This article explores the relevance and application of Principles and Strategies discussed in the 3rd Century BC treatise, Kautilya’s Arthashastra, in Today’s Corporate World.

All of us must have, at some time or the other, heard people complaining about not getting “deserved” promotions or the boss not noticing their “hard work”.

However, few realise that it is not the boss who is responsible for your growth in life but the knowledge and the experience that you acquire. We need to continuously learn in order to grow. Only then will external benefits like increments, promotions and higher responsibilities come to us.

Now, most believe that they do not get time to learn as they are fully occupied with work. So how will such ‘busy’ people learn new things?

This is where Kautilya advices us:

“During the remaining parts of the day and the night, he should learn new things and familiarize himself with those already learnt, and listen repeatedly to things not learnt” (1.5.15)

It is a very simple principle of time management. Utilise your evening and night hours to learn new things, instead of spending them on most unproductive things like partying or just things which are really meaningless.

Even in an office, the peak business hours are generally in the morning. The latter half could and should be used meaningfully and effectively.

You may even use this time to ask questions and learn from seniors on areas that you have not fully understood.

The following are some tips on how you can use the second part o the day more effectively:

1. Join a class / course

Today, there are various courses and classes that are conducted in post-office hours. Even MBA courses are offered with classes in the evening. If you enrol for any such course, you will automatically leave the office on time rather than not having any fixed agenda to leave the office.

2. Read books

Get into the habit of reading good books. Especially in a city like ours, you can effectively use your commuting time to do this. Choose the right books for learning nw things. Do not just open any newspaper or magazine for the sake of passing time. You should read with a purpose.

3. Meet the right people

You should make it a point to meet at least two new people every week. They should be experts in their own field who know much more than you. Go to them with humility and learn the secret of their success.

All of this would, no doubt, make you a better man. After all, you would be following the old adage of “The only time well spent is the time spent in learning new things”!

Contributed by  - Radhakrishnan Pillai