Dharmic Values-Based Leadership (DVBL) integrates Indian Knowledge Systems — Dharma, Nishkama Karma, Lokasangraha — with contemporary leadership theory into a single higher-order framework of nine dimensions.
Transformational, servant, ethical, authentic and spiritual leadership have each enriched the field — yet each captures only one slice of what effective, sustainable leadership requires. None combine ethical governance, human development, and collective welfare in a single model.
At the same time, Indian Knowledge Systems — the Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Arthashastra — carry a rich, largely untapped vocabulary for responsible leadership. DVBL brings the two together.
DVBL treats these not as religious doctrine, but as universal values applicable to any organisation.
Righteous duty. The moral base of leadership — justice, integrity, transparency, and accountable decision-making that balances organisational aims with stakeholder interests.
Selfless action. Pursuing organisational goals with commitment and integrity, placing the collective goal above personal gain — the root of mentoring and genuine motivation.
Welfare of the world. Leadership's purpose extended beyond organisational effectiveness to collective well-being, inclusiveness, and sustainable value creation.
Each foundation operationalises into a pillar of leadership behaviour, each pillar into three concrete dimensions.
Revolves around righteousness, justice, and responsible leadership. Complements contemporary Ethical, Authentic and Inclusive Leadership theory.
Impartial decision-making that builds organisational trust.
Leaders answer for their decisions and organisational outcomes.
A culture where every viewpoint is considered and employees shape decisions.
Selfless action performed for a purpose beyond gain. Aligns with Transformational, Servant and Spiritual Leadership.
Training future leaders through knowledge and skill transfer.
Inspiring commitment by connecting work to meaningful purpose.
Deliberately fostering collaboration across the organisation.
Leadership as an instrument for societal well-being and sustainability, extending beyond contemporary leadership theory.
Empathy, interconnectivity and mutual respect within the organisation.
Choosing organisational interest and ethics over personal benefit.
Mission-based leadership where effort aligns to organisational purpose.
The proposed model traces a chain from leadership behaviour to sustainable organisational outcomes.
DVBL builds on established theories rather than competing with them.
Rate yourself, 1–5, on each of the nine dimensions. This is a reflective tool, not a validated instrument — the DVBL Scale (DVBLS) is proposed for future empirical research.
Adjust the sliders and generate your profile to see it mapped against the nine DVBL dimensions.
Ethical governance, trust between employer and employee, sustainability.
Transparent governance, accountability, citizen-oriented leadership.
Compassionate leadership, teamwork, ethical decision-making.
Mentoring, inclusive environments, academic leadership.
Sacrifice, discipline, teamwork, mission-oriented leadership.
Service orientation, stakeholder engagement, community development.
Formulated for empirical testing via a proposed Dharmic Values-Based Leadership Scale (DVBLS) and structural equation modelling.
DVBL positively impacts employee trust through ethical governance, justice and accountability.
Employee trust positively influences psychological safety, enabling active, collaborative contribution.
Psychological safety positively impacts engagement and organisational commitment.
DVBL positively affects ethical organisational climate via justice, inclusivity and collective well-being.
Ethical organisational climate mediates the relationship between DVBL and sustainable performance.
DVBL positively impacts sustainable organisational performance through trust, commitment and stakeholder-based leadership.