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Buddha in Business ___________
What Color is the Buddha’s Business Suit?A Book on Organizations &The Cessation of Suffering
A Service Provided by Realize CommunicationsE-Mail: [email protected]
Copyright 2002 Mark Collins
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ChapterOutline
Chapter One … Introduction Chapter Two … Awareness of One’s Self Chapter Three … Awareness of Business Chapter Four … Awareness of Compass Chapter Five … Awareness of Words Chapter Six … Awareness of Impermanence Chapter Seven … Awareness of Observation Chapter Eight … Awareness of Letting Go Chapter Nine … Awareness of One’s Role Chapter Ten … Awareness of Information Chapter Eleven … Awareness of Karma Chapter Twelve … Conclusion
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Buddha in Business: Use of Quotes
Never fear shadows. They simply mean there’s a light shining somewhere nearby.
Ruth E. Renkel
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Chapter 1: Introduction
Step 1: Contact between the business and the employee causes suffering.
Step 2: Suffering, though, has a cause. This cause is a loss of awareness.
Step 3: Suffering can be ended. It does not have to continue.
Step 4: The cure for suffering has everything to do with awareness.
Buddhist’s can be heard saying, “What is this things true nature?”
Conclusion
1. This book will increase your wealth. Your understanding of wealth can change. What ever your wealth may be – may it be true!
2. This book is simple. But life, in fact, is simple.
3. Do not just read this book … do this book.
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Chapter 2: Self1. One’s self is the beginning. How many of us live lives not our own?
2. Can you learn new things about “self” with old habits & worn paths?
3. Only by direct experience can you know yourself and your capabilities.
4. Four quick cautions: a. You are not trophies or fame.
b. You are not … who you were in the past.
c. Do not set the bar too low.
d. Prepare for hard work.
5. Within the supervisor-employee relationship there is the greatest opportunity to help the employee examine themselves.
6. There is the concept of the uncarved block.
7. In conclusion … now! Let now always be your concern. May you know yourself … now!
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Chapter 3: Business1. Business is simply a byproduct of life’s pursuits.
2. The ice cream story is used as an example.
3. The cessation of suffering in business starts outside of business.
4. There is the analogy of an airplane with a faulty engine that causes the plane to crash mid-flight. NTSB examines the true nature of the engines failure, not necessarily the resulting explosion. If things are going badly at work, is work the real problem or is the problem the “connection” with life’s pursuits?
5. In Buddhism, the present moment is all important. Chase dreams – now!
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Chapter 4: Compass1. A compass is a business necessity.
2. In business, there are many variables that could be used. An example, though, of a compass is a development box: infrastructure, personal growth, organizational growth, and the evolution of ideas.
3. What are other examples?
4. Find a balance where both the individual needs and the organizational needs can progress together.
5. Be careful, this development box can shrink as well as expand. This will lead to suffering.
6. There is the simplest compass of them all – are people having fun?
7. One word of caution with regards to your compass – may it focus on the cause as much as the results.
8. Find your compass … now!
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Chapter 4: Compass
Development Box Discussion
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Chapter 5: Words1. What is the moon? What should we call the water bottle?
2. What is the best teacher? Direct experience!
3. Words are inherently dangerous because they can cause confusion in the business environment. Confusion leads to suffering.
4. The anatomy of a …
a. conversation (balanced, reaction, follow-up, clarification, consensus),
b. Memorandum (act of verification, caution, examination), and
c. numbers.
5. In conclusion … may you find your direct experience … now!
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Chapter 6: Impermanence
1. One of the key elements in Buddhism is impermanence.
2. Is it “management” or the “flavor of the day”?
3. And what of technology?
4. Capitalism: the business environment is competitive.
5. The best way someone can react to this business change is by always improving on their knowledge, skills and abilities.
6. Maintenance is not enough.
7. What are the practical implications of this impermanence for the organizational unit?
q. The people around you will change.
b. The loss of people is a loss of knowledge.
c. Cross training becomes important, also.
d. An organization should inject change into their own culture.
e. There is also the concept of legacy – you won’t last forever.
8. Recognize impermanence – now!
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Chapter 7: Observation1. What is the river?
2. It is a truth: you cannot speak of the river without speaking of yourself.
3. “What were people like at your former place of business?”
