Ancient Wisdom, Modern Strategy: What Panchatantra Teaches Us About Strategic Thinking in Business
Business often views strategy as a modern field filled with frameworks, models, and data. Still, Indian thinkers told timeless stories that explained the essence of strategic thought long before Harvard Business School existed. The Panchatantra, which is a collection of stories written by Vishnusharma more than 2,000 years ago, is one of these wise treasures. In reality, the Panchatantra is a strategy book wrapped up in stories about people and animals. It was written to teach young princes how to rule, lead, and negotiate. Even though the stories take place in woods and rivers and with talking animals, the lessons they teach are still very useful in boardrooms, startups, and making business decisions. 1. Strategic Thinking and Foresight: “The Monkey and the Crocodile” In this story, a smart monkey makes friends with a crocodile, who then plans to attack him. When the monkey senses danger, he uses his quick intelligence to trick the crocodile and escape. Modern Lesson: Th...