Corporate Lesson From Mughal An almost imperceptible write up, borrowing heavily from Abraham Early’s `Emperor of the Peacock Throne’ published recently in the Economic Times offers invaluable corporate insights. If Mughals were to do business today, more specifically, if the greatest and most enigmatic of the Mughals Emperor Akbar; was one of the corporate Mughals of today, how would he operate? Obviously, pretty much in the same way as he ruled. There are lessons one could learn from his way of establishing a vast empire, conquering not only swathes of land but also the heart of his subjects, in spite of being illiterate. It is worth reflecting on some of the traits of the great Mughal Emperors style of ruling the empire. Firstly, the Mughals believed in Conquest. The corporate Mughals of today expand their business. If you don’t venture into new markets, somebody else will. In the dynamics of business, either you flourish or you perish. As a corporate honcho, one should appear magnanimous. At the same time one should be careful, magnanimity should not be taken for weakness. Draw a decisive line. Crush your opponents if the need be. Another golden rule is developing strong ties. Akbar made Rajputs his powerful allies, overlooking racial and religious considerations. It was a win-win situation. In today’s age of merger and acquisitions, preferences for matrimonial alliances have taken a back seat. Nevertheless, powerful business families still follow the golden rule. What would one do when the person close to you sulks, or worse, starts behaving like your enemy? Subjugate him, punish him, but be subtle. Treat him with respect.Remember the treatment meted out to Akbar’s mentor Bairam Khan? He was defeated in a royal battle, but Akbar paid him his due respect, offering him a seat in his court. A sense of identity, cohesion and trust must exist. Another important lesson is to ignore defects in a person’s character if that person is useful to you. Identify qualities in your people and make use of those qualities in your business. Don’t judge people by the negative aspects only. And don’t reveal too much about yourself. Learn how to keep your thoughts and impressions about people around you to yourself. Choose your words carefully. Emperor Akbar knew that words inflict deeper wounds than swords. Exercising utmost self control is the key while running a business empire. Lead a disciplined life. Change is constant in any living being; so is it in any organization. A company should be in a position to perceive change by keeping their antennas out and respond to change. Bring in reforms as new situations give way to new problems. Be aware, that sometimes reforms have to be pushed by force. And lastly, though not the least importantly, be sensitive to your environment, your habitat and the society at large as you would be about your own organization. Encourage and show respect to knowledge and wisdom, the way Akbar’s court flourished in the presence of his nine Stars. The Mughals were illiterate, but were major patrons of literature and art of all genre. Appear gentle, just and kind. Contribute to the right causes so that everyone, within your organization and outside believes that you are on his side, and you are well-meaning.
Posted on: Mon, 08 Sep 2014 14:24:51 +0000