Management Gita: Compassion in Conflict

श्वशुरान्सुहृदश्चैव सेनयोरुभयोरपि । तान्समीक्ष्य स कौन्तेयः सर्वान्बन्धूनवस्थितान् । कृपया परयाविष्टो विषीदन्निदमब्रवीत् ॥ १-२७॥
śvaśurānsuhṛdaścaiva senayorubhayorapi
tānsamīkṣya sa kaunteyaḥ sarvānbandhūnavasthitān
kṛpayā parayāviṣṭo viṣīdannidamabravīt 1-27

Spiritual Context

Seeing fathers-in-law and friends in both armies, Arjuna, overwhelmed with compassion for his kinsmen, speaks sorrowfully, struck by pity.

Management Context

This highlights empathy, ethical dilemmas, and decision paralysis. Arjuna’s compassion shows a leader grappling with the human cost of choices.

Insights

Empathy can complicate but enrich decisions (Goleman, 2000). This aligns with ethical leadership facing moral conflicts (Treviño et al., 2003).

Applications

Leaders can use ethical frameworks or consultative decision-making to balance empathy and duty (Heifetz, 1994).

References

Goleman, D. (2000). Leadership that gets results. Harvard Business Review, 78(2), 78–90.
Heifetz, R. A. (1994). Leadership without easy answers. Harvard University Press.
Treviño, L. K., Brown, M., & Hartman, L. P. (2003). A qualitative investigation of perceived executive ethical leadership. The Leadership Quarterly, 14(1), 5–37.

This excerpt is taken from Management Gita, authored by Sunil Khandbahale