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A word about the book on Leadership

Posted in Management Lessons, tagged , , , , on February 10, 2019| Leave a Comment »

 

You are a leader in any realm of human endeavour, whether managerial, social, political or cultural. You could be an entrepreneur, an institution builder, a Chief Executive Officer, a policy maker or a related functionary, either in the private sector, or in the public sector. You could be serving as a senior officer in a government department. You could even be heading the operations at a non-governmental organization.

You are perceived to be a successful leader. However, somewhere deep within, you carry within you a sense of creative dissatisfaction; a yearning to discover a practical way to transport yourself, your team and your organization into a happier and contented frame of mind. You are keen on going beyond your own professional and personal interests and in getting involved in humanizing your organization.

If so, this book could prove to be a game changer in more ways than one. It makes you see the world around you in a new light, without the filters of your preconceived notions. By making you aware of the kind of mindsets which affect your decision making, it offers a new lens with which you can view the phenomenon we call leadership.  The book then goes on to capture the results of an empirical study done by the author, thereby demonstrating the practical wisdom of what it proposes. Eventually, it offers you a practical guide as to how to go about implementing the changes you wish to make, so as to become a happier and a contented leader.

This book is not about a new leadership theory which might leave you fuming after discovering that it merely offers the proverbial old wine in a new bottle. It provides a fresh perspective on leadership. The perspective it presents has already been tried and tested in real time. Much along the lines of the famous Hawthorne studies of the 1920s, the approach to leadership is being rolled out in a corporate entity in India even as you go through the book in your hands.

The book also presents divergent perspectives on the subject of leadership from different subject experts, touching upon globalization and a bird’s eye view of different theories of leadership through the recent history of management thought. There is an attempt to understand leadership through the basic tenets of Buddhism. It also endeavours to connect the key teachings of Raman Maharishi to the realm of leadership.

The Soul of the Book and Some Crystal Gazing

The soul of the book, however, lies in its unique approach of SPANDAN, or human vibrations. Around the nucleus of this concept, it builds a mighty edifice of propositions which offer the potential of making you a more effective leader.

In the times to come, just how serious would be the threat to human supremacy from machines? In our age of Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, Machine Learning, Algorithm Analytics and Internet of Things, just how relevant would this new approach to leadership be?

The book proposes that in the impending man–machine conflict, human beings are not likely to suffer the same fate as that of the non-avian dinosaurs which went extinct some sixty-five million years ago. But the writing on the wall is clear. They need to roll up their sleeves and get down to the task of sharpening their soft skills. A humane approach to handling team members needs to be consciously developed.

Transforming Yourself and Others

To sum up, the book, through theoretical propositions and empirical evidence, presents a new way to look at the kind of a leader you could aspire to be, and the potential you have to grow further, making you a happier and contented person, exuding warmth and positivity to those whom you happen to lead.

It provides a fresh perspective which is not likely to lose its relevance in a future replete with technological advancements, environmental challenges and more potent uncertainties which leaders in any field of human endeavour would face in the decades to come.

Chapter-end Tasks on Introspection, Interaction and Initiation (3 Is)

To facilitate your learning process, the author has selected some themes and some quotes from mentors of repute. These are designed to enable you to Introspect at the individual level and also to Interact with others at a small group level. These could also motivate you to Initiate suitable steps at the collective/large group level, so members of your organisation could empower themselves and become more productive and responsible citizens over a period of time.

You will come across these suggestions at the end of some of the chapters. You can develop these themes further and convey the same to key individuals, small groups and large groups, in any form of communication – written, verbal, a group presentation and even a panel discussion. A final report based on collective feedback could assist you in measuring the effectiveness of this approach.

