Sri Ramakrishna Math : The Vedanta Kesari, A Corporate Values Revolution

Richard Barrett is the Managing Partner of Richard Barrett & Associates LLC, Waynesville, USA, which holds the copyright of this article.

I believe that the value system of our Western civilization is destroying the Earth and condemning hundreds of millions of people to poverty. We are living in a world in which the environment is seen as an economic resource to be plundered and discarded, a world in which species are becoming extinct at a faster rate than ever before in the history of humanity, a world in which the gulf between the rich and the poor continues to grow, and a world in which the basis of every negotiation is, "What's in it for me?"

Despite these facts, my prognosis for humanity is full of hope. This hope is based on my belief that there is a new consciousness maturing in the minds of people around the world--a quiet revolution, more significant than the reformation, a revolution that will challenge the whole basis of Western civilization, and a revolution that will mitigate the power of the rich elites in the worlds of business and politics. It is a revolution in values.

The process of changing values is called transformation. It is often precipitated by a crisis, and can be stressful and debilitating. In societal terms it can involve violence; in organizational terms it can threaten survival; in individual terms it can be emotionally painful. The violence and pain of a crisis often generate a transformational response. The crisis itself becomes a force for change. It generates a motivational energy for a values shift that creates a better world. Let me briefly describe three of the global crises that are driving the revolution in values.

First, the ecological and environmental destruction of the planet. We are slowly beginning to realize that by polluting the planet we are polluting our own bodies. We are the air we breathe; we are the water we drink; we are the food we eat. As we pollute the air, water, and earth, we are not only destroying our life support systems, we are also destroying ourselves. We have a major global issue in terms of our common survival. Tim Wirth, Under Secretary of State for Global Affairs in the USA, said recently at the World Bank conference on Ethics and Spiritual Values that "The economy is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the environment. All economic activity is dependent on the environment and its underlying resource base. When the environment is finally forced to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 because its resource base has been polluted, degraded, dissipated, irretrievably compromised, then the economy will go bankrupt with it."¹

Second, the growing inequalities between the rich and poor nations, and rich and poor people in individual countries. The income gap between the rich and poor nations is widening. Between 1960 and 1989, the countries with the richest 20 per cent of world population received 30 times more than the bottom 20 per cent, but by 1989 they were receiving 60 times more. Today, that gap is even wider. In the United States, 1 per cent of the population holds 40 per cent of the national wealth, having doubled its share in less than 20 years. US corporate executives receive salaries up to 225 times what they pay their lowest-wage employees. The income gap between the highest-paid and the lowest-paid American workers is now the most extreme of the world's 25 advanced industrial nations. Last year Forbes Magazine listed 358 billionaires. These individuals had a net worth of the combined income of the poorest 45 percent of the world's population. It does not take a rocket scientist to tell you what is wrong with this picture: We have a major global issue in terms of the distribution of wealth. Recent research suggests that increasing inequality tends to result in greater social unrest and lower rates of economic growth.

Third, the rising tide of the unemployed. Between now and the year 2010, the developing world is expected to add more than 700 million men and women to the labour force--a working population that is larger than the labour force of the industrial world in 1990. In the next thirty years the labour force of Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean is expected to grow by 52 million, or twice the number of workers as currently exist in Mexico alone. In Africa, 323 million new workers will enter the labour force over the next three decades--a working-age population larger than the current labour force of Europe.² How are all these people going to earn a living? Paul Hawken describes the problem in the following terms: "We have spent the last century, and most of us the last decades, working our tails off in order to make fewer and fewer people more and more productive using systems of manufacturing, distribution, and communication that use more and more resources. We are doing all this precisely at a time when we have less and less resources and more and more people."³ We have a major global issue in terms of unemployment. Without a fundamental shift in values and a more equitable sharing of wealth and power, we will experience a massive breakdown in our social and life support systems. It is already beginning to happen. In Mexico City the air pollution is so severe that young couples with children are advised to move their children to the countryside. In Rio de Janeiro one person is murdered every hour. Most of the victims are young people who have turned to the drug trade to earn a living. In Johannesburg, one person is murdered every two hours. As the environmental and societal situations grow worse, there will be a shift in consciousness among the masses that will give rise to new societal values. History is replete with such shifts.

