Satinder Dhiman

Gandhi and Leadership: New Horizons in Exemplary Leadership Satinder Dhiman

Marc Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index. Biographical Note: Satinder Dhiman, PhD, EdD., is Professor of Management, Associate Dean, and Director of the MBA Program at Woodbury University's School of Business, USA. He has completed advanced Executive Leadership Programs at Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton. He has co-authored various books, most recently, "Leading Spiritually" (2014); "Teaching Leadership and Organizational Behavior through Humor" (2012); "Business Administration Education" (2012); "Managing in the 21st Century" (2011); "Stories to Tell Your Students "(2011); "Workplace and Spirituality" (2009); and "Spirituality in the Workplace" (2007). His recent book, "Seven Habits of Highly Fulfilled People" (2012/2014), is about transforming our search for success into a discovery of profound meaning and significance. Review Quotes: "Here, in this truly defining book, 'The Mahatma's' teachings once again come alive this time to inspire the very best in our 21st century leaders. Skillfully weaving together history, biography, and anecdotes, Dr. Dhiman offers practical steps and advice for applying the spiritual and moral principles that brilliantly defined Gandhi's leadership. In a global marketplace too often plagued by greed, corruption, and arrogance, this book offers a much needed vision of business leadership based on steadfast truth, non-violence, humility, and selfless service. I sincerely hope that the wisdom offered in this unique book will be widely embraced by leaders throughout the world." - Michael Carroll, COO, Global Coaching Alliance, and author of The Mindful Leader (2007) "Sensitive, responsible, and morally-sound leadership has been a major need of modern times on which available information is very little. Drawing from Gandhian thought and practices, this work attempts to extend discussions on this topic and proposes a 'value-based' model of leadership that is applicable in corporate and non-corporate settings. Appreciation of truth, gaining of self-discipline, nonviolent orientations, authenticity, integrity, humility, and selfless service have been considered essential and this work breaks many new grounds. Eastern and Western leaders, scholars, and students should find this book very interesting and useful." - Professor Satish Sharma, author of Four-Volume Series on Gandhi's Teachers (2011) "Gandhi and Leadership book admirably lays bare all the secrets of effective leadership: character, personal integrity, and authenticity characteristics found in both subject and the writer. A formula not only for professional success but also for a life well lived! I can think of no one more qualified to write about Gandhi's life and work and its value in the 21st century than Satinder Dhiman. Readers will find, as Martin Buber stated, 'There is divine meaning in the life of the world' as Dhiman makes these universal truths about leadership relevant to the world of commerce through the life example of Gandhi." - Nan Rae, Internationally acclaimed artist of Chinese Brush Painting "Gandhi had evolved from a young barrister into an exemplary and probably the greatest public leader humankind has known. Gandhi worked selflessly and in a self-controlled manner aiming at self-realization by devoting himself for the service and the good of the society at large. In his long journey of 'Experiments with Truth' he had found his perennial and never-failing support and guide in the philosophy of Bhagavad Gita, his 'venerable mother', and 'spiritual dictionary' his life was 'based upon the teachings of the Gita. Gandhi and Leadership very cogently analyzes and brings out the whole range of ideal attributes of leadership taught by the Gita, their life-long pursuit and practice by Gandhi, and how both have become a universal source of inspiration for leaders in all fields of human endeavor. The book comprehensively covers a wide range of important topics pertaining to Gandhi's life and leadership. It should serve as an excellent guide and source-book for all who undertake to play leadership roles in varied spheres in the contemporary society." - Dr. Y. P. Anand, former Director of National Gandhi Museum, New Delhi, and author of Mahatma Gandhi's 'Works' and Interpretation of the Bhagavad Gita (2009) "We all agree that business leadership needs to embody a new level of consciousness if companies are going to fulfill their dharma of helping the world to be more humane, peaceful, and sustainable. Gandhi and Leadership is one of those rare books that shows us how to get there. This book provides the inspiration through Gandhi's leadership example to show that a spiritual basis to leadership is not only possible, it is the most effective and powerful way to make a difference." - Judi Neal, Chairman and CEO, Edgewalkers International and Author of Creating Enlightened Organizations (2013) "As the author note, because of, and not in spite of, his flaws, Mahatma Gandhi remains a great model for great leadership. I recommend highly this reading of Gandhi." - Ian I. Mitroff, Professor Emeritus, USC & Center for Catastrophic Risk Management, UC Berkeley, USA "Table of Contents: 1. Prolegomena: A Foreword by Arun Gandhi2. Gandhi: One-man Boundary Force 3. Hero's Life Journey: Defining Moments of Life and Leadership4. Gandhi's Heroes: Landmarks on a Hero's Journey5. Bhagavad Gi-ta-: Gandhi's Moral and Spiritual Anchorage 6. Gandhi: A Value-Based Leader Par Excellence7. Non-Violence: A Matchless Weapon8. Satya-graha: An Higher Approach to Ethics9. Self-Discipline: The Making of an Exemplary Leader10. Seven Deadly Sins of Humanity: Overcoming Inner Demons11. Epilogue: Summing Up the Legacy of the Mahatma "Publisher Marketing: From the pages of recent history, Gandhi emerges as a grand strategist, an exemplary leader, and an uncanny master of human nature. His leadership style was "follower-centric" and "contextual." In Gandhi and Leadership, Professor Dhiman explores the moral and spiritual-philosophical foundations and context of Gandhi's approach to leadership. What sets it apart from most existing works on Gandhi's life and leadership is its special emphasis on the spiritual and moral anchorage of his leadership. The book focuses on seven Gandhian values that are most relevant in the contemporary workplace: authenticity/personal integrity, harmlessness (ahimsa), truthfulness (satyagraha or truth-force), transparency, humility, self-discipline, and selfless service. This book skillfully weaves history, biography, memoirs, anecdotes, stories seamlessly to create a values-driven road-map for modern leaders. Dhiman applies this conceptual framework of value-based approach to leadership to explore and unravel the leadership secrets of Gandhi. He presents Gandhi's leadership principles and practices that are based on the moral and spiritual values of truth, non-violence, transparency, humility, self-discipline, and selfless service. These values present a broad spectrum view of practices that are sorely needed to be cultivated by the present-day corporate leaders. Including a foreword from Arun Gandhi, Gandhi's grandson, this book offers personal insight into Gandhi's philosophy and the impact it has on business today.

Contributor Bio:  Dhiman, Satinder Dr. Satinder Dhiman has guided business leaders for the last twenty-five years and served for ten years as a senior lecturer in commerce at DAV College in North India. He is a founding member of the Business Renaissance Institute and ASPEX, and serves on the boards of several scholarly journals. Currently, Dr. Dhiman is professor and chair of management and associate dean of business in Woodbury University's graduate program. Winner of ACBSP s prestigious International Teaching Excellence Award, he holds a doctorate in organizational leadership from Pepperdine University.