 

 

 

 

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A brand new way of increasing Leadership Effectiveness

Posted in Management Lessons, tagged , , , , , on February 4, 2019| Leave a Comment »

 

The importance of human values in our lives – whether personal or professional – can never be overestimated. In a book about to hit the market, the author, Professor G P Rao, builds upon his considered belief that managements which choose to ignore this crucial aspect in their decision-making do so at their own risk and peril. Their market valuations take a hit. Their brand image gets dented. They fail to take a long-term view of things. Instead, they end up window dressing the key performance parameters till the time the proverbial bubble bursts. They simply live from one quarter to the next, focusing on immediate deliverables.

In the upcoming book, the author not only proposes a theoretical construct of Leader Mindsets but also takes you through the steps involved in practising the same. Whether by way of an empirical study or by the means of a practical roll-out of the Spandan approach in an organization, results have been gratifying, establishing the value of the ‘I Am Something’ mindset towards the goals of organizations.

As humanity cruises along and takes off on the path of an exponential growth in technology, the need for a Spandan kind of approach would come into a sharper focus. Human values alone have the potential of acting as a rudder, keeping the trajectory of our evolutionary path on the right track. Leaders of tomorrow would find better satisfaction and happiness by adopting the ‘I Am Something’ mindset. So would their team members, were the leader to decide to facilitate their developing along similar lines. A spread across organizations and then across societies would be a logical corollary.

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Meeting the challenges of Industrial Revolution 4.0

Posted in Management Lessons, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on November 19, 2018| Leave a Comment »

(The following is an abridged and modified excerpt from the book ‘I Am Something: Developing a New Leader Mindset’, authored by Prof G P Rao, founder of SPANDAN, yours truly and others.)

Advances in technology inevitably lead to more efficiencies, better products and improved lifestyles for people. But each leap of faith into the domain of a newer technology brings with it a set of newer challenges for mankind. As machines increasingly take over the drudgery of repetitive tasks and become more intelligent, human beings invariably need to re-skill themselves. This applies to business leaders as well as their followers.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution in the offing now builds on the Digital Revolution, representing new ways in which technology becomes embedded within societies and even the human body.

Skill-sets of the future

As per a World Economic Forum document titled ‘Future of Jobs Report’, employers are said to anticipate a significant shift in the division of labour between humans, machines and algorithms for the tasks of today.

The aforesaid report states that of the total task hours across the industries covered, on an average, 71% are currently performed by humans, whereas 29% are performed by machines or algorithms. By 2022, this average is expected to have shifted to 58% task hours performed by humans, and 42% by machines or algorithms. It can be readily appreciated that this signifies a very rapid pace of change, something for which leaders need to be better prepared.

The report goes on to project that skills related to analytical thinking, active learning, technology design and technology competency would grow in prominence. It also proposes that such ‘human’ skills as creativity, originality and initiative, critical thinking, persuasion and negotiation will either retain or increase their value, as will attention to detail, resilience, flexibility and complex problem-solving.

It follows that in the impending man-machine conflict, human beings are not likely to suffer the same fate as that of the non-avian dinosaurs which went extinct some sixty-five million years ago. But the writing on the wall is clear. They need to roll up their sleeves and get down to the task of sharpening their soft skills. A humane approach to handling team members needs to be consciously developed, especially when operating in a business environment characterized by a shortage of skilled workers. In turn, this would pre-suppose a higher Emotional Quotient and better service orientation. Even as the reliance on artificial intelligence grows for the analytical part of decision making, the role of intuition would become even more crucial.

A focus on the bottom line

Most employers would go in for innovating through technology if it makes business sense. It follows that technology would continue to remain a tool in the arsenal of the corporate world to squeeze more profits out of their operations, thereby making careers more fragile and impacting labour incomes adversely. With 24×7 connectivity, people are already working longer and enjoying lesser leisure time.

In a scenario of this kind, there is a grave risk that leaders would end up losing a connection with themselves even more than at present and hence end up de-humanizing the work place.

However, values remain indestructible. As an example, honesty and truthfulness in relationships is something which is bound to withstand the onslaught of newer technologies in the centuries to come. Same is the case with empathy, compassion, resilience and a flexible approach in problem solving.