The true value of the study of history is not to be found in historical events. The historic events are symbolic representations of something much more important: the footprints that the evolution of human consciousness have left in the world. Behind every event lies the emergence of new societal values. Let us look at our recent history.

The French and Russian revolutions occurred because the injustice to the masses became intolerable. One by one, individuals began to embrace the values of freedom and equality. Gradually, as more and more people accepted this new consciousness, a critical mass was reached that set in motion the outpouring of the new values. Similar shifts in consciousness occurred more recently in Russia as the people rejected communism, in South Africa as the people rejected apartheid, and in the Middle East as the Arabs and Israelis rejected war. When you look at history in this way, you can clearly trace the shift in values that represents the evolution of human consciousness.

Up to the end of 18th century, kings and queens ruled the lands and were a law unto themselves. Today, autocratic control has virtually disappeared from our systems of governance. We are living in an age of democracy and human rights. Freedom, equality, and justice, and the values that go with them, are expanding everywhere. Everywhere, that is, except in business. This is the last bastion of those who seek to overcome their fears through greed. There is no democracy in business, or in our major institutions. Business leaders and officials still act as if they are tyrannical rulers. However, I believe the days of this tyranny are numbered. Just as the kings and queens could not stop the democratic movement two to three centuries ago, it will be equally impossible for the world of business and our global institutions to prevent these changes. I believe it will happen quite rapidly over the next 50 years. Why do I say this? Because the democratic movement and the shift in values from "What's in it for me?" to "What's best for the common good?" is an unstoppable force.

As Peter Russell points out in The Global Brain, the evolution of consciousness has been taking place for millennia. He writes: Immediately after the "big bang" there was only energy. Out of this evolved a whole new order of existence--physical matter. Out of matter emerged organisms. Out of living organisms evolved self-reflective consciousness. With the emergence of self-reflective consciousness the platform of evolution moved up from life to consciousness. Consciousness became the spearhead of evolution. For the first time on Earth consciousness became internalized. Conscious inner evolution is the particular phase of evolution we are currently going through.⁴

Russell is not the only one to consider the significance of the evolution in consciousness. At the turn of this century, Richard Maurice Bucke, a Canadian psychotherapist, studied the lives of those individuals who he felt represented the outposts of the evolution of human consciousness over the past 2,000 years. His conclusion was simple. The number of people living in higher states of consciousness had been increasing. He identified these people through their values. He concludes: Just as, long ago, self-consciousness appeared in the best specimens of our ancestral race in the prime of their life, and gradually became more universal, and appeared in the individual at an earlier and earlier age, ...so will cosmic consciousness become more and more universal and appear earlier and earlier in the individual life until the race at large will possess this faculty.⁵

Bucke described this state of consciousness as "a consciousness of the cosmos, of the life and order of the universe--intellectual enlightenment--a moral state of exaltation--and an understanding of the importance of the common good." In other words, not just strong personal values and integrity, but values that relate to the common good. As such values evolve, they lead automatically to the transcendental concept of unity--a sense of oneness and connectivity with all humans and other life forms. How can we explain this evolution?

Maslow and the transcendental movement provide us with the models to explain what is occurring. Maslow's hierarchy of needs describes the progression of needs from safety and survival, to belonging, to self-esteem, and finally to self-actualization. Each of these needs represents a state of consciousness. Our modern civilization, with employment and welfare for all, has enabled increasing numbers of people to shift from the lower states of consciousness (safety and survival) to reach the stage of self-actualization. It is for this reason that more and more people are interested in learning about themselves by attending retreats and reading self-help literature. Maslow described self-actualization as:"a state in which a person becomes more ego-transcending and more independent of the lower needs (material and psychological)."⁶

Maslow also pointed out that the hierarchy of basic needs is prepotent to the metaneeds (self-transcendent needs). What all this means is that the so-called spiritual life is on the same continuum with the life of the body. The spiritual life is part of our biological life. It is the highest part of it.⁷

Although Maslow did not attempt to delineate the higher states of consciousness of the spiritual life, we find descriptions of these in spiritual literature. According to the transcendental movement, beyond self-actualization lies soul consciousness and beyond that lie cosmic consciousness, divine consciousness, and unity consciousness. When you bring Maslow's hierarchy together with the transcendental hierarchy, you create two triangles, one on top of the other, representing the complete hierarchy of the evolution of consciousness.

