Lecture on Mythology and Business

Introduction

• Mythology and its influence on culture and business.
• Story of Ganesha and Kartikeya as a metaphor for understanding subjective vs. objective truths.

The Story of Ganesha and Kartikeya

• Ganesha wins a race by circling his parents (his world) while Kartikeya circles the physical world.
• Key Point: Difference between 'the world' (objective, logical) and 'my world' (subjective, emotional).

Cultural Interpretation of 'Worlds'

• Each culture has its own mythology and understanding of life.
• Mythology influences how different cultures live and do business.

Clash of Civilizations

• Historical example: Alexander the Great and the gymnosophist (a naked wise man) with differing viewpoints.
• Alexander's View: Inspired by Greek mythology (Achilles, Jason, Theseus), focused on heroic achievements and single life.
• Gymnosophist's View: Inspired by Indian mythology (Bharat, Ram, Krishna), focuses on cyclical nature of life and reincarnation.

Impact on Business Practices

• One-Life Cultures: Focus on binary logic, absolutes, standardization.
• Infinite-Life Cultures: Embrace fuzziness, context, relativity.
• Indian business practices reflect cyclical worldview, prioritize flexibility and individual thinking.

Personal Experience in Mythology and Business

• Speaker's journey from medical training to Chief Belief Officer, observing cultural clashes in business.
• Example of Kishore Biyani's Big Bazaar adapting to India's mythic structure.

Aligning Belief in Business

• Importance of aligning belief in business to enhance sensitivity to cultural nuances.
• Use of stories, symbols, and rituals to transmit cultural understanding.

Rituals and Training

• Creation of rituals, such as blindfolding leaders, to instill empathy and understanding in business settings.

Conclusion: Subjective Truths

• No definitive answer as to which way of thinking is superior; both are human constructions.
• Encouragement to recognize subjective truths of others to discover deeper understanding.
• Ending with a call for empathy and understanding in cultural interactions.