The Spiritual Rule Treat others as well as possible considering your best abilities and values, their preferences, and the well being of all life

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1 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at wwwemeraldinsightcom/ htm IJOA 16,1/2 42 The Spiritual Rule Treat others as well as possible considering your best abilities and values, their preferences, and the well being of all life Joan F Marques Woodbury University, Burbank, California, USA International Journal of Organizational Analysis Vol 16 No 1/2, 2008 pp q Emerald Group Publishing Limited DOI / Abstract Purpose The purpose of this paper is to review the phenomenon of moral principles as they have been adopted over time The paper specifically reviews the Golden Rule, and the subsequently formulated Platinum Rule While the value of both these rules is underscored, the paper also reviews their weaknesses in light of our new millennium awareness of increased globality and ensuing interconnectedness The paper makes a statement that even moral principles that have been around for centuries, may have to be reevaluated in light of changed circumstances, and conclusively presents The Spiritual Rule, a principle that eliminates the risk of excessive arbitrariness, and calls for consideration of all life on earth in every decision we make Design/methodology/approach This paper is a conceptual paper, reflecting on two existing principles that influence the way human beings, and therefore managers as well, make their decisions in general The author first briefly reviews both principles (or rules ), subsequently analyzes their weaknesses in light of contemporary developments, and ultimately introduces a new principle, the spiritual rule, thereby drawing on supporting statements various researchers and authors with in-depth consideration of modern days developments in human interaction Findings When one wants to engage in good business in these and future days, one can no longer merely focus on a one-on-one perspective, or limit ourselves to the stakes of only two parties There are greater interests at stake and there are larger groups of people involved in our decisions Individualism has proven its merit, but so has collectivism The awareness that is dawning upon us these days is that no extreme is of lasting benefit to all of us A well-considered blend of various strategies, resulting from openness to other ways of thinking, is the enlightened behavioral paradigm in and outside of the workplace Practical implications There are many complicated theories out there about how leaders should make their decisions However, what works best is a simple guideline that can be used in all situations and environments and that is based on the realization that human beings are first and foremost interconnected spiritual entities This paper addresses this need and identifies the important practical considerations that leaders will need to include in their decisions Originality/value The paper s unique contribution is to offer a moral principle that incorporates the spiritual dimension in every area of decision-making The three considerations presented in this paper, reduction of selfish reflections, reduction of unjust assessments of other s wishes, and reduction of harm to the welfare of our planet, are on target with the trends toward global interconnectedness and encourage leaders to consider the value of implementing and maintaining the spiritual rule Keywords Ethics, Decision making, Leaders Paper type Conceptual paper

2 Introduction Throughout the ages we have been introduced to several moral principles that we, as a human society, adhered to for shorter or longer times These moral principles have been adopted in all segments of society: at work, in family life, and in other social settings The Golden Rule, for instance, is one of humanity s decrees that has been around for several millennia, has been widely adopted and treated with respect Yet, like so many other phenomena, the Golden Rule was modified or enriched, as some may consider a decade or so ago This brief article reviews the Golden Rule, its business-tailored enrichment, the Platinum Rule, and subsequently introduces the post millennial Spiritual Rule The Spiritual Rule 43 Existing behavioral rules This paper will be structured as follows: first, the Golden Rule and the Platinum Rule will be reviewed along with their main strengths and weaknesses Subsequently, an explanation will be provided for the formulation of a different rule, based on spiritual concepts The Spiritual Rule will then be introduced and discussed including its points of caution and advantages The Golden Rule One of the most well-known and respected rules in human interaction is the Golden Rule, which states, Do unto others as you would have them do unto you The Golden Rule has been very popular throughout the past few millennia, which can be concluded from the fact that several variations of this principle were formulated over time Gensler, as cited in Burton and Goldsby (2005), explains that in rough chronological order, students have found the rule in recorded teachings of Zoroaster, Buddha, Confucius, Aristotle, Rabbi Hillel, Jesus of Nazareth, Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, John Stuart Mill, and Charles Darwin, as well as in Hinduism, Islam, and Taoism, among others (p 371) Each of these, as well as other sources, has its own reciprocity-based statements, yet they all basically imply the same: treat others as you would like to be treated Burton and Goldsby (2005) affirm that till today, the business world oftentimes uses the Golden Rule as a guideline in internal and external organizational practices These authors mention JC Penney, Lincoln Electric Co, and Worthington Industries Inc as examples of business corporations that are using the Golden Rule as a guiding principle in their performance Strengths and weaknesses of the Golden Rule The Golden Rule displays a number of important laudable philosophies such as the call for self-reflection in which one first considers how one would want to be treated before applying any treatment to others The fact that the Golden Rule has been around as long as it has indicates that it has made sense to several human societies for many centuries However, the reflection base of the Golden Rule may also be considered its greatest flaw in today s increasingly diversifying global society The Golden Rule automatically assumes that others want to be treated as we do While this assumption may have worked in times when societies were still homogeneous, it may represent a great setback in our current culturally diverse communities, in which others may have different treatment preferences The Golden Rule is also strongly individualistic oriented, as it focuses solely on the interaction between one individual and another person or group It excludes a holistic

