The Yamas, Ethical Principles in Relation to Others: Brahmacharya

Brahmacharya (Moderation)

Aphorism: Channel power with purpose, not ego.

HR Application: This is about ethical leadership and the restraint of power. Leaders who practice brahmacharya seek to empower others rather than dominate. In HR, it invites us to create systems where authority is used to uplift, not suppress, employee voice, innovation, and autonomy.

Brahmacharya isn’t about withholding power; it’s about aiming it. When leaders are disciplined with exercising their authority, people move faster, speak more freely, and own more outcomes. Pair it with Satya (clarity) and Ahimsa (non-harm), and you’ve got a culture where power uplifts rather than consumes.

The point here is that restraint should be a regular practice. Leaders should ask themselves, “where can I pull back and let others take the lead?”. Our Western culture is full of overindulgence; and while work is not something we consider as something that can be overindulged, it can. On that note, leadership is also something that can be overindulged. Leaders can be caught up in self-importance, or caught up in micro-management. Restraint and moderation are important yet often overlooked aspects of leadership.

Considering moderation and restraint; another point to consider is, are you inviting dissent? Do you enable others to speak up and say what might go wrong or that outcomes may not be what are actually needed? Can you hold back and allow others time to speak and shine?

Considering brahmacharya, what does a self-audit for leaders look like? How can you reflect on how you either elevate or suppress others? Oftentimes this can be something that goes without notice. So take the below points and reflect:

• Where did I decline to decide and empower others instead?
• Which dissent or criticism changed my mind, and what did I learn?
• What data did I choose not to collect or view (think restraint of micro-manager tendencies), and why?
• Whose voice increased, whose decreased, and what will I adjust next to allow everyone the space to have a voice?

Brahmacharya is disciplined power in service of shared outcomes. The point is to find the Goldilocks spot of “just right”. The point of this is to find harmony not just in yourself but also foster harmony with others. Add Asteya (don’t steal) to not steal opportunity from others, Satya (truthfulness) to make the path unmistakably clear, and Ahimsa (non-harming) to keep dignity intact. Do this consistently, and you’ll feel the culture shift: faster progress, braver ideas, and teams that own the result; because power was aimed where it mattered most.