The Daily Mandala, February 14, 2009 by Henry Reed

Eastern and Western Approaches to Love and Spirituality in Management

M.B. Sharan

Emeritus Professor

PIET, Rourkela

E-mail: mithilasharan@yahoo.co.in

Recently all managers -- Eastern and Western -- have started showing good interest in integrating spirituality and management. Their interest is important because for them integrating the two brings profound meanings in their jobs and lives. It brings their deepest values to bear on their work and a promise of success and fulfillment. As a result, they are feeling today more concerned towards their employees and are showing "genuine love" for them. This kind of love is not about romance or sex but about genuine compassion for human kind. This love is also not referring to any god or religion, as many religions do, but to the quality of human existence, personal values and beliefs, interpersonal relationships, connection to the natural world, and beyond (Heyn, Stojanovic, and Talwar, 2006). This kind of feeling has made many of the managers to perceive love and spirituality as the same thing. However, these two are two different things but playing very, very important roles in management and business today.

What is Love?

Of all the emotions associated with close relationships, love is the most central for people in many cultures. But the word "love" can describe a wide variety of thoughts, feelings and behaviours, including, among others, fondness, passion, adoration, admiration, enhancement, desire, longing, attachment, yearning and sex. For two persons who love each other, however, love may not mean exactly the same thing because they might be experiencing love in different ways.

Love binds us together as husbands and wives, parents and children, friends and neighbours, teachers and students. Its importance can hardly be overrated. Therefore, an English writer, Robert Burton has rightly said that "no cord or cable can so forcibly draw, or hold so fast, as love can do with a twined thread." It is thus both a feeling and an activity. A person feels love for someone and acts in a loving manner. But we can also be angry with the person we love. This is the paradox of love: it encompasses opposites. It includes affection and anger, excitement and boredom, stability and change, bond and freedom. Therefore, Lee (1988) has rightly said that studying love is no guarantee of finding it. Perhaps this is the reason why love has emerged as a "triangle" in the Western laboratory -- the three sides being physiological, psychological, and anthropological. But, outside the laboratory, particularly in India, the "true love" has emerged as a "circle" which combines all the three components into one. This combination as a whole is known as "spiritual love" in which all the three components are merged with each other in an appropriate (balanced) proportion.

What is Spirituality?

Spirituality appears to be an integral part of all cultures. Spiritual development may be regarded as connection with something external to the self, or as an internal experience, or both. According to Clark (1958), Spirituality can be most characteristically described as "the inner experience of the individual when he senses a Beyond, especially as evidenced by the effect of this experience on his behaviour when he actively attempts to harmonize his life with the Beyond." The Beyond includes unusual varieties of human experience, including the ability to create relationships with what are perceived to be gods, spirits, ancestors, or other non-physical realities. Spiritual evolution thus can be assessed as "ability to channel esoteric information."

Indian thinkers are of the firm opinion that every human behaviour has three aspects -- the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. The spiritual aspect may be difficult to define exactly. However, for those who believe in Gestalt psychology, it is not that difficult to explain or experience. Gestaltists maintain that the whole is more than the sum total of its parts. Since every human behaviour has minimum two parts (it is partly mental and partly physical), as a whole, it results in something more than that (spiritual). This Gestalt effect, however, will appear better only when mind and body interact in appropriate proportion without dominating upon each other. This becomes the best combination and makes the behaviour highly effective or spiritual.

The New Age Management consultants, therefore, are deriving management principles from such Eastern mystical groups and not from Harvard Business Review. They recommend working in a meditative state of consciousness (making work a form of service) because they find that their relationship with God influences their work lives more than any other factor (McCormick, 1994). Hoffman (2002) has also indicated that "In coming years, we'll surely see scientific validation on the connection between our spiritual well-being at work and our highest productivity involving both mind and body." Science, religion and spirituality are thus strongly influencing many managers' behaviour today at work. In view of all these, it can be safely concluded that, if managers want to be successful, they need to learn how to synthesize science, religion, and spirituality.

Synthesis of Science, Religion, and Spirituality

Science, religion, and spirituality are certainly the most three forces that have shaped the course of humanity. In spite of an atmosphere of indifference and occasional rivalry, many eminent thinkers, including scientists as well as theologians, have deeply pondered over the close relationship among these three disciplines and have felt the need for a synthesis among them to answer many complex problems of human life.

To satisfy the conditions of the scientific method, a scientist follows certain scientific principles demonstrating under a given set of conditions. This simple rule has allowed science to progress and mature into a powerful system for understanding our world around. This rule, however, has restricted scientists to study only those phenomena which are "external" to human consciousness, and which can be observed through five sense organs. But what about those experiences which are "internal" to human consciousness and are behind the five senses? At this juncture, religion and spirituality are coming forward as balancing forces to promote understanding and importance of "internal" experiences. This is a natural application for religion and spirituality, where a group of people gather together, validate their internal experiences (but never bother to verify), find strength and respect for each other, and then face worlds with renewed determination.

