Articles - Management

• PROFIT MOTIVE (Swami Chinmayananda)
• THE SECRET OF LARGE PROFITS (Swami Chinmayananda)
• THE LEADER (Swami Chinmayananda)

PROFIT MOTIVE

Today man, in our material world everywhere, is propelled into activities, under the low, base motive of making profits. It has become so rampant that to question it has in itself become queer! Nobody wants to work for the pleasure of doing the job - the motive of modem is not Karma-siddhi, but merely Dhana--siddhi. Yet, he, all the time, craves for peace and joy in his life.

Profit-motivated activities are always result--oriented. Result of an action can come only later in the future, after the work has been accomplished. If an immature person starts worrying about the profit, the result of his actions, he will be bringing an exhausted, weary, fatigued mind to deal with his present action. Naturally, the action performed will become weak, slip-shod and lacking in his application of his full mental dynamism. Such weak actions producing incompetent work should never expect a glorious success or profit.

Thus profit-motive is indeed a self-defeating work--style. It is suicidal. Profit motive cramps managerial style and harbours bad business ethics. Even accepted principles get sacrificed for some immediate success or quick profit. Then what motivates man to undertake; pursue, heroically face all obstacles enroute and finally achieve what he sets out to win or gain?

The Rishies have classified the human motives in all great undertakings roughly under six heads. These are even today true. Let us examine them one by one.

They are:

1. Achievement - a motivating factor.

2. Problems can often motivate.

3. Excellence becomes motivation for some.

4. Doing good to others often happens as a motivation for a few.

5. Spectacular results and consequent recognition can motivate;

and

6. The work can itself be its own motivation.

When achievement is the motivation, the vigour with which you function flags, the moment one achieves what one had set himself to gain. Once problems are solved there is a dull despair. So also the excellence and doing good to others, or even results and recognition in the organisation. These are motivating forces that can fizzle out at one time or the other; these motivating forces dry up in time.

"But," say the great subjective scientists, the Rishies, "if one works discovering a powerful motivation in the very work undertaken, the inspired enthusiasm is steady, undying, and therefore, the excellence of the accomplishment gained becomes permanent and undiminishing. It can constantly inspire us to conceive greater and greater undertakings, and in joyful efforts fulfill them all."

It is in this mood all our Saints and Sages, all Prophets, worked. Even ordinary people make stupendous achievements in Arts and Science, and had scored a mark in human history by impossible-looking tasks accomplished in their short life.

We are not able to discover this ideal motivation in our work-programme only because of our ego and ego-centric, selfish desires. To satisfy ego we run after cheap achievements, immediate successes, or crave to gain other's recognition, etc. In order to fulfill our selfish desires we grow anxious of our future gains, profits-to-come, and get very restless in our efforts to grab, to acquire, to possess, to embrace and to enjoy the objects of our desires. These anxieties and

lesser motives dissipate our mental vitality and in our actual job-in-hand we bring but our fatigued and exhausted mind.

If the work undertaken itself is the spring of our inspiration, then we conserve our mental powers and they get channelled into the job-in-hand. Success becomes sure and we enjoy an ‘unearned income,’ in terms of an endless inner joy and ever-growing sense of fulfilment; the work and its fatigue enrich our life.

In fact, to function with selfish motives is to work with your hands tied behind. Your progress can only be slow and extemely exhausting as you will be always dragging a lengthening chain of painful memories and fearful anxieties.

Choose the work dictated by the circumstances, and ordered by your special talent. Why waste your time in life by striving in some field for which you have neither the talent nor any taste. Yet, very many of us do get stuck to an unpleasant work-field and, cowards as we are, we dare not leave such fields for other deserving people, and choose a pleasanter field suited to our inner inclinations. Wait patiently with eyes open for better and more conductive opportunity. Keep on polishing your inherent talents, even when you are working in an unconductive field which is now readily available.

Without right motivation there is no gain in one's work. A goal or an idea must be there steadily inspiring us to put forth our best efforts, continuously. We draw our guts and strength, our ability to cope up with all threatening situations, the inspiration to work consistantly until the goal is achieved - all from our steady inspiring vision of our goal. Higher the goal we set for ourselves greater we exploit our own abilities and talents. The more selfless we are, and the more service-oriented be our ideal, the larger the flood of success that flows out of us.

(June 91)

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THE SECRET OF LARGE PROFITS

Industrial executives cannot understand why, in spite of honest efforts, detailed planning, and great expenditure of energy, our economy is not growing as it should. If it is growing at all, it is a laborious growth. It is a labour pain with constant mental suffering and tension-the kind of tension that brings sleeplessness, high blood pressure, and heart trouble. These are the complaints of modern industrialists. I have this information because they come to me with these complaints. We can only explain that these symptoms are due to tension, stress and strain of the industrial and technological age.