3 IJOA 16,1/2 44 view that considers median and broad consequences While it aims to facilitate greater reciprocity between parties, it fails to incorporate the growing interdependency between all constituents on the globe The Golden Rule might specifically be questioned in its call to treat others like oneself, for the fact that oneself may have distorted perspectives and wish to be treated in ways that are commonly unacceptable, which illustrates that the perspective of self-reflection is one that should be handled with appropriate caution Burton and Goldsby (2005) quote moral analysts Gensler and Wattles, who both feel that using the Golden Rule requires a certain level of moral maturity and openness to moral growth (p 374) Burton and Goldsby subsequently list a number of criticisms to the Golden Rule among which: (1) differences in taste: others may want to be treated differently than you; (2) withholding penalization where it is necessary, because one would not want to be penalized; and (3) reflecting and acting upon non-conformist desires and assuming that others maintain those as well When projecting the application of the Golden Rule onto the business environment, Burton and Goldsby (2005) raise the criticism that stakeholders often have conflicting desires and may have conflicting needs (p 376) As mentioned earlier in this paper, it was exactly this discernment that resulted in the creation of the Platinum Rule Conclusively reviewing human behavior from a global perspective, Burton and Goldsby (2005) critique, The [Golden] rule easily fits into the perspectives of nearly every society, as is seen from the multitude of sources from around the world that quote a formulation of the rule approvingly (p 377) These authors subsequently contend, But it does not mandate a certain treatment of others, unless that treatment is agreed upon by all people holding their differing perspectives Because of this, it can t be put forward as a global ethic in itself (p 377) The Platinum Rule In more recent years, the Platinum Rule was developed Trademarked by Dr Tony Alessandra (1995), the Platinum Rule states, Do unto others the way they want to be done unto (p 23) According to Alessandra (1995), this rule is designed to help people establish an instant rapport with others by learning how to do what they want done (p 23) In his explanation of the Platinum Rule, Alessandra asserts that merely applying the Golden Rule does not guarantee a good relationship with others, as they may not want to be treated as you do It is Alessandra s opinion that the Golden Rule falls short in that it only considers the actor s perspectives and leaves out the subject s views Alessandra (1995) feels that the Platinum Rule helps an individual to size up people and get on their wavelength so that you can positively influence them their ideas, their attitudes, their opinions and, most importantly, their behaviors (p 24) In his explanation on the workings of the Platinum Rule, Alessandra (1995) instructs his audience to observe their counterparts on two simple aspects of their behavior: Openness and Directness (p 24) He subsequently divides potential counterparts into four core behavioral styles: The Director, Socializer, Relater and Thinker (p 24) He thereby clarifies that most people utilize one primary style: directors are controlling and want to win; socializers are the friendly, outgoing types; thinkers are the rational,

