(Contd.........Part 1)
2. Negative transformation through regression and fixation
The other devices, one generally uses, are the
psychological design of Regression or Fixation. When a person sees that his
attempts to maintain his integrity have been criticised or have not properly
been appreciated or rewarded, he regresses to such behaviour as is worse than
the earlier. He says to himself: “Alright, if people have no respect for
integrity, or if they consider me corrupt like others, then I give up my honest
ways to-day and will now take to all the dishonest and unfair ways to show them
that I can be better than them in this `art of the worse’ also.” In the
process, his habit of being unjust, unfair and dishonest becomes fixed so much
so that now it becomes very hard to change.
(i) Such people cannot see the dubious attempts and
guiles of their own mind. They cannot understand that their own mind is
deceiving them and that, by adopting these wrong ways, they are not being
clever but they are being lost in the winding ways of Màyà—the Temptress or the
Negative Force, called Delusion. One should, therefore, not allow oneself to be
led astray by these negative thoughts and should, at such moments, say to
himself: “I understand the subtle ways of Màyà which is trying to play tricks
with me and to rob me of my purity, my valuable asset of honesty, my precious
possession of character and my hard currency of integrity. I am not going to
lose these treasures at any cost”.
(ii) There are some businessmen and industrialists who
say that they are all for fair and just means and also for high standards of
morality and integrity in private life but, in this profession, one cannot
maintain any high standards in these hard days. They say that it is easy to
preach to others to keep their integrity
intact but, in practical day-to-day life, it is not possible. “This
moralising”, they say, “is alright so far as it goes but it is not practical”.
“How many people put this strictly into practice?”, they ask.
(iii) What they say comes from their hard experience.
No doubt, it is very difficult to maintain high standards of integrity these
days. But it is not impossible nor even totally impractical. Of course, it
requires guts and even some sacrifice initially but it is a greatly rewarding
effort also if one pursues it assiduously, because it establishes one’s
credibility. If a person can establish his credibility, he, later, brightens
the prospects of success or also reduces chaces or losing his business.
3. Transformation, beginning with the self
(i) All the
ways to be saved from sliding deeper into acts of economic and social
malpractices and immorality can be put into practice if a person has, first,
the firm belief that the transformation has to begin with his self and that it
would be wrong on his part to hope that all or at least some others would
change first and then only he would follow them. He has to say to himself,
“As a businessman and industrialist, initiative is one of my qualities. I now
use this quality of taking initiative by committing myself unfailingly to moral
principles.”
(ii) He should further have these thoughts: “I will be held responsible for my actions. I will receive the reward or punishment for my acts according as they are good or bad. Let me, therefore, not follow those who are fallen in this aspect but only those who can inspire me to greater moral heights or, at least, let me be a lamp unto myself.” A Businessman or an Industrialist is a leader to his team. Now, let him use this quality of leadership for leading in Integrity. Business cannot be done without responsibility. He is now expected to take up his moral Responsibility.
4. A higher goal or higher ideal is necessary
This process of transformation will make progress if one sets up higher goals in his life, saying to himself: “Let business and industry contribute to my happiness here and hereafter. Let it not bring me roses now and lead me to forest of thorns or to gallows later. I will do business, run an industry and make profit but never will I allow it to be a dirty business or an industry that puts dust in my mind. There are people whose goal is Money, Mammon is their God. But to me money is a means and not the ultimate goal. So, my goal being different, my efforts and my professional ethics has to be different. My ideal being higher, my outlook and attitudes have to be different and my path has to be a bit difficult too. And, I have made this choice because I don’t want to lose my sterling character, my imperishable wealth of Virtue and Purity.”
5. Faith in outcome of Virtue
Thus, one step towards transformation, in this context, is to have the unmitigable faith that virtue always comes out victorious in the end and that vices, ultimately, make a person sink with themselves. Haven’t we heard or observed of numerous instances of people who make rapid ‘progress’ (this is what they call it) initially when they adopt dubious ways but, when they have gone up some rungs of the ladder, they fall down and are hurt grievously, losing their reputation, self-respect, wealth and all. Isn’t it why they say that, if character is lost everything is certainly lost.
6. Breach of moral principles builds up tension
Slowly and steadily, tension builds up in the minds of those who violate moral principles because of their conflict with their conscience and with the laws and also with the society. Their guilt-consciousness also twitches their mind and, alas, they have a sad end. It would, therefore, be wrong to follow the example of such people and to say: “Look, these people are making rapid progress and quick money whereas I, who am honest man, have been left behind.” On the other hand, one should say to oneself, “Let me have patience. I have not lost my conscience. So, I am a gainer. I have won a victory over evil. I am a dutiful child of God. I am blessed. I am happy. I have my peace. Inner peace cannot be purchased with money. I have a treasure of Peace, Solace and Tranquility."
7. Spirit of Trusteeship
One’s inner transformation can be rapid if one does business or runs an industry in the spirit of a trustee, thinking that all this belongs to society or to God and that he has been given an opportunity for being creative and for doing some service to the society besides having income to meet his material and other needs of life.
8. Virtue and Spiritual Wisdom also are wealth
One can also make quick spiritual progress by thinking
that no one really gains if the social order becomes corrupt and that virtue is
its own reward, contentment is a great treasure and spiritual wisdom also is
imperishable wealth and one’s own righteous actions also are credit-notes or
Fixed Deposit Certificates.
Much more could be said on the subject but, let’s end
this part of the subject here. We would now take up the second part, namely,
“The Transformation of the self in the context of Management”.
Part-II
Transformation, in the context of Management
Contd....Part 3
