Part Two: Percepts
The percepts of Middle Way Management™ are the assumptions and presumptions many of us make and carry around in our heads regarding an approach to leading and managing people that emphasizes compassion over the bottom line. Typically, assumptions like these are created from incomplete or inaccurate information about what it takes to manage people in an organization.
Percept #1: Middle Way Management is a soft approach to leading and managing people in organizations
American-style organizations have long operated under the assumption that people are nothing more than resources to be exploited with the singular goal of increasing shareholder value. The roots of this attitude lie in Chicago School/Friedmanian economic theories that consider humans rational beings (we generally are not) to be manipulated in ways designed solely to increase productive output. This largely discounts stakeholder theories that emphasize common ground and the sharing of success and failure across a broader spectrum of interested parties, including shareholders/owners, managers (as representatives of the shareholders/owners), employees, partners, suppliers, and even competitors. Middle Way Management emphasizes personal accountability at all organizational levels, leaving no "wiggle room" for lapses in ethics or responsibility. Because of this, Middle Way Management is not "soft" on people in organizations; it holds them to the highest possible standards.
Percept #2: Some (most?) managers will not accept or adopt Middle Way Management
The temptation here is to use the old sales adage, "Some will, some won't, so what, who's next?" I understand that not everyone will ken to my presentation of Middle Way Management and I'm fine with that. As I explained to a colleague who presented this idea to me, if everyone went along with my concepts, I would be able to change water to wine and then walk on it! I fully expect many, if not most, American-style managers to discount the ideas here because they have been steeped in the points I make in Percept #1. My primary goal is to present the concepts and let the seeds germinate and take root where they will. If I can help even one manager reach a new awareness about his or her role, I've accomplished something wonderful.
Percept #3: Middle Way Management is nothing new
As another old saying goes, "There is nothing new under the sun." So it also goes for Middle Way Management. A major task when one undertakes knowledge creation is to synthesize and evaluate both disparate and similar ideas, to show them in a new light. As I frame management in new ways, I am presenting new possibilities that some managers may never before have considered or, if they have considered them, did not possess the practice tools to make them a reality. The fundamental concepts of Middle Way Management are not new, which is why I truly believe it will succeed as a new way of leading and managing people in organizations.
Percept #4: Middle Way Management is a Buddhist apologetic
Middle Way Management does, by virtue of its name, share much with Buddhism. The attention to mindfulness, compassion, daily review(s) of behaviors, and an emphasis on right thought that leads to right speech and right action are all Buddhist concepts. Yet, they are also concepts that can be found in other leadership and management approaches, as well as other philosophies and ideologies. Middle Way Management is not an apologetic because it is not focused on recruiting anyone to the Buddhist religion/way of life nor is it intended to be used as a rationalization for adoption of Buddhist philosophy. As you will see, Middle Way Management is a way to lead and manage people in organizations that is more than all of these.
Percept #5: Middle Way Management is a New Age approach
The intent of Middle Way Management is to encourage a leadership/management sensibility of compassion that generates a more positive and creative organizational environment. Because of the language I use, some will see it as a New Age approach when, in fact, it is closer to Buddhism, which has a 2,500-year history of success. As with anything I write, the conclusions people come to will be entirely their own. I can only offer my ideas for consumption and then see how people embrace and apply them. This should prove to be an interesting journey, indeed.
Stay tuned for more - I've completed the articles I was committed to writing and now have more time to develop and present Middle Way Management for your comments.
Onward! Darin
Copyright © 2009, Darin R. Molnar, PhD. All rights reserved.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Precepts and Percepts of Middle Way Management
Part One: Precepts
My initial post on Middle Way Management™ was a brief introduction to a few of the fundamental concepts of the approach. I understand that my ideas are crying for more descriptive and explanatory detail, yet it would be premature to explore them more fully without first introducing some of the basic concepts that lie at the foundation of the approach. This post will present a few of the precepts of Middle Way Management with a follow-up post that covers some of its percepts appearing in the next few days.
The ideas presented below are generalizations intended to act as starting points for further thought and discussion, not as definitive statements about all managers in every organizational context.
Precept #1: The practice context of Middle Way Management is the organization.
Middle Way Management is an approach to leading and managing people intended for practice within the capitalistic American enterprise system. Currently, this means it is practiced within the context of the organization, a structure that accommodates myriad forms, including hierarchical/bureaucratic, network, organic, and those not mentioned here or yet to be invented and developed. Organizations are designed to marshal resources - human, capital, creative, etc. - with the singular purpose of achieving a set of agreed upon goals and objectives. It is widely believed today that the single best way to accomplish such teleological (not necessarily fiscally driven) activities is by organizing according to generally accepted formal standards. It is within this context that Middle Way Management is practiced.
Precept #2: The Middle Way Manager chooses to practice within the context of the organization.