4 systematic and analytical types; and relaters are the supportive, reliable and risk-averse ones Alessandra subsequently lays out an effective plan on how to treat each of these distinctive types in a way that communication flows best toward achievement of maximal benefit for both parties He basically encourages his audience to be aware of these four character models, and use this awareness to ascend or descend to the appropriate treatment for the person one is dealing with, based on an assessment of this person s perceived character At the same time Alessandra advises his audience to be aware of their own character, and to control mannerisms that may offend counterparts who harbor opposing styles Strengths and weaknesses of the Platinum Rule That Alessandra s Platinum Rule has merit is proven by the repeated positive references made since the introduction of this behavioral strategy In his article on leadership, Bender (2001) refers to the Platinum Rule as a strong means for leaders to slow down or speed up to the other party s pace, in order to enhance communication The Nashville Business Journal (2002) records the Platinum Rule as an Essential business philosophy and a step beyond The Golden Rule Hanks (2007) reiterates, The Platinum Rule builds on the Golden Rule for our more individualistic society It recognizes that we have very different preferences than those around us In other words, people may not like what you like Give them what they like, not what you like (p 116) Hanks goes on to explain that the Platinum Rule is an excellent customer service tool, and provides several examples of corporations as well as great thinkers who seem to agree with this rule as a foundation for good relationships Hanks (2007) concludes, The Golden Rule is an excellent rule for ethical treatment of others The Platinum Rule is the guideline for providing tailored customer service offerings in a world of sameness (p 116) When considering the objectives to the Platinum Rule, we first detect that these are in foundation similar to those raised in regard to the Golden Rule in that the concept is based on a strongly individualistic view, predominantly focusing on the interaction between one person and another, and with exclusion of a holistic view that considers median and broad consequences While the Platinum Rule, just like the Golden Rule, aims to facilitate reciprocity between parties, it also fails to consider the growing interdependency between all constituents on the globe The Platinum Rule, predominantly designed for the business environment, yet also applicable in other settings, further displays a broad spectrum of issues to be cautious about, of which the following may provide an indication: (1) Treating others like they want to be treated is not always as easily to be determined as it seems One could easily make a wrong judgment and consequently achieve the opposite effect of his intentions (2) Treating others like they want to be treated may also lead to internal (and external) conflicts This is actually a mirror-reflection to one of the concerns listed in regards to the Golden Rule earlier: The other party may want to be treated in a way that is not ethically, morally, or humanely acceptable to the actor If such is the case, the Platinum Rule contradicts with one s internal spiritual motives (connection with the self) and becomes inapplicable for a values-based individual (3) Elaborating on point two above, the Platinum Rule may contradict the well-being of other stakeholders One s counterpart may want to be treated in a way that will The Spiritual Rule 45

5 IJOA 16,1/2 46 benefit him or her, and maybe even the actor, but that could ultimately harm a large group out there One only has to think of infamous war-profiteers such as Halliburton, Caci, and BlackWater that have been in the news lately, to realize the possible peril of giving others what they want In cases where there is immediate profit involved for a small group, and great damage for a much larger group, the Platinum Rule contradicts with integrated (connection with others) and external (connection with the environment) spiritual dimensions, and becomes unusable for a holistically oriented individual (4) Further elaborating on point two, the Platinum Rule could be interpreted as highly political behavior It basically entails giving the people what they want, which also justifies adulating, flattering, and buttering-up, all for the purpose of reaching one s goals While this may sound good as a marketing tool, it may contradict a more spiritually and equality oriented mindset A different rule Whereas the consideration of reciprocity and the realization of growing interdependency may not have meant good business in preceding times, it definitely does now However, it is not just from a business perspective that a more holistic rule is called for these days Rather, it is the elimination of all those issues that are currently escalating into primary sources of concern, which necessitates a common rule that transcends decrees such as the Golden Rule and the Platinum Rule that have now become too narrowly focused Phenomena such as global warming, rain forest eradication, war profiteering, and the imposing inequality of wealth between nations and peoples of the world, are all creations of humankind attributable to reciprocity-based treatments that went no further in their considerations than the parties that were immediately at stake As our global problems augment, so does the realization that a more compassionate mindset needs to be conceived Spiritual behavior In the past two decades, the awareness about spiritual behavior has grown tremendously The quote we are not human beings with a spiritual experience, but rather spiritual beings with a human experience is stated more widely now than ever Mitroff and Mitroff (2006) state in that regard, At our core, all of us are spiritual beings And the essence of spirituality is wholeness When we are whole, we are not only connected to every part of ourselves, but we are connected to the entire Universe (p 21) Hidalgo (2004) agrees, We are exactly that-spiritual beings inside a material body, capable of sensing the most marvelous feelings (p 48) The above assertions are echoed by Suzuki (2002), who explains, People are spiritual beings The challenge of the 21st century is to rediscover their place in nature, their relatives who are other species that sustain humankind The challenge is to find a way to live in balance with the factors that make our lives and economies possible (p 47) It is this need to live in balance with all of life, human or non-human, which calls for greater spirituality in and outside of workplaces As a result to this growing awareness, Spirituality in the Workplace, as a topic, gets increasingly embroidered into higher educational curricula, and invites mounting legions of consultants to corporate environments with the purpose of creating or enhancing a sense of connectedness and mutuality among a progressively global, hence,

