The Festival of Lights or Diwali as it is more commonly known today has evolved from its traditional and religious roots and finds it place in the modern workplace.
Diwali is more than just a radiant adornment of our homes; it’s an opportunity to infuse our professional environment with the spirit of Diwali. Here are several ways to adapt the essence of Diwali into our management style, enhancing workplace dynamics and fostering a positive corporate culture:
Traditionally, Diwali is accepted as the day Lord Rama triumphed over Ravana or good over evil, light over darkness, and knowledge over ignorance.
Drawing inspiration from the epic saga of the Ramayana, one can uncover valuable insights into the realm of leadership. Here, we present four key leadership lessons derived from Diwali and the Ramayana:
1. A Leader has a Clear Vision:
In the epic, Lord Rama’s army operated with a clear and unwavering vision – to rescue Sita, from Ravana. This crystal-clear mission galvanized the troops to give their absolute best in the battle.
Similarly, in today’s fiercely competitive business landscape, organizations demand leaders who can effectively communicate the overarching goals to their teams. This enables team members to understand their role in the grand scheme, ensuring their motivation to work towards a common objective.
2. One Leader Creates More Leaders:
Lord Rama stands as a prime example of a leader who believed in the strength of his army and empowered them to achieve the ultimate objective. Recognizing leadership qualities in individuals like Sugriva and Vibheeshana, he supported them in establishing their own realms.
This shift from one leader leading to leader-empowering is equally important in the corporate world. Modern leaders must have faith in their team and actively nurture potential leaders for the future.
3. A Leader is Full of Integrity and Follows Ethics:
Lord Rama, characterized by his humility, adhered to a strong sense of ethics. He demonstrated unwavering commitment to Dharma by offering Ravana a final chance for peace on the battlefield. Even when Ravana was unprepared on the first day, Rama, as an ethical leader, upheld the principles of chivalry, refraining from attacking an unarmed adversary.
Ethical leadership serves as the bedrock of any leader’s character, guiding their approach to various business scenarios.
4. A Leader is Always Learning New Things:
Lord Rama’s pursuit of knowledge is evident in his guidance from learned sages and his continuous exploration of life’s intricacies. He honed advanced techniques of archery and warfare, which proved invaluable in his confrontation with Ravana.
This highlights a timeless leadership principle – a leader should never cease learning. Furthermore, in the contemporary corporate landscape, leaders must understand the significance of shared responsibility with their teams. An engaged workforce thrives under leaders who stand alongside them, as opposed to those who merely dictate.
The Ramayana offers a multitude of lessons on Dharma, the righteous path in life, which seamlessly applies to all facets of life, including the workplace. Diwali is not solely about adorning our surroundings with Rangoli or exchanging gifts but serves as a reminder of how organizations can assimilate these profound leadership skills to construct a resilient and dynamic workplace.
Every Diwali, wherever, I am, in whichever part of the world, I Pushpam Appalanaidu make it a point to guide and be guided and pray that the Lord illuminates our path to success and prosperity. It is after all, a new day and a new beginning.
