Linked Leadership Model: Work Less and Achieve More
Bhagavad Gita is a collection of 700 verses across 18 chapters, set as preaching by Lord Krishna to his friend and pandava prince Arjuna in battlefield. Bhagavad Gita is increasingly being explored for leadership and management wisdom across the globe. Bhagavad Gita covers multitude of management topics including self-leadership, integrity, virtue, servant leadership, motivation, team dynamics, culture, ecology, meaning, and purpose.
While the Bhagavad Gita is not directly about governance, it is entirely relevant to leadership.
Let us see one sloka where Lord Krishna reveals the secret for success:
Those who see ‘action in inaction’ and ‘inaction in action’ are truly wise amongst humans. Although performing all kinds of actions, they are yogis and masters of all their actions.
Lord Krishna used two new and interesting jargons in this sloka, namely ‘karmanya akarma’ and ‘akarmani cha karma’. Karma and akarma are antonyms (prefixing ‘a’ in sanskrit creates antonym for the word). Karma has multiple meanings in sanskrit, karma refers to action here i.e. actioning the responsibiliites. 'Action In Inaction' and 'Inaction In Action' are not just fancy tongue twisters but has deep relevance and significance. What are 'Action in Inaction' and 'Inaction In Action'?
There are multiple interpretations available for this sloka. I will give here my interpretation.
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Action in Inaction
This refers to situations where persons look upon their duties as burdensome and renounce them out of indolence. They compromise on their responsibility, but their mind continues to contemplate upon the actions out of obligations. Such persons may appear to be inactive, but their lethargic idleness is actually sinful action.
When Arjun suggested that he wishes to shy away from his duty of fighting the war, Lord Krishna explained to him that it would be a sin to shy away from obligations. Essentially people who shy away from their responsibilities or people who perform their responsibilities without commitment are indulging in 'Action in Inaction'.
People who perform a responsibility without commitment are performing actions bodily but are in inactive action for the mind. Wise humans will understand the difference between people who are giving their 100% commitment and people who just show as if they are in action.
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Inaction in Action
There is another kind of inaction performed by karm yogis. They execute their social duties without attachment to results, dedicating the fruits of their actions to God. Although engaged in all kinds of activities, they are not entangled in karmic reactions i.e. the burden of anticipation.
There were many great kings in Indian history—Dhruv, Prahlad, Yudhisthir, Prithu, and Ambarish—who discharged their kingly duties without the burden of anticipation on the results of their actions, their actions were termed Akarm, or ‘actions without karmic reactions’.
When a man regards the action as if it were for him, he has 'action-mentality', and when he treats it as God-ordained, he becomes free from any 'karmic reaction' from those actions. Such actions will succeed for sure.
"When you are acting with hundred percent attention, something in you tells, 'I am not doing it, I am not acting. It is just happening'. This is seeing inaction in action" – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
To sum it up, while discharging a responsibility, despite having no desire of his own, forgetting his own existence that is without having the feeling of being the doer, if one puts all his focus on the deed, then this focus of his will bring desired results.
Let us get to the state of 'Inaction in Action' in whatever we do.
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