COFFEE BREAK WITH THE LEADERS - IMD

COFFEE BREAK WITH THE LEADERS SADHGURU Isha Foundation

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COFFEE BREAK WITH THE LEADERS I Sadhguru Sadhguru Isha Foundation Description: Isha Foundation, founded by Sadhguru, is a non-religious, international not-for-profit organization that aims to address all aspects of human wellbeing. From its yoga programs for inner transformation, to its projects for society and environment, Isha activities are designed to create an inclusive culture that is the basis for global harmony and progress. The foundation is headquartered at Isha Yoga Center in southern India and at the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences in Tennessee, USA; it is operated by over 2 million volunteers in 150 city-based centers worldwide. Position: Founder Nationality: Indian In a nutshell: Sadhguru’s rational approach to human wellbeing has gained worldwide recognition and reflects in Isha Foundation's special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations. It has also earned Sadhguru invitations to speak at the United Nations Millennium World Peace Summit, the Tallberg Forum, the Indian Economic Summit, as well as the World Economic Forum. His celebrated program, "Inner Engineering, peak of wellbeing" introduces processes for the modern person to create “peak physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.”

What is the origin of the Isha Foundation? The work started 30 years ago, when people started gathering in big numbers because of what we were offering. Although we never advertised, we drew millions. Only in the past 10 to 12 years, have we been promoting ourselves, mainly to support our social projects. What is your greatest skill? I am not a man, I am just like the breeze. Wherever I go, I fit in perfectly well. What is the best decision you ever made in your career? The best decision I have ever made was to decide that I would never decide what life should be. Too many people have their own missions, ideas or ambitions and because they are all trying to extract something from life. They are destroying the planet. My turning point was when I saw that there was nothing to get from life. Maybe people will arrive at what I am saying in 10, 20 or 30 years, but they will some day, because I am saying things the way they are. My only quality is clarity. What is the most difficult decision you ever had to make in business? My whole life is to help people to do their best. On two or three occasions, I have had to discourage people from doing something that would damage themselves or others. It is very painful for me to discourage anyone. What is the best advice you ever received? In my life, I have never advised anyone, nor do I receive advice from others. I just try to bring clarity.

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COFFEE BREAK WITH THE LEADERS I Sadhguru

What is the best way to motivate? Motivation is always the way you are and the way you do things. Words won’t motivate anybody. What you need is for your team to fall in love with you. What does innovation mean for you? If you keep repeating the word “innovation”, you are no longer innovative. What does collaboration mean to you? Collaboration is a must, it is the first step towards inclusion. Although some competing businesses started collaborating 20 or 30 years ago, there is still not enough collaboration in the world, including between countries in different regions. Unless we learn to operate with each other rather than against each other, we are only going to waste our energies. If all of us push the truck in one direction, it will go. But if half of us push it in one direction and the other half in the other direction, it’s not going to move. In your estimation, what is the most common mistake business leaders make today? One of the biggest blunders is scowling all the time. If you create a joyless business, you are going against the aspirations of the whole of humanity. People think that to be joyful, you must be silly, but in fact you can be joyful and absolutely sensible. This is what the business world must realize: leaders need to be happy, not just when things go their way. finding a way to deliver education that suits learners, rather than expecting them to conform to what suits us. What does IMD mean to you? When I look at a business school, I’m looking at it like a manufacturing unit for leaders, a production unit for leadership. I know many IMD alumni and many of them are really good, confident and joyful. You can make a man joyful, but it’s more difficult to make him confident. What three words would you use to describe IMD? I’m not someone who forms opinions about anybody. I see people for what they are. That’s what leaves me free. Similarly, the only words I have to describe IMD are the three letters that make up its name. IMD was pleased to welcome Sadhguru. As a special guest he addressed business leaders on the theme ‘Ambition to Vision.’ Isha Foundation implements several large-scale human service projects to support individual growth, revitalize the human spirit, rebuild communities, and restore the environment. These include: 

Action for Rural Rejuvenation ( www.ruralrejuvenation.org ), a rural revitalization program offering medical care, community rehabilitation, and human upliftment to more than 2,500 destitute villages in rural southern India.

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Project Green Hands ( www.projectgreenhands.org), a massive public reforestation effort aiming to plant 114 million trees, restoring 33% green cover in Tamil Nadu, India.

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Isha Vidhya ( www.ishavidhya.org), a pioneering quality English medium, computer friendly education for transforming tamilnadu rural scape.

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