Featuring:
Vasudev Murthy, Executive Director, School of Entrepreneurship
Interviewed By: Sripriyaa Venkataraman
Curated By: Chandrani Datta
As we celebrate International Yoga Day, join us for an enlightening interview with Vasudev Murthy, Executive Director, School of Entrepreneurship, an aspiring yogi and the author of “Yogasutra”. Vasudev delves into the transformative power of yoga on leadership skills, illustrating how the practice enriches one’s perspective, and fosters a decisive, energetic presence that resonates within team dynamics. Discover how yoga goes beyond physical benefits, instilling a clarity and calmness that refine professional interactions and leadership effectiveness.
Everybody knows yoga, but there are very few people who actually make it as a daily habit. What could make people make yoga a daily habit?
Let’s clarify a common misconception. While it’s true that yoga is widely recognized, many associate it primarily with its physical aspects. However, this is not incorrect; it’s simply incomplete. Yoga, in its full essence, encompasses a broader philosophy, which includes a spiritual dimension. The physical postures, or asanas, are just the most visible and arguably the most glamorous part of yoga. They are part of an eight-step path outlined by the sage Patanjali, where asanas are just one element. Now, regarding your question about starting yoga, yes, despite its popularity, many professionals struggle to incorporate it into their daily routine due to their busy schedules.
I believe that we all have limited mental bandwidth, and, unfortunately, many of us continually postpone starting yoga. Despite acknowledging its benefits, it often gets pushed to some indefinite point in the future. This delay is a reflection of the rat race we’ve all willingly joined. We rush from one task to another, always appearing busy, often at the expense of our mental, spiritual, and physical well-being, which we then relegate to ‘someday.’
When you say you don’t have time, it really indicates that you haven’t made it a priority amidst the rat race. No amount of preaching, even from those wiser than myself, will change that unless the motivation comes from within—an inner calling or awakening, so to speak. We’re experiencing accelerated aging, deteriorating faster both externally and internally, yet we think it won’t happen to us.
Many think, ‘I’ll start yoga maybe once or twice a week,’ but that misses the point entirely. We’re chasing elusive dreams, post-COVID, and pre-COVID alike, always thinking ‘one day.’ This isn’t unique to yoga; it’s similar to my experiences in music and your background in dance. We reminisce about the days when we actively engaged in these passions as teenagers. Life’s demands—exams, careers—took over, and we say we’ll return to these interests after retirement. But truly, these are just excuses. If these activities were a priority, we’d find the time. Right now, yoga, as you described, isn’t a priority for many people.
How do you observe the irrational optimism that surrounds many people, and what do you hope they will incorporate into their daily lives through yoga to overcome this?
We often adopt clichés like calling ourselves ‘foodies’ or claiming we need more sleep, which sound appealing but don’t always serve us. The challenge is integrating better habits into our lives, such as waking up early. Though initially difficult, waking up around 4:00 or 4:30 AM can be transformative, providing quiet time for self-reflection instead of rushing to catch a bus or train at seven. Gradually waking up half an hour earlier each week can help establish this routine. This quiet morning period becomes a fertile ground for engaging in enriching activities like yoga. If waking and sleeping late becomes habitual, yoga might remain just a casual hobby without deeper significance. However, by disciplining ourselves to adjust our sleep schedule, we create the perfect environment for practices like yoga to become more meaningful in our lives.
As a musician and dancer, you understand the concept that yoga is both a way of life and a state of mind. How can busy professionals grasp this idea of yoga as a mental state, particularly given the belief that a restless mind causes troubles while a calm mind liberates? What practical steps should they take?
The answer to achieving a calm mind, as Patanjali suggests with “yoga Chitta vritti nirodha,” is both straightforward and challenging. It essentially involves distancing oneself from everyday reactions—observing and analyzing our typical responses to life’s chaos, like hyperventilating or raising our voice. Developing this ability to detach ourselves from our experiences isn’t inherently difficult, but it does require time to master.
For instance, taking a moment to breathe before reacting can help us gauge whether our responses are necessary. Reflecting on my younger days, I was quite impulsive, a trait I attributed to leadership and haste. However, with maturity, I’ve realized that not every reaction is essential.
Imagine a drone hovering above, providing a bird’s-eye view of your actions, asking whether each response is warranted. This self-discipline involves measuring your words and actions carefully, especially when anger looms. Simply questioning the validity of an impending angry outburst can significantly diffuse it. While I’m not claiming to be a saint—I still experience anger—the ability to step back and view our emotional responses as if they were part of a dramatic play can profoundly alter our journey.
Considering the physical aspect, our bodies are designed for movement, yet we often sit for six to eight hours daily. How does this impact us?
