Previous

Page - 4

Spears (1998), based on Greenleaf's writings, identified ten major attributes of servant leadership that included, listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to growth of people, and building community.
In the Mahabharata, we see Krishna engage in most of these activities in his role as a mediator and peace maker in attempting to negotiate a fair settlement between the Pandavas and Kauravas, so that a civil war is averted and the resulting bloodshed can be avoided. In the context of this perspective, we see that Krishna fits the criteria of a servant-leader.

Krishna as a Transformational-Leader

Given the unexpected change in Arjuna’s attitude on the battlefront, it falls upon Krishna, his charioteer, to counsel him. Sensing the critical urgency of the situation, Krishna immediately transforms himself into an authority who speaks with power and conviction to inspire Arjuna to do his just and righteous duty. The seven principles of transformational leaders articulated by Erik Rees (2001) are simplification, motivation, facilitation, innovation, mobilization, preparation and determination. Krishna displays all these characteristics and more in his discourse to Arjuna.

Transformational Leadership moves through four phases elaborated below with analogies from the Gita.

Developing the Vision

Transformational Leadership starts with the development of a vision, one that will instigate and enthuse potential followers. In this context, Krishna offers Arjuna with a new vision of life and urges him to act according to his dharma (duty) as a warrior. Krishna does this by playing on the psychological needs of Arjuna in order to bring him out of his agony and mental turmoil and offers himself (Krishna) as a role model worth emulating.

Next

* Contributed by -
Aarthi Kalyanaraman,
Currently student of PGP-I at BIM, Trichy,
Article published in KRIYA, August'06 Issue, the monthly magazine of the institute.