Dharmic Values in Business and Leadership
Contributed By - Sri Devi Bulusu
In the recent column, I wrote on my perspective about how material pursuits could be dharmic and aligned with spiritual goals. I outlined the qualifiers for material pursuits to be dharmic. In this column, I will detail my viewpoint with some practical examples.
How could material pursuits be spiritual?
The three qualifiers for material pursuits to be dharmic are:
1. How are material gains earned?
2. How are material gains spent?
3. What meaning do material pursuits add to one’s time?
First, how are material gains earned? Earning material gains needs to be through healthy means and honest ways. We as employees and the organizations we work for need to make money in rightful ways. Unethical and dishonest means cannot be spiritual. Also, we need to keep ourselves physically and mentally fit while working to gain materially. If we go through physical/mental exertion to the extent that we cannot enjoy the money we earned, then such material gains are not dharmic. Sample real life scenarios that are dharmic – rightful sale of goods and services; businesses that encourage employee wellness; a work conscious employee who follows a healthy life-style to be able to contribute better at work; businesses that promote environment friendly initiatives; a work conscious employee who engages in positive dialogue at work to contribute to a productive work place. Sample real life scenarios that are not dharmic - illicit drug trade; companies that do not provide healthy working conditions for employees; use of harmful chemicals while growing produce; stores that adulterate food; a business man/woman who ruins his/her health due to grueling working hours.
Secondly, how are material gains spent? Material gains earned through dharmic means need to be spent in ways that enrich the quality of the life of the owner and also result in social wellbeing. Sample real life scenarios that are dharmic – a person who spends judiciously on improving his physical or mental wellbeing, for comforting his/her family, for social causes including charity. Sample real life scenarios that are not dharmic – a person spending on addictions or anti-social purposes like terrorism, drugs.
Thirdly, what meaning do material pursuits add to one’s time? When we look back at the time spent pursuing the gains, there should be a sense of progress and shared benefit to everyone involved - which is spiritual liberation for the doer. Some of the dimensions which decide this meaning would be if there is a shared value and a higher purpose resulting from our contributions at work. Also, while pursuing the material gains, we need to ensure to balance the different roles we play in our lives. Due to working for material gains, if we lose balance on the other roles we play in our lives, such material gains are not meaningful in our lives. Sample real life scenarios that are dharmic – some of the notable micro financing firms that not only developed great business models but also created shared value in the society in which they operate. Sample real life scenarios that are not dharmic – an employee who does not experience passion in the work he does and does not contribute to the best of his capacity finds very little meaning in most of his day’s work; an employee who cuts off his time from his family on a regular basis to allocate extra time to work.
When material gains are made per the above i.e., under the umbrella of dharma, the gains become a part of spirituality. Then, spirituality becomes a way of life in itself.
yomampashyatisarvatrasarvam cha mayipashyati
tasyahamnapranashyamisa cha me napranashyati
Bhagavadgita, Chapter 6, Verse 30
Translation: For those who see me everywhere and see all things in me, I am never lost, nor are they ever lost to me. (Source: http://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org)