Perhaps there is a need for governments the world over to anticipate newer moral and ethical dilemmas in a proactive manner and influence technological developments suitably, so human dignity and freedom is not compromised.

The perks and the perils

One may also surmise as to how the imminent advances in technology could throw up positive as well as negative factors which are likely to impact the man-machine equation in the times to come.

According to a 2014 report entitled ‘AI, Robotics, and the Future of Jobs’, published by Pew Research Centre, researchers Aaron Smith and Janna Anderson went to the extent of seeking feedback from as many as 1,896 experts. They found that when it came to the impact of advances in technology upon economic opportunity and employment, the opinion was deeply divided.

The optimists opined that technology would free us from day-to-day drudgery and end up redefining our relationship with ‘work’ in a more positive and socially beneficial manner. They felt that we shall adapt to these changes by inventing entirely new types of work and control our own destiny through the choices we make.

The pessimists amongst those who participated in the aforesaid study were of the opinion that the coming wave of innovation would mostly impact those involved in white-collar work. Whereas highly skilled workers will do better, many more might get pushed into lower paying jobs, and might even face permanent unemployment. They also felt that our educational, political and economic institutions are poorly equipped to handle the challenges which are likely to come up.

The aforesaid piece of research throws up instructive insights into how the future might shape up. Leaders and managers really need to think up some innovative ways in which they would handle a highly polarized workforce, comprising a disgruntled lot at one end and a highly skilled one at the other.

The challenge of creating happier workplaces

Unlike the earlier industrial revolutions, which first created and then changed the skill sets required by our blue collar workforce, the Fourth one promises to change the work profile of our white collar workers.

In his book, The Fourth Industrial Revolution, Professor Klaus Schwab, founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, describes how this fourth revolution is fundamentally different from the previous three, which were characterized mainly by advances in technology. According to him, these technologies have great potential to continue to connect billions of more people to the web, drastically improve the efficiency of business and organizations and help regenerate the natural environment through better asset management.

As we grapple to understand the future direction of monumental changes in our socio-economic fabric owing to the next phase of technological evolution, few things stand clear.

One, that our educational institutions are nowhere near the task of training a workforce which would not learn analytical skills by rote but would grasp the importance of creativity, resilience and improve upon their Emotional Quotient.

Two, most of our governments are yet to devise ways and means of regulating issues of protecting individual privacy, executive burnouts arising out of a 24×7 connectivity and heightened civic strife due to growing inequalities. The next phase is bound to create a newer class of elite – those who are adept at newer technologies, leaving far behind those who are not.

Those in the first category could end up believing that they are all too powerful. Those who remain blissfully ignorant and continue to be disconnected to those who are reaping the benefits of newer technologies are likely to gravitate towards a belief that they have no place in the knowledge universe. With poor resources of material as well legal kind at their command, these new ‘have-nots’ of the society may be doomed to languish for a long time, till the governments of the day intervene, willfully or otherwise, and ensure implementation of economic policies which are more inclusive in nature.

The third kind, comprising those left in the middle of the normal distribution curve of technology dispersal, could end up having a balanced approach to issues. In fact, with advances in technology, this kind could well face a higher risk of extinction, paving the way for those who believe themselves to be all too powerful to rule the roost.

The same pattern may become apparent in the realm of management as well. Leaders and executives would need to increase their engagement not only with the society at large, but also with the governments of the day. A massive effort at re-skilling personnel would become a necessity.

A matter of trust and privacy

Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy happens to be of the view that technology is a great leveller. He thinks that technology has improved transparency, conquered distance and class barriers. Also, that it has the potential to create a fair society and enhance the accountability of the rich, the powerful and the elite to the poor and disenfranchised in all societies.

One cannot dispute this. However, concerns regarding an increasing trust deficit remain. Denizens of many countries are feeling increasingly jittery over instances of data privacy. Moral policing, electoral pitching, rumour mongering – all these are fuelling this trust deficit.

