Can the Indian Worldview Facilitate the Emergence of Transformational Leaders?

Abstract

Several studies have highlighted the importance of transformational leadership in enhancing organizational performance and follower commitment. This paper outlines four basic components of the Indian worldview—an understanding of the real nature of this world (theory of Maya), preference for action over inaction, perceiving the potentially divine nature of oneself and others, and visualizing freedom as the supreme goal of human existence—and presents propositions relating those components to transformational leadership. An argument is made for teaching Indian philosophy in schools and colleges in India to facilitate the emergence of a greater number of transformational leaders who could lift people to higher levels.