We may look for biological causes for these illnesses, but the root cause is mental. The body is, after all, only a tool, a tool that is wielded by the technician behind it. The one who is wielding the tool is the mind: your inner personality. The tool is necessary, but the tool by itself cannot act. The tool's performance depends upon the knowledge and ability of the technician. It is not our body but the mind and intellect that is acting in us. When the mind is bright and alert, the actions are spectacular, but when the mind is exhausted, dissipated, moody or sorrowful, all actions are painfully laboured.

The situation today seems to be that even though we are sincerely trying to work well, the quality of our performance is dull. There is no brilliancy or vibrancy. There is no definite goal in our personal activity, and thus the mind feels exhausted and worn out. This emotional and intellectual exhaustion decreases our physical capacity and brings about a sudden exhaustion that result in inefficiency and incompetence to face our challenges in life.

This mental and physical debility, though called the problem of modern man, is not new in the history of mankind. In fact, this same problem, along with its solution, was discussed in the Bhagavad-Gita. A typical industrialist of today is equivalent to the troubled and incompetent Arjuna when he first faced opposing forces. We may define our difficulties differently-ours may be that the bank is not releasing enough loans, or that the government is exerting pressure, or that the labour is not cooperating. Arjuna may not have had the same problems, but he was also called upon to face a great challenge, the Mahabharata War.

In such situations, you and I are helpless; we are faced with a challenge that we would like to avoid, but that we are forced to meet. Arjuna also, in spite of his efforts, could do nothing to persuade his own cousins not to wage war. An inevitable challenge was placed in front of him, and he was forced to meet it. The challenge appeared to him as futile as trying to break a granite wall with his head! In such a situation, any intelligent man would be tempted to think, 'Why bother about it? Let me retire from this problem.'

The cause of such anxiety is very subtle, and you may not even be aware of it. All worries are due to the psychologically selfish notion that 'I will work only for my family; I will have nothing to do with the world.' Only if you can understand that you industrialists are a rare few, gifted by the Lord with the ability to produce wealth for society or the nation and that you have been doing it successfully, will you have the joy of doing it on a larger and larger scale--not for yourself, but for others.

That attitude is not yet developed. We still have micro-vision. We still feel, 'Why should I exert myself? Why should I sweat for others? I will work only for myself: And when this mood overtakes us, we may think, 'Why not run a simple, quiet shop?' or, 'Why not a small restaurant?' or, 'Why not just sell something on the roadside? Even if I sell popcorn, I can live comfortably! Why have I entered industry and got crushed by the very machinery I created?' This doubt rises in us because of a lack of values and understanding and, above all, a lack of vision. Please think.

The Bhagavad Gita's Solution

In the Bhagavad Gita Arjuna confronted this same situation and he similarly thought he should run away from the problem. He felt that the situation was futile and should be abandoned. Krishna had to hold Arjuna back by the shoulders and admonish him, saying, 'Do not run away, you must learn to face the situation. You must come out and confront your challenges.'

But in order to face such challenges, a lot of courage is required. This courage comes only when the mind is strong and poised, for only then can it rediscover its own efficiency, ability, and beauty of performance--all of which ensure profit and success in life.

How does this equipoise come about? It comes when the individual's mind is ignited by a larger vision, when he comes to understand his importance in life, his nobility, and the great contribution that he is expected to make during his lifetime. Even though the situation outside seemed impossible before, he now develops the courage to face it. He realizes that he has been selected to do that particular job. He recognizes his own importance.

With the teaching of the Bhagavad Gita, this mental vitality returned to Arjuna. He was brought to see the shallowness of his micro-vision, his self-centered view of life. His vision expanded to macro-vision, with the understanding that he was not a solitary individual, fighting against the world of multiplicity, but was one with the whole universe, one with the Lord who is the cosmic Person. The whole universe arises in Him, exists in Him, and disappears in Him, just as the waves rise, play, and disappear into the ocean. The ocean in dynamic play is the waves. The waves are, in essence, not anything other than the beautiful, serene depths of the ocean. The oneness of the larger reality of life and the incidental play around was perceived by Arjuna.

Once you understand that the entire world is one harmonious tapestry, and ,that all individuals are interrelated, with each one of us having certain responsibilities and duties to society, then you will no longer ask, 'Why should I feel responsible for my neighbour?' You will naturally feel extremely interested and responsible for your neighbour, because your neighbour is not someone different from you.

You may object, saying, 'My neighbour cannot be me. I am limited in my body. What do I have to do with him? He is a different person. His name, his job, his attitudes are all different from mine. How can I feel one with him?'

