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What every organization can learn from the Dahi Handi festival

Today, Janamashtami is being celebrated throughout India and in the Indian communities world-wide. Tourists are thronging to Mumbai for its spectacular treatment of the festival. Maharashtrians celebrate Janamashtami, popularly known as the ‘Dahi Handi Festival’, wherein young people form a human pyramid to reach a pot full of curd suspended at a great height. Most of us are familiar with this event, it’s a treat to watch – and scary at the same time! Take a look:

There are many interesting things that organizations can learn from this event:

Strong Foundations Mean Better Growth

The strongest members from the base of the human pyramid , because they have to bear the maximum weight. The base collapsing implies the entire pyramid falling, and consequently the team needs to start from scratch. Even though there’s ONE person at the very top, but without the strength of the members below him, he cant scale the height all aone. Likewise, a Company which has a stronger foundation can weather fiercer storms without falling apart, and thus have a healthy business growth.

No Matter How Sure You Are, You Need a Backup Plan

Most of the times, because of it’s risky nature, this feat is only performed by experts / professionals. See this image carefully:

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Do you see the people standing with their hands in the air? They’re not trying to encouraging the people in the human pyramid. They’re not hailing them as super humans. Instead there is a well thought-out purpose in the scheme of things. They’re there to cushion the fall should anything go wrong with the human pyramid. Such pyramids can reach upto a height of 20 feet – a fall from such a height could prove catastrophic. That’s what a backup (plan) does – it cushions the fall by mitigating the risks. Hence every organization should preempt similar risks and provision for cushioning when such contingencies arise.

Without Your Team, You’re Nothing

Vision yourself to be the singular person standing at the apex of the pyramid. Would you be able to reach the Handi without those below you? You’d still be on the ground if it were not for them.

An analogy. You’re standing on the shoulders of your high-level management team. They in turn are standing on low-level management team, and so forth. At the base of the organizational pyramid are the actual workers who bear the weight of the organization. If they’re dissatisfied, or feel unappreciated, it weakens the base. If they leave, it can pose the risk of collapsing the system. Everyone has a role to play in the organization’s success, and everyone is indispensable. Be a team player, no matter where you stand in the organizational pyramid.

Comments (1)

moin August 26, 2016 Comment

Very genuinely written

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