NHRD Journal - National HRD Network

Second example of the change in integral and
wholesome way is of Indian freedom struggle.
In terms of scale, impact and most importantly
'purity of means' this is one of the rarest of rare
examples of 'change'. Objective here is to see
the change initiatives introduced by Mahatma
Gandhi and how they were so effectively
covering all four quadrants of reality. The most
important contribution of Mahatma Gandhi in
the Indian freedom struggle was to generate a
mass movement for independence. He was able
to create personal meaning for Indian freedom
amongst common man in India across different
strata of society. This was the success in 'I'
quadrant. 'I' quadrant success was largely
based on movement for Swadeshi, spinning the
wheel etc. Using swadeshi (indigenous) goods,
burning the videshi cloth, Namak Satyagrah,
and spinning wheel etc. represents the 'IT'
quadrant. Though these were seemingly small
activities but of great value in spreading of
awareness. These seemingly small activities
were able to create personal meaning amongst
the fellow citizens. In the 'ITS' quadrant based
on his own moral authority, clear thinking and
guidance many social catalysts were prepared
who became nodal centers for freedom
movement and other social activities. In 'WE'
quadrant he could create shared vision of
independence and shared values of democracy,
social harmony and secularism to great extent.
Eventually these values continued to be ideals
for the independent India.
Two examples briefly described above indicate
the utility of integral view for leading change
wholesome change in organization. It doesn't
mean that management had been totally
oblivion to different aspects of organizational
life. Nocols (1994) talked about increasing
importance of creating meaning at work.
Wakhlu (2000) talked about engagement at the
level of heart and spirit for wholesome life of
the organization. Utility of this framework is
in its simplicity and power of
comprehensiveness to juxtapose the seemingly
diverse nature of organizational reality.
A natural outcome of this discourse and
examples quoted here is the importance of
wholesome leadership for implementing
wholesome change. Ability of a leader to apply
the integral or wholesome approach of change
in the organization is inevitably linked to his
or her own personal view of reality. Leaders
with integral view are the prerequisites of
integral or wholesome change process. Perhaps
teaching of Lao-tzu is valuable in this regards
when he says "the way to do is to be". The
message is not different from what Mahatma
Gandhi said "One must be the change which he
wants to see in the world".
References
Bleakley, F.R., (1993), ‘Many companies try management fads, only to see them flop’, Wall Street Journal, 6 July 1993, pp. A1, A8.
Fineman, S. (1993), in S. Fineman (edi), Emotion in organizations, Sage, Newbury Park, CA.
Henkoff, R. (1994), Getting beyond downsizing”, Fortune, 10 January, pp. 58-64.
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November 2007 NHRD Journal