UdyamGita

Many times, people tend to focus on the behavior of those around them in business. Instead, they should try to understand the reasons behind their actions. Not all tasks can be handled with one type of behavior. Different situations, different people, and different contexts need to be dealt with using different approaches. Entrepreneurship develops these qualities in entrepreneurs over a period of time. It does not mean that an entrepreneur can be labeled with a single Guna.

If the entrepreneur focuses on external validation and tunes his approach only to please the people around him, the goal moves further away. Consciously adopting the right approach or Guna for the right situation is the ideal way forward. In this case, things remain under his control, and he knows how to deal with people and systems at all times. Knowing what needs to be done to achieve the goal, without seeking external validation, while understanding the surroundings and situations well, and maintaining complete control, helps the entrepreneur grow beyond behavior branding and focus solely on the goal at hand.

Krishna introduces the framework of the three guṇas—sattva (clarity), rajas (action), and tamas (inertia). These forces shape all behavior and experience in the material world. Though they arise from Him, He remains untouched by them.

Most people, caught in these shifting modes, mistake temporary states for permanent truth. This delusion (māyā) makes it difficult to see the higher reality. Yet Krishna offers a way through: those who rise above attachment and align themselves with a higher purpose cross this illusion effortlessly.

Business Insight

Entrepreneurs often get distracted by people’s behavior—reactions, resistance, enthusiasm, indifference. But behavior is only the surface expression. The real lever lies beneath: the context and the energy driving that behavior.

Not all business situations can be handled with a single temperament.

• Some demand calm clarity
• Some require speed and aggression
• Some need patience and restraint

Entrepreneurship, over time, cultivates all three guṇas within a founder. That does not mean the entrepreneur can be boxed into one personality label. In fact, rigid self-branding becomes a liability.

The mistake many founders make is chasing external validation—adjusting decisions to please investors, teams, customers, or public opinion. When this happens, the original goal quietly drifts further away.

Leadership Lesson

Mature leadership lies in conscious choice, not emotional reaction.

The ideal entrepreneur:

• selects the right guṇa for the right moment
• responds to reality instead of reacting to opinion
• remains unattached to applause or criticism

Such a leader understands the system, reads the environment accurately, and knows which internal gear to shift—clarity, action, or restraint—without losing direction.

When the founder operates this way:

• control stays internal, not external
• decisions become situationally intelligent
• labels dissolve, and purpose dominates

Leadership then moves beyond personality and reputation, and anchors itself firmly to the goal at hand.

Key Takeaways

• Behavior is a signal—context is the cause
• No single leadership style fits all situations
• Entrepreneurs naturally develop all three guṇas
• External validation weakens strategic focus
• Conscious choice of approach creates control
• True leadership transcends labels and stays goal-centric