ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of Self-knowledge in life and leadership. All wisdom traditions of the world have underscored the importance of Self-knowledge in the pursuit happiness and fulfillment. Self-knowledge is the hallmark of all authentic leaders, since it helps those in leadership positions to lead from their true self. In its wake, it bestows the gift of genuine humility, paving the way for selfless service and, finally, for servant leadership. The chapter underscores the value of humility as a prerequisite to, and consequence of, Self-knowledge. As leaders, when we are in touch with our deeper authentic self, we are also able to connect with the authentic self of others. This chapter takes as axiomatic that leadership is a voyage of inner discovery and that Self-knowledge is the key to leading from within. This journey begins with knowing oneself and culminates in living one’s deepest values at the personal, team, and organizational level.
Self-knowledge deals with who and what we truly are. It is the unchanging, ever-present awareness of our own being. Self-knowledge is not a journey of becoming; it is a state of being. It is a journey from unreal “me” to the real “I.” In the final reckoning, Self-knowledge is the harbinger of the True, the Beautiful, and the Good in our life and work—the hallmarks of fulfillment and flourishing. This chapter unfolds a vision of Oneness as propounded by Advaita Vedānta, the non-dual philosophy enunciated in the Upaniṣads and the Bhagavad Gītā, the key spiritual texts of India and the earliest extant treatises on Self-knowledge, Brahma-vidyā. Using teaching stories and illustrative vignettes, this chapter provides clear pointers to the present day leaders in their quest for personal and organizational wellbeing.
