Leadership and Gunatraya Vibhag Yog , Bhagwad Geeta , PART 2

Rajoguni Leader:

 "Beware the flatterer: he feeds you with an empty spoon."

Cosino DeGregrio

As stated in quote rajoguni leaders are surrounded and feel happy in company of such followers. They for sure feel envy of performing subordinates and peers but are not jealous of them.* They are generally passionate about their designation and one who make them feel important they are for him his/ her good associates.By doing this he is more concerned about his own safety , growth and satisfaction then betterment, growth or success of organisation. At the same point of time he make sure that his image is good in public. To make sure that he keep notorious subordinates happy so they don't make his image blurred in public. ( without giving names,  many Indian Political party leaders are silent on deeds of their juniors , because of the same reason. Years before Ruling party lost majority in Gujarat legislative Assembly because of similar cause.)

रजो रागात्मकं विद्धि तृष्णासङ्गसमुद्भवम् |

                                 तन्निबध्नाति कौन्तेय कर्मसङ्गेन देहिनम् || Ch. 14 Verse 7

                         rajo guṇa is of the nature of passion. It arises from desires and affections, and binds the soul through attachment to material actions.

So rajoguni leader is somebody who is more concerned about his desires and affections. Basically somebody who is constantly look for his own greatness , for this he is attached to material actions. Sorry to write but many of current leaders/ administrators/superiors lies in this category on lower or a higher scale. I am honest to write that i also belong to the same class. (because of that only I could wrote "I am Honest".

             

* Envy is internal feeling of lacking something then others and jealousy is actions taken against somebody who has more than one. In other words Envy is inactive and Jealousy is active

Leadership and Gunatraya Vibhag Yog , Bhagwad Geeta , PART 1

The God seeks Comrades and claims love.

The Devil seeks slaves and claims obedience. 

Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore

As per Vedic philosophy human nature is derived from three gunas: Satva, Rajas and Tamas Or Satvaguna, Rajoguna and Tamoguna.

सत्त्वं रजस्तम इति गुणाः प्रकृतिसम्भवाः ।

निबध्नन्ति महाबाहो देहे देहिनमव्ययम् ॥ १४-५॥

Satva, Rajas and Tamas are gunas born out of Nature*,

It embodies indestructible Atma in physical body.

In 14^th chapter of Shrimad Bhagvad Geeta Krishna explains about all this three gunas to Arjun. As said by Krishna in above mention shloka, all three gunas are created from Cosmic Nature and influence all Jeevatma and ultimately whole universe. As they also affect human nature** It has straight and significant influence on human behavior and his/her leadership qualities.

Before going forward one thing is required tobe clarified. Each human is leader in one or another place, If not than in one or the other time frame. Generally while reading/ Discussing about leadership we try to (Consciously/subconsciously) put our boss , higher authorities , elders in family in that role and mostly find their leadership flows. At the same point of time we forget that best practice is to keep our self in the center and understand your own leadership traits.

Each human is influenced by all three gunas in different ratio. I am just trying to explain a basic idea of Leader influenced primarily by one of the gunas.  

1.    Sattvaguni Leader

2.    Rajoguni Leader

3.    Tamoguni Leader

Sattvaguni Leader:

“There is a great man who makes every man feel small. But the real great man is the man who makes every man feel great.”
 G.K. Chesterton, Charles Dickens: A Critical Study

Shri. Narendra Modi use to say “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance” this morality defines Sattvaguni Leader. For whom each follower/subordinate is firstly a human than anything else. His communication to others is free from authoritative spirit. Such leader encourages star performing subordinates and look at them with pride and not as someone competing with him. They believe administrative authorities are tool for betterment of organization and not a tool to showcase power vested in him.

तत्र सत्त्वं निर्मलत्वात्प्रकाशकमनामयम् ।

सुखसङ्गेन बध्नाति ज्ञानसङ्गेन चानघ ॥ १४-६॥

Satvaguna being unstained, Illuminates and

Bind human by happiness and knowledge.

In other words Satvaguna Leader illuminates the team/ organization based on knowledge and brings happiness. Less central control and more individual freedom.

* Nature = Cosmic Prakruti

** nature = Human Prakriti