One case in point is that of Facebook which is already armed with tools to dig deep into our lives, with the singular aim of moulding our thoughts and opinions about diverse aspects of our lives.

Employees in most organizations already resent living in a virtual fish bowl, where all their communications are suspected to be getting monitored. No one likes to be micro-managed, especially those who are capable and self-confident. Business enterprises have already started deploying tools to monitor employee productivity by collecting and analyzing their activity and inactivity levels.

In the long run, a work environment of this nature would end up impacting productivity, commitment and motivation levels adversely.

(Since 2020, the coronavirus has brought into focus the perils of techno-capitalism, dividing the society into those who can readily access technology and those who cannot. In an emerging economy like that of India, many school students have been left out of the formal learning loop because of their not having been able to access online classes. Rather than technology proving to be a leveller, it has instead proved itself to be a disruptor. Work-from-home has brought in behavioural changes amongst the knowledge workers, whereas migrant labourers have suffered from the trauma of displacement and loss of earnings.) 

The ever-increasing rate of change

One thing is certain. Change is not only a constant. With each passing year, the rate of change is also increasing. Much like Alice in Wonderland, Homo sapiens are discovering that they need to keep running faster and faster, with nary a respite in sight. Mankind is bound to evolve further much earlier than what was believed in the past. Alvin Toffler would perhaps heartily approve of this proposition.

Unlike thought so far, the man machine relationship shall become more integrated with each other in the near future. As a result, the combined force of processing of billions of data points for efficient decision making by machines, and contextual, emotional and intuitive aspects of decision making by human beings, would be, to that extent, higher and greater in their respective impacts – for good or bad.

What can be done to meet the challenge

– Employees, whether present or potential, can go beyond the formal education system and aggressively look for avenues to hone their skills, so as to remain employable. As Stephen R Covey has said, we need to keep our saws sharpened.

– Same applies to our business leaders, who would do well to improve upon their Emotional Quotient.

– The agenda for educationists and politicians is clear: To keep taking steps to facilitate the change already upon us; to anticipate the challenges of privacy and rumour mongering and to intervene to have appropriate safeguards embedded in upcoming technologies.

(References:
https://www.weforum.org/reports/the-future-of-jobs-report-2018
“Future of Jobs.” Pew Research Center, Washington, D.C. (December 11, 2014);
http://www.pewinternet.org/2014/08/06/future-of-jobs)

(Illustrations courtesy www)

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Spirituality in Management: A paradigm shift in Ethics, Values and Corporate Governance

Posted in Management Lessons, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on March 30, 2018| 2 Comments »

Preamble

Hassled CEOs have no other option but to keep issuing guidelines from one quarter to the next without fail. Much in tandem, every quarter, a new corporate scam hits the headlines. The precise regularity with which skeletons keep tumbling out of corporate closets at frequent intervals would put the atomic clocks on our planet to shame.

When it comes to perpetrating a fraud on unsuspecting stakeholders, human ingenuity has never been found wanting. If America had Enron and Lehman Brothers, UK had Barclays. If Norway had Nortel, Portugal had Banco Espirito Santo. If Switzerland had UBS, Germany had Volkswagen. India has had Satyam and Punjab National Bank. She has also earned the dubious distinction of improving upon its Ease of Emigration rank for defaulting high net worth individuals in the recent past.

No industry could lay a specific claim on such man-made disasters. Be it banking, insurance, mining, automobiles, liquor, energy, commodities, IT or real estate, all have set examples of devious plans to deceive their stakeholders, whether of the gullible kind or the colluding kind.

Human greed and avarice are obviously the root cause. The sheer pleasure derived by a minority in making some extra gains at the cost of a silent majority apparently has a sense of gratification which surpasses all else.

