Every Festival Teaches Something

12 Moths, 12 Festivals & 12 Management Lessons

You might be wondering what topics this Idiot writes on.... I know you might feel this Post weird but its a small piece of my observations!!!

India is known for its wide variety of festivals that it celebrates all round the year. From January to December, every month has some significance in the life of every Indian both socially and economically. Every month comes some festival or celebration and with each festival comes a message. We all know that each festival teaches us something however the messages are either rarely followed or are increasingly vanishing away. Today, Corporate Governance is a hyped word and so is Corporate Social Responsibility but if every manager tries to implement the simple yet powerful learning that each festival gives, I bet he/ she can do much better. The following post tries to bring home the point of how each festival and its message can transform an organisation and help it in achieving its goals.

Uttarayan/Pongal: The festival of Kites. This festival is celebrated on 14^th January every year. The festival is celebrated all over the country in different names and ways. If I take the example of Gujarat, the people celebrate it as a two day festival by flying kites and eating undhiyu and jalebi. The kite flyers celebrate their victory by cutting each others’ kites. The point here is not about the winner but about the loser. He comes back with more passion and courage to win over his opponent. This gives us a very important management lesson. Management should understand that there will be opposition and there will be instances of losses but the management that stands up against opposition and does not lose hope will get the much deserved success. The management should be able to build such employees who believe in themselves and their ability to come out of any downside.

Parsi New Year Day: Festival of Simplicity. Parsi New Year is generally celebrated on 21^st March. Parsi community is known all over the world for its simplicity. They celebrate their festivals with utter simplicity. They do not indulge in huge processions or music and dance in public in celebration of the festival. They are a closely knit community with restrictions of entry of other communities in their religious celebrations. The management gets the message of simplicity in their actions. The pomp and hoopla that is created today may sometime distract people from the main aim of the company. Also, company needs such people who can confine companies’ sensitive information with themselves so as to protect the company from competitors.

Holi/Dhuleti: The festival of colours. The festival generally comes in March of every year. The festival marks the presence of God everywhere. People celebrate the festival by applying different colours on each other. The colours mix with each other and bring out the happiness and joy of winning. The Management should also understand the importance of people getting comfortable with one another, mixing with each other and cross the barriers like regionalism, caste, etc. Management should imbibe such qualities in its people so as to create harmony among all the departments of the organisation.

Baisakhi: The festival of Harvest. The Festival usually falls on 13 April of every year. The day is celebrated all over the country in different contexts and ways. The northern part of India especially the Punjab province celebrates it with much enthusiasm and gaiety. The day not only marks the birth of the Khalsa but is celebrated as a harvest festival. The farmers prepare for harvest of their lush green farms with grains, pulses and vegetables. The harvest is the result of the hard work and perseverance that the farmers undertake. The management should learn the importance of hard work which they harvest in the form of profits for the organisation. The management should be fair to provide the share to employees as it was their hard work which resulted in the profits.

Rakshabandhan: Indians are typically known for the festivals of relationships. Rakshabandhan is a festival celebrated by one and all irrespective of caste, creed or religion. Sisters tie rakhis to their brothers for their long and prosperous life who in turn promises to protect them from any danger. Honest employees are like sisters for the organisation. Their hard work and dedication will instil growth in the organisation and it’s the duty of the organisation to see that the employees are socially and financially protected. Safe and secure employee will lead to better efficiency and productivity in work.

Onam: Festival of Kindness. Usually celebrated during August and September, Onam is a typical festival to Kerala. The mythology describes it as the event in celebration of return of the King Mahabali of Kerala. Mahabali was known for his justice, peace and truthfulness. It is believed that he donated all that he had, even himself, to Lord Vishnu’s Vaman avatar just to keep his words. This gives an important message to the management. It describes the importance of sticking to promises. No matter what it takes, management should honour its commitment with 100% faith and truthfulness. Today, many companies are known in the world for their commitment and many have made it a point in their mission & vision statements.

Samvatsari: Festival of introspection. Jains all over the world celebrate this day by fasting and praying. The evening is marked with the prayer of introspection where-in each individual tries to find what misdeeds he did in the past one year and apologises with each person whom he might have caused any damage knowingly or even unknowingly. Management should also learn to introspect within itself to find the misdeeds it did the whole year and try to make them good. You may call it a corporate personality coming who realised that now he cannot escape and hence he accepted his deeds and apologised. However just an apology is not enough, one has to face consequences of the wrong deeds he has done at some point or other in life.

Dushera/ VijayaDashmi: Festival of Victory over Evil. Dushera or the Vijaya Dashmi is said to be celebrated in the praises of Hindu Goddess Durga. Durga is also known as the form of Shakti (Power). It is the celebration of Goddess Durga’s victory over demon Mahisasur after a continuous battle for nine days. The management of the organisation should learn the importance of power and enthusiasm to fight and reach the ultimate goal. The employees should be ever motivated to go out and put their best foot forward and hence achieve the organisational goals.

Gandhi Jayanti: Festival of Admiration. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, better known as Mahatma Gandhi, needs no introduction. India celebrates the birthday of her most admired son on 2^nd October every year. The festival reminds of the values of Gandhiji. The virtues of truth, non violence and being satiated are the most desired virtues in person’s life. However, what could be learnt is the determination and will power that Gandhiji showed during the freedom fight against Britishers. The determination to achieve its goals is very important for the organisation to succeed.

Ramzan: Festival of Fasting & Thanksgiving. Ramadan or Ramzan is the ninth month in the Muslim Hijri calendar. Generally celebrated in the month of October, the month is celebrated by month long fasting and the last day is Id-Ul-Fitr the day of breaking fast. Muslims all over the world celebrate this festival by giving alms to the needy. The management should learn the message of parting excess for the betterment of the society as a whole. The concept of CSR again comes into picture. Today, many companies are following this but still there is more that can be done.

Diwali: Festival of Lights. Diwali is generally celebrated at the end of October or beginning of November. According to Hindu mythology, the Hindu lord Rama returned after 14 years of exile. Rama is considered as an idle person in any form be it a son, a student, a father, a king or a husband. His character preaches the importance of being in limits and ethical. The management today needs to be transparent, consistent and free from bias. If the people are treated with equal justice, there would be less cases of discontent among all its stakeholders may it be shareholders, employees or government.

Good Friday: Festival of Sorrow. Unlike most other festivals, Good Friday is celebrated as a day of mourning and sadness remembering the pains and sufferings, Jesus Christ underwent to preach the good. It is believed that he was crucified as a result of a conspiracy against him. However, he, by his forgiveness, gave the message that world cannot run by the philosophy of “an eye for an eye”. Today this principle has very much relevance, with cut throat competition, the management may get carried away with the competitors’ strategies and a price war is an example of the same. But this hampers both the companies’ development process and also their reputation.

The above are few examples of what could be learnt from the various festivals celebrated all around the year across India and over the world. However, implementing the messages may be difficult in present day context, but the management should always have these teachings in any of its decision. These messages will not only bring prosperity for the organisation but also for all of its stakeholders.

I know I am too young to advice anyone but then good things can be told by anyone what is more important is how we take them!!!

Happy Festivals!!!

Regards,

JAM