In the lower states of consciousness, "self-interest" predominates. In the higher states of consciousness "the common good" predominates. At the boundary between the lower and higher values, self-actualization (transcendence) takes place. Jung called this process individuation. In the lower states of consciousness our values are undermined by fear, while life in the higher states of consciousness is dominated by values that are based on love. Fear leads to self-interest and separation; love leads to the common good and community.

At this particular time in history we are witnessing the beginning of an unprecedented shift in consciousness from the lower values to the higher values. When the number of people embracing this new consciousness reaches a critical mass it will set in motion the new reformation. Dee Hock, founder of Visa International, states that one has to be deaf, dumb, and blind not to see that we are in the midst of a global institutional failure. Society is in the midst of a millennial change that will dwarf the industrial revolution in a tenth of the time."⁸

In a short space of time society will begin to experience a new way of looking at the world. We will see that we are totally interconnected and that the planet is our precious life support system. We will begin to embrace respect for others, equality, responsibility for the whole, and unconditional caring. The global issues we are facing demand that we move from self-interest to the common good.

How will this affect corporations? It will mean that more and more emphasis will be given to values. There will be a growing recognition that corporations exist to serve society, and not the other way round. Work places will nurture employees and we will begin to see the democratization of the work place.

In The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America, Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz⁹ describe why the companies they have chosen deserve this title. They scored companies according to five categories: pay and benefits, opportunities and job security, pride in work and company, openness and fairness, and camaraderie and friendliness. They looked at companies with as many as 380,000 employees and as small as 430. They judged companies on how they cared for their employees, the employees' families, and the community at large; on the opportunities for personal growth and advancement; on child-care and recreational facilities; on integrity and job security; on equity in salaries and benefits; on profit sharing; on the way redundancies are handled; on pension, maternity and medical insurance arrangements. Not only were the companies that scored highest in these categories the best to work for, they were also among the most profitable. And many of these, even in recent turbulent times, still maintain a no-lay-off policy.

As I compared the values that these 100 best companies espoused, I realized that they were the same values that lead to unity consciousness.¹⁰ In other words, the values that break down separation and create connectedness: responsibility for the whole, importance of the common good, equality, respect for all life, and unconditional caring.

The way we achieve unity is by expanding our self-identity. Whatever you identify with, you care for. When you identify with members of your family, you support them. When you identify with your home and garden, you care for them. When you identify with your environment, you protect and nurture it. When you identify with your organization, you give it your very best. This larger sense of self engenders a greater sense of responsibility. The welfare of your organization becomes closely linked to your own. You concentrate less on receiving, and much more on giving. The movement of your energy is outward, toward others, rather than to yourself. Such attitudes toward your organization are generated only when you feel cared for and nurtured in your working environment. The surveys of Levering and Moskowitz showed that the lowest rates of turnover and the happiest employees worked in organizations that cared for their employees, their families, and communities.

Management practices that promote the common good develop a strong sense of ownership and responsibility among employees. Perhaps the most important measures that expressed this value were profit-sharing and stock ownership schemes. Employees who felt they had a stake in the company generally performed better than those who did not. They spent more time at their posts and were constantly on the look-out for cost-saving measures and ways to improve quality. With profit sharing and stock ownership, even non-management employees could look forward to comfortable retirements. When profits dipped and lay-offs were considered, the companies that fared best were those that did everything possible not to make staff redundant. Trimming management salaries and asking employees to seek out cost-cutting measures often provided the necessary savings to weather the storm. Sacrifice that serves the common good creates a strong company spirit. In some companies staff are allowed to spend time on social projects during work hours. The ability to make a contribution to the community during work time gave staff a sense of making a positive difference and sets an example of caring to others.

