HYDERABAD:Can meditation make a better leader? How can individuals and leaders make peace with their anxious minds? How can leaders translate the culture of mindfulness among team members and the organisation as a whole? What is the role of compassion in leadership? These were some of the questions that were answered at the one-day conclave titled ‘The Heartful Way to Leadership’ organised this week at The Heartfulness Institute.
The institute is at Kanha Shanti Vanam in Chegur Village on the outskirts of Hyderabad. The conclave aimed at transforming leaders and professionals from the inside out, giving a new perspective in looking at the world. In the VUCA (volatility, uncertainty, complexity and ambiguity) world that business leaders operate in, mentoring and coaching are critical. However, there are times when leaders must look inwards for answers to tough questions. Around 200 people from corporate, startups, art and other fields attended the wellness event which hosted various eminent leaders and achievers who touched insightful topics with the audience.
In a fireside chat with Vani Kola, MD – Kalari Capital on the topic of ‘Looking within, Developing Authentic Leadership’, GV Prasad - Co-Chairman & CEO, Dr. Reddy’s Labs said, “I wanted to change people and lead, but later I realised that it was most important to change oneself which was a big lesson. Initially we wanted to keep the company viable and started raising capital etc. Thereafter, we started a transformational journey and started bringing in diverse talent. Professional development became an important factor in the company. People who run after only profits, falter so the idea should be powerful, and profits will come.”
Lakshmi Pratury - Founder & CEO, INK said, “Accept chaos and look at where we are going, that is a big lesson. The biggest lesson I learnt is to tell a story, story telling is an important tool to get noticed.”
Lakshmi Nambiar, Director – Shrishti Art Gallery covered Spirituality and Art: A curatorial Walkthrough and Dr. Shyam Bhat, Founder – Seraniti shared his thoughts on the topic of Buddha in the City – Using meditation to navigate the complexities of today’s fast paced life. Raghava KK, Artist, Story Teller & TED Speaker spoke about Transcendence for the post human age and Amish Tripathy, Best selling author of The Shiva Trilogy addressed the audience on Rationality and Logic blending with the heart. Satish Andra, MD - Endiya Partners also participated in a Fireside Chat on the topic of Unleashing Emotional Intelligence. Kalyan Akkipeddi - Founder, ProtoVillage shared his journey towards Rural Resilience and creating a self-sustaining model village in Andhra Pradesh.
Heartfulness Institute is a non-profit organization that promotes well-being and self-development through meditation, research and training. The Institute offers programs for individuals, corporates, government departments and the armed services, schools and colleges, rural communities and civil society groups worldwide, supported by certified trainers who are volunteers and who offer their time and expertise in this social cause.