Back to basics

Arindam Chaudhuri draws inspiration from epics to evolve an India-specific management model

by Srikumar Bondyopadhyay

The Mahabharata and the Gita could soon be an inspiration for many managers and businessmen. Professor Arindam Chaudhuri, dean of Indian Institute of Planning & Management (IIPM), Delhi, has picked up threads from these two epics and built the ‘Leadership Success Multiplier’ model of his ‘I’ Management (India-specific management) theory (which he has so far been teaching to corporate managers and CEOs through management consultancy workshops) to pen it down in his forthcoming book, Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch.

And though Professor Chaudhuri draws his leadership success model from the Mahabharata and the Gita, he believes, people should count their chickens before they are hatched rather than ma phaleshu kadachana (don’t hope for the results). That’s how he explains the title of the book.

The first part of the book starts with basic management concepts and attitude. Explains Professor Chaudhuri, “I believe that no one can achieve success without a passion for work. In the first two chapters, I have tried to explain this with the aid of some 25 success case studies.” The second part of the book puts skill as the second step to success. And skill, he says, cannot be developed without knowledge. The latter comprises the third and final part of the book.

But why an India-specific management model in the first place and what is the leadership model of Theory ‘I’ Management all about?

Explains Professor Chaudhari: “Despite having world famous management schools, the Japanese have developed management model that suit their people. Likewise, the US has developed its own model in tandem with its socio-cultural influences. India has a social and family value system which is very different from the Western countries. So, if you try to impose a Western management model to deal with Indian people, you are bound to be stuck somewhere. Hence, we need a India-specific management model and one can easily find the guidelines of such a management model in the Mahabharata and the Gita.”

Talking about his ‘I’ Management leadership model, Professor Chaudhuri explains the major findings of a survey (involving 3,000 corporate managers in India):

• Most Indians value and love long-term relationships (like the Japanese).
• Most Indians value and look for growth opportunities in organisations they are working with. This is aside the money or salary factor.
• Indians in India look for the first opportunity to become complacent which they cannot do abroad in the midst of competition and employment system.
• Lack of patriotic instinct leading to corruption.

“While the first three problems can be solved at the organisational level, the last one is, to a great extent, beyond the scope of an individual/ organisation. A solution to this require a change in the country’s judicial and political system. However, by practical demonstration one can change at least five persons around him and once the process starts, the multiplier effect comes into play,” says Professor Chaudhuri.

The solution to the first three problems, according to Professor Chaudhuri, necessarily requires a human touch to human resource management policies of the corporates. And here job security plays a crucial role. However, in India, people have shown a peculiar behaviour as regards to their job security vis-a-vis performance. The lower the job security, the less productive people become and again, after a certain limit, people become less productive with the increase in job security. Says Professor Chaudhuri, “I don’t prescribe once-and-for-all kind of job security. But there must be some balance in between. And in doing so, the organisation can effectively resort to discriminatory practices on the lines in Theory ‘I’ Management model.”

Explaining his management leadership model, Professor Chaudhuri says, “According to the Gita, the entire society is comprised of three categories of people—the Tamasik, the Rajasik and the Satvik. Tamasiks (like Bheema in the Mahabharata) are those who don’t have visions, less intellect, less capable and don’t want to take responsibilities. For them, the management strategy should be Dand (stick/strict order). Rajasiks (like Nakula and Sahadeva) are those who want to take responsibilities at work and are more capable. You should manage these people either by association (Saam) or by attractions (Daam) with incentives, etc. Satviks (like Arjuna and Yudhisthira) are highly intellectual and are visionaries. These people should be treated with Bhed, i.e, treating differently from others by delegating powers.”

Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch by Arindam Chaudhuri; Vikas; Rs 275. (The book is expected to hit the stands by July 15)