Ignatius’ mosaic stands out on the new LIBA building. Many, coming to this
business school, would ask, “Who is this business man?”; Some informed
people might ask, “What has Ignatius to do with a business school?”; and only a
few might understand the real Ignatius. Today the Jesuit Order is the biggest
corporate in the world, having branches in over 110 countries with over 16,000
full-time fully dedicated employees, the Jesuits. They do not have retiring age –
They work till they drop down dead. Such is their commitment and dedication
to their call and mission. It is not how many are in the army, but how many are
convinced of the cause, that matters. The Jesuit Constitutions, which was
approved by Pope Paul III in 1540, has been a prescribed text book in Indian
Institutes of Management. And many Governments, including the CIA, study
the administrative structure and practices of the Jesuits.
Formation vs Administration:
The Jesuit Constitutions is an example of the Pareto 80/20 principle. 80% of the
Constitutions is devoted to the formation of the Jesuits and only about 20%
talks about administration. The reason is when you are effectively formed, with
20% of your conscious efforts you could realize 80% of your success. When
such a formation is given to the members of the Jesuit Order, they could be sent
to any corner of the world and they could be entrusted with any new and
challenging mission – What applies to the Jesuits is applicable to the Jesuit
products. Their choice would be either to swim or to sink. But so far all have
swum successfully.
These business principles crystalize in a Jesuit business school as the mantra of:
We are all leaders – We keep learning all the time, whether well or poorly;
Leadership is not thrust from outside but springs from within – It is about
who I am as much as what I do;
Leadership is not doing but it is being – It is a way of life or way of living;
and
One never completes the task of becoming a leader as it is an ongoing
process.
Formulae of Business Administration:
All these principles or formulae of business success are reflected in the writings
of St Ignatius. If you delve deep in The Spiritual Exercises of St Ignatius, the
book that he composed during his cave dwelling in Manresa for about 14
months and the book that is printed most, next only to the Bible, in the world,
you will find the roots and origin of the above said analysis. In the Principle and
Foundation (SpEx 23) he is aware of this consumeristic society. He teaches the
guiding principle tantum quantum – That is, use things as much as needed:
“… things on the face of the earth are created for the human beings, to
help them in the pursuit of the end for which they are created. From this it
follows that we ought to use these things to the extent that they help us
toward our end, and free ourselves from them to the extent that they
hinder us from it” (SpEx 23:3-4)
Whatever helps you reach your goal use them – Otherwise be sparing. Then he
takes one onto an inner journey of oneself. In the rules for the discernment of
spirits (SpEx 313-336), he takes one through an inner journey of perceiving and
understanding the various motions within, with the sole purpose of deciphering
the good to follow and to discard the bad in order to get clarity in making
decision. It is there he would advise one not to take any decision when anyone
is excited too much or when anyone is in depression – St Ignatius would term
them as consolation and desolation respectively.
Model:
But you need a model to imitate in life. And Ignatius offers the model of Jesus,
the CEO. Jesus, the CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership is
the book by Laurie Beth Jones (1995). Ignatius would bring to our mind, for
example, self-evaluation of any business world: Jesus would ask his
administrative team and strategists, known as his disciples or apostles, two
questions: What do others say we are? And what do we say about ourselves? –
Is our brand a popular one? Is their expectation met by our company? Ignatius
uses Jesus as an inspiring model to follow. Ultimately St Ignatius would come
to the question that Keller and Papasan raise in their book The ONE Thing
(2012): “What’s the ONE Thing I can do, such that by doing it, everything else
will be easier or unnecessary?” This becomes, for St Ignatius, a constant search
for meaning for oneself and for others. As Viktor E. Frankl would underline in
Man’s Search for Meaning (2004), Ignatius would resonate with: He who has a
why to live can bear with almost any how” – This is applicable also to any
entrepreneur in day to day scenario.
Creativity in Mission:
St Ignatius would be for creativity in mission. At a time when the religious were
secluded and secured within the walls of monastery, he went out to meet the
people. He wanted the Jesuits to be mystics in the market place. He opened up
education as he was convinced that education is the key to empower people. He
and his companions were begging for food and money for those in the hospitals
and in prisons. He even opened up a house for the fallen women in order to
rehabilitate them. He told his followers to be ready to go anywhere ‘even to the
Indies’ – At that time India was not popularly known. In fact it is the Jesuits
who drew the map of China and they also worked out the silk road leading to
China from India. When Armstrong landed on the moon, he had with him the
map of the moon drawn by the Jesuits. The followers of Ignatius as well as the
students educated in Jesuit institutions should be able to think differently –
He/she should be able to see the unseen and make the impossible possible.
For this, St Ignatius would suggest three steps formula:
i. You should have faith in your team members and coworkers, especially the
people at the margin. Building relationship strengthens your business ties
and efficiency;
ii. Your religious or social faith should be expressed in justice. Mere rhetoric
nor impressive output would not bring you peace of mind, but your making
your faith alive with your act of justice; and
iii. Your faith in God should finds its reflection in your faith in your fellow
human beings and that in the final analysis it should crystalize in faith in
yourself. This is counter enforced with reconciliation with God, with fellow
human beings, and the nature we all live in.
Once this is reached, the business leader becomes an inspiring person who
walks with ease and hope rooted in confidence of success and service.
Expectation from a Leader:
Very often we regret about what we have not done but not about what we have
done. 500 years ago St Ignatius showed how to lead a global or a multinational
enterprise. He showed the importance of leading by example and of staying in
touch in meaningful ways with those within the organization and with all the
stakeholders. Pope Francis is an example of this. St Ignatius proved that any
effective governance would help attract and unleash the best talent. Even today
he remains as an example how leadership is not only just articulating a vision
but also inspiring others to follow and execute it. St Francis Xavier, who came
to India, is an example of this spirit. He had the courage to undertake voyage to
new lands with little money and no weaponry. Further, St Ignatius created trust
in his fellow administrators and delegated responsibilities in a time when strict
hierarchy was in practice. This was the prototype of modern practice of shared
governance, delegation and employee empowerment, fundamentally rooted in
an inspiring leader. He also left much to the discretion of local decision makers,
balancing global consistency with local flexibility.
The contribution of St Ignatius for business administration could be many. A
couple of them would inspire us: Decision based on discernment would enrich
any company – Decision is a two level process, namely making the decision and
taking the decision. Consulting the stakeholders as well as the team-mates is
making the decision. And based on the outcome, the leader takes the decision,
when the analytical brain synchronizes with the affective heart. The leader
should always keep in touch with oneself, with the team, and the transcendent.
In order to find new markets, the leader should have the explorative and
entrepreneurial spirit with calculative risk taking spirit.
Conclusion:
All these lead us to under-promise but over-deliver. In this process, formation is
more important than administration as we look for quality, in the spirit of magis,
rather than quantity. Quantity might give us wealth but quality guarantees
happiness. We need to constantly reflect how this could be translated to what
LIBA claims, namely excellence with ethics. May St Ignatius continue to
inspire us as we walk along the path of history with the people of the present to
make a better tomorrow.