Swami Vivekananda

The Great Leader

Abhijit Samanta
International School of Business & Media
KOLKATA

February 9, 2010
 Swami Vivekananda
Today if we look towards the vision of Ramakrishna Mission, it is perhaps what Swami
Vivekananda had dreamed 120 years ago. “One`s own salvation and for the good of the
world” is the statement which speaks a lot. If we individually can think about our own
objective, goal, focus we need not to think about world because the cumulative outcome of
our good thinking is the outcome of world. Considering humanity as a whole irrespective of
caste, creed, colour, nationality, gender or religion inspired him to establish ‘Ramakrishna
Mission’ and ‘Belur Math’ as centre of great harmony and synthesis, not only of all religious
beliefs and traditions, but also of arts and sciences and the various branches of knowledge.
He envisioned to think about humanity, belief, value and to think about the whole world as
a uniform organization.

Vivekananda asked a question to himself “on what basis do we regard ourselves as better or
worse than others?” Ultimately he found no answer and concluded that actually there is no
concept of being better or worse. Everybody has his or her potential area. From the
organizational prospective this is also true. Irrespective of any designation we must think
about every individual’s strength in an organization. It gives a massage of empowering to all
level of employee by delegating and sharing information.

To build a successful organization hundreds of skilled manpower is required. Money, name,

fame, learning, education, knowledge all of these only can help someone to overcome the
difficulties. But ultimately it is the person or character who overcome that. This thinking is
required is build a successful organization. Today we call this as ‘attitude’. This particular
thinking Vivekananda introduced for all Indians hundred years ago. He made the youth to
realize their importance for a family, organization or a country. This energizing power is very
important. Successful organization of today also energizes and motivates their employees
just like him.

In many institutes, students have come together and formed organizations meant for
promoting discussion of spiritual ideas and the practice of such high principles. One such
group also exists at IIT Madras and is popularly known as Vivekananda Study Circle (VSC).

In 1983 there was a ship sailing from Japan to USA. Swami Vivekananda and Jamshedji Tata
were there in that ship. Swamiji asked him about the purpose of travelling. He told he
wanted to bring steel industry to India. Vivekananda blessed him and suggested that there
are two parts of steel technology. One is Material Technology and the other one is the
material science. Material technology he can bring to India form outside but material
science he need to build over here in India. Jamshedji thought and thought to make a
decision. Earlier when he told UK steel manufactures to transfer their plant to India to
manufacture steel. They laughed at him and told “if India make steel they will eat it”. Then
he went to USA and brought only steel technology to India, steel science he built here itself
and established ‘TATA STEEL’. Swamiji conveyed the massage for any organization it is most
important to design it properly. The implementation comes automatically.

The above example was taken by Dr. A.P.J Abdul Kalam at youth convocation of
‘Vivekananda Institute of Value Education & Culture’ at Porbandar, Gujrat on January 12
2006.

Vivekananda introduced the idea that the work should be started on a scale with a desired
outcome and depending on that to design reward and feedback. In today’s organization also
reward is given according to the performance and depending on the employee’s feedback
job rotation, job enlargement, job enrichment is done. All these lessons on management
give employees a huge motivation for work.

Vivekananda thought a leader only as a servant of people and inspired us to become servant
of all. This shows that management is not about leading but about serving the employees in
the organization context. This helps in rapport building with employees thought this team
building is done. A good team builder must have a very good rapport with everybody he/she
must not be biased. This team building has excellent application in today’s organization.
Vivekananda also motivated the youths of India to build a team among themselves and
work together not individually for the real development of India.

Swamiji told us not only to think about ourselves but also to think about the others of the
society. If we walk over a road today, this road also has the contribution of a labour for its
construction. We must not forget that. At least we should pay value to their work and
contribution toward the society. In organizational context an organization is not only about
making its profit, it’s about giving value to shareholders, suppliers, customers and everyone
who is associated with it. If an organization can realize it’s liabilities over them and can pay
value to them, nothing can stop the organization to become the most successful
organization.

11 September 1893 at the ‘Art Institute of Chicago’ the words of Vivekananda “Sisters and
brothers of America!” speaks a lot. He introduced the concept of global mind set. There he
represented India and humanity above everything. For today’s changing environment we
must be global on every aspect. The barriers must not be there. In an organizational context
we can say that to understand the competence level, strengths, and weakness the
organizational must be global. The comparing with others is very important.

Be it regional, national, cultural, religion anything the global mindset to diversify thoughts is
very important. Swami Vivekananda's teachings on organization building, management and
training are very much relevant in these days of corporate. He has built great organization
like Ramakrishna Mission, which has spread its wings across the globe to serve mankind for
overall development.
Lastly I should say that it is very difficult to analyze the personality of Swami Vivekananda,
he was a very different person. His thoughts were beyond our thinking but the way the
thought was just like a common man’s thinking.