The Middle Way Manager™ is an active change agent who understands she has chosen to practice Middle Way Management within the context of the organization as described in Precept #1. The Middle Way Manager is not driven to change organizational dynamics to suit his own goals and objectives; rather, he strives to manage with love and compassion in whatever culture and environment and under whatever organizational form he finds himself. Through diligent practice, the Middle Way Manager can inadvertently introduce suffering into her own practice and, hence, life (see Percept #3 in my next post for more on this). Often, this results in the Middle Way Manager being forced to make vital career path, personal, and organizational decisions in light of his practice of Middle Way Management. Regardless of the practice outcome, the primary goal of the Middle Way Manager is the relief of suffering at all organizational levels in all ways possible.
Precept #3: Suffering exists within the context of the organization.
Two types of suffering exist within the context of the organization: (1) Individual and (2) Organizational. The roots of individual suffering are personal and inevitably spring from the emotional, spiritual, physical, and psychological injuries from which we all suffer as human beings. People cannot, and should not, separate their personal lives from their organizational lives - this is unhealthy, unproductive, and unnecessary when Middle Way Management is practiced. Organizational suffering manifests as a dysfunctional culture or a toxic work environment. The causes of this suffering are created and perpetuated by the organization members. The practice of managing members with love and compassion will accomplish the good work of healing organizational ills. In fact, this is one of the top duties of Middle Way Managers.
Precept #4: The way out of suffering at all levels of the organization is through the genuine practice of managerial love and compassion.
Compassion travels hand-in-hand with love and both are necessary parts of the Middle Way Manager's daily practice. Compassion is a genuine concern for people which includes empathetic consideration and deep, abiding sympathy with any and all trials through which organizational members are traveling. Of course, these qualities also extend to the free and open celebration of good experiences. Because the purview of the Middle Way Manager covers all levels of the organizational hierarchy (if one exists, and it usually does in the American model) she is relentlessly seeking opportunities to relieve both individual and organizational suffering in all ways. The single best way to do this is through a mindful practice of managerial love and compassion - i.e., Middle Way Management.
Precept #5: Managers have a special responsibility to relieve suffering at all levels of the organization.
The social, emotional, and spiritual gravity of the positions held by managers is largely underestimated by managers themselves, as well as all other organizational members. Managers have enormous influence over the people they lead and manage. This means a single word, look, or gesture can have an exaggerated impact - both positive and negative. Granted, managers are people, too, yet they have accepted the awesome responsibility of assuming a leadership role for the purported benefit of the organization. The acceptance of this role confers vast amounts of potential and realized personal benefit upon the manager simply by virtue of how his actions play out in the current of the Ripple Effect created by his behaviors. Managerial behaviors can be a positive influence upon the organization, its members, their family members, literally anyone who comes into contact with a person affected by the manager's actions - or they can be searingly negative. The Middle Way Manager seeks to create a positive stream of energy with a lasting, unforeseeable impact on all of those with whom she comes in contact.
Though this list is just a beginning, it represents a few fundamental points the Middle Way Manager should keep in mind during his daily practice. My next post will offer a few percepts intended to add clarity to why Middle Way Management is an approach to leading and managing people whose time has come. I look forward to your comments!
Onward! Darin
Copyright © 2009, Darin R. Molnar, PhD. All rights reserved.
My initial post on Middle Way Management™ was a brief introduction to a few of the fundamental concepts of the approach. I understand that my ideas are crying for more descriptive and explanatory detail, yet it would be premature to explore them more fully without first introducing some of the basic concepts that lie at the foundation of the approach. This post will present a few of the precepts of Middle Way Management with a follow-up post that covers some of its percepts appearing in the next few days.
The ideas presented below are generalizations intended to act as starting points for further thought and discussion, not as definitive statements about all managers in every organizational context.
Precept #1: The practice context of Middle Way Management is the organization.
Middle Way Management is an approach to leading and managing people intended for practice within the capitalistic American enterprise system. Currently, this means it is practiced within the context of the organization, a structure that accommodates myriad forms, including hierarchical/bureaucratic, network, organic, and those not mentioned here or yet to be invented and developed. Organizations are designed to marshal resources - human, capital, creative, etc. - with the singular purpose of achieving a set of agreed upon goals and objectives. It is widely believed today that the single best way to accomplish such teleological (not necessarily fiscally driven) activities is by organizing according to generally accepted formal standards. It is within this context that Middle Way Management is practiced.
Precept #2: The Middle Way Manager chooses to practice within the context of the organization.
The Middle Way Manager™ is an active change agent who understands she has chosen to practice Middle Way Management within the context of the organization as described in Precept #1. The Middle Way Manager is not driven to change organizational dynamics to suit his own goals and objectives; rather, he strives to manage with love and compassion in whatever culture and environment and under whatever organizational form he finds himself. Through diligent practice, the Middle Way Manager can inadvertently introduce suffering into her own practice and, hence, life (see Percept #3 in my next post for more on this). Often, this results in the Middle Way Manager being forced to make vital career path, personal, and organizational decisions in light of his practice of Middle Way Management. Regardless of the practice outcome, the primary goal of the Middle Way Manager is the relief of suffering at all organizational levels in all ways possible.