But again the question arises: why both, religion and spirituality; why not only one? The answer is simple. Many definitions of spirituality have come from the concept of religion. However, these two are not synonymous. Religion is a way of life which has been put in the mind of every person by socialization process. This has become a part of his/her personality and a ritual to follow. Therefore, Conger (1994), drawing from Roof's research (1993), says that religion has an institutional connotation which means practicing rituals, adhering to dogma, and attending services. Spirituality, on the other hand, has more to do with life's deeper motivations and an emotional connotation to God. An Indian Visionary Saint, Srila Prabhupada, the Founder Acharya of the Bhaktivedanta Institute for a Synthesis of Science and Spirituality, has rightly commented that "Human intellect is developed for advancement of learning in art, science, philosophy, physics, chemistry, psychology, economics, politics, etc. By culture of such knowledge the human society can attain perfection of life." And this culture of such knowledge in the service of God is known as spirituality.

Importance of Spirituality in Management

Today, many of the organizations are run by emotionally immature persons because they find certain positive correlations between aggression (which creates fear) and outcomes. Perhaps, this is the reason why many of the B-Schools are also teaching about how to be "aggressive." But they forget that such results are only temporary and at the cost of healthy relationships between management and employees. Not only that, in order to achieve the targets, some employees are also encouraged to use unfair means. Therefore, managers need to learn about how to achieve long-term results and how to maintain long-term relationships with the employees. For this, the only way is to align work and organizations with some of the most basic human needs -- to be loved and to find our own purpose and meaningful connections in life. It has been rightly pointed out by Heyn, Stojanovic, and Talwar (2006) that "For a hundred years or more, millions upon millions of people who need love and spiritual meaning like they need food and drink, are denied these basic life requirements at a place that occupies the majority of their useful existence (their work), because love and spirituality (and all that these words represent) seemingly don't feature on the corporate agenda." 

These authors have said very nicely in their article, "Love and spirituality in management and business" that today many persons are fed up with the selfish character of corporations and organizations and the way they conduct themselves with the help of technology and worldwide web. Customers also feel that they are cheated by these organizations through their advertisements and slogans. As a result, every staff and customer is looking for a change. In such situation, the only hope left to these managers and leaders is to take care of the people and the planet - and not to make just profit and exploit them for personal gains. And "proper care of the people and the planet" is possible only through love, compassion, and spirituality. It is good that the importance of all these are being realized today and things have started changing.

Comparison between Eastern and Western Approaches

One of the greatest contributions of India to the world is the Bhagavad-Gita which is the essence of the Vedas and Upanishads. It is a universal scripture applicable to people of all temperaments and for all times. It is a book with sublime thoughts and practical instructions on Yoga, Devotion, Vedanta and Action. The management lessons of this holy book have been brought into lights by many, many persons including Maharshi Mahesh Yogi, Adi Sankaracharya, Sri Srila Prabhupada Swami, Sri Aurobindo, Swami Vivekananda, Sri Shri Ravi Shankar (Bhattathiri, 2006). As a result, today every Indian is known as a born philosopher throughout the world. Therefore, we must try to understand what guidelines this holy book offers to managers.

In modern management, which is primarily Western, the whole emphasis is laid on the management of externals like people, organization, material, and environment. But the Eastern spiritual thinkers have repeatedly pointed out that right management of the internal self is the key to the successful management of the outer life and environment. Someone who cannot manage his/her own self, cannot effectively manage others. Therefore, Self-management is the key to Life-management. And Self-management, according to Sri Aurobindo (Gupta, 2004), starts with: Know Thyself which includes Know Your Mind, Change Yourself, Maintain Good Relationship with Others, and Learn to Concentrate, etc. The moment a person starts this kind of inward journey, he/she starts having spiritual evolution and getting all these automatically because all are available in his/her mind. "There is a genius within every one of us -- we don't know it. We must find the way to make it come out -- but it is there sleeping, it asks for nothing better than to manifest; we must open the door to it" (Gupta, 2004).

