Example #1
If you have been an individual contributor , I am going to let you in on a dirty little secret. The skill-will matrix. If you had attended any leadership program one of the key frameworks they teach is called the ‘Skill-Will matrix’. This is how the Skill-will matrix looks.
Put simply, People in organizations fall under 4 buckets segregated by their level of skill/Competence and by their level of Will/Commitment. As a leader your approach would change for People with high will and low skill vs People with high skill and low will and so on. I am not going to go into whether this is right or whether it works etc. Let us look at a scenario in Panchatantra.
A Jackal (an old employee) which has been exiled from inner power circle of a King (i.e. it doesn’t have any power or voice), approaches the lion and questions the Lion about why it had been outcasted.
The Jackal points out to the Lion.
bhaktaṃ śaktaṃ ca māṃ rājan nāvajñātuṃ tvam arhasi
“I am both competent and committed, you cannot ignore me”
To that the King replies.
Bhavatvevam tāvat, asamarthaḥ samarthaḥ vā
Let it be thus, for the time being, whether one is incompetent or competent.”
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If you watch closely, the Jackal seems to know the Skill-Will matrix. It says I am competent and committed. One who is competent and Committed cannot be ignored. To that the king , responds with a sly remark about the jackal’s competence. It doesn’t question its commitment. Typically the Lion should be guiding the Jackal in this case according to the Skill-Will matrix, but it has kept the Jackal at bay.
Another important nuance are the words used by the Jackal and Lion to mean competence. ‘Saktam’ and ‘samartah’. Let us look at how these words are derived in Sanskrit to know the powerful thought process of our ancestors.
Śaktam (शक्तम्) (used by the Jackal)
Root: Derived from the root "śak" (शक), meaning "to be able" or "to have power.”
Meaning: Refers to strength, capability, or power in a general sense. It often emphasizes potential or energy.
It is often used in reference to physical or inherent power.
Samarthaḥ (समर्थः): (used by the lion)
Root: Derived from "sam" (सम्) meaning "together" or "complete," and "artha" (अर्थ) meaning "purpose" or "meaning."
Meaning: Refers to being competent, efficient, or fit for a purpose. It emphasizes proficiency or effectiveness.
It refers to practical capability or expertise, beyond just potential.
Key Difference:
Śaktam highlights raw strength or potential ability (can be latent or active).
Samarthaḥ emphasizes practical competence and efficiency in achieving a purpose.
Analogy
A powerful car engine is śaktam (it has the strength to run fast).
A skilled driver is samarthaḥ (he knows how to use that power effectively).
So, the King is able to point out why the Jackal was ousted in the first place. It is not just competence. But effectiveness. The Jackal has the potential, but the King wants fit for purpose or effectiveness. This is one up on Western management ideas.
Ok, let us look at the next example.
Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3
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