Management- Some thousand years ago

In the recent past, after starting to write this blog I have touched upon a few national issues and my life here at the B-School but this post  has always been my dream post. I have talked about this to a few of my friends too. This is about the best book that I have come across in my life probably most of you must have, but did not realize the potential of the book. This book was written somewhere around 2000 - 2500 years ago. I think by now you must have found it, it is Thirukkural.

For those who do not know what it is, here is a brief intro- Thirukkural (or) Tirukkural is a set of 1330 rhyming couplets written by Thiruvalluvar who is believed to have lived somewhere around 2nd century B.C. to 5th Century A.D,.It contains 1330 kurals in 133 chapters, each chapter talks about a specific topic. It mostly says about how a man must lead his life. It has been translated in 37 languages across the globe. 

Now lets come to the reason I am writing this post. As mentioned already I have argued with a few of my friends saying that of all the books I have read, Thirukural contains all the concepts, which was ridiculed down by many of my friends. It was then that I wanted to explore Thirukural and how it related to various subjects (Believe me it contains concepts of even the Science books we've learnt-You just have to interpret it), and the topic that I decided was of-course Management.!! I started to search how  Thirukural has explained the numerous concepts of Management education we are receiving at present and here are the condensed form of results that I received. 

Investment:

அழிவதூஉம் ஆவதூஉம் ஆகி வழிபயக்கும் 

ஊதியமும் சூழ்ந்து செயல் (461)

“Expenditure, return and profit of the deed
  In time to come, weigh these, then to the act proceed”

This might well be the first lesson anybody must learn while being a management student, whether to proceed or drop a project. Here Thiruvalluvar explains this basic concept in his own style. Thus the 1st lesson in management.

Risk:

எண்ணித் துணிக கருமம் துணிந்தபின் 

எண்ணுவம் என்பது இழுக்கு (467)

“Think, and then dare the deed. Who cry,
  ’Deed dared, we’ll think’, disgraced shall be”.

After your graduation when you have entered into an organization you will soon be in a position to decide the most important decisions of the organization which might have a fair bit of  risk  involved. At that point of time being a a young blooded manager you might well want to take proceed with the decision, hoping to handle the risk on the proceedings, but you must always assess the risk based upon whether you can handle it or not at any circumstances and if yes, it is only then you must proceed taking up the project.

தெளிவி லதனைத் தொடங்கார் இளிவென்னும் 

ஏதப்பாடு அஞ்சு பவர் (464)

“A work of which the issue is not clear,
  Begin not they who reproachful scorn fear”.

This Thirukkural can be a debatable one, considering the current management practices. But this is upto you to decide to follow or not follow this one.

Project Planning:

பொருள்கருவி காலம் வினையிடனொ டைந்தும் 

இருள்தீர எண்ணிச் செயல் (675)

“Budget and resources and schedule and place of act -
  these five, till every doubt remove, think o’er with care exact”

This one reflects the current definition for Project management 99% level. Without knowing the availability of these five (location being the Outsourcing location or Place of production) taking up a project is suicide. 

Strategic Staffing:

Staffing is often an important part of a manager while delegation of work, here is what Thiruvalluvar says about Staffing.

இதனை இதனால் இவன்முடிக்கும் என்றாய்ந்து 

அதனை அவன்கண் விடல் (466)

“‘This man this work shall thus work out’, let thoughtful king command.
 Then leave the matter wholly in his servant’s hand.”

A staffing procedure must take place purely on basis of ones ability to complete the work provided with the present facilities. Otherwise the work shall not be done the fullest.

Presentation skills:

As we have learnt time and again that the difference between the person who moves up the ladder fast and the one struggling to push up, is the difference in their ability to communicate their ideas with clarity. Here is what Kural says about it.

கற்றாருள் கற்றார் எனப்படுவர் கற்றார்முன் 

கற்ற செலச்சொல்லு வார் (722)

“Who what they’ve learned, in penetrating words, have learned to say
  before the learned, among the learned most learned are they”.

This brings about the importance of the communication skills that we must sharpen in order to fulfill the idea of the management education itself.

Finally:

This is just one part of what Kural says about management, soon I'll come back with more kural interpretations, but before I sign off there is one Kural that I must make sure all of you read.

கற்க கசடற கற்றவை கற்றபின்

 நிற்க அதற்கு தக 

“So learn that you may full and faultless learning gain.
  Then, in obedience meet to lessons learnt, remain”

Having read the post till now, it is of no use if you have a volatile memory to erase all these things the very next moment. After reading this you must keep these things in mind from now on forever being a management grad. Also the same stands for your concepts of management most importantly the Ethics that you have been thought about must remain in your hearts as if it is a nail driven into you.

Thanks for spending your time reading this. Will soon come back with more interpretations. Till then Thanks & Regards.