Beacons of Business - 38

[Guest guest]

Respected All,

We will continue to listen from Andrè L. Delbecq, D.B.A., Director - Institute

for Spirituality and Organisation Leadership, J. Thomas and Kathleen L.

McCarthy University Professor, Santa Clara University, Alameda, CA, USA.

---

"What comes to mind are two boards on which I sit. Both are organisations that

possess clarity regarding their purpose.

The first is a large health care system that resulted from the merger of several

smaller organisations. The members of the board and the executive team conceive

of their organisation as a "healing ministry" with particular emphasis on

health services for the poor. Because of the clarity of organisational purpose,

its culture is such that decisions constantly return to concern for the poor as

an overriding value. Difficult decisions are undertaken to construct a

portfolio of hospitals and clinics positioned within major market areas in

service to the urban and rural poor. This also requires that sufficient market

power is present in an individual setting so that the effort is financially

sustainable. Very trying decisions have been undertaken to close some

hospitals, to merge others, and to reinvest in others; yet the decisions are

always calibrated against the organisational mission. This has required

self-sacrificing discernment on the part of the leaders.

What makes decision making different in this setting is that these leaders are

willing to place the needs of the poor ahead of personal ambition, convenience

or financial gain. It is a different experience to participate on this board.

The second organisation is a technology company that has evolved a product that

will provide an important benefit to human kind. This smaller organisation and

its leaders are aware that they do not possess the brand, market distribution,

or financial power to fully utilise their discovery. So we are engaged in

discernment regarding the merger of the organisation with a larger

organisation. As a result, the present management team will obsolete itself. In

both of these organisations, the greater spiritual purpose of the organisation

is resulting in decisions that can be characterised by a greater degree of

selflessness.

Of course, leadership is always challenged to "obsolete itself". A mission well

performed often means the organisation will require a new skill set.

I find my role is frequently to support the courage required on the part of

executives engaged in such decisions. I try to help them remain in touch with a

belief that when a particular mission is accomplished, their skills will be well

used in the future, however differently their gifts may be expressed."

© Global Dharma Center 2004

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