Precept #3: Suffering exists within the context of the organization.
Two types of suffering exist within the context of the organization: (1) Individual and (2) Organizational. The roots of individual suffering are personal and inevitably spring from the emotional, spiritual, physical, and psychological injuries from which we all suffer as human beings. People cannot, and should not, separate their personal lives from their organizational lives - this is unhealthy, unproductive, and unnecessary when Middle Way Management is practiced. Organizational suffering manifests as a dysfunctional culture or a toxic work environment. The causes of this suffering are created and perpetuated by the organization members. The practice of managing members with love and compassion will accomplish the good work of healing organizational ills. In fact, this is one of the top duties of Middle Way Managers.
Precept #4: The way out of suffering at all levels of the organization is through the genuine practice of managerial love and compassion.
Compassion travels hand-in-hand with love and both are necessary parts of the Middle Way Manager's daily practice. Compassion is a genuine concern for people which includes empathetic consideration and deep, abiding sympathy with any and all trials through which organizational members are traveling. Of course, these qualities also extend to the free and open celebration of good experiences. Because the purview of the Middle Way Manager covers all levels of the organizational hierarchy (if one exists, and it usually does in the American model) she is relentlessly seeking opportunities to relieve both individual and organizational suffering in all ways. The single best way to do this is through a mindful practice of managerial love and compassion - i.e., Middle Way Management.
Precept #5: Managers have a special responsibility to relieve suffering at all levels of the organization.
The social, emotional, and spiritual gravity of the positions held by managers is largely underestimated by managers themselves, as well as all other organizational members. Managers have enormous influence over the people they lead and manage. This means a single word, look, or gesture can have an exaggerated impact - both positive and negative. Granted, managers are people, too, yet they have accepted the awesome responsibility of assuming a leadership role for the purported benefit of the organization. The acceptance of this role confers vast amounts of potential and realized personal benefit upon the manager simply by virtue of how his actions play out in the current of the Ripple Effect created by his behaviors. Managerial behaviors can be a positive influence upon the organization, its members, their family members, literally anyone who comes into contact with a person affected by the manager's actions - or they can be searingly negative. The Middle Way Manager seeks to create a positive stream of energy with a lasting, unforeseeable impact on all of those with whom she comes in contact.
Though this list is just a beginning, it represents a few fundamental points the Middle Way Manager should keep in mind during his daily practice. My next post will offer a few percepts intended to add clarity to why Middle Way Management is an approach to leading and managing people whose time has come. I look forward to your comments!
Onward! Darin
Copyright © 2009, Darin R. Molnar, PhD. All rights reserved.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
What is Middle Way Management?
Middle Way Management™ is the practice of leading and managing people based upon time-tested ways of being; it is a consciously mindful, compassionate approach that is neither too controlling nor too lax. Middle Way Management emphasizes accountability in an atmosphere of authentic connection. Middle Way Management is patient and kind; it exercises genuine concern for people because they are the real constituents of the organization, not just those who benefit from its bottom line, though bottom line numbers ultimately become healthier and more vibrant when the people contributing to organizational success are led and managed with patience, love, and compassion. Middle Way Management is practiced in the now with a full, energetic commitment to doing what is necessary and right today to fulfill on the vision and promise of tomorrow. Middle Way Management is a daily walk in the presence of chaotic energy tempered by conscious love, true compassion, and mindful intent.
The Middle Way
The Middle Way Manager™ lives a conscious commitment to self and team, exercising a daily, mindful walk in the present. The Middle Way Manager is a constant, guiding presence, standing firm in the face of challenge and honoring colleagues at all times. The Middle Way Manager is here now, ready to support through active engagement and positive encouragement, always willing to offer empathy, compassion, and candid accountability. The Middle Way Manager does not practice any one behavioral extreme, remaining mindful of the effect actions and words have on others. The Middle Way Manager’s primary goal is to relieve suffering at all organizational levels in all possible ways.
Why is Middle Way Management the Answer Today?
Middle Way Management is intended for practice in any country, any culture, and across time. As the world continues to move into a genuinely global marketplace, the pressing need for Middle Way Management becomes more urgent on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. Our current economic troubles are rippling through the world markets with little sign of abating any time soon. We are living this because management principles and practices have emphasized personal gain and the accumulation of vast wealth above all other motivations. Is it not time we shifted our leadership and management focus to a longer term commitment to right thought, right speech, and right action? Is it not time we fulfilled organizational goals within the context of our market economy through coherent, congruent, consciously mindful ways and means? Is it not time for Middle Way Management?
In the weeks and months ahead, I will be publishing blog entries intended to flesh out, embellish, and add to the ideas I have presented here. I look forward to your comments and suggestions and eagerly anticipate what I am confident will be lively dialogue centered on the subject of Middle Way Management and what it takes to be a true and effective Middle Way Manager in these trying times.
Onward! Darin
Copyright © 2009, Darin R. Molnar, PhD. All rights reserved.
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