Gandhi as Moral Leader - and Business Strategist: New Book by Woodbury University Business School Associate Dean Illuminates Seminal 20th Century Figure

LOS ANGELES, July 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Mahatma Gandhi is revered worldwide for the power of his example as a leader and his commitment to non-violence in ending British rule in India.  Now, a new book suggests that example offers some profound lessons for business as well.

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In his just-published book, Gandhi and Leadership: New Horizons in Exemplary Leadership (Palgrave Macmillan), Satinder Dhiman, PhD., EdD -- Associate Dean of Woodbury University's School of Business, Chair & Director of the MBA Program, and Professor of Management --  explores the moral and spiritual-philosophical foundations and context of Gandhi's approach to leadership.  

What sets Dr. Dhiman's work apart from most of the scholarship on Gandhi's life is its special emphasis on the spiritual and moral anchorage of his leadership.  The book focuses on seven Gandhian values that are most relevant in the contemporary workplace: authenticity/personal integrity, harmlessness (ahimsa), truthfulness (satyagraha or truth-force), transparency, humility, self-discipline, and selfless service.

From the pages of recent history, Dr. Dhiman observes, Gandhi emerges as a grand strategist, an exemplary leader with a keen understanding of human nature.  Describing Gandhi's leadership style as "follower-centric" and "contextual," Dr. Dhiman deftly weaves history, biography, memoirs, anecdotes, stories seamlessly to create a values-driven roadmap for modern leaders.  He enlists this values-based leadership framework as a way to unravel Gandhi's leadership secrets, offering personal insight into Gandhi's philosophy and the impact it has on business today.  The book includes a foreword from Arun Gandhi, Gandhi's grandson.

"Gandhi and Leadership reveals how Gandhi, starting as a 'one-man boundary force,' became a century's conscience," Dr. Dhiman said.  "Gandhi's leadership principles and practices were based on the moral and spiritual values of truth, non-violence, transparency, humility, self-discipline, and selfless service.  These values present a broad spectrum view of practices that present-day corporate leaders sorely need to cultivate."

With an instructional and research focus on leadership and organizational behavior – and with specific concentration on workplace spirituality -- Dr. Dhiman holds a PhD. in Social Sciences from Tilburg University, Netherlands, an EdD in Organizational Leadership from Pepperdine University,  and a Master's degree in Commerce from Panjab University, Chandigarh, India, having earned the Gold Medal.  He has also completed advanced Executive Leadership Programs at Harvard, Stanford, and Wharton.  He is the recipient of the prestigious 2004 ACBSP International Teacher of the Year Award and the 2006 Steve Allen Excellence in Education Award, and most recently, the 2015 Woodbury University Ambassador Award.

Dr. Dhiman is a sought-after keynote speaker at regional, national and international conferences.  His research interests include values-driven holistic leadership; sustainable enterprise, and the design of agile learning spaces and virtuous organizations, to meet the creative and self-motivational needs of all learners and leaders. He fosters the mindset of learning for life infused with the quest for autonomy, mastery and purpose.

Dr. Dhiman's work has been published in multiple journals, and he has authored, co-authored, and co-edited ten books on management, accounting, and leadership.  His recent book, Seven Habits of Highly Fulfilled People: Journey from Success to Significance (2012/2014) is about transforming our search for success into a discovery of profound meaning and significance.  In 2013, Dr. Dhiman was invited to be the opening speaker at the prestigious TEDx Conference @ College of the Canyons in Santa Clarita, Calif.  Earlier this year, he served as a Plenary Session speaker at the 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) Convention, the flagship event of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs (MOIA), Government of India, and inaugurated the fourth international conference on Management Education at Justice KS Hegde Institute of Management at Nitte in Udupi, India.

About Woodbury University
Founded in 1884, Woodbury University is one of the oldest institutions of higher education in Southern California.  It offers bachelor's degrees from the School of Architecture, School of Business, School of Media, Culture & Design, and College of Transdisciplinarity, along with a Master of Arts in Media for Social Justice, Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Interior Architecture (MIA), Master of Science in Architecture (MSArch), and Master of Leadership.  The San Diego campus offers Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Architecture degrees, as well as an MSArch degree with concentrations in Real Estate Development and Landscape + Urbanism.  Woodbury ranks 15th among the nation's "25 Colleges That Add the Most Value," according to Money Magazine.  Visit woodbury.edu for more information.

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