Mining India's Gold

[Guest guest]

MINING INDIA’S GOLD

By William and Debra Miller

(published in August 2003 issue of "Management Next")

Imagine with us for a moment a time before gold was discovered as a precious

metal with superior quality. This was a time when silver was considered the

best metal for making jewellery and other valuable items. Because India did not

have many silver reserves, it had to import most of its silver from the Western

countries where it was most plentiful.

Then, one day a businessman in India, through years of intense effort and

research found that gold was a far superior metal than silver and that most

importantly India had the largest reserve deposits in the world. Upon making

this discover the businessman would undoubtedly make an equally intensive

effort to mine this precious gold and share it with the world.

Now, let’s suppose that the silver we are referring to here is the Western

management philosophies. And let’s suppose that the gold is the ancient Indian

spiritual heritage. Yes, the Western management philosophies have their own

value and can certainly play an important role in all business endeavours.

However, the Indian Ethos can provide a wise, pure and wholesome spiritual

foundation from which all business endeavours can spring forth.

It’s like the difference between a strategist and a technologist. The strategist

determines the basis from which the technology will be developed. By drawing

upon both aspects in a way that brings forth each of their natural strengths,

we can reap the benefits of a business environment that is grounded in dharmic

principles and has the skills to produce efficient and effective products and

services.

Just as we would not throw away silver because gold is far superior, we also do

not want to throw away the valuable management philosophies of the West. What

we want to do is use our gold to build a strong, reliable foundation from which

to utilize the silver in its most productive and useful way.

Besides its rich spiritual experiences and teachings, the ancient Indian wisdom

also includes many writings on management and how to contribute to a

spiritually healthy society:

What are some ways that we can start today to "mine these rich, bountiful

reserves of gold" that India has?

Start by strengthening your own personal spiritual foundation and drawing from

that foundation in your day-to-day work.

Begin to build communities of like-hearted and minded people who genuinely

desire to mine this gold and use it within their organization.

As your organization develops its spiritual strength it can naturally begin to

share with a wider sphere of influence until slowly, but surely, this gold can

be shared around the world.

What might be possible if India were to mine its rich spiritual heritage and

share it with the world through business? Just like gold, it has the power to

transform the very nature of business and all of its activities.