Krishna: The Ultimate ScrumMaster chosen by Pandavas (The Team)

Krishna: The Ultimate ScrumMaster chosen by Pandavas (The Team)

As per Vedas, somewhere around 5000 years back, Mahabharat (Kurukshetra war) battle had been fought. There were so many sequential events which led to the circumstances where battle became inevitable. There were 2 sides Kauravas & Pandavas. Both the armies (teams) participated in the event. We all know this.

Have you ever analysed the role of “Krishna” in that battle (event)? What he did? What he thought and to what was he accountable? Let’s see!

1-      Krishna did not fight the battle himself.

2-      He aligned Pandavas to the goal (which is actually not winning the battle rather re-installing the ‘Dharma’ on the Earth).

3-      He facilitated all the discussion among Pandavas to find the solution of problem. He took Pandavas on the same page and let them take the collective decision what to do next.

4-      Only when Pandavas were not able to take any decision, he ‘suggested’ the action-items.

5-      When Arjuna put down his weapons, he asked Arjuna to fight not-to-win but for the goal which “re-installation of Dharma”. He re-installed the Commitment, Courage & Focus among the Pandavas (the team).

Krishna was accountable only for “re-installing the Dharma” and keeping team motivated towards this goal for which he made Pandavas:-

a)       Committed towards the goal

b)      Focused towards the goal

c)       Courageous enough to proceed towards the goal (Here, pandavas were courageous enough to fight but when Arjuna saw relatives other end, Krishna made him & other courageous enough to take step which are required to achieve goal which is re-installing Dharma.)  

d)      Open enough so that they can say/suggest what they think

e)      Respecting each other’s quality among them. (E.g. – Yudhishthir every time spoke truth which created tough situations to handle. But other Pandavas supported their eldest brother.)

This battle had been fought for 18 days and after each day’s fight, Krishna facilitated discussion for Pandavas to inspect the incident and adapt & prepare for next day. He instilled the quality of ‘Empiricism’ (learn from today’s experience and plan for tomorrow accordingly) among the members.

I could see this as the qualities of ScrumMaster. The 2 things:-

1-      Reveal - not resolve, and

2-      Actively doing nothing

are something on which facilitation is based. Krishna was truly a facilitator for Pandavas during the complete event by: -

-          keeping them focused towards the goal (again, not winning but to re-install the Dharma)

-          keeping away from external distraction

-          helping them to identify the blockers (like Bhishma, Karna) towards goal and removing them

Along with this, He made team (Pandavas) able to earn trust on each other. Everyone trusted each other. This was one of the main ingredient of their success.

If not completely, isn’t it mostly in line of ScrumMaster’s responsibility?

Krishna correctly proclaimed:

“It is not my duty to do your work (fighting the battle). I’ll show the correct path to you and set the environment in which you can fulfil your duty.”

Most importantly, he left Hastinapur when the re-installation of Dharma was achieved (the goal).

“And ScrumMaster is succeed only when team is in condition when ScrumMaster is not required.”