Resilience in Adversity

The bustling newsroom of a prominent TV broadcast media house. Vikram, the seasoned Chief News Editor, is mentoring Veda, a young and ambitious journalist, during a break in their hectic schedule. Sowndarawali, a sharp-witted intern, occasionally chimes in with her practical perspective. The trio discusses resilience in adversity, drawing from the Bhagavad Gita, with a focus on its application to corporate governance in their high-pressure media environment.

Veda: Vikram, you’ve seen this newsroom weather all kinds of crazy—uproars, angry mobs online, chaos behind the scenes. How do you keep your head straight and not turn into some jaded cynic? Oh, and you’ve dropped the Bhagavad Gita in conversation before. Is there, like, a go-to verse that helps you get through the madness?

Vikram: Honestly, Veda, the Gita is like my spiritual pocketknife—always comes in handy when things get wild around here. There’s this one line I always come back to, Chapter 2, Verse 14 :

मात्रास्पर्शास्तु कौन्तेय शीतोष्णसुखदुःखदाः।

आगमापायिनोऽनित्यास्तांस्तितिक्षस्व भारत॥

Transliteration

Mātrā-sparśās tu kaunteya śītoṣṇa-sukha-duḥkha-dāḥ  

Āgamāpāyino’nityās tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata

Translation

Basically, Krishna tells Arjuna, “Hey, the stuff you feel—whether it’s a win, a loss, getting roasted, or getting praised—it all just comes and goes. None of it sticks around forever, so grit your teeth and hang on.” 

So yeah, that’s my north star. Don’t get too pumped when things go right, don’t drown when things go sideways. Just keep showing up and doing what’s right, even if everyone’s losing their minds. If the Gita had emojis, it’d be 💪😎.

Veda: That’s deep and all, but honestly—how does any of that help us in the newsroom? We’re always putting out fires. Deadlines are insane, ratings matter, and don’t even get me started on ethical landmines. How are we supposed to keep it together, not sell out, and still keep our sanity?

Vikram: Alright, let’s not get all mystical. Krishna tells Arjuna to keep his cool, basically—don’t lose your head when stuff hits the fan. Swap the battlefield for our newsroom: we’re dodging scandals, advertisers breathing down our necks, social media mobs waiting to pounce. Resilience here? It’s not about being robots but about not panicking or ditching our ethics for a quick win. Remember when we did that political corruption story last year? The threats, the calls to “tone it down”—loads of pressure. But we double-checked every fact, protected our sources, and didn’t cave. That right there? That’s what Krishna’s talking about—taking the heat, not losing your soul.

Sowndarawali (butting in): Wait, can I dumb this down? Like, my college group project totally fell apart when the leader got sick. Everyone freaked out, but I was like, “Guys, let’s just do what we can. Split the work, stick to deadlines.” Sure, we didn’t ace it, but we didn’t cheat or throw anyone under the bus either. Isn’t that what Krishna means? Keep your head, do what’s right, even if it sucks?

Vikram: Nailed it, Sowndarawali! That’s the whole deal. Krishna’s not about winning at all costs—he’s about doing the work right, no matter the result. In the business world, the same thing—leaders who actually care about trust, not just next quarter’s numbers. For us? It’s about reporting what’s true, not just what’ll get clicks. Even if people get mad.

Veda: Okay, but real talk—how do we get ready for the next disaster? What can we actually do, mindset-wise, system-wise, so we’re not just scrambling every time?

Vikram: Krishna’s big on inner strength and not getting hung up on stuff you can’t control. So, for us, it’s a bit of both: solid systems and tough minds. We’ve got checks—editorial policies, fact-checking, lawyers on speed dial—so we don’t get blindsided. But it’s also about attitude. We make sure the team knows how to stay chill under pressure, keep asking the hard questions, don’t ditch your values just because it’s messy. Like when that huge advertiser threatened to bail over a story—we had a plan. We spread out our revenue so nobody could hold us hostage, and we didn’t back down. That’s what resilience looks like: being ready for chaos, but not letting it turn you into someone you’re not.

Sowndarawali: Oh man, this totally reminds me of work. At my internship, whenever there’s a massive story brewing, they bust out this whole “war room” thing—editors, reporters, legal folks, all crammed in together, plotting like it’s D-Day. It’s honestly kind of intense. We try to predict every possible disaster—lawsuits, angry mobs on Twitter, whatever—and map out a battle plan. Isn’t that basically what Krishna’s getting at? Be prepped for chaos, but don’t let the jitters call the shots.

Vikram: Nailed it, Sowndarawali. That “war room” is basically our way of not getting blindsided. Krishna says “endure,” but he’s not talking about rolling over and playing dead. He means, like, face the music with a clear head. Same deal in corporate boardrooms. You’ve got to see the train coming—financial crashes, PR fires, you name it—and have a backup plan ready. The war room’s our way of staying one step ahead but not selling out our ethics in the process.

Veda: Wait, quick question, Vikram. How do you actually get people to trust you—like viewers, advertisers, or even your own crew—when everything’s going off the rails?

Vikram: That’s where Krishna’s “keep your chill” advice really lands. People trust leaders who don’t lose their cool and who don’t BS them. Remember last year when we got slammed with that fake news thing? We didn’t run and hide. We straight-up laid out our fact-checking, let people poke holes in it, and fessed up to the tiny slip-ups. Guess what? That honesty actually made folks trust us more—viewers stuck around, advertisers didn’t bail. Like Krishna says, don’t let the haters knock you off your game; stick to your job. For boards, it’s all about clear talk, solid ethics, and proving you’re not just chasing headlines, you’re in it for the long haul.

Sowndarawali: Oh, I totally see it now! Kinda like when my mom’s shop got wrecked by supply chain drama. She didn’t freak out; she just told her customers what was up, tossed in some discounts, and busted her butt to fix it. People kept coming back because she was straight with them. So, it’s about showing you’re unshakable even when the walls are wobbling?

Vikram: Exactly. Honesty and grit—they’re like peanut butter and jelly, you need both. Krishna’s whole point is to face the mess with guts and stick to your values, because what’s happening now is just a blip. In the newsroom, we keep people’s trust by not flaking when it gets ugly, prepping for the worst, and keeping it real. That’s what builds loyalty—whether it’s with viewers or your own folks.

Veda: Oh wow, that actually clicks. The Gita just…hits different—even when we’re drowning in deadlines and coffee stains over here. Big thanks, Vikram! And Sowndarawali, your examples? Chef’s kiss. Seriously.

Sowndarawali: Glad I could help! Let me leave you with this: “Resilience isn’t about dodging the storm; it’s about dancing in the rain while holding your umbrella of values high.”