The Entrepreneur’s Dharma – Keynote Address – Gurcharan Das

“I have met so many leaders and everyone had two to three qualities”.

The whole address of Gurcharan das was focused on qualities that an entrepreneur needs to have. The speech started with a small incident that happened recently in his life. A comparison between India and China. India is shaping itself from the basics and from the scratch.

What was interesting to note is that the keynote speaker took instances and examples from mahabharata and compared to the recent happenings to explain the dharma of an entrepreneur. The author of many best-selling books has a unique quality of simplifying the complex definitions of dharma.

Some learning from the inspiring Gurcharan das

Humility as a quality doesn’t mean not having those firece dreams. Humility as a value is expressed as an absorption in your work and not in self. The emotions are applied on work and that’s given prority rather than self.

Speaking out and giving opinions as a quality is a must for any entrepreneur or a leader. Mr.Gurcharan sadly noted that the present scenario in India by our leaders were not serving as examples for the future leaders.

Actions should not be based on rewards, because they are by-products. The difference between a person who is in a job and an entrepreneur is the ‘love for job’. Self-forgeting actions, as explained by Krishna as Nishkaam karma. If you find yourself in an action where you forget yourself and totally absorbed in work, then there is the love for the job. Entrepreneurs’ dharma is to have that self-forgeting love for work.

Attitude as a quality is important to distinguish an average worker from a great entrepreneur. It did inspire the entire audience when Gurcharan das shared the story of Kamble, a telephone operator who used to pick calls on the second ring. On query of his attitude and zeal towards the calls, he answered that he was afraid of losing a customer. That attitude towards the work and sincerity needs to be picked up. When you recruit people, pick them for attitude and train them for skills.

Moral compass – “I act because I must”. The entrepreneur should know what is right and wrong. Reputation is built through moral values. We usually think that the capitalism is efficient and not moral. It is the dharma or being moral gives a signal to external world that an entrepreneur is reliable. Money flows when there is dharma.