By Anthony Rubbo
There are some questions about our society that are not easy to answer. For example: Is there a difference between the con-man on the street and the CEO who allows his company to use subtle, deceptive advertising to sell its products to the masses? Is there a difference between the back alley drug dealer and the company that continues to persuade people to use their products when they know they are life-threatening? In other words, is greed and deception okay for the wall street players, but not for the back street players?
Whatever answers you may have to these questions, the questions themselves point to problems in our society. And the underlying issue implies that if people problems come from people, then powerful people problems come from people in power. If this is indeed the case, are many of society's social problems largely due to the values of the people who run the corporations?
On the job, we have all seen how corporate jargon magically translates unsavory traits such as greed and deception into the celebrated qualities of a profitable and competitive player. Greed and deception are justified, rationalized and whitewashed until the good that the company is doing outweighs the little bit of bad in the way they do business. Or does it?
Let's take a look at a progression that follows: This covert negativity becomes part of the personality of the manager, partner, corporate officer, etc. They take their mindset into their families, and their families (who depend on the money that the employee earns) naturally pick up on the perspective that comes through in the language and behavior of their respectable income-earner. So now it's in the family.
From families, it spreads into friendships, communities and most social institutions. "Lie, Cheat and Steal," then becomes the subtle underlying motto supporting the idea that greed and deception are to some degree necessary in our lives. Then, people who are lazy or who come from challenging environments or circumstances find a justified reason to lie, cheat and steal to survive because they, (our business and political leaders) do it. For those struggling in a day-to-day battle for existence, the base motivations of the unethical corporate players are thinly veiled at best.
When greed and deception become "just the way it is," then distrust becomes the prevailing relationship between people, and anxiety and unhappiness, the prevailing state. The cycle perpetuates and we spiral downward into alienation, fear, paranoia, violence and a generally ineffective society. And we're all left wondering, why, with all that we have, are we so unsatisfied with our lives?
So what is the solution? If you agree with the ideas presented so far, then the only solution is in the personal growth of our leaders (which will then trickle down through the people they lead, their families, and so on). The solution is in the cultivation of 'the heart' in our people who hold the power.
To those for whom this may sound too philosophical or too soft, I'll put it in more practical, hard-edge language. Look at what's happening through technology. Let's take the Internet. Even the most rational, no-nonsense, bottom-line thinker can see that computers are going to connect the entire world and eventually abolish all lines, walls and boundaries between people. One thought will be everyone's thought, one feeling will be everyone's feeling--total access. And out of the mix we will indeed become the global village that we've been talking about for the last thirty years.
At that point, the heart will become a very practical affair, because deception and greed will almost instantaneously be revealed through the most comprehensive (and therefore objective) scrutiny possible. So, we are without doubt moving toward the heart. Those who realize it now, and encourage such a perspective in their organizations will be ahead of the wave and be the rightful leaders of the new perspective.
So, how do you, as a manager or corporate leader, begin? First, recognize the practical advantages of a heart based perspective. Your intelligence tells you that the best path to take is the one that brings both peace of mind and good health, and deep down you know that this is the path of the heart. Therefore you realize that since you spend much of your time working, you must find your heart in your work. In the true selfless spirit of serving others, you can find your heart and experience your most refined motivations in the activities that comprise such a large part of your life.
Once you know this in your own heart, then it is easier to see that, as a leader, your mission is to create paths that allow this perspective to express itself in your people. In the most practical of terms, the spirit of serving others is about the customer, therefore this perspective serves the bottom line well.
It is your own fear of not making the bottom line that develops into a selfish outlook and therefore defeats your own profit motive. As a manager, your main function involves the courage to conquer these fears and provide a path with heart for your people.
How do you further develop and maintain such a perspective on a daily basis? It is by reading material (such as the magazine you are now reading) that appeals to the heart and considers alternative points of view that will help to keep your vision steady and consistent. It is by looking to people who have served in high level positions and have maintained a genuine spirit of serving others, that you will find answers. One such person is Dag Hammarskjold who recorded his inner spiritual journey (published in the book, Markings), during his many years in the public eye, most notably as Secretary-General of the United Nations.
My personal contribution is offered in the book Personal Commitment To A Serving Purpose, which is intended for those who want to travel the inner path while achieving high performance in their work, career or profession.
With the many possible exposures to negativity present in everyday life, the way to establish or restore this positive perspective is a daily reading of (or exposure to) this kind of selfless, serving outlook. By reading this article, you're having your minimum daily requirement. What will you have tomorrow . . and the next day . . . and the next?
Imagine everyday working from the heart with the complete peace of mind that comes with knowing that you are being true and doing the absolute right thing with your life. Then you will discover one of Dag Hammarskjold's signs of maturity, "the unclouded happiness of the child at play who takes it for granted that he is at one with his playmates." Revisit this wonderful innocence and live there by investing a few moments a day in selected reading and meditation. Bring the positive perspective into your work and then you'll be a true player who is doing his/her part in creating a truly intelligent society. (I will be happy to personally publish any contributions or personal stories regarding such transformation).
Anthony Rubbo is the author of Personal Commitment to a Serving Purpose and Zen in the Art of Selling.
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