Two Birds in a Tree Summary

“What would happen if businesses focused not on doing and earning, but on simply being?”

1. Business Requires a Connection with the Bigger Picture

Modern businesses often focus too much on doing and achieving, leaving little room to reflect on their connection to the world. Drawing inspiration from the Upanishads, Ram Nidumolu introduces the analogy of two birds in a tree. One bird, hopping on lower branches, represents the anxious ego; it is consumed by tasks and achievements. The higher bird, perched at the top, represents a calm, wise perspective that appreciates the interconnectedness of life.

The “lower bird” behavior in business leads to shortsighted decisions, such as prioritizing shareholder profits at the expense of the environment or community. Emphasizing immediate financial returns often blinds companies from understanding the long-term impacts of their actions. Stories like the financial crisis of 2008 exemplify how this disconnection from broader systems can result in devastating consequences.

Being-Centered leadership, an approach inspired by the higher bird, seeks to connect businesses with their environment and people. A prime example is Anita Roddick's leadership at The Body Shop, which combined social activism with profitability. Roddick worked alongside Amazonian tribes and environmental causes to honor the planet and people while creating a highly successful enterprise.

Examples

• The Body Shop's billion-dollar success, built on eco-friendly practices
• Short-sighted decision-making contributed to the 2008 financial meltdown
• The Upanishads' story of two birds guiding a shift in business perspective

2. Recognizing the Universal Essence of Life Can Shape Leadership

The book introduces the philosophical concept of Ātman, the universal essence of all living beings. By embracing this understanding, leaders can align their actions to a higher purpose. Nidumolu references the story of a boy and a glass of salted water, where the salt, though invisible, affects the water's flavor. Similarly, Ātman is present in all aspects of existence.

Business leaders can use the REAL road-map to climb from ego-driven actions (the lower bird) toward purpose-guided leadership (the higher bird). The steps include recognizing the higher bird, feeling connected to it, anchoring in higher purpose, and leading by example. This deeper awareness doesn’t reject ambition but transforms it, balancing being and doing.

This transformation can lead businesses to more meaningful goals. Consider a company whose primary objective isn’t merely producing goods but solving global challenges through its operations. The synergy of material results and purpose makes both outcomes more achievable.

Examples

• The concept of Ātman emphasizing connection beyond the individual
• Leaders following the REAL road-map to balance purpose and ambition
• Transforming ambition to drive both outcomes and meaning

3. Businesses Are Subsets of Larger Systems

Every business belongs to interconnected systems like the economy, humanity, and nature. These subsystems rely on one another for survival. For example, the economy depends on humans, and humans depend on nature. The Vedic concept of Dharma (balance) teaches that harmony within systems is essential for survival and progress.

Each system represents a form of capital—material, human, social, natural, and being capital. If any system collapses due to misuse, it jeopardizes the existence of all dependent systems. For example, an ecosystem’s destruction disrupts food and resource supply, which increases humanity’s suffering, ultimately destabilizing economies.

Being-Centered leaders have the responsibility to maintain balance within these systems. A successful application of this idea views businesses not as exploiters but stewards of resources. Leaders protect “the tree” (larger systems) to ensure its fruits (benefits) are sustainable for the lower birds’ desires.

Examples

• Nature as a foundation for humanity and business
• The destruction of ecosystems threatens human and economic stability
• Leaders maintaining system balances act as stewards for sustainability

4. Work as a Gateway to Meaningful Self-Discovery

Work isn’t just about tasks; it’s a platform for self-growth and connection to higher purpose. The lower bird in us often drives us toward achieving quotas or finishing projects. But through work, we can aspire to something larger—the higher bird's perspective that values purpose.

Fear and insecurity often distract leaders from the bigger picture. Nidumolu himself experienced this when his startup faced challenges, and he became consumed by planning for every possible scenario. Reconnecting with why he started the company gave him peace and provided a clearer vision.

By understanding one’s motivations and aligning work with higher goals, leaders can transform anxieties into a broader perspective. Higher Purpose is the antidote to moments of doubt and allows businesses to become vehicles of personal and global progress.

