Management Sutra - Part 3

Management Sutras – Part 3

The scripture is divided in to several parts. They are

•  Samadhi Pada
• Sadhana Pada
• Vibhuti Pada
• Kaivalya Pada

Meaning of few Sanskrit words used :

Sutraa means an aphorism (literally "distinction" or "definition", from the Greek: aphorismós,  apo + horizein, "from/to bound") is an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic and memorable form

Pada means foot. A derived meaning of this is also part of a book which has 4 parts (probably derived from 4 feet of a quadruped).

Samadhi means “one-pointedness, absorption”. Samadhi (समाधि samādhi, is the state of consciousness induced by complete meditation. The term's etymology involves "sam" (together or integrated), "ā" (towards), and "dhā" (to get, to hold). Thus the result might be seen to be "to acquire integration or wholeness, or truth".  Another possible etymological breakdown of "samādhi" is "samā" (even) and "dhi" (intellect), a state of total equilibrium ("samā") of a detached intellect ("dhi").

Sadhana means spiritual exertion towards an intended goal. A person undertaking such a practice is known as a sadhu or a sadhaka. The goal of sādhanā is to attain some level of spiritual realization, which can be either enlightenment, pure love of God (prema), liberation (moksha) from the cycle of birth and death (Samsara), or a particular goal such as the blessings of a deity as in the Bhakti traditions.

Vibhuti means "power" or "manifestation". This is often representation of “Knowledge”

Kaivalya means “alone” or “liberation”. The goal of all philosophical journey is to get into the stage of liberation where you are alone.

Each part has several sutras.

Samadhi Pada à 51 Sutras

Sadhana Pada à 55 Sutras

Vibhuti Pada à 56 Sutras

Kaivalya Pada à 34 Sutras

Samadhi pada explore following points. These are

1.       What is Yoga?

2.       Un-colouring your thoughts

3.       Practice and non-attachement

4.       Types of concentration

5.       Efforts and commitments

6.       Direct route through AUM

7.       Obstacles and Solutions

8.       Stabilizing and Cleansing the mind

9.       After stabilizing the mind

Management is the process of dealing with or controlling things or people. Management in all business and organizational activities is the act of getting people together to accomplish desired goals and objectives (philosophically it is liberation) using available resources efficiently and effectively. Management comprises planning, organizing, staffing, leading or directing, and controlling an organization (a group of one or more people or entities) or effort for the purpose of accomplishing a goal. A manager spends a significant time in “planning to control” and “controlling”. These expressions of management is only a part of Yoga as described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras.

Yoga Sutras from 1.1 to 1.4 defines Yoga.

atha yoga anushasanam

yogash chitta vritti nirodhah

tada drashtuh svarupe avasthanam

vritti sarupyam itaratra

Translation of aforementioned Sutras

“Now, after having done prior preparation through life and other practices, the study and practice of Yoga begins. Yoga is the control (nirodhah, regulation, channeling, mastery, integration,

coordination, stilling, quieting, setting aside) of the modifications (gross and subtle thought patterns) of the mind field. Then the Seer abides in Itself, resting in its own True Nature, which is called Self-realization. At other times, when one is not in Self-realization, the Seer appears to take on the form of the modifications of the mind field, taking on the identity of those thought patterns.

Any management professional would need to realise the Management in wholesome form. The practitioner would need to modify his/her thinking space and appropriately take charge. A successful professional is one who can

1. Regulate one's thoughts process
2. The decision making process
3.  Channelize the resources and thoughts around resources
4. Build mastery over the core areas of business
5. Integrate divergent views and aspirations (internal as well as external)
6. Set aside trivial
7. Introspect through still and quiet thinking

The essence of practitioners of Yoga and / or management is “discipline”.  Disciplining one’s Mind, Words and Actions is critical to success. These three must come in an unified manner. One gets distracted due to weak mind (chitta). Weak managers have traits of being wavering in whatever they do. They would often not consistent in the thoughts and action. On the contrary successful managers realise what is important and they are able to see through the “organisational challenges” through their strength. 

In next issue we would discuss other Sutras in Samadhi Pada.

References:

1.     Yoga – Aphorism by Subramanian K N

2.     Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Interpretive Translation by Swami Jnaneshvara Bharati

Culture of Excellence

Culture of Excellence is rooted in the Organizational Culture. Organizational cultural has been explained by Schien as “A pattern of shared basic assumptions that the group learned as it solved its problems of external adaptation and internal integration, that has worked well enough to be considered valid and, therefore, to be taught to new members as the correct way to perceive, think, and feel in relation to these problems” (Schein, 1992).

Exploring the underlined words from a realistic perspective brings certain interesting and probably true scenario:

a. “pattern” implies a design, a way but it also means that it is evolves over a period of time. Hence, the culture would be dynamic. Hence an acceptable pattern today may not be so tomorrow.

b. “shared” thoughts are always been a dream in the management world. Where does one stop in sharing? Is good enough if one communicates to all? Often the sharing begins and ends with display of values or other artifacts of culture of an organization.

c. “learned” implies that the culture evolves as one learns from the experience. Learning from experience needs to move from Primary learning to Secondary learning. Primary learning can only provide us the immediate feel and are often reactive. Secondary Learning enables absorption of experience that has potential to change our way of life or subsequent response to the experience.

d. “external adaption and internal integration” of the learning would ensure conversion of what we learn into practice. Adaptation to the external stimulus has been essence of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution. In organisational context the experiential learning needs to be adapted to match the changing business environment.

The same experience would require to be integrated with organizational practices. As a change in practice with integrating with larger system in organization can lead to suboptimal conditions and hence unstable culture. It necessary to distinguish between change and instability. Change is desirable but not instability.

The practice must lead to benefits to the internal stakeholder like employees and to the external stakeholders like customers, vendors.

e. The experience and learning must be “valid” enough to facilitate reinforcement of the communication of cultural aspects.

f. The culture symbols and practices that represents culture needs to be “taught” to the new employees. This is necessary as every individual comes with his /her own cultural “baggage”, which may not be in sync with organization culture. It is the responsibility of every individual to showcase the culture and enable absorption of the new culture (at times it could be a cultural shock) by the newcomer.

g. The newcomers would need to perceive, think, and feel the culture of excellence. This means the members in the organization would need to walk the talk.

Culture is understood by the Artifacts that represents it. Culture of excellence would possibly be indicated by various measures or system. For example, the quantum of innovation may indicate the excellence culture.

Values would relate to the attitudes and opinions regarding reality and how Innovation (in above example) should be handled. This has to be built into the strategies, goals and philosophies of the organization. In case of the example of Innovation, one would need to see if Innovation has become part of whatever the organization values. Innovation should be part of strategy, organizational goal and the organization must believe in it.

Basic Assumptions about organization, its people and business environment must be conducive to the building culture. There basic assumption relating to the innovation, for example Tolerance to failure would be key characteristics to fuel the innovative mindset. Reinforcing assumption becomes key to the value system and then becomes an integral part of the culture.