In response to how yoga can help counteract our sedentary lifestyles, the situation indeed appears dire. Many young people today, even those in their early twenties, struggle with basic physical movements like twisting or bending due to prolonged sitting. This lifestyle accelerates aging and increases health risks, such as premature heart attacks.
Yoga offers a way to counter this. It encourages us to step back and consider whether our high-paced lifestyles are necessary and urges us to control our reactions, especially in stressful situations. Employing different kinds of furniture that promote movement and not just sitting could also help.
Moreover, the pain felt during initial yoga sessions is actually a sign of our neglected muscles being activated. Consistent practice, like a daily 45-minute session, could be crucial for maintaining our physical health.
Organizations play a critical role here. They should foster environments that promote physical activity and limit prolonged sitting—perhaps by regulating the duration of meetings and desk time. This shift towards a healthier corporate culture is essential, and with advancements like AI changing job structures, there’s hope that we may spend less time at desks and more on physical well-being.
When considering yoga from a physical perspective, how does it compare to other forms of exercise, and why is it often viewed as more holistic?
Yoga is more than just physical exercise; it’s a comprehensive system outlined by Patanjali, aimed at achieving union with the divine. Yoga’s physical aspect, asana, is actually the third of an eight-step process. It serves not just for physical fitness but to prepare the body for extended periods of meditation by quietening the mind.
The process begins with Yama, focusing on our external behaviour and how we interact with the world, advocating for certain virtues. This is followed by Niyama, which involves internal discipline, self-study, and austerity, helping to mellow the mind. After asanas, the sequence becomes more subtle with Pranayama, managing the breath, then Pratyahara, controlling the senses, preparing us for Dharana and Dhyana—concentration and meditation.
One key aspect Patanjali mentions is ‘sthirasukham asanam’, which suggests that any posture should be stable and comfortable, allowing for prolonged focus. This ability to maintain a complex pose not only builds physical endurance but also enhances mental focus and discipline. Thus, while asanas are a critical step, they’re part of a broader journey towards spiritual enlightenment.
What’s the path forward when somebody gets into a daily practice of yoga? How can they How does it reflect in their leadership?
The profound impact of yoga on leadership skills is significant. Initially, the practice of yoga enhances one’s ability to detach and view situations from a broader perspective. This fine-tuning allows for a more composed response to what might have previously been stressful situations.
Additionally, yoga teaches us to recognize signs of an unsettled mind, such as laboured breathing, which often precedes emotional reactions. Through self-observation—stepping outside oneself and noticing changes in breath—yoga practitioners can regain control over their responses.
In leadership, this ability to remain unreactive and thoughtful is crucial. A leader who is constantly reactive does not inspire confidence. Conversely, practicing yoga cultivates a rational, clear-minded approach that not only fosters decisiveness but also imbues a leader with an energy that is palpable to others. This energy can significantly influence team dynamics positively, as people are naturally drawn to and energized by such a leader. This is not about withdrawing into a monastic life of meditation, but about engaging actively and effectively in the world with a calm and focused mind. This enhanced presence and aura, developed through regular yoga practice, are perceptible to others and contribute to a leader’s effectiveness.
There are different ways breathing is interpreted these days. How can leaders understand this? And what are some specific breathing practices that you would recommend for leaders?
While I don’t claim to have all the answers to these important questions, evidence suggests that animals that breathe slowly tend to live longer. This insight applies to leadership as well: recognizing changes in breathing patterns—such as breathing faster—can alert a leader to emotional or stress-related triggers that need to be controlled.
Making a conscious effort to slow down breathing can have profound effects. It’s well-documented that we typically use only a fraction of our lungs’ capacity. Becoming aware of the air’s movement through our nostrils and into our lungs—a process we often take for granted—can significantly pull us back from the day-to-day chaos of life.
This heightened awareness can transform a leader’s presence. By practicing pranayama techniques for 20 to 30 minutes daily, a leader can cultivate a calm, balanced, and logical demeanour. This not only makes them more effective but also more respected, compared to the rapid, reactive approach that may win short-term victories but fails in the long term. Thus, being mindful of breathing and integrating deliberate breathing practices can greatly benefit a leader’s effectiveness and perception.
What’s an advice that you would give to leaders who take their health for granted?
I often speak with people overly fixated on job titles, a mindset ingrained from a young age, influenced by problematic role models who emphasize career progression. It’s like being on a treadmill that could end disastrously. However, despite the philosophical depths of this issue, which I’m not fully qualified to discuss, a key point stands out: the nature of true leadership.
A secure leader trusts his team’s judgment, doesn’t micromanage, and celebrates their achievements. Such leaders are more receptive to the benefits of yoga—it enhances their security and stability in dealing with the outside world. Conversely, adopting a yogic routine can foster this sense of security and leadership.
