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Arthashastra by Kautilya
> Guest contributors > What a leader should not do: ‘Discarding the good and favouring the wicked’

What a leader should not do: ‘Discarding the good and favouring the wicked’

In Radhakrishnan Pillai's view, "Even while punishing the wrong, one should give them an opportunity to learn and improve."

The treatise Arthashastra by Kautilya, also known as Chanakya, is not only a compilation of the wisdom of Chanakya but also contains practical insights of the earlier teachers of management, politics, and strategy.

One of these is on the challenges of ‘Leadership’ something that today’s corporate world is juggling with. Arthashastra contains a wealth of wisdom on leadership, its development and application. Chanakya not only tells us what a leader should do but what he should ‘not’ do.

In Book 7’s chapter 5, from verse 19 to 26, Chanakya brings out 21 things that a leader should avoid doing. We will be studying these over ten articles. These can be applied not only to business leaders, but also to head of departments, project leaders, community leaders, politicians, and even the head of a family or any other institution or organization.

Chanakya had said, “Reasons for dissatisfaction of subjects: Discarding the good and favouring the wicked” (7.5.19-26)

When they do not find a solution to their problems among themselves, they seek the leader’s advice, direction and justice.

Who are the subjects?

Well, they are the persons who are reporting to you or are dependent on you. They wait for your directions, which in itself has a direct implication on their lives. In the case of a company, it’s the employees. In a department, they are your team members. In a family, they are your children and relatives. The first and foremost duty of a king (leader) is to keep his subjects happy.

Now, the first reason for subjects to become unhappy is discarding the good and favouring the wicked. Subjects come to the leader for justice. When they do not find a solution to their problems among themselves, they seek the leader’s advice, direction and justice. If he favours the wrong and discards the right, it’s a very serious problem.

Here are some tips on how to understand who is right:

Listen to both together and separately

It’s very necessary to listen to both sides of the story. But after they have expressed their views together, do not hurry with your decision. When both are facing each other, there are a lot of emotions and personal feelings expressed. Therefore, listen to them separately too. Get the facts. You will get a better idea of who was right. At times we are not able to come to any decision, it is called “Dharmasankath”. In such conflicting situations take the help of books (scriptures) and masters learned in the particular field.

Announce the verdict unemotionally

After you have analysed the situation, announce your verdict. Also explain the ‘reason’ for the same. Be just. But more than anything else, be unemotional. That’s the most vital part.

The whole idea is not to hate the bad. As Gandhiji put it, “Remove the wickedness not the wicked.” Even while punishing the wrong, one should give them an opportunity to learn and improve.

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