There is this idea, fostered at our schools and colleges, that the more you learn the more successful you will be. And, almost inevitably, you end up with some people thinking that they are bound to fail if they do not know everything. As in, you got to be good at coding, at finance, at HR...you get the picture. Why, if they had a garden, they will feel a pressing need to be good at digging (AND not just holes for their competitors!)
Then there is this thing called 'Delegation'. Delegation is basically the idea that you do not need to do everything yourself. It is alright if you can shove it off on other people. But if you delve into people's ideas of delegation, you will get to a core belief that delegation means that you CAN do it yourself if you want to BUT you allow other people to do it while you concentrate on other things. In other words, if you tell them that it is alright not to KNOW how to do those things they'll probably balk. To not KNOW translates to not being in control of that area. When it comes to key areas, the feeling of not being in control is anathema.
Tiru, like a lot of philosophers (AND management experts, yes), does not think that this DIY style is a great idea. Here he says...
Aranarindhu mooththa arivudaiyaar kaenmai thiranarindhu thaerndhu kolal - Tirukkural
A good leader picks people of virtue and requisite wisdom and does what is needed to surround himself with them - Loose Translation
In the normal course, this idea of picking 'virtuous' people is taken as a sort of 'has to be said' thing which is not to be considered as binding. Not in this case. I mean, look, you are getting people to advice you on areas where you are not yourself knowledgeable. It is primarily their own integrity that will keep them from misguiding you. So, yes, here their virtue is an important prerequisite. (Read 'people of virtue' as 'trustworthy people' and you'll know what I mean.)
There is no need to belabor 'requisite wisdom'. Since Tiru was advising kings, he would be asking them to surround themselves with wise people to advise them. But, what would be the point in having people deeply versed in the knowledge of the naval matters in a completely landlocked kingdom? So, yes, the leader/king would pick people with 'requisite' wisdom only, unless he has need to accomodate the Queen's brother or his own nephews...in which case Tiru would pooh-pooh him as a bad king, anyway!
AND picking these people is not enough. You need to get them to work for you with a will. So, the leader has to get them to stay with him by understanding THEIR own needs and satisfying them. In other words, in HR parlance, the King/leader needs to understand the needs of these potential advisers and align them with the needs of his own kingdom/organisation.
Of course, Tiru's was not the time of management consultants who could be hired on a project specific basis. But whether you can rely exclusively on them or you need your own set of advisers to vet their recommendations...THAT is for you to decide!