A business environment of this nature needs leaders and managers who have nerves of chilled steel and a disposition backed by a high degree of inner resilience. A deep commitment to values and ethics in business. A premium on fairness and transparency in all kinds of deals. A long-term view of sustainable success, as opposed to a fly-by-night approach to decision-making. A constant connection with one’s inner self. In short, they need to have a high Spiritual Quotient.

A two-day workshop at Pondicherry University

The Department of Management Studies of Pondicherry University, in collaboration with Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR), recently conducted a two-day workshop, highlighting the manner in which aspiring managers can work on an inner transformation and achieve unparalleled satisfaction and growth in their careers, whether as professionals or as individuals.

In his keynote address, Dr Ananda Reddy, Director, SACAR, highlighted the challenge the leaders and managers of today face: that of following values and ethics in business, of imbibing the principles of corporate governance in their decision-making, and the need for being aware of the potential of spiritual consciousness as a solution to the problems they face.

Organizations are made up of human beings. Thus, the mantle of transforming corporates falls squarely on the young and strong shoulders of individual leaders and managers. This alone can lead to a meaningful evolution in the manner in which organizations function. By being an important part of society at large, such organizations set high standards and spearhead social evolution.

The need of the day is to view the management process through a new lens – that of the Four Pillars of Harmony, Strength, Perfection and Wisdom. This new paradigm of Management goes beyond the self-centred ‘I and Me’ approach of Western models. Rather, it focuses on the overall good, espousing a ‘We and Us’ approach, which is more holistic in nature. This new paradigm is based on ancient Indian wisdom and can help leaders and managers to deal with corporate affairs more effectively and efficiently.

The new paradigm of Integral Management

Yours truly provided to the participants an overview of the Four Pillars of Integral Management, backed by real life examples from the business world.

The challenges of maintaining Harmony were brought up, as also the need for a higher Spiritual Quotient. Use of planned disharmony in the market place, as evidenced by the disruptive entry of Reliance Jio in the telecom sector and that of Patanjali in the FMCG sector, was mentioned.

The need to deploy Strength for the overall good was substantiated by the case of Tata Trusts. The abuse of corporate muscle power was brought out by quoting the case of Erin Brockovich, who spearheaded the campaign to secure substantial relief for those who suffered at the hands of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company of California in 1993.

The development of hybrid cars and several product recalls were cited as examples of dynamic Wisdom in company’s policies. The need to build brand equity was discussed, so was the role of intuition in decision-making. The story of how the Indian Institute of Science at Bangalore came up based on the singular initiative of Sir Jamsetji Tata (1839-1904) was narrated.

Participants were exhorted to give up the culture of mediocrity and strive for Perfection in all their actions. Example of Apple products and Rolls Royce cars were cited.

Harmony and Collaboration

Professor Kisholoy Gupta, an accomplished international trainer in Management Sciences, based in Bangalore, invited the participants to play some games to demonstrate the role and importance of Harmony and to experience a freedom of expression, so one could feel free and happy, and therefore, work more productively.

Ms Padma Asokan, who manages Omeon Solutions, a global software company in Chennai, explained the need and mechanics of achieving Harmony in organizations.

The core of any organization being love and harmony, managers can improve their contribution by achieving a balance between their inner and outer selves.

Managements need to enable harmony at different levels. At the infrastructure level, care needs to be taken of tools, office layouts, work station design, and rest and recuperation facilities. The top person is the DNA of the company’s culture and thereby enables organizational harmony. Operational harmony is achieved through teams which aim to achieve success in whatever they choose to do. Smooth communication, whether vertical or horizontal, ensures better harmony across an organization. Treating employees with respect and dignity and innovative HR policies ensure a high degree of motivation at all levels.

Order and cleanliness attract all stakeholders to a business. Waste reduction, productivity improvement and minimal friction are the key benefits one derives.

The highest form of harmony results from conflict resolution of values across individuals, departments and profit centers. Managements keen to achieve a state of sustainable corporate harmony counsel their employees to cleanse their minds of such negative emotions as anger, hatred, passion, lust, delusion and pride.

