media skills and had excellent relations with the media. For example, if we look at the Dandi march, if Mahatma Gandhi had gone peacefully to Dandi, his efforts would have been in vain.
He knew very well that he had to make an event using his PR skills to make an impact catching eyeballs. So he took his followers with him on a trip, drawing the attention of the media. He had a good understanding of human psychology and used it in harmony with his social skills.
Mahatma’s grandson, Tushar Gandhi, said Mahatma Gandhi was a Guru idol and formed brands. The Swades-led organization created a product awareness on the Card, and similarly, in all the hot video assets he provided options symbolizing the “solution to all problems”.
Have a first step in creating community forums for people to connect with and then use their skills to their advantage. Swadeshi, Champaran and Dandi March are examples of Mahatma Gandhi-led events that have created great product awareness.
Mahatma Gandhi is an inspiring personality and a role model for many struggling executives. Mahatma Gandhi taught us that a manager should never be overconfident, even in difficult times.
The difficulty of the resources never bothered him. He understood that the Bruisers were powerful with technological weapons. So, he changed the game basically to deal with the situation. He gathered his strength with the support of ordinary people instead of weapons. He continued to invent his tricks.
As a way for management to deal with problems not only outside the company but also internally, Gandhi ji also faced rejection and blockade by people within the ANC. There were many who did not always agree with this plan. One of these was the father of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Motilal Nehru who wrote him a long letter asking him to stop the idea of Dandi March.
Motilal Nehru had doubts that the plan would not work and would cause embarrassment to the team. Mahatma Gandhi wrote back one line in response – “Kar Ke Dekho” (make and see).
This means not only his management skills but also his auditory courage. It is known to everyone how successful his Dandi March test was. Contrary to those who consider Gandhi to be the Chief Executive Officer there are many people who agree that all of his ideas will not work in today’s world. They said Mahatma Gandhi was opposed to industrialization and felt that it would have a devastating effect on society. But to say that Gandhi was totally against the industry would be wrong. He was not even an enemy of capitalism. Gandhi ji presented his special Trusteeship theory.
This theory directs capitalists to consider the wealth they have in hand as a responsibility to raise the level of the poor. Trusteeship is nothing but a middle ground between core capitalism and core communism. Gandhi ji felt that the rich were the masters of wealth they led and should be used for the welfare of the society that built those poor. This is the core of Corporate Social Responsibility that is widely used today.
Arun Maira, of the Boston Consulting Group and a member of the Planning Commission, Government of India is of the opinion that we always feel that the examples of Western people are the ones we should follow. However, from the last two to three years these models are in doubt even in the West, so it is time for India to look inside itself to see examples of leadership.
Mahatma Gandhi’s leadership style as used in an Indian company can make even the lowest person in the organization believe in him and the importance of his contribution to the organization. Gandhi Ji had a way of doing things so that everyone involved could be connected to the goal.
Mahatma Gandhi’s role as manager is truly amazing. He taught the world that the purpose of a company is more than the worth of an individual. Very few people realize that while Gandhi ji led India to freedom, he displayed special Management skills. People who have seen this and embraced his ways of taste have tasted the glory and felt the firmness.
FAQ’s
Q. How do you describe the Satyagraha movement that happened in the Gandhi period?
Ans: Satyagraha is a force, born of Truth, love and a Non-Violent Personality. Truth means to love and firmness and therefore serves as a compelling metaphor (Prabhu, 2001). People respond better to kindness than to cruel power. By applying the principles of Satyagraha, modern leaders can bring about change and empower people without forcing them to obey as is the case with traditional governing bodies. Gandhi’s vision of the future was a blend of spiritual, moral, and physical realities, and it was due to the unchanging application of his leading theories (Yates, 2001)
Satyagraha as a tool begins with consulting an opponent or an enemy in an attempt to find a just solution. No one has authority over the truth and no one is on the right side. The aim is to find a logical consensus on both sides (Prabhu, 2001). The leader must have the ability to communicate and disseminate unacceptable situations. Conflicts naturally occur between people who love something. Often a leader must be neutral and help to have a positive effect in the face of conflict.
Q. What are Mahatma Gandhi’s Shared vision and key values?
Ans: As a strategist, Mahatma knew how to create an idea that would be widely shared by the people. Gandhi’s greatest achievement was his ability to communicate easily. Gandhi traveled all over the country to make the vision of freedom a common vision among people living in different parts of the country. He made efforts to reach out to the masses by using his method of “speech” of rallies, dharnas, padayatra and non-violent protests.
At the heart of it is the idea that all actions should be personal and directed to the people, rather than to any ideology. In today’s corporate leadership the lessons Gandhi offers are that when they come up with a plan for the transformation of their organization they need to consider the future and define values that will help achieve this vision. They should share their opinion as Gandhi did to other participants. Company executives should invest time and energy in building a shared vision and should define values while initiating change. Most corporate plans are considered and finalized within the four walls of the Board Room. No effort is made to communicate these plans/decisions to most people which are the real engines of change. Says Shahbir Merchant * CEOs should not talk about cost cuts and improve costs by file and file, then fly a business class or stay in the 5-star comfort zone. Living by standards is the key to CEOs moving in the right direction. “
Q. How did the ideal manager – Mahatma Gandhi – have more Confidence in his life journey?
Ans: Gandhi focused on making Indian villages independent. He felt that Indian independence should start over and that each district should be a fully-fledged and fully-fledged republic (Ishii, 2001). These valleys will share information or goods with other valleys where they do not produce locally (Andrews, 1949). Teams in modern organizations often have to share information with other groups in order to work effectively.
Gandhi recognized the interdependence between the individual and the community. As Alexander (1984) points out, ‘the separation of authority is closely related to human dignity1. Gandhi felt that man remained important because he was a very active part of society. Roy (1985) quotes Gandhi as saying, ” One thing I have found is that there is no difference between personal growth and corporate growth, corporate growth is entirely dependent on individual growth so that is an excellent proverb in the English language that the chain is weaker than the weak link in it”.
Within a project organization, teams are usually independent organizations or units that provide a product or service to their customers. However, these groups sometimes have to rely on other groups to get ideas and information; therefore enforcing the need for cooperation.
Gandhi believed that national self-reliance needed to be supported and morally sound in order to prevent its deterioration into a vicious nationalism. Leaders in today’s changing environment must also have the same values that Gandhi believed in. A leader today needs to be honest, forward-looking, encouraging, and competent. Kouzes and Posner (1996) state that the first rule of leadership is, “If you do not believe the message, you will not believe the message.” A leader must be honest and trustworthy for people to follow. Many say that a leader should speak but without the followers there would be no leaders, so the first step in gaining trust in leadership is to be clear in the principles of his personality (Kouzes and Posner, 1996).
