Review: Leadership Dharma

Leadership Dharma by Raghu Ananthanarayanan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have attended leadership programs conducted by Raghu Ananthanarayanan. His sessions are very intellectually stimulating and provoke deep introspection. He fuses traditional wisdom exceptionally well into today’s work environments. Raghu’s mentors include Yogacharya Krishnamacharya, J Krishnamurti and Pulin Garg, renowned intellectuals/scholars/yogis.

Raghu’s book ‘Leadership Dharma’ packs tremendous wisdom and behaviour changing insights. It is a book, however, which needs to be read slowly, and internalized. While reading the book, I was reminded of my first experience with reading Joseph Campbell’s ‘A Hero with a Thousand Faces’. I found it a difficult read due to its references to myths of various cultures worldwide. And yet, the value was clear – and I then read it slowly (Interestingly, Raghu also refers to Campbell’s Hero’s Journey framework in his book).

The book’s narrative uses a business challenge faced by Ranjan (who is the founder of Mobile Unlimited) – a situation where he is not sure of what next for his company and people. He uses his wife Sanam as a sounding board to bounce ideas. Sanam, who has a background in arts and dance, directs him to the wisdom of the Mahabharata. What follows is an intense exercise of introspection and self-discovery not only for Ranjan, but his core team as well.

The Mahabharata, with its complex characters and scenarios has served as a moral beacon for those seeking the way since centuries. Raghu abstracts the wisdom very well into lessons which can be acted upon. A simple 3 question framework to re-direct you to purpose – Who am I? Where am I? Why am I here? As Joseph Campbell had advised – the wisdom in great myths is wrapped in metaphors, and none is literal. The Pandavas each are a personality archetype: Yudhishthira - symbolizes the earth element (dependable and a guardian of values of the current), Bheema – symbolizes the fire element (brings tremendous energy, but when faced with a crisis), Nakula – symbolizes the water element (nourishes all others), Sahadeva – symbolizes the air element (grows imbibing learning) and Arjuna symbolizes the space element (fuses different diverse elements and moves ahead seeking the new with great balance). Karna, with similarities to Arjuna’s personality, suffers a dilemma of self-doubt and legitimacy due to his upbringing & social status, and ends up aligning himself with Duryodhana who offers him the legitimacy by granting him a kingdom to rule.

Arjuna is the great hero who seeks the counsel of Krishna, who is the archetype of one’s deepest wisdom and purest intent (I found this description of Lord Krishna to be simple, striking and at the same time profound). The Bhagawad Gita prompts us to ask two key questions of ourselves: In doing what I am doing, what am I really doing? How am I part of the problem and how can I be part of the solution? Leadership, when viewed from the perspective of the Mahabharata is very different from the prevalent corporate view of it being about individual competencies, power and status. Raghu, rather goes to the stories of the Mahabharata, Ramayana, and Joseph’s Campbell’s framework of the Hero’s journey where leadership is about growing the community and its environment. Heroism, for many, still invokes the Rambo ideal rather than the greater good. As Raghu points out, Yoga Sutra says with the ripening of meditative enquiry, thoughts of the type ‘What does it mean for me’ go away.

The Mahabharata’s wisdom tells us to pay attention to Dharma (the uploading of values/virtues), Karma (taking responsibility for our actions) and addressing Dharma Sankatas (moral dilemmas) with deep introspection and action. When Arjuna strings his Gaandiva bow, we are reminded of the tension between the beauty of one’s tradition and the potentials of a new way. Arjuna is brave enough to step ahead. Since Mahatma Gandhi, and subsequently Nelson Mandela, there is a paucity of leaders who stand for a balanced value-based leadership. Just maybe, Raghu points out that multiple people can together stand for it and fill the gap.

While the Mahabharata occupies center stage in the book, there are references to the Ramayana, stories from the Buddha’s life, Joseph’s Campbell’s work, Clare W Graves work (leading to Spiral Dynamics which I found fascinating as well), as well as models developed by Raghu and his colleagues. Plato said that Kings need to be good philosophers, this Raghu points out is essential and what the Bhagawad Gita advises us as well.

Ranjan, and Sanam finally see a way forward, on what next for Ranjan's company, people and leadership.

This book is of a very high intellectual order, which many should read. Those unfamiliar with Indian mythology – especially the Mahabharata may find it a little difficult to relate to. And I stress, this is a book which still needs to be read slowly, slowly, slowly and imbibed.


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