The Strength of Self-belief

Professor Kisholoy Gupta conducted some practical exercises to make the participants aware of the importance of the Strength of being impartial and objective and “stepping-back” before taking any decision.

Mr Ganesh Babu, a strategic thinker and a coach extraordinaire based at Pondicherry, touched upon the importance of self perception, self-control and a belief in one’s own abilities. By quoting examples of several spiritual stalwarts in the fields of business as well as in spirituality, he demonstrated that it was their belief in themselves and their unique capabilities that led them to scale great heights and become the leading lights of humanity, inspiring one and all.

An individual manager’s values and beliefs shape his attitude. These, in turn, determine his feelings and behaviour, making him what he is. The power that he exercises is often derived from his beliefs. By reviewing one’s belief systems, one can enjoy greater power over one’s actions and circumstances, thereby enhancing one’s efficiency and effectiveness.

A manager can increase his Strength manifold by:

-Basing his decisions on empathy and respect towards others;

-Refusing to accept anything below standard, treating all tasks as Divine work and, thus, striving for perfection;

-Dealing with Materialistic Resources in a firm and polite manner.

Perfection in Management

Professor Kisholoy Gupta conducted a series of practical exercises of making quality products, thereby driving home the relevance of Perfection in management.

Dr Sridarshan Kaundinya, having had cross-functional experience in such companies as GE, Indus and TCS, and presently based in Bangalore, explained the manner in which Perfection gets practiced in the industry. The need to go for quality levels far beyond Six Sigma, like in aircraft engines where a failure could directly lead to loss of precious human lives, was touched upon.

Perfection is not only about having an intuitive power to accuracy but also about an unfailing attitude of fulfilling commitment, of being unscrupulous, unsleeping, indefatigable, and touching every detail, and of organizational execution and achieving an unfailing exactitude of result.

The Power of Wisdom in Values

By way of a warm-up exercise on Wisdom, participants were invited to describe the lines along which the city of Pondicherry should develop in another decade or so. Brighter minds at the workshop came up with some lofty and pragmatic goals for the city planners and administrators.

Dr Narendra Joshi, an eminent educationist from Mumbai, who has also worked on the interface between Artificial Intelligence and Spirituality, described Wisdom as comprising vision, wideness of understanding, and as a result, an endless compassion and patience for the time needed to effectuate and implement the intention of the Supreme in the manifestation.

He stated that it is not uncertainty alone that has paralyzed CEOs today. Many find it difficult to reinvent their corporations rapidly enough to cope with new technologies, demographic shifts, and consumption trends. They’re unable to develop truly global organizations that can operate effortlessly across borders. Above all, leaders find it tough to ensure that their people adhere to values and ethics.

The prevailing principles in business make employees ask, “What’s in it for me?” Missing are those that would make them think, “What’s good, right, and just for everyone?”

Practical wisdom, according to several studies, is experiential knowledge that enables people to make ethically sound judgements. It is similar to the Japanese concept of Toku—a virtue that leads a person to pursue the common good and moral excellence as a way of life. It is also akin to the Indian concept of Yukta, which connotes “just right” or “appropriate.”

One way of describing Wisdom is to have the ability to see the trees and the forest at the same time. With meditation and an inner connection with oneself, this can be cultivated.

Going beyond CSR

Mr. N Harihara Subramanian, a passionate Social Worker involving and supporting many Projects and a founder and promoter of the Indian Institute of Governance (IIG), Chennai, delivered the Valedictory Address.

He exhorted the participants to propel their organisations beyond traditional norms of Corporate Social Responsibility, and work for the overall benefit of the communities surrounding them.

Proceedings summarized

Dr Ananda Reddy, Director, SACAR, summed up the proceedings of the workshop. He reiterated the need to train young managers not only based on the Western models of management, but also to draw deeply from the wisdom contained in Indian scriptures. This alone could lead to businesses which work for the overall good of the society.