I will answer this point. Just think for a moment. Have you ever paused and looked at your 9wn.pands and legs? Is the hand like the leg? Are not the shapes different? Are not the functions different? Are not their names different? The hand is not called by the name 'leg', and the leg is not called by the name 'hand'; yet are they not both yours? The toes, the nose, the eyes, the ears, the hands, and the fingers are all different. Your entire body has many different parts and functions, but they are all a part of you. I do not say that you are the possessor and these are the possessed. But are they not all you? If I cut off your ears or toes, is that not doing harm to you?

Please think. You know that even though your limbs are of different shapes and functions, they all are you because you live in them. Their joys are your joys; their sorrows are your sorrows. If you understand this idea, then you will see the whole universe as one mighty expression of the divine Spark of Existence. Life is then seen as One, expressed through diverse forms. If this much is understood, a macro-vision automatically comes.

I am not talking to you of esoteric philosophy. This is a very practical and necessary philosophy if you want to live effectively in the modern world. In fact, this is not mere philosophy. Developing, a macro-vision is the practical need of the day. The times are rapidly changing. Frontiers are no longer frontiers; oceans are no longer safe boundaries. If an atomic war happens, it will not be between two superpowers alone; all countries will suffer at the same time. It all depends on which way the breeze is blowing. An atom bomb may burst in Moscow, but if the breeze happens to be southward, the rest of Asia will suffer for no fault of theirs. Is it not true that little incidents in insignificant countries are causing the mighty powers to tremble? The days of isolated warfare are gone. An incident happening in one part of the world has repercussions all over the world. Today, all nations have become woven into one fabric.

This large macro-vision does not come automatically to an individual. It has to be cultivated. The entire discourse of the Bhagavad Gita had to be given to Arjuna before he was able to throw off his moodiness and overcome his mental confusion. Once his mind became calm and serene, Arjuna was able to rediscover his efficiency and potency.

It is very important to note that Krishna did not alter the situation. He did not order the situation to change. Every one of the Pandavas and Kauravas was standing on the battlefront ready to advance. Krishna did not bring new forces or new allies for Arjuna. He merely talked to Arjuna, thereby lifting him out of his mental confusion.

When Arjuna was mentally upset, he wanted to run away from the situation. He became pessimistic. But once the mind became quiet and calm, though the situation remained the same, Arjuna found a new courage and confidence within himself. He rediscovered his efficiency and declared to Krishna, 'Certainly I will face this problem.' Where is the problem? The problem was no longer a problem: it was only a game, a sport. With that self-confidence, Arjuna advanced, and he found that victory came to him.

This attitude of mental poise is unavoidable if you really want to become an industrial visionary, a developer of a macro-economy. Even today in the universities we do not speak of ordinary economics, but macro-economics. The micro-age is gone. But this adjustment in our mind, in our viewpoint, in our vision, has not yet been made.

Applying the Bhagavad Gita's Principles to Today's World

This macro-vision is not new in history. We find it taught even in the ancient Vedic scriptures. In fact, it was this macro-view that enabled the Indian civilization to survive natural declines and again rise to glory. It is because of this vision that, in spite of many calamitous political and economic situations affecting India, Indian culture and civilization have remained as precious as ever. Many are the cultures elsewhere that have arisen, sparkled for a moment, and died away completely. Where is the Greek culture today? Where is the Roman culture, the Egyptian culture, the Macedonian culture? All of them arose, blazed for some time, and slowly died out. Only in libraries do we have books reporting their existence.

Indian culture has survived because of the macro-view of Hindu philosophy. However, today after centuries of foreign rule, India has been culturally broken down, and the great sagacity of its culture has been virtually lost. The Brahmin class failed the Indian people, for they thought it was not necessary to study or practice the tenets of this great culture. The other members of society also did not know anything. We cannot hold anyone to blame now. It is a phenomenon that is inevitable in the world of space and time where nothing exists permanently. India's cultural beauty and eminence have thus today receded to their lowest ebb.

The Hindu scriptures contain a great body of knowledge that enables civilizations to adapt to changing times. Those scriptures are not ignorant of the need for economics and politics. In fact, they have precious insights into both. Many industrial and technical men have benefited by reading them. Great thinkers in the West are studying the scriptures of the East and bringing out fresh insights, new political and industrial visions, and new attitudes in life based upon the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, or the Dhammapada of the Buddhists. These books are becoming more and more attractive to Western scholars. Western man is pursuing this study to learn how to tune and readjust the mind and reduce stress and strain of the modern technological age.

In India today, most people, even industrialists, still practice religion, though on a superficial level. If you go to any industrial complex in India, be it small or large, you will find in many places a picture of the Lord with an incense stick lit beside it. Those industrialists seem to be deeply devoted. But if you listen to the prayers offered, you will hear: 'Oh Lord, I am giving you incense, yet you don't give me anything.' Then the devotee sits down right in front of the Lord, at his desk, and starts cutting everybody's throat!