6 diverse workforce Spirituality in the workplace is defined as an experience of interconnectedness among those involved in a work process, initiated by authenticity, reciprocity, and personal goodwill; engendered by a deep sense of meaning that is inherent in the organization s work; and resulting in greater motivation and organizational excellence (Marques et al, 2007, p 12) An analysis of this definition leads to the awareness that spiritual behavior can be unraveled into three dimensions: internal, integrated, and external These dimensions were earlier briefly alluded to in the concerns about the Platinum Rule Marques et al, 2007 explain these dimensions as follows in respect to work environments: The internal dimension pertains to a set of personal (internal) factors within each individual who wants to operate at his or her highest level of spiritual awareness (p 90) Hidalgo (2004) echoes this perspective through his statement, In order to find our truth, we must seek from the inside out, not the outside in (p 48) The integrated dimension pertains to a set of integrated qualities that this person will apply in his or her connection with other spiritual workers (p 90) In Hidalgo (2004) words, If we let our own power shine from within, we will inspire others (p 48) The external dimension pertains to a set of externally applicable factors that this person needs to maintain with others in his or her environment (p 90) In their review of spiritual behavior, Marques et al, further explain that the above listed dimensions can also be projected onto performance of organizations When we therefore want to engage in good business in these and future days, we can no longer merely focus on a one-on-one perspective, or limit ourselves to the stakes of only two parties There are greater interests at stake and there are larger groups of people involved in our decisions Individualism has proven its merit, but so has collectivism The awareness that emerges these days is that no extreme is of lasting benefit to all of us A well-considered blend of various strategies, resulting from openness to other ways of thinking, is the enlightened behavioral paradigm in and outside of the workplace The Spiritual Rule 47 The Spiritual Rule From the various criticisms presented in this paper about the Golden and Platinum Rules, we can arrive to the conclusion that our increasingly interdependent global living and working environment is in need of a behavioral rule that: (1) Reduces the potential threat of selfish, distorted, or immature self-reflections (2) Reduces the possibility of unjust assessments of other s wishes (3) Reduces enduring harm to the welfare of our planet Emerging from these three attention points, the following Spiritual Rule is suggested: Treat others as well as possible, considering your best abilities and values, their preferences, and the well being of all life Strengths and cautions to the Spiritual Rule The Spiritual Rule consists of three stakeholders: the self, the other(s) and the environment By treating others as well as possible, the own and the others hidden desires or differing moral perceptions are left out of the picture, and a more general positive treatment, based on humaneness and

