Working through problems to achieve success

Work through problems to achieve success

"If you are the boss yourself, then become an ideal leader by developing leadership qualities and understanding your workers." - Radhakrishnan Pillai

Swami Chinmayanandaji had once said: “In any work, problems are unavoidable. It only ends when we are in the grave.”

Thus, life is a continuing series of problems. But and you should remember these people become successful when they learn to handle these problems instead of getting overpowered by them.

It helps to know the types of problem creators, something that was analysed by Chanakya: “Internal (hindrance) is hindrance by the chiefs, external the hindrance caused by enemies or forest-tribes.” (8.4.48).

All of us must have experienced such ‘hindrances’, especially when we want to start something new. We should understand them to avoid them. Chanakya said there are three kinds of problem creators.

The chief

Quite often, the boss himself becomes a problem-creator. One experience of this is enough to make us hate our bosses, especially when they reject what we think is a good idea. But don’t be discouraged.

Enquire about the reason and see if it is justified. If you are the boss yourself, then become an ideal leader by developing leadership qualities and understanding your workers.

The enemies

These are our competitors. When we have a plan to execute, they almost immediately have a counter plan against us. This can be seen in advertising industry which goes to great extremes to prove that their product is better than that of competitors.

But remember to respect your enemies as well. Even in war, your actions should not be driven out of hatred or anger. That’s because the best warfare strategies come from people who remain calm.

The forest-tribes

A firm normally encounters opposition from local groups when entering into a new territory or market (forest-tribes in the time of kings). Always remember that this particular opposition arises even if you are doing something for the greater good. The insecurities of the people already present will create problems for you.

So the first step is to win the confidence of such doubters and ensure that it’s a win-win situation for all.

You have to remember that there are three kinds of people: Those who never start work for fear of facing problems, those who work but stop after meeting problems, and the successful ones who work in spite of problems and emerge as winners. Now, you decide which class you want to belong to.

Dr Radhakrishnan Pillai is an Indian management thinker, author, and Founder of Atma Darshan and Chanakya Aanvikshiki. Dr Pillai has extensively researched Kautilya’s Arthashastra, the 3rd century BC treatise and incorporated it into modern management.

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