Professor Chakraborty Visits the Netherlands
By VICTOR A. VAN BIJLERT
Professor S.K. Chakraborty, convener of the Management Centre for Human Values, Institute of Management, Calcutta, visited the Netherlands in May 1999 on invitation from Leiden University and Nijenrode University. At Nijenrode, prof. Chakraborty did part of a longer workshop on 'Meaning of Values for Leaders'. Among the participants were managers of some major Dutch banks (ING, ABN-AMRO, VSB), police-organisations, and the automobile industry (Mercedes-Benz).To bring the notion of values in sharper focus Chakraborty made a distinction between values and skills. Values are concerned with becoming, for instance becoming a good human being. Skills deal with doing, the way we perform action, but skills do not address any moral issues unlike values. It is important in leadership roles to find the right balance between values and skills. Another important distinction to which Chakraborty drew attention was that between problem-preventing and problem-solving. Values are problem-preventing, skills problem-solving. According to Chakraborty, the keynote of leadership-development is 'purity of heart, and fostering noble emotions'. Leadership should invite emulation by those that are being led. Real human values in a leader inspire followers to emulate. Among human values Chakraborty counts gratitude, contentment, honour, humility. According to him they can be fostered through meditational practice.
In Leiden, Chakraborty spoke at the Indological Department of the Leiden Faculty of Arts. The topic was adapted to the assumed interest of the audience, namely 'Consciousness Ethics, the Vedantic Approach'. According to Chakraborty since the last two hundred years the emphasis in modern culture has been on the intellect to the detriment of the emotions. Vedanta as an Indian psychology has a lot to contribute to the cultivation of positive emotions. Positive emotions help us to develop good ethics. Ethical behaviour is not limited to behaviour between human beings but includes human behaviour vis-a-vis nature. Vedanta teaches a feeling of oneness. This closes the gap between human beings and between humans and nature. Positive emotions help to lift up our consciousness to greater heights. It helps silencing out ego which is a barrier to ethical behaviour. A simple method to elevate the emotions is a form of meditation in which one is drawing in the positive emotions while breathing in and is expelling the negative ones while breathing out. Asked why we should have ethics at all, Chakraborty answered he wished to have sound sleep because of a clear conscience. Morality may be a heavy word and oneness unappealing, therefore it was suggested that 'feeling' is a good starting-point. The term 'responsibility' could be preferable to morality.
Ethics from a Vedantic perspective can be further learned about in the Annual International Workshops on Human Values held every year at the Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta. *
For information one can contact
Professor Chakraborty at:
Management Centre for Human Values,
Indian Institute of Management Calcutta
Diamond Harbour Road, Joka
P.O. Box 16757, Calcutta 700027
Tel.: +91-33-467 8300 04 / 8306 / 8313
Fax: +91-33-467 8307 / 467 7851
http://www.iimcal.ac.in