According to Vedanta, the conscious mind is known as antahkarana (internal instrument) which perceives things through five sense organs and acts through five organs of action. The power of consciousness, however, is not the built-in characteristic of the mind. This comes from some higher source known as Soul, Atman or Self. Since mind is not the real perceiver or knower of the mental phenomena -- as claimed by Western psychologists, Vedanta differentiates between the mind and the Self -- the mind as an object (the known) and the Self as a subject (the knower). Thus, the ultimate observer or experiencer is the Self, not the mind (Ellis, 1994). Mind is simply functioning like a mirror which can perceive clearly only when it is fully illuminated by the Soul. Since Soul, like sun, is throwing lights constantly on the mirror, it is for the mind to absorb it properly. If it is neat and clean, it will absorb better, and thereby perceive better. In this sense, Vedanta rightly says that it is possible for us to make our conscious mind "Superconscious" which can perceive things in a far better way making use of all the information available in the so called subconscious and unconscious minds. Superconscious Mind is thus such a state of mind which experiences cosmic connectivity and has clear understanding, peace, wisdom and enlightenment (Sharan, 2007). This is the reason why Sri Aurobindo says to learn about Know Thyself first before knowing about others.

The second important thing is: Do Karmas. For many of the Western researchers, human action is just a behaviour. But for Indian thinkers, it is more than that -- "karma" -- which refers to one's intention or motivation while doing an action. According to Tsering (2004), intention is the most important of all mental events because it gives direction to the mind, determining whether we engage in virtuous, non-virtuous, or neutral objects. Just as iron is powerlessly drawn to a magnet, our minds are powerlessly drawn to the object of our intentions. Intention may be expressed through either physical or verbal actions. Actually, Indian thinkers differentiate between human and animal behaviours. They argue that in the case of animals, instinct prevails, but in the case of human beings, reason prevails. Therefore, only human beings, not animals, have the freedom and capacity to judge rightly or wrongly about their behaviours (actions). This exercise of judgement is known as karma and this makes human life as the karma-bhumi. The Holy Gita, therefore, puts maximum emphasis on this aspect and teaches management students to realize its importance. Not only that, the Gita also explains further how we are all governed by the universal Karmic Law: "As you sow, so you reap." Therefore, understanding of this Karmic Law and practicing accordingly is a must for all managers. Otherwise, life-long we shall go on suffering and shall never enjoy happiness in true sense.

The third important lesson given by this holy book is: Remain Detached. Western thinkers have been putting maximum emphasis on motivation and involvement and have been recommending celebration of success. But Eastern thinkers have been pleading for just reverse (nishkama karma): remaining detached from the fruits or results of the actions performed. Being dedicated to work is itself more than enough because it creates excellence, and there is no need to feel excited about it. Spiritual laws say that the moment a person is feeling excited and/or highly motivated, his/her mind in not able to concentrate properly on a task. As a result, the outcomes get either delayed or become negative. Therefore, we need to do our karmas with all honesty and sincerity without expecting or worrying for the outcomes because they are always decided by our God. Indian thinkers also add here that even if God decides something unfavourably, it goes in favour of the person - if not today, tomorrow. The person should simply learn to appreciate His wish. Bhattathiri (2006) has rightly quoted from what Sri Krishna says in the 10^th Chapter of the Gita that "I am the strength of those who are devoid of personal desire and attachment. O Arjuna, I am the legitimate desire in those, who are not opposed to righteousness."

To sum up, it can be concluded that we must find a way to lead our business life in harmony with our inner life. All sincere managers, therefore, need to learn how to integrate their inner lives with their outward actions. Without finding a place of balance, a harmony between the spiritual' and the "secular", or the outer and the inner, we will experience frustration and disappointment.

References

Bhattathiri, M.P., (2006). Spirituality and management. www.worldspirituality.org/spirituality-management.html

Clark, W.H., (1958). The psychology of religion. New York, NY: Macmillan

Conger, J.A., (1994). Our search for spiritual community. In J.A. Conger and Associates. Spirit at work: Discovering the spirituality in leadership. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Ellis, R. (Ed). (1994). Mind according to Vedanta. Madras: Sri Ramkrishna Math.

Gupta, G.P., (2004). Towards holistic management. Pondicherry: Sri Aurobindo Society.

Heyn, Barbara, Stojanovic, Sonia & Talwar, Charu, (2006). Love and spirituality in management and business. www.businessballs.com/love.htm

Hoffman, E., (2002). Psychological testing at work. New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Lee, J.A., (1988). Love styles. In R.J. Sternberg & M.L. Barnes (Eds.), The psychology of love. New  Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

McCormick, D.W., (1994). Spirituality and management. Journal of Managerial Psychology, 9 (6).

Roof, W.C., (1993). A generation of speakers: The spiritual journey of the Baby Boom generation. San Francisco, CA: HarperCollins.

Sharan, M.B., (2007). Making psychology complete and essential for understanding of the human mind, behavior and intuitive awareness. Psychological Studies, 52 (3).

Tsering, G.T., (2004). The Buddha's medicine for the mind: Cultivating wisdom and compassion. South Mellbourne, Vic.: Lothian Books.