Managerial style: Ram vs Krishna

Managerial style depends on the type of people you are leading and is the art of getting best out of the team.

In 2 great Indian epics – Ramayan and Mahabharat, we come across the tales of Ram and Krishna. Ram and Krishna are said to be avatars of Lord Vishnu. Although both of them are reincarnation of the same God, we see them showcase very different personalities and very different managerial styles in the battles. In both the epics, they won the war and the desired outcome was achieved. So why was the managerial style so different? Let us dive into this further.

Ram was a stern and straightforward person. He obeyed all rules and always did what was right i.e. followed Dharma. He believed that Dharma was of utmost importance and thus, followed it rigidly, despite his opinions. Krishna was a more playful person and did not always follow the most obvious route. He believed that the victory of right and justice is more important than following Dharma. It is important to acknowledge that both lived in very different ‘Yugas’ i.e. different periods of time where ideologies followed by people were very contrasting.

Managerial style is determined by the type of people you are leading.

Ram was leading an army of monkeys to defeat Ravana. His army was semi-skilled and thus needed instructions. He strategized and guided different species, people with various abilities and capabilities to achieve the desired outcome. His army was happy to follow his orders and constantly wanted direction as they were not capable of strategizing themselves. They were his followers and thus, he had to micromanage them.

On the other hand, Krishna declared that he would not fight in the battle and would not even pick up any weapon. He would only be a charioteer. It is important to note here that he was coaching the Pandavas, who were highly skilled. They were great at what they did. Krishna offered them perspective, clarity and motivated them to lead their own teams. He was a friend, philosopher and coach. They could not have achieved their full potential without his guidance.

While Ram directed and leaded from the front, Krishna coached and guided skilled individuals. This enabled both the teams to achieve their best. Thus, management is an art of getting the best out of the team. Both used different styles to their problems and, yet, both were successful. The task to be achieved, team provided was different and both of them used the necessary strategies to achieve the desired outcome and be victorious.

We need to analyse the internal and external environments of our organization. We should determine the nature of organization, people, etc and carefully decide what type of leadership is required. Some people may be very curious, skilled and want to know why they are doing something. In this case, the leadership style of Krishna prevails. In some circumstances, people may not be very highly skilled and may need proper guidance and direction. In this case, we need to follow the leadership style of Ram.

Judgment of character and personalities of the people and the organization becomes indispensable here. Using the right leadership style on the right people is of utmost importance because otherwise you are bound to fail.

So what is the leadership style that you require?