Workshop Design, Execution and Coordination

The workshop was designed to develop the inner capabilities of students as future managers in terms of the aforesaid Four Pillars of Harmony, Strength, Wisdom and Perfection.

The event was chaired by Dr. G. Anjaneyaswamy, Professor and Dean, School of Management, Pondicherry University. In his concluding remarks, he appreciated the unique contents of the workshop and expressed a hope that the Department of Management Studies may like to have the same incorporated into the formal syllabus of a regular MBA course at Pondicherry University.

The Inaugural Session was chaired by Professor K C S Rao, Head, Department of Banking Technology, School of Management, Pondicherry University.

The Convener of the workshop was Dr. R. Chitra Sivasubramanian, Professor & Head, Department of Management Studies (DMS), Pondicherry University.

The entire event was coordinated by Dr. B. Rajeswari, Assistant Professor, and Dr. R. Venkatesakumar, Assiociate Professor, DMS, School of Management, Pondicherry University. Dr Shruti Bidwaikar was the main coordinator from Sri Aurobindo Centre for Advanced Research (SACAR), Pondicherry.

The Road Ahead

Businesses with a futuristic vision need managers who are not only tech-savvy but also situation-savvy, adept at handling stressful challenges with ease and aplomb.

SACAR is open to the prospect of conducting similar workshops in commercial organizations as also at management institutes of repute, whether for the students or for the faculty.

For institutes interested in incorporating the content in their regular management courses, a draft syllabus has also been prepared under the guidance of Professor G P Rao, who, after retiring from Madurai Kamaraj University in 1997, has devoted himself to the mission of spreading human values in organizations, through his NGO, SPANDAN.

(Related Posts:

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/spirituality-in-management

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/managerial-perfection-notes-from-a-seminar-at-pondicherry-india

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/harmony-in-management-a-seminar-at-pondicherry-india

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2016/08/30/power-in-management-a-seminar-at-puducherry-india

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2017/04/04/the-element-of-wisdom-in-management-a-seminar-at-pondicherry)

 

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The element of Wisdom in Management: A seminar at Pondicherry

Posted in Management Lessons, tagged , , , , , , on April 4, 2017| Leave a Comment »

When it comes to achieving the heights of Corporate Excellence, the element of Wisdom plays a crucial role. Look at any organization which enjoys a strong brand equity and one is apt to discover the wiser ways in which it conducts its operations. Its initiatives lead to a sustainable growth of the business, giving back to society in ways which are imaginative as well as pragmatic. The common thread running through all such initiatives is that of the element of Wisdom, one of the four pillars of Integral Management, the three other pillars being Perfection, Harmony and Strength/Power.

Sri Aurobindo Center for Advanced Research (SACAR) recently organized a one day seminar on the topic of ‘The Element of Wisdom in Management’. The event was a part of a series of seminars organized by SACAR over the past two years as a part of its endeavour to explore the relevance of some key spiritual tenets to the realm of management.

Wisdom in Organizations

A talk by yours truly covered the diverse ways in which Wisdom manifests itself in strategic as well as in tactical decision-making by organizations. It quoted real life examples of business houses using Wisdom in such managerial functions as Marketing, Finance, HR, and the like. Business houses like Tatas, Nestle India, HCL, Infosys and Wipro were covered.

Wisdom in managing People and Production

Mr. K. Nagaraja Kumar, Head-Marketing, L&T Corporate Technical, Chennai, explained the elements of Wisdom which can come in handy to managers responsible for handling people and production. With the help of light-hearted illustrations, he conveyed some profound messages to the participants. He presented a case study wherein a detailed road map was used to turn around the fortunes of an ailing manufacturing unit by engaging meaningfully with relevant stakeholders.

