Insights from psychological and spiritual synthesis
Ongoing failures and scandals
A scan of the literature, the internet and my interviews with a number of governance practitioners has revealed that when selecting and developing board directors – profit or non-profit, the focus is very much on what they know, who they know, and what they’ve done.
Perhaps, given the awesome responsibilities of 21st century directors (both profits and non-profits), with business having a key role in overcoming probable mega-disasters in society, the environment and the economy; the focus should at least be equally on their character virtues, an other– orientation (not self-serving), and purpose.
This is especially true in an era where there continue to be huge disconnects between stated principles and values, and actual behaviours – in both the public and private sectors.1
One does not have to think back too far to recall Banks that have rigged currency rates and chased excess profit because of the ‘banking culture,’ Oil Companies responsible for a major ocean spillage after carelessly pushing the boundaries of safety, Coffee Makers using aluminium pods, Water Bottlers who will raid and deplete a community’s underground water supplies (and leave an unwanted plastic legacy as well), Car Manufacturers who design software to cheat emission tests, a Fast-food Retailer pirating unsustainable palm oil, the Furniture Manufacturer who fiddles “forestry stewardship” figures, or the Consumer Goods Marketer who uses plastic microbeads in its cleansing and toothpaste products (justifying this on the basis that the larger plastics are a bigger threat to ocean pollution, and that their customers enjoy using their products!
“Whereas the 20th century might be viewed as the age of management, the early 21st century is predicted to be more focused on governance.”
-James McRitchie
A recent case is that of Global Retailer, Steinhoff Holdings, with their impressive codes of conduct, corporate social responsibility programmes, sustainability initiatives and learning organisation claims. They stand accused of fraud exceeding 10 billion US dollars and their larger shareholders include pension funds, retirement annuities, and provident funds administrators.
We could add to this litany of uncouth and damaging behaviour those of sexual, emotional, psychological and spiritual harassment, abuse and personal violations.
All this amounts to a systemic rape of the planet, societies, and individuals in numerous forms, by a few powerful, immoral leaders, including:
- Deforestation
- Stealing of tribal lands
- Plundering of pension fund monies
- Personal harassment and abuse
- Depletion of underground water supplies
- Tax legislation that favours the rich, disadvantages the poor
Expediency, greed, arrogance, disrespect and self-serving have all come into play. As has domination, violation, abuse and hurt, and the stripping away of other’s rights, self-esteem and happiness without their consent.
What has led to this highly unsatisfactory state of affairs?
All of our lives have been infiltrated over time by these behaviours.
There are complex and layered exterior forces that shape us and challenge both our egos and our souls. What we think, feel, believe is influenced by our families, communities, institutions, societies, nature and spiritual experiences. Nancy Klein eloquently describes how the big brands have influenced and often conditioned every area of our being. How the system has spawned Personal Brands, usually with incredibly strong needs to have and to show power, to control, be recognised and praised, to amass wealth. These needs of ‘hollow men’ can never be satisfied. They are products of the system that has been for too many years (consciously and/or unconsciously) driving our exploitive, entitlement-based, consumption- focused beliefs and life styles.2
Widely believed sentiments such as the following have contributed to the rise of deceptive, self-serving behaviour:
“That greed is good. That the market rules. That money is what matters in life. That the natural world is there for us to pillage. That the vulnerable deserve their fate and that the one percent deserve their golden towers.
That anything public or commonly held is sinister and not worth protecting. That we are surrounded by danger and should only look after our own. That there is no alternative to any of this.”2
A new Director profile is required
A definite and sharp move is required when choosing directors from what they know, who they know, and what they’ve done – to who they are, what virtues they consistently display, and the purity of their motives.
But how? What personal growth needs to take place?
Ferrucci points us to these key dimensions of human life, dimensions that need to be synthesised in the makeup of Board Directors:
“The emergence of will and self-determination
The sharpening of the mind
The enjoyment of beauty
The enrichment of imagination
The awakening of intuition
The realization of love
The discovery of the Self and its purpose.”3
“In its most basic sense, Psychosynthesis is simply a name for the process of personal growth: the natural tendency in each of us to harmonize or synthesize our various aspects at ever more inclusive levels of organization. In its more specific sense, Psychosynthesis is a name for the conscious attempt to cooperate with the natural process of personal development. All living things contain within them a drive to evolve, to become the fullest realization of themselves. This process can be supported consciously, and Psychosynthesis is one means to do this.”4
Ophelia’s statement (used as his book title by Piero Ferrucci) is a good basis for looking at such a growth journey for director – leaders.5
We need directors who fit the profile indicated on the chart that I’ve drawn up below (quote from Hamlet5). The chart outlines a developmental/growth model for modern Board Directors and senior leaders:
Pain, meaninglessness and possible self-destruction occur when fragmented inner elements clash, hence the need to aim at integration of body, mind and spirit and to reach ‘wholeness’ – the da Vinci virtue of corporalita examined in The Virtuosa Organisation.1 As part of the process participants tackle their shadow side, harmful attachments, addictions, desires, converted fears (for example, prejudice), egoically-driven emotions (such as anger) … and because of the neuroplasticity of our brains, we can edit, reframe and change our life stories by altering, growing new neurons, connections and pathways, get out of insecure-attachments, override limiting beliefs, develop compassion. We can literally rewire our brains over time. Change slowly but surely to who we need to become.
