By
Satish B. Parekh (Published April 24, 2006)
Mahatma Gandhi had a profound message that is still relevant today,
especially relevant to the business community, when he cautioned
against the seven deadly sins. They are:
Wealth without work
Pleasure without conscience
Knowledge without character
Commerce without morality
Science without humanity
Religion without sacrifice
Politics without principle.
Each business, (and every department and individual within it),
can greatly benefit by applying these tests to its operations and
decisions over the recent months as it charts a course for the next
few months. Here are some thoughts you may ponder under each principle.
Wealth without work. How did my business create wealth for its
shareholders? Was it achieved as a result of the hard work to add
real value to my customers? Or was it the outcome of cleverly manipulating
the prevailing market conditions? As an executive or an employee,
what is my tangible contribution in adding value to my internal
and external customers? By what multiple is it greater than my compensation?
What is the gap between the highest and the lowest paid employee
within my company? Is this due to the industry practice or the real
difference in the value of the work actually done?
Pleasure without conscience. What is the impact of my product or
service on my customers, families, environment, quality of life
and societal values? Is it contributing to short-term pleasure at
the cost of long-term pain? Does my marketing provide adequate information
on the intended and the known unintended consequences of my offerings
to the present and targeted customers?
On a more personal level, how much have I yielded to the temptation
of goofing off at work in long coffee breaks, lunch hours, personal
phone calls, e-mails and healthy sick leaves, and simply appearing
to be busy?
Knowledge without character. In a rush to be the first to the market
with new products and services, what safeguards does my company
have or should have to prevent potential harm to the users? Is my
company honoring the intellectual property rights of others in developing
its own innovations?
Commerce without morality. In my business dealings with my suppliers
and customers, are they getting squeezed by me because of my advantages
of size or the exclusivity of my product or service? Is my pricing
based on exploiting temporary shortages in the marketplace, or is
it rooted in the principle of fairness and concern for the well-being
of my suppliers and customers? Am I extracting a premium for their
dependency?
Science without humanity. Are my products physiologically or psychologically
addictive in a harmful way? Are they adding to the hazardous waste,
violence, ecological imbalance, poverty and poor health? Is my scientific
research mainly focused on the scalability and production of the
merchandise or is it addressing elimination of the negative effects
of my products?
Religion without sacrifice. What are the policies of my company
towards civic, cultural, educational and charitable contributions?
Are they primarily motivated by saving taxes or making a real difference
in meeting the community needs? Are they based on marketing considerations
or a genuine desire to help?
Politics without principle. On what basis does my enterprise make
political contributions to the candidates and political parties?
Is the financial support provided on the basis of integrity and
excellence or gaining political access and influence for profits?
Does the company take a stand on issues or play both sides to hedge
its bets?
These markers sound great for the Mahatma. They may even make sense
at a macro or global level. But are they practical for everybody,
especially to individual businesses in a dog-eat-dog competitive
world? Come on now, get real! To which Gandhi replies: “I
claim to be no more than an average man with less than average ability.
I am not a visionary. I claim to be a practical idealist. I have
not the shadow of a doubt that any man or woman can achieve what
I have, if he or she would make the same effort and cultivate the
same hope and faith.”
What is his secret formula? Do the right thing at all times.
Many companies have a moral code, often enshrined in mission, vision
and values statements, designed to protect them from these seven
deadly sins. However don’t be fooled by that. These sins creep
through these barriers, often invisibly, under the guise of situational
ethics, everybody does it, cost of doing business and other such
rationale. Otherwise, why would the growing body of regulations
such as Sarbanes-Oxley legislation be required?
Mahatma Gandhi is ever so vigilant and uncompromising against this
ever present danger. In his words, “A person cannot do right
in one department whilst attempting to do wrong in another department.
Life is one indivisible whole.”
Still in doubt? Consider this. Here was an executive par excellence
who, by implementing these principles, outpaced the biggest and
the most dominant competitor of his time, and liberated his people
who now run a thriving, free and democratic market of 1.1 billion
customers. If these principles gave him the power to topple a mighty
empire, surely they will provide the strength to overcome any competition
any company may face.
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