Balancing Intelligence and Intuition

Dr. Narendra Joshi, Principal, Agnel Technical College, Mumbai, highlighted the necessity of balancing intelligence and intuition in the realm of Product Life Cycle Management. He cited the examples of companies like Sony, Xerox, Matsushita and Nestle which introduced innovative products which were much ahead of their times. Analytical tools like Teboul’s model, Kano’s model and the Fritz approach were quoted by him. So was the necessity for a quiet mind for reaping the benefits of one’s intuitive powers.

The Age of the Spiritual Manager

Dr Ananda Reddy, Director, SACAR, spoke of the fact that Wisdom is far above and beyond the realm of the thinking mind. It is about understanding and effectively using the underlying algorithms which open up the vast vistas of miraculous knowledge and infinite possibilities for managements to decide long-term business strategies and frame policies which ensure profitable as well as sustainable operations. He shared his perception that the age of the Spiritual Manager is already upon us and management professionals would do well to equip themselves with spiritual tools to succeed in their career and life objectives.

The Wisdom of Human Values

Prof G P Rao, a doyen in the field of management education, spoke of SPANDAN, a NGO founded by him, which espouses the Wisdom of running business enterprises based on human values and ethics.

Empirical evidence of Integral Management

Prof Kisholoy Gupta, Acharya Institute of Business Management, Bangalore, presented the empirical results of an insightful study done by him to gauge the perception and reality of the Four Pillars of Integral Management – Perfection, Harmony, Strength and Wisdom – by practicing HR seniors in the Indian industry. The results showed that there is already some awareness of the constituents of Integral Management, though the nomenclature arouses a curiosity and a desire amongst management practitioners to understand and adopt this new paradigm in their day-to-day working.

Wisdom at the personal level

What does Wisdom mean to a practicing manager? Mr Ganesh Babu, Founder & CEO, Winning Minds Solutions, Puducherry, came up with a heart-warming presentation on the dimensions and utility of Wisdom in the mundane life of a working manager. The talk explored different dimensions of Wisdom in all spheres of one’s life – professional, social as well as personal.

Leaders with equanimity

Dr. Debabrata Sahani, Surgeon, Optholmologist, Bhuvaneshwar, touched upon the importance of an inner connection for business leaders. Wise are those who enjoy a tranquility and calmness within themselves. Their decision-making is based on balanced, well-considered and holistic view of the facts of the case. They do not manage crises in business with knee-jerk reactions. They deal with people according to their nature and with occurrences in the business environment according to their force and the truth or hard reality they represent. Impartial they are. Detached they are. Compassionate they happen to be, but never at the cost of their innate wisdom and truth.

Wisdom for an Indian citizenMr Hariharan Subramaniam, Director, Indian Institute of Governance, Chennai, touched upon the Wisdom of not only connecting to one’s inner self, but also the need for an Indian to contribute towards restoration of the old glory of her country. India has a special role to play in the comity of nations and the need of the hour is to train value-based politicians and administrators who would steer the country in the decades to come. He spoke of the vision of kick-starting his dream project, the Indian Institute of Governance, which would serve this purpose. His opinion was that one’s wisdom was directly proportional to one’s inner growth.

The seminar was well attended by practicing managers, management academicians and research scholars. Its conduct marked another milestone in SACAR’s efforts to propagate the concept of Integral Management, the Four Pillars of which happen to be Perfection, Harmony, Power and Wisdom.

The Age of the Spiritual Manager is already upon us. The time has come for management professionals to consider and adopt Integral Management – an Indian paradigm to understand and refine our managerial processes.

(Related Posts:

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2015/03/17/an-inner-approach-to-leadership-and-management-note-on-a-seminar

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2015/10/06/managerial-perfection-notes-from-a-seminar-at-pondicherry-india

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2016/03/26/harmony-in-management-a-seminar-at-pondicherry-india

https://ashokbhatia.wordpress.com/2016/08/30/power-in-management-a-seminar-at-puducherry-india)

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