The model fits Servant Leadership to quite a large extent. Servant Leadership has matured and is currently enjoying something of a resurrection. It embraces a number of the ideas contained in the above model, has been around for a number of years, and is currently gaining traction in the business world. It is transformational.
Hosted by Conscious Marketer, Ken Blanchard and Berrett-Koehler Publications, over 40 speakers were involved in the October 2017 Servant Leadership Online Training Summit that recently took place over 10 days.6
We believe that the model that we present here enhances the Servant Leader approach in six clear and important areas:
- conversion of stated values to consistently displayed virtues (via behaviour indicators)
- combining leadership + purpose + mastery
- widening the notion of ‘customer’ (internal and external) to include suppliers, citizens and other stakeholders (especially in the sustainability arena)
- recognising and accessing the benefits of deeper mindfulness
- identifying, unpacking, understanding and utilising the elements of spirituality
- utilising advanced conversational processes to guide cultural change deftly and speedily (especially in a world of rapid, turbulent change on many fronts)
(The author may be contacted for further elucidation)
Underlying elements and practices in navigating the model, are metanoia and kenosis.
Metanoia and Kenosis
Part of the process is that of metanoia, which Bourgeault describes as the “larger mind.” “It means to escape from the orbit of the egoic operating system, which by virtue of its own internal hardwiring is always going to see the world in terms of polarized opposites, and move instead into that nondual knowingness of the heart which can see and live from the perspective of wholeness”.7 Integrated thinking, taking account of the six capitals (financial, intellectual, social, human, manufactured and natural), fits snugly into this description.
Nothing less than kenotic loving will suffice – self-emptying for others. If we lack genuine compassion for the planet and society, we should not be serving on any Board.
Bourgeault: “It’s almost completely spiritually counterintuitive. For the vast majority of the world’s spiritual seekers, the way to god is “up.” Deeply embedded in our religious and spiritual traditions—and most likely in the human collective unconscious itself—is a kind of compass that tells us that the spiritual journey is an ascent, not a descent.”7
Ozdemir cites Karen Armstrong: “We have been living in a time of great social transformation and unrest and … we should foster compassion, self-emptying and justice,” then speaks of the approach taken by, and the teachings of, Rumi and Confucius.8
We can add the philosophy, writings and lives of Henri Nouwen, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus, Buddha (the sunyata tradition).
Metanoia and Kenosis both require a deep letting go. Letting go of egoic self-importance. Letting go during times of adversity and threat. Building inner strength, resilience. Serving outwardly and transforming through letting go.
As we put the pieces together during the programme, the wisdom of Albert Einstein affirms, “Out of the clutter, find simplicity. From discord, find harmony. In the middle of difficulty, lies opportunity.”
As Dietrich Bonhoeffer has said, “The beyond is not what is infinitely remote, but what is nearest at hand.”
Daniel Goleman exhorts us to: “Finally, act now, in whatever way you are called to. Otherwise the toxic forces at loose today will define our time. But each of us acting in our own way can together create a stronger force for good.”9
What is your experience in working with Boards of Directors? Have you served or held a Board seat? I welcome your thoughts and comments below.
A detailed context for this article has been published by the Journal of Spiritual Leadership and Management: http://www.slam.org.au/publications/articles/articles-and-working-papers/
References
1 Williams, G; Fox, P and Haarhof, D The Virtuosa Organisation: the importance of virtues for a successful business. Knowres Publishing 2015
2 Klein, Naomi No is not Enough: resisting Trump’s shock politics and winning the world we need. Haymarket Books Chicago 2017
3 Ferrucci, Piero What we May Be: techniques for psychological and spiritual growth through psychsynthesis. Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin NY 2004
4 Synthesis Center web site. https://www.synthesiscenter.org/ps.htm
5 Shakespeare, William The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Act IV, Scene V
6 Servant Leadership On-Line Training Summit https://servantleadershipsummit.com
7 Bourgeault, Cynthia The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind—a New Perspective on Christ and His Message. Shambhala 2008
8 Ozdemir, Ibrahim, Rumi and Confucius: Messages for a New Century Tughra Books NJ 2013; citing Armstrong, Karen, The Great Transformation: the beginning of our religious traditions. First Anchor Books 2007
9 Goleman, Daniel, How to be a Force for Good Lion’s Roar, 29th August, 2017
https://www.lionsroar.com/how-to-be-a-force-for-good