7 IJOA 16,1/2 48 respect for other beings is utilized However, among several possible points of caution, four are definitely in place here: (1) There is always the possibility that perceptions to one s abilities in treating others differ As well as possible may not be as well as another considers possible (2) There is also the possibility that as well as possible may be influenced by one s arbitrariness based on the value, likings, and perceived advantages to the situation or parties involved (3) Your best abilities may not coincide with the perceptions that others have about your abilities and your best values may not be synchronous to the values of others (4) The preferences of others, as mentioned in the criticisms about the Platinum Rule, may not coincide with your preferences, or may be hard to detect The above points of caution demonstrate that every well-intended rule or procedure contains mazes through which interpretations and implementations can be contaminated It should therefore be underscored that the Spiritual Rule, in regards to its mutuality aspects considering your best abilities and values and their preferences will need to be interpreted in a spirit of genuineness of those involved, and applied with a certain level of moral matu-rity and openness to moral growth (Burton and Goldsby, 2005, p 374), as recommended for the Golden Rule by Gensler and Wattles The strongest point of the spiritual rule is its second half, which serves as: (1) A correctional element to the mutuality-based first half: In cases where the preferences or motives of the actor or immediate recipient are questionable, the third party, well-being of all life, can be a powerful conscience call (2) A positive guideline to the treatment of anyone in a way that is not harmful to immediate or distant stakeholders, known and unknown The spiritual rule is therefore in appropriate alignment with the new-millennium mindset of wakefulness and spiritual behavior in a rapidly intertwining world While this rule may not have been presented as such before, its guiding principles have been included in several comprehensive perspectives, such as the one from Mitroff and Mitroff (2006), we are not only connected to every part of ourselves, but we are connected to the entire Universe (p 21), and Suzuki (2002), The challenge [of the 21st century] is to find a way to live in balance with the factors that make our lives and economies possible (p 47) The Spiritual Rule is also very much aligned to the macro-to-micro-approach (Marques, 2006), in which business leaders are encouraged to base all their actions on a deep sense of responsibility, and pre-evaluate their actions on: a local, regional, continental, and global need assessment; a need analysis (constructive or destructive); need fulfillment options, which entails the fulfillment of constructive needs in ways that do as little harm as possible to the environment;

8 a restoration evaluation, in which options are considered to restore harm that may unavoidably be done; and other ways of contributing to the quality of life, in which alternative, non-related means are considered to contribute to the well-being of all life on earth Hidalgo (2004) underscores the macro-to-micro approach above by stating, Spiritual beings can materialize their goals on the Earth in a creative and beautiful way (p 48) If applied at the highest level of consciousness and with moral maturity, the Spiritual Rule is applicable in all possible environments in which we move, and it leaves room for flexibility, while it maintains the strictness of refraining from destruction of the one common factor that we should all cherish: our earth The Spiritual Rule 49 References Alessandra, T (1995), The Platinum Rule, Vital Speeches of the Day, Vol 62 No 1, pp 23-7 Bender, PU (2001), Lead from within, The Canadian Manager, Vol 26 No 1, pp Burton, BK and Goldsby, M (2005), The golden rule and business ethics: an examination, Journal of Business Ethics, Vol 56 No 4, p 371 Hanks, RD (2007), The Platinum Rule of service, Motor Age, Vol 126, p 116 Hidalgo, E (2004), Spiritual beings, material world, Communities, No 124, pp 47-9 Marques, J (2006), A new paradigm for leaders: the macro-to-micro approach, Management Services, Vol 50 No 4, pp Marques, J, Dhiman, S and King, R (2007), Spirituality in the Workplace: What it Is; Why it Matters; How to Make it Work for You, Fawnskin: Personhood Press Mitroff, D and Mitroff, II (2006), Consciousness: All of Us Are Spiritual Beings Business Renaissance Quarterly, Vol 1 No 1, p 21 Suzuki, DT (2003), The challenge of the 21st century: setting the real bottom line, Journal of Business Administration and Policy Analysis, Vol 30 No 31, p 47 Further reading Anonymous (2002), Executive profile: Mike Williams, The Platinum Rule treat others as they want to be treated, Nashville Business Journal, Vol 18 No 33, p 14 About the author Joan F Marques (wwwjoanmarquescom) facilitates courses in business and management at Woodbury University in Burbank, California, USA She has authored/co-authored four books on the topics of Leadership, Workplace Spirituality, and Global Awareness, and is currently in the process of publishing two additional ones on leadership and personal mastery She presents a weekly radio column in the Netherlands; and regularly co-organizes and presents workshops for business and non-profit entities in the Los Angeles area, through the Business Renaissance Institute, (wwwbri-usacom) which she co-founded in 2004 Dr Marques holds a Bachelors degree in Business Economics; a Master s degree in Business Administration; and a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership Joan F Marques can be contacted at: jmarques01@earthlinknet To purchase reprints of this article please reprints@emeraldinsightcom Or visit our web site for further details: wwwemeraldinsightcom/reprints

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