Can Spirituality Pave the Way to a New Paradigm for Management and Business?

In Milan in mid-October, Dr. Sharda Nandram, associate professor at the Center for Entrepreneurship, and co-editor Margot Esther Borden presented the book ‘Spirituality and Business: Exploring Possibilities for a New Management Paradigm’. The book, whose contributors include Prof. Dr. Paul de Blot SJ, Lic. Ph., unveils a new management paradigm. The authors show how spirituality offers businesses the possibility to make the transformation towards a new way of management and doing business.

Ship without a rudder
With the all too apparent changes in the climate and onset of economic and ecological disasters that are directly and indirectly related to business, can we truly say that any aspect of the current corporate model is really healthy or sustainable? The current ethical (economic and ecological) meltdown demonstrates that the mainstream management models are neither healthy nor sustainable and even more so, are part of the cause rather than the solution to this crisis. On another level, the root cause is that as a whole, we have become estranged from our very own souls. The result is that our worldview, thoughts and actions are largely driven by our own egos. An individual who does not have soul based consciousness is a ship without a rudder, floating aimlessly, getting taken up and distracted by every surface desire and impulse that comes his way.

Transformation of our own selves
The book  ‘Spirituality and Business: Exploring Possibilities for a New Management Paradigm’ represents academic, business and mystical visions for a new business paradigm that is rooted in spirituality. The book is a reflection of the co-editors’ passion for bringing spirituality into the business world as a response to current world crisis. Their premise, drawn from ancient wisdom, is that our relationship with the world is a direct reflection of our relationship with our inner self. Therefore, they say in order for the world around us to be transformed, we first need to transform our own selves. Transformation begins by developing knowledge and harmony with Self, society and nature. This in turn, arouses our inherent, inner drive to express our behavior and attitudes as a reflection of the inner meaning that we find. We have the potential of overcoming our past short-sightedness, of learning from the errors on which our current economy is built. By cultivating a harmonious relationship between our inner and outer selves, we can emerge from this crisis stronger than ever.

  Corporate models on a microcosmic level 
  The editors explain that corporate models can be seen on a microcosmic level: work/life balance, work
  relationships, the way we vision our business objectives and on a macrocosmic level: relationship with other
  businesses, society and nature. All of these aspects and levels reflect the shortsightedness that is associated
  with ego-centered rather than soul-centered consciousness. According to their opinion, the current ego-centered,
  win-lose model addresses only our materialistic drives, how to win out over our competitors and make as much
  money as possible and as quickly as possible. This model raises the questions of who is going to take care of the
  common goods such as the earth, health care and infrastructure?

Addressing the crisis
They mention three means of addressing the current crisis:

1. Make laws and make companies stick to them. This interim or compensatory approach is how corporations began, in the 1970’s to try to address the societal and environmental issues that were beginning to surface.

2. In his book ‘Capitalism at the Crossroads’, Steve Hart explores the burgeoning sustainable development movement and defines change in terms of incremental thinking or whole systems thinking. In the former, we make incremental steps either to overcome the shortcomings of our approaches or to make our processes less polluting and more efficient in terms of energy and natural resources. In contrast, whole systems thinking wipes out the status quo processes and starts from scratch with newer and more sustainable methods. The latter is more costly but more holistic and leads to a deeper change.

3. Yet another approach would be to draw on ancient spiritual wisdom and adapt it to meet the needs of our modern world: A spiritual worldview involves a shift to an entirely new paradigm. It defines such movements as sustainable development and corporate social responsibility as incremental changes in themselves. The wisdom traditions tell us that changing the outer, even through apparently coherent acts, without transforming the inner is yet another half measure or incremental change. Inner transformation of individuals making up a company and society is what distinguishes change from transformation; it is the only way to bring about a true paradigm shift.

Growing number
Nandram and Borden are part of a growing number of people who believe that spirituality has the potential to engender the shift in consciousness we need to transform our relationship to Self, society and nature. They define spiritual evolution as becoming aware of the indwelling soul and bringing it to the forefront in our consciousness and lives. This shift brings about the possibility to align our thoughts, words and actions to the Soul.

  Food for thought
  The editors of the book state that integrating spiritual consciousness into business begins with management.
  Management has the power to inspire higher values into all aspects of a company: from basic things like
  company goals, strategies processes, to more qualitative aspects like changing the way they relate to
  employees. Or by the opportunities they create for employees to develop themselves not only on their talents
  and skills but also on their character and calling in life.

  In the book spirituality, rather than religion is proposed as the solution to our world crisis as it provides a non-
  denominational inspiration and framework - both in theory and practice - for bringing about an inner
  transformation resulting in a new paradigm for business and management.

  According to the editors, this book provides food for thought for every manager or person seeking to contribute
  to ‘being the change they wish to see in the world’.







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