This leads to broader questions about what drives a leader: Is it an endless pursuit of career advancement and wealth? These reflective questions are essential, though often challenging to address, but we must start somewhere. Interestingly, many leaders begin considering their social impact and returning to society only later in their careers.
Unfortunately, those who delve into spiritual studies post-career seem to dominate the discourse, preaching how life should be lived after missing out on these lessons themselves. These insights, such as the benefits of breathing techniques and a balanced mindset, should be integrated early on, perhaps taught in management schools as essential, not optional skills. This early education could profoundly impact long-term professional and personal well-being.
How do practices demonstrated by leaders contribute to creating fearless and safe organizations, and why is early learning of these practices crucial for future success?
In the Yama and Niyama sections of the Yoga Sutras, there is significant emphasis on avoiding covetousness and the pursuit of wealth, advocating for a life of austerity. This philosophy suggests that those who do not desire wealth paradoxically become trustworthy custodians of it. Recognizing what’s truly important is a deeply personal journey.
Individuals who are well-read and self-assured tend to grasp and adopt these principles more readily. However, there’s a stark contrast in the corporate world where a macho, aggressive style is often glorified. Despite companies proclaiming to value their people, the reality often contradicts this, showing a clear gap between stated values and actual practices.
Ideally, a secure leader approaches leadership with compassion and acknowledges the contributions of their team. Developing such a mindset aligns naturally with the principles of a yogic lifestyle, potentially bridging the gap between ideal and practice.
What is your journey that brought you into this?
I was incredibly fortunate to be introduced to music early in life. Music has been a profound experience for me, akin to a different kind of yoga. Taking pleasure from a single musical note—this is a deeply personal experience that resonates in ways hard to explain. Indeed, I’ve had moments in music that felt like yogic experiences, where certain notes or rāgas vibrated in a transcendent way.
On a more traditional yogic path, I was once impatient and hot-tempered. A few significant events served as wake-up calls, cooling my reactive nature and highlighting what truly matters. A pivotal moment came when my late father insisted I attend a yoga school in Bangalore. Unlike my earlier, casual approach to yoga classes, this experience was transformative due to its disciplined environment, exactly what I needed at that stage.
During this time, I was also engaging deeply with writing, which coincided with my introduction to the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali—a foundational text containing profound wisdom in just under two hundred verses. This came at an opportune time, providing a solid reference and reassurance during a transformative period in my life.
Often, a significant life event prompts us to seek new paths, and for me, it was this combination of personal challenges and opportunities that led me to explore yoga more deeply. Fortuitously, having music in my life and a penchant for writing helped me integrate these experiences meaningfully.
Did you have a practice of yoga this morning that’s given you the energy to be here and be present?
Yes, I consistently practice yoga daily, although today was an exception since I was flying in from Delhi. For me, yoga is as essential as brushing your teeth. I’ve developed a personal sequence of morning activities centered around asanas and reading, which I’ve adhered to for many years, and it has definitely been beneficial. Currently, I’m dealing with severe knee issues, which raises questions about the efficacy of yoga in preventing health problems. While yoga doesn’t solve every physical issue, I believe my condition would have been far worse without it. This won’t demotivate me; instead, I’m making necessary adjustments to continue my practice, which brings a deep sense of contentment and satisfaction.
Many people give up on yoga quickly because they dislike waking up early or adjusting their sleep schedules. It often takes a significant personal challenge for the value of yoga to resonate. International Yoga Day serves as a reminder of yoga’s broader spiritual and metaphysical implications. Regular practice fosters discipline, creating a foundation to explore life’s deeper questions.
Key Learnings:
- Yoga’s physical aspect, asana, is actually the third of an eight-step process. It serves not just for physical fitness but to prepare the body for extended periods of meditation by quietening the mind.
- Practicing yoga cultivates a rational, clear-minded approach that not only fosters decisiveness but also imbues a leader with an energy that is palpable to others.
- The ability to step back and view our emotional responses as if they were part of a dramatic play can profoundly alter our journey.
Vasudev Murthy
Executive Director, School of Entrepreneurship
An accomplished author and master facilitator, Vasudev has penned several influential books, including “Yogasutras Simplified” and “How Organizations Really Work” (published by Bloomsbury). With a rich background in consulting and training, Vasudev excels in consulting skills and written communication. Vasudev has served as a visiting professor at prestigious institutions such as IIM Bangalore and the Institute for Product Leadership. Before venturing into academia and writing, Vasudev gained extensive industry experience with leading companies like Deloitte, NEC America, AT&T, and Wipro, and has consulted for global giants including PwC, EY, Microsoft Ventures, Accenture, and Bosch among others.
