HR Leadership Lessons From Ponniyin Selvan

With ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam’s directorial HR Leadership Lessons From Ponniyin Selvan raking the moolah in theatres, there’s a lot of discussion on the story which is based on Kalki’s book on the same name, the Chola dynasty, and the film’s characters. Imperial Cholas were the longest-ruling dynasty in Indian history, and it was also one of the most outstanding empires that the country has ever seen.

Cholas were known for their leadership qualities; whoever has seen the film or read the book would have a glimpse of the same. Here, we look at some of the HR Leadership Lessons from the historical fiction Ponniyin Selvan.

Out-Of-The-Box Thinking

We get to know the might of Cholas in naval force through the movie. They built ships and recruited warriors and seamen to make a dominant force. They used their navy not only to conquer other countries but also to safeguard the traders who came to do business with them. Historians say that Chola ships regularly sailed to the east, doing productive trade with kingdoms like Indonesia and china. Raja Raja Cholan had a large fleet of ships he used for business. The wooden vessels could carry elephants, horses, and an army of soldiers with weapons. It’s mentioned that they were capable of sailing 2,300 km from Nagapattinam to Malaysia in 30 days.

In the corporate world, thinking creatively, addressing problems innovatively, and doing things differently than the norm are required more than ever. You will agree that creative solutions are needed to help organizations stay relevant in today’s times.

Delegation Of Work

The delegation of work followed by Cholas will unravel if you look at the small states and their rules. They appointed small-time kings and vested them with certain powers. From Pazhavettrayar to Kadambur Sambuvaraiyar and Malayaman, they had delegated work among chieftains, ministers, and sub-kings. Interestingly, Pazhayarai was ruled by Periya Piratti and Ilaya Piratti.

Delegation is a critical management skill that helps one grow as a leader. Delegating effectively can save time, helps your team develop as professionals, and encourage employees and team members to perform better.

Developing A Second Line Of Leaders

While Sundara Cholan was alive and ruling, his sons Karikalan and Arul Mozhi Varman were busy expanding their kingdom on both sides. Instead of exploring the same territory, they conquered places in almost opposite directions. And in the process both of them were ably guided by seniors. While Thirukovalur Malaiyaman was with Karikalan, Kundhavai, the celebrated sister of King Raja Raja Cholan was his mentor, guide, and counsel from a very young age. Later she also brought up Rajendra Chola and motivated him to accomplish great deeds. These kinds of mentoring helped the dynasty create a second line of leaders well-versed in the administration, warfare, and customs associated with the kingdom.

An organization needs to create a second line of leaders. They should share the top leadership’s vision and develop the skillset to get the work done in the absence of top leadership. They are needed to take senior leadership roles whenever the need arises.

The Art Of Saying No

After Arul Mozhi Varman defeated the Anuradhapura Kingdom in north Sri Lanka, one of the heads of the monasteries invited him and requested him to become the King of Lanka. However, Arul Mozhi Varman did not want to look partial among the other two monasteries. He gently said no to the throne, citing his words/commitment to his father, Sundara Cholan. Though Arul Mozhi Varman would have taken up the throne, he decided against it without hurting the feelings of the head and disciples of the monastery. This shows that there is an art in saying no politely.

In organizations, leaders often either fail to say no or say it harshly. But saying no is important as otherwise a leader might get lost in the busy work and miss out on the perspective where he has to focus on as a leader. Hence, HR leaders should know that not all the little jobs are essential; therefore, they can say no and focus on the stated goals of the business. Saying ‘no’ at the right time means you are demonstrating good time management skills.

Informed Decision Making

Chola Kings were known for their decision making powers. It was not that they used their power to make decisions but they believed in informed decision making. They had their sources to inform them of the goings in their kingdom and they assimilated all the data or information in many ways to make informed decisions. Take the case of Anbil Aniruddha Brahmarayar. He was the Prime Minister of Sundara Chola’s Court. He was trustful and a close friend of Sundara Chola. Known for his wit and intelligence, he knew every movement in the kingdom through his own sources. Besides being a teacher, he also assisted Sundara Chola in administration. Even Kundhavai was scared of him. Whenever a need arose, he confronted others with data which made them dumbfound.

It’s sacrosanct for the HR leaders to rely on data and information than going with assumptions. HR should use all relevant sources of   information, knowledge, training and experience and interpret the information. Informed decision making involves assessing risks and gathering relevant information before you make a move.  An informed decision concentrates on the risks and benefits involved in the decision-making process.