In this article, I draw on the wisdom from Kautilya’s Arthashastra to understand the volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous context. I focus on the sutras pertaining to controllable and uncontrollable situations, the four principles of execution, the Chatumandal framework of making the uncertain visible, and finally the 11 questions that capture the wisdom on success. Drawing on my experience in consulting for organisations, I have attempted to provide a formula that can help HR leaders to navigate their roles with this background.