If profits are not good, he loses his faith. It is all because such people have misunderstood what faith in God is.

Admittedly, some faith is there. Externally it is there, but the tuning up of the mind and the spirit of surrender are absent. You need not make God your proprietor-that may be too much. All right, make Him a one-penny partner in your company, just a penny partner with no voting power. Let Him also sit in at your Board meetings. The Lord is so clever that if you make Him a one-penny' partner, within six months you will find that He becomes the managing director of the company!

Try it. Surrender your worries to Him. You will find that your mental weakness, exhaustion and fatigue get reduced and your mind becomes calm and serene. When the mind is thus calm and serene, your efficiency increases; your performance, your attitude towards others, your vision of life as such, the way you meet challenges change into a new tempo and beauty. With these inner qualities, your activities gather a momentum that cannot but attract success in the modern material world.

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THE LEADER

In every organization-political, industrial or commercial, secular or sacred-the real fire is supplied and maintained by its leader. He is the captain, the one in the top cabin who steers the ship and has, due to his position, a better vision than those who sweat and labour in the belly of the ship, in its machine room.

The leader must have vision, and yet a visionary can never be a leader. The leader must see ahead and at a safe speed steer clear of all obstacles and put the sails up in the most advantageous winds and take the ship under his command to the required harbour.

A true leader should give his serious attention continuously to fostering a spirit of teamwork. Selfishness in team members breaks the spirit of collectivity and there soon arise personal groups, based on caste or creed or 'native place' whose narrow interests bring continuous conflicts into the organization.

. When we look around, with scientific detachment, we clearly see three main types of organization:

1) An institution based entirely upon the power, strength or wealth of the executives. They dictate to everyone and often such institutions grow and quickly expand. These are autocratic institutions. The person at the top soon gets a crazy sense of self-importance, and his arrogant attitudes and dictatorial efforts are felt by the others below as insufferable tyranny. The institution crumbles!

2) The second type of organization is what is very popular with people of our times--often heard of but rarely seen-the democratic institutions. Here the organization is created to fulfill certain demands and desires of its members, and so long as the members are satisfied they limp on making a lot of noise but really accomplishing nothing great, except, of course, satisfying the demands of the members. The moment a fair section of the members are dissatisfied, the organization crumbles. It gets destroyed by its own few dissatisfied members: enemies within plan and destroy it.

3) All long-surviving institutions are organized upon the basis of mutual love and respect for the leader, a sense of reverence for the very programme for which the institution works. Here the organization is based upon harmony. This sense of harmony and cohesiveness can arise only when all members are truly inspired with the goal set up by the institution and work dedicatedly to achieve it. Such organizations alone can stand firm against all strains from without, because within them they have a team of strong members holding together and functioning as many hands but as one head-and-heart.

The members, office-bearers and executives of such an organization work in a single spirit of joyous excitement, from which unity of purpose, tireless enthusiasm, cheerful pursuit and such other virtues arise. This is referred to in the Gita as Karma- Yoga ­functioning in the yajna spirit. It is ego and its selfish desires in our hearts that compel us to break the homogeneous harmony and the joyful rhythm in the day-to-day working of the institution. Unless the members are dedicated to the idea for which the institution strives, the best in them cannot stream forth to enrich the total achievement of the institution.

What we have so far discussed gives us a clue to understanding the causes behind the continuous progress of a flourishing institution, which undertakes stupendous tasks and spreads great blessings all around for its members and for the community as a whole.

A mere volume of rules or some spectacular performance by an individual (or individuals) in an organization cannot by themselves help the organization to serve the community for a long time. And when that organization serves and manages only for profit, the institution never survives for any length of time. Like weeds they spread and flourish and are gone with the seasonal rains. There must be a unison of objectives and ideas. Each must know what they are collectively striving to achieve and in that great scheme of achievement, which exactly is the part each is responsible for.

If an individual's objective or idea is got in unison with the organization, he will be very unhappy and if he is not booted out unceremoniously he may wreck the melody of work within the institution. If the objectives and ideas of the members are harmonious with the aims and objects of the institution, the place becomes a temple of joy-in-work and the result can be seen as blessings upon all.

In many institutions discord starts mainly due to lack of proper and effective communication. It is indeed a delicate art. Secretive manipulations spread fears and discontent, but too open a system of communication is also dangerous for the growth of an organization.

The Panchatantra beautifully expresses this art of communication.

It says:

Some things a man must say to his wife. Some to his friends; some to his sons.

All these are trusted people, but, he should never tell everything to everyone!

We must, therefore, use our discrimination at all times in communicating information. Never put your foot in your mouth!

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