Wisdom in the Workplace
Actually, wisdom is not anything new in the workplace, it simply has not been acknowledged and legitimized as essential to organizational success -- at least in the Western world. Wisdom has always been valued and integral to the way non-western organizations have functioned. The business traditions of Japan are firmly rooted in the principles of Buddha (Buddhism), and Sun–Tzu (The Art of War), and those of China in Lao Tzu (Taosim) and Confucius.
There is wisdom in the saying that ‘we must learn equally from the wisdom of others, since we individually don’t make enough mistakes of our own to learn how much we need to know’. When we learn something new, it is commonly because something we previously believed is no longer valid. Being open to continually changing our reality is the key to acquiring wisdom.
What is important to understand is that, that which is released does not have to be replaced with anything new. What replaces it is a natural way of being. Wisdom is a way of being. Being natural occurs when we let go of our assumptions of how it should be, how it could be, and how it ought to be, and just allow it to be like it is, as a prelude to interacting with others.
Statements like this prompt us to rethink the wisdom of our in depth explorations. Wisdom is a way of being that is the natural result of personal and spiritual transformation. It is an in depth understanding, empathy, and compassion for the human experience. As the work place becomes increasingly diverse from human, cultural and systems perspectives, it is clear that resolutions beyond ordinary problem solving or compromise will be necessary for successful business functioning. Therefore everyone in the workforce will be forced to master this skill of being in proportion to his or her level of responsibility. This conclusion is perhaps best captured by the following Albert Einstein quote: The world that we have made as a result of the level of thinking we have done thus far, creates problems that we cannot solve at the level that we have created them.
--William Guillory, from "The Living Organization"
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6 Past Reflections
On May 25, 2011 Neel wrote :
A Fantastic story and thought process. We need to understand that the Workplace is man made and it is not nature's gift. Anything which is man made will bring stress. The only wisdom can be to know the do's and dont's and have great sell control in communication. Gossips lead to disasters and majority of the time the person whom we criticise comes to know about it through the very same person who shared our views....Get out of all negativities and life will be good.
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On Feb 22, 2011 Ramesh C. Vashi wrote :
Wisdom is what U have learned and read all good things all throughout your life..Wisdom is no body's property...In essence, its only your own experience going thr' all problems & difficulties of your life & what lessons u 've learnt from that.
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On Feb 22, 2011 Tanveer Ahmed wrote :
Wisdom in workplace is what food is to the body. Speak less but with wisdom.
Those who speak a lot, not only they waste their energy but also their mind.
Be careful of what you speak. Once You have spoken, there is no way of getting back those words .
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On Feb 22, 2011 Annonymous wrote :
In my experience of corporate life, the biggest obstacles are Fear and Hatred. These are especailly the obstacles faced if you are different in some way - racially or personality -wise, also if you are a woman.
It is a major spiritual challenge. And so far I would advise that whatever happens - don't let the fear or the hatred enter YOU. Because if you do, you are the one that is doomed.
My advice is to find tactics that will help you move forward relentlessly - don't give up, at least before you have got what you want. Could give a lot more advice, but just wanted to put forward the very grim reality of corporate life for those who may be different in some way.
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On Feb 22, 2011 ganoba wrote :
Wisdom is in being fully present.
The past is memory, which is very selective and plays tricks.
The future is imagination based on fear of the present.
Both past and future suck energy. I f we dwell in the past and future very little energy is left to deal with the gifts the present offers .
The wise are fully present.