Examples

• Work environments like startups showing ambition’s transformative capacity
• Nidumolu's personal journey in overcoming fear through reconnection
• Discovering purpose within challenging work environments

5. Happy Employees Build Stronger Companies

Joy, as discovered in ancient philosophies, is foundational to human fulfillment—and business success. When employees are happy, a company reaps the rewards through increased loyalty, creativity, and long-term profitability. Businesses often focus solely on shareholders, but this narrow view neglects the dimensional value employees bring.

Southwest Airlines embraces joy in the workplace, and its CEO, Herb Kelleher, champions this culture by fostering fun interactions, even planning pranks. Meanwhile, employees return that positivity, engaging customers in lighter, memorable experiences. This strategy correlates directly with their unmatched profitability streak within the airline industry.

Similarly, companies that emphasize the well-being of customers and society resonate more deeply with them. The sustainable practices of Natura Cosméticos show how connecting with broader communities ensures profitability and brand loyalty.

Examples

• Southwest Airlines' fun, employee-driven work culture
• Employees ensuring ongoing profits through creativity and engagement
• Natura Cosméticos’ dedication to Amazonian tribes and environmental care

6. Ethics as a Foundation for Long-Term Profits

Ethical behavior in business isn’t just morally right—it creates tangible benefits. Companies focused on short-term gains often overlook how ethics build trust and long-term growth. Costco, for instance, prioritizes employees over quarterly shareholder profits by offering higher wages. This reduces turnover and enhances its bottom line.

The Tylenol Crisis shows the importance of prioritizing customer well-being. Despite losing millions in pulling tampered bottles off shelves, Johnson & Johnson regained trust through decisive action. Tylenol quickly regained market share thanks to these efforts.

When ethics guide business decisions, leaders lay a foundation for stability, prosperity, and trust over the long haul.

Examples

• Costco’s decision to pay employees better leading to long-term gains
• The Tylenol Crisis showing the value of making customer safety central
• Ethical companies experiencing reduced turnover and improved brand loyalty

7. Caring for the Environment Protects Future Success

The modern world often ignores environmental costs, operating as if resources are infinite. Businesses consume free goods like air, soil, and water without acknowledgment of their true value. This negligence threatens the ecosystems that make life and business possible.

Leading companies recognize their role in environmental stewardship. Eileen Fisher's fashion company, for instance, invests in durable, eco-friendly clothing and encourages resource-efficient consumer practices, such as cold washing garments. These initiatives reduce their carbon footprint while fostering a responsible brand image.

Gandhi’s commitment to minimalism demonstrates that businesses can strive to give back more than they take—a notion every long-term thinking business must adopt.

Examples

• Eileen Fisher designing clothes for fast fashion alternatives
• Sustainability reducing long-term costs for companies
• Climate damage forecasts showing the need for care

8. Inspirational Leaders Inspire Lasting Change

True leaders embody high values, steering their businesses toward a better world. Paul Polman of Unilever abandoned short-term financial reporting, focusing instead on long-term growth. His Sustainable Living Plan aimed to tackle environmental impacts and nourish trust.

Similarly, Warren Buffet—the “Sage of Omaha”—proves that long-term thinking pays off. His 587,000% growth over decades reflects principles grounded in patience, purpose, and practical action.

When leaders like Polman and Buffet align mission with success, their businesses thrive academically, financially, and ethically.

Examples

• Polman’s Sustainable Living Plan creating global trust for Unilever
• Warren Buffet as a humanist and long-term advocate
• Unilever’s growth while reducing environmental impact

9. Rituals Offer a Path to the Higher Reality

Rituals connect people to greater meaning. Whether celebrating small milestones or shared traditions, businesses can create rituals that embody their values. These rituals don’t just connect employees to the company’s mission but also to their own higher purpose.

For example, a daily wellness session that begins the workday instills focus and peace, as seen in Eileen Fisher’s company. Simple and regular rituals help connect businesses with their workers' inner lives and their outward impact.

Rituals foster continuity, identity, and purpose, making them tools for building lasting business communities.

Examples

• Eileen Fisher’s yoga and $1000 annual wellness perks for staff
• Creating consistency through traditions that develop identity
• Using rituals to reinforce values in businesses

Takeaways

1. Reframe business problems by connecting them to a higher purpose rooted in universal interconnectedness.
2. Prioritize ethics and joy in the workplace as tools for long-term profitability.
3. Incorporate environmental stewardship into daily operations to ensure sustainable growth.