We recognize equality through freedom of expression and equal rights. Without freedom we cannot express ourselves fully and we cannot learn responsibility. Equality was considered highly important by employees in creating a strong sense of community. In companies that promoted equality there were no reserved parking spaces for managers and no separate dining facilities. Employees mixed with managers at lunch time and open communication was encouraged. Many employees liked the idea that they could see the CEO anytime they wanted. CEO's felt more in touch with the business when they mixed openly with employees. Gender and racial minorities also fared much better in companies that promoted equality. When we adopt a superior attitude toward another, or consider ourselves to be better than others, we are simply covering up our own feelings of inadequacy. In many equality-driven companies all staff are referred to as associates, which helps to break down the separation between management and employees.

We respect life through the preservation of living things. As humans we have the ability to destroy or preserve our natural environment, but by destroying our natural world we exhibit a belief in separation. Many companies are voluntarily undertaking their own environmental audits. Some even allocate a share of profits to environmental movements, and in some companies these monies are managed by employees. It is a source of pride to many employees that their organization is environmentally conscious. They feel they are contributing to making the world a better place to live in.

We express our recognition of unconditional love through service. When unity is recognized, giving becomes the same as receiving. When the strong cells of a body give to the weak cells, the strength of the whole body is increased. We must take care of the weak, the feeble, the disabled, and the minorities if we are to increase the strength of the whole. Several companies of the 100 best companies displayed this philosophy in striking ways. Family members were flown in company jets to far-off places to receive specialized medical treatments. Staff were allowed to take extra time off to be with sick relatives during critical periods. Those benefiting from these acts of kindness felt a strong sense of attachment to the organization. Those who witnessed the acts felt pride in belonging to an organization that could show such compassion.

Of all the values that staff appreciated most about their organizations the most important was a strong sense of family. People want to experience family values in the work place. They want to come to work whole. They want to have fun as well as chance to make a serious contribution. They want to work in organizations that engender a strong sense of community. We all have this inner need to belong. Community and unity come from the same root. It is through unity that we enjoy community and create connectedness and relationships. Scott Peck says, "Introduce genuine community into your business, and you will guarantee its ethical integrity." He also says, "I think management is the highest spiritual calling there is."¹¹

When you provide a space for employees to live out their inner motivations, you engage their respect and trust. They want the organization to succeed because they feel a sense of belonging. They give up the attitude "What's in it for me?" to embrace "What's best for the common good? They leave behind the job mentality to take up their mission. When people are living their missions they are intuitive and creative. This is good for them,good for the organization, and good for the bottom line.

To survive in the 21st century, organizations will need to pay significant attention to the inner needs of the work force. During the past few decades the emphasis has been on material welfare and rewards. In the next century the emphasis will be on values and spiritual welfare. People will be seeking to work in organizations that allow them to bring their personal values to work, that give them an opportunity to make a positive difference in the world, and allow them to become all they can be--to fulfill their potential. As organizations learn to liberate their souls they will create a vital, self actuated work force that will out-perform companies operating under the old paradigm of command and control.

1. Richard Barrett and I. Serageldin, Editors, Ethics and spiritual Values and the Promotion of Environmentally Sustainable Development, Proceedings (October 1995). Washington, DC: World Bank, 1996.
2. Jeremy Rifkin, The End of Work. New York: G.P.Putnam's Sons, 1995.
3. In Context: A Journal of Hope, Sustainability., and Change, No. 41. Interview with Paul Hawken. Bainbridge Island, WA.
4. Peter Russell, The Global Brain. Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, 1983.
5. Richard Maurice Bucke, Cosmic Consciousness. New York: E.P.Dutton, 1969.
6. Abraham Maslow, The Farther Reaches of Human Nature. New York: Penguin Books, 1976.
7. Abraham Maslow, Toward a Psychology of Being. New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1968.
8. Business Ethics, Interview with Dee Hock. May/June, 1996.
9. Robert Levering and Milton Moskowitz, The 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. New York: Coubleday, 1993.
10. Richard Barrett, A Guide to Liberating Your Soul. Alexandria, VA: Unfoldment Publications, 1995.
11. Business Ethics, Interview with M. Scott Peck, March/April, 1994.