Chapter 4 - Methods Of Developing Leadership Skills
Day 6
7. Having Trust In Human Values - The basis of science is trust in mathematics. If there is no trust in mathematics, then science cannot move forward at all.
Likewise, business cannot progress if the industry shows no trust in customers and customers in their creditors. Human values are about trusting the good nature we all are inherently endowed with.
Half our health is spent in gaining wealth and then half that wealth is spent in gaining back the health we have lost in the process. I don't think that is good economics.
We do not need to cultivate human values. It is our very nature. What really obstructs human values is stress and tension. If a person is under strain, then his perception, observation and expression suffer.
And there are only two ways to get rid of strain - either the work load needs to be lessened or energy levels need to improve. In today's world, it is not possible to lessen the amount of work.
So, the solution is to increase your energy. There are four different sources of energy. The first is food, of the right quality and quantity. The second is sleep, adequate and sound.
The third is a meditative state of mind. The fourth is the most important. It is the breath, something that we have ignored or forgotten. 90% of impurities in the system are thrown out of the body through the breath.
Every time we exhale, we get rid of carbon dioxide. Toxins are being ejected from the system and our blood is being purified. The breath is such a vital source of energy and yet we have not done much to learn about it.
The breath is the link between the body and the mind. For every emotion, there is a corresponding rhythm in the breath. The breathing pattern is different for one who is depressed, unhappy, anxious.
I have taken this notion to different environments, including prisons. About 60,000 prisoners around the
world have practised the breathing exercises we taught, over 5 days, for a couple of hours each day.
They have experienced an amazing effect and then wondered why they did not do these exercises earlier. They felt that their lives would have been different and that perhaps they would not have been in prison at all.
When emotions take control, on the spur of the moment a person may commit a crime. By the time he comes to his senses, he would have already done wrong and may not even know why he did it.
The mind oscillates between the past and the future - between being angry about the past or being anxious about the future. This continuously generates many toxins in the body.
Healthy breathing is the key to eliminating these toxins and harmonising emotions. Neither at home nor in school have we heard or learned anything about managing our emotions.
The ancient Vedic or yogic systems (Yoga and the Korean Tai Chi) used breathing techniques for this. They formulated breathing and other exercises which release tension and improve alertness and awareness.
I feel it is very important to teach our children and our people how they should handle their negative feelings and emotions such as anger, jealousy and hatred.
The business industry today is badly affected by hatred - religious hatred which resulted in the 9/11 catastrophe and all the subsequent wars. I feel the root cause of all this is a lack of understanding and tolerance.
And this is the result of growing up in a particular religious tradition and being convinced that it is the only way to salvation. There is no multi-religious and multi-cultural education.
We accept food from every part of the world. We eat Chinese food. We do not have to be Danish to eat Danish cookies nor do we become Swiss if we eat Swiss chocolates. We also accept music from every part of the world.
So too, do we accept technology. Then, why don't we accept wisdom from every part of the world and from every tradition? I feel all those unfortunate people in Afghanistan must not have had an opportunity to learn about other traditions and cultures.
If, as children, we were given a little education about all the different religious and spiritual traditions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity etc.
Then we would grow up to be more broad-minded in our thinking. We would feel a sense of belonging with everybody around us.
7. Nurturing A Scientific Temperament - Science is about learning what something is' and spirituality is about knowing who I am'. The two never contradicted each other, at least not in the East.
5,000 years ago, a Rishi had said that by thoroughly studying one atom, you can become free. If you truly understand any one substance, you become free.
If you can know what is contained in one little particle of this universe, then that is what the whole universe is all about. That is what got me interested me in physics.
He also spoke about ancient Vedic times and how they connect with today's quantum mechanics, theory of relativity, principles of karma etc. We need a scientific temperament, whether it is in trade, tradition, truth or technology.
All these arenas need to be upgraded and reviewed from time to time. And I think we need to infuse human values in every such area in the world today.
It has become urgent. Even if a small part of the world is allowed to remain ignorant and without a complete outlook on life, humanity and wisdom, the world will not be the
same.
8. Effective Communication Skills - It is an art to express our opinion in a way that will be appreciated. Those who possess this ability to communicate effectively and impressively are unique.
To communicate affectionately and without prejudice with one and all is a skill worth possessing. When you come across a person who knows more than you do, you should listen attentively to him.
When you come across someone who seems less knowledgeable than you, you should be humble and strive to make him as informed as or even better informed than you.
When you talk with elderly people, you must bear in mind that one day you too will become old. On the other hand, talk with a person of
your age group as if you were his best friend.
Most of us are not good listeners really. When we listen to somebody, the speaker's very first sentence triggers some conversation within us. A good listener is always a good speaker and later on, he will definitely become a good leader.
This world is varied beyond our imagination. There is always something to share, learn and teach. We need to attract as many people as we can, with our ability to communicate with them.