4. A flash of the primary colors speaks both of the beam of light … and also the prism that the light passed through.
5. And is there a goal with regards to what we observe? Balance.
6. There is the middle way.a. Usually there are both negatives and positives along the way.
b. The middle way is calm, cool and collected.
c. The middle way says that a businessperson is wise.
7. Also, examine the words that make up the observation. Details ground us from the highs of positive/negative extremes.
8. Find the detailed approach that stays away from too many sound bites and gross generalization.
9. In conclusion: be aware of observation. Find the middle way … now!
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Chapter 8: Letting Go1. There are “but” moments when receiving this presentation …
2. The Buddha taught that nothing what so ever should be clung to.
3. Employees should be able to sit in their car at night and feel good about their daily effort.
4. What can an employee gain from being frustrated over poor sales numbers?
5. Being content is not a tool that poor employees use. Effective leaders of business use this tool and find success by not getting bogged down in unuseful emotions like regret, worry and frustration. Imagine these other things that can take the place of regret and frustration?
6. Contentment accepts things as they are … and then acts!
7.And what of clinging to positive things in the workplace? Reminiscing on that success takes time and resources.
8. In conclusion: let go … now!
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Chapter 9: One’s Role1. There are two possible roles one may play – the role of an employee or the role of a professional. Consider water versus a wave.
a. A wave wishes to be the crest. But once you are at the crest, there is only one way to go – to the bottom of the wave. It is not a peaceful life.
b. Water, however, does not concern itself with the definitions that are so important to the wave. To recognize itself as water is a moment of peace.
c. Employee is to wave as profession is to water.
2. An employee has good days versus bad days.
3. An employee uses “learning” differently than a professional.
4. In conclusion: be a professional – now!
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Chapter 10: Information
1. Information defines the true nature of things and will help people avoid suffering.2. It is not enough to simply have information.3. A successful person will ensure that information is correct.
a. Who are you getting information from?b. What information are you getting (Fact/Conclusion)?c. When are you getting information?d. Where are you getting information?e. How is information passed?f. Why is information passed?
4. Building bridges is a tool to improve on the passing of information. How good of a linguist are you?5. Key: sleep on it … aka meditation. Meditation simply means contemplate, ponder, reflect, etc. Absence of distraction is key for meditation.6. In conclusion: analyze and use information effectively – now!
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Chapter 11: Karma1. In Buddhist thought, karma is the simple concept of cause and effect.
2. An employee has trouble settling into the day should examine their previous afternoon’s work.
3.The employee who never gets enough work done should review how many breaks they take or examine their level of knowledge in the job.
4. Cause/effect analysis can help in understanding areas of growth and development for both the individual as well as the organization.
5. With regards to the self, what is your cause?
6. Finding the root cause is not always the easiest thing to do.
7. In conclusion … recognize Karma, now!
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Chapter 12: Conclusion
What color is the Buddha’s business suit?
Look at the clothes you are wearing and you will hopefully have the answer.
You are the Buddha if you recognize the true nature of things. Buddha is simply …one who knows.
Knowing can remove suffering in business.
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Chapter 12: Conclusion
And what is the byproduct of no suffering? Wealth!
Wealth can be money, but there is always more money to make.
Wealth can also be … peace.
May the rest of your days be filled with peace.
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Questions for Consideration
(Examples)Chapter Eight – Awareness of Letting Go
1. How often are you content? Do you notice a difference in how this effects performance and future results?
2. What emotions do you have that interfere with your attempts to work and achieve productive business results? Where do these emotions come from?
3. When you find yourself becoming angry or frustrated at work, what exercises or steps can you take to let go of the anger?
4. When are you not calm, cool and collected? What is interfering with your ability to be calm, cool and collected?
5. Have you noticed a difference in how people react to you during your different stages of being calm, cool and collected … or emotional with anger and frustration?
6. What do you need to let go of today?
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Realize Communications
Realize Communications offers consulting services for individuals and organizations.
Mark Collins, Principal for Realize Communications, has a long history within business to support efforts in
achieving peace in the workplace.
This experience includes: mediation training, human resources, labor relations, legal work and organizational
development.
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Buddha in Business ___________
What Color is the Buddha’s Business Suit?A Book on Organizations &The Cessation of Suffering
A Service Provided by Realize CommunicationsE-Mail: [email protected]
Copyright 2002 Mark Collins
