Middle Way Management and Courage

In my last post, I discussed the role integrity plays in Middle Way Management™. A Middle Way Manager's™ practice must be both integral and congruent, or it is nothing at all. In this post, I consider courage and how it both affects and is an outcome of practicing Middle Way Management.

If I Only Had Some Courage...
In the past, I behaved much like the Cowardly Lion in the workplace. In the face of fear, I would simply curl my tail between my legs and slink off to lick my wounds under the fluorescent light of my gray cubicle. Sometimes, the fear was held only in the space between my ears, at other times is was a nearly-visceral reaction to vicious and unrelenting criticism from a manager. Most of the time, I did not live and work by the courage of my convictions, choosing, instead, to accept any and all forms of fear as a consequence of working in an American-style organization. I held no one accountable for their words and actions nor did I hold myself accountable to the high standards of Middle Way Management.

Now, times are different, and I am different. Today, I am a Middle Way Manager. I face difficulty with a quality of mind and spirit that help me overcome my fears. Some consider this sort of courage to be synonymous with bravery. I consider it a way of being and a framework for action in the context of Middle Way Management practice. In this way, we must practice self-compassion first. Without self-compassion, we cannot give ourselves the space and respect necessary to have compassion for others. Without practicing inner compassion, we are doomed to withhold our empathy, patience, kindness, and abiding love for others. Practice compassion for yourself first, only then will it come naturally for others.

Courage in the Workplace
Because courage is a response to fear, it is sorely needed in today's American-style workplace. People are scared; they are scared of losing their jobs and they are scared of their salaries being cut or their benefits being reduced. People are scared of where the economy and their organization are headed and where they will end up when it comes time for blessed retirement (if there is light at the end of that tunnel at all). They must all act professionally in this fear-charged atmosphere and some simply do not know how to do that because fear has gotten the better of them and they are engaging in acts that are not representative of their true characters. They know they are not their behaviors, yet they catch themselves behaving in ways they do not understand, resulting in disappointment and even self-loathing.

It takes courage to break this negative cycle of fear and reaction, this organization-based suffering. Middle Way Managers must sometimes practice the approach without the institutional support of their superiors and organization. This is possible because the understanding, mindful awareness, and way of being that is Middle Way Management can be practiced within a larger organizational context without the organization's "official" sanction. In fact, this is one of the most effective ways Middle Way Management will gain notoriety over the long term. It takes courage to execute a management approach when others are ridiculing it or simply do not understand your motivations. Charge ahead and let the results speak for themselves - and for you.

Courage from Your Position
The idea of leading from one's position has gained increasing traction over the last few years. The good news is that it's absolutely true: Anyone can lead from their particular organizational position. This takes a certain amount of courage because leadership requires decision-making and action-taking, which are inherently risky endeavors. Organizations that encourage leading from one's position must allow organizational members the freedom to make mistakes in order to learn from missteps. In today's business environment where crisis management has become something of a norm, this sort of freedom may not always be allowed. If this is the case within your organization, you must decide how much risk you are willing to shoulder while remaining true to your Middle Way Management practice.

At the end of the day, your single, driving goal as a Middle Way Manager must be the practice of mindful awareness that leads to the reduction of suffering at all levels of the organization. Accepting this mission can be a courageous act on its own. Conventional American-style business wisdom tells us that informed self-interest and the accumulation of vast wealth are the only worthy goals of our pursuits. When you practice true Middle Way Management, your sphere of concern extends beyond yourself. This may be viewed by some in your organization as a "weak" approach, which they will then project upon you. Are you willing to take this risk? Are you willing to create a positive ripple effect that will cut across the organization and across time? Are you willing to be a Middle Way Manager?

In my next post, I will consider three views that shape the way we view the world and our place in it.

Until then, go, and manage with compassion!

Onward! Darin

Copyright © 2009/2010, Darin R. Molnar, PhD. All rights reserved.