To be organized is to be peaceful

Peace is something that is very easy to take for granted. It is not a spectacle; yet, it is a prerequisite for a person or a group to dream and manifest these dreams.

Peace, when we do not pay attention to it, is something that can be conflated with boredom. In a sense, peace is not something that “entertains” a person.

But if peace were to be stripped away, we will direly miss it.

Maybe the invitation is to pay attention to peace and become instruments of peace ourselves. And we should admire more the silent peacekeepers of our lives and our professions who may not be receiving the limelight, but without them, a team cannot be an organization in its fullest sense.

Because to be truly organized is to be truly peaceful.

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Matthew 10:7-15. As you enter a house, wish it peace.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 188: JULY 7, 2022]

Witnessing “meraki” – soul in one’s work

It is grading period this week, and this is the time when my colleagues and I rant about heartbreak stories of students not passing requirements on time or in a way that satisfies quality standards.

But there are also times when students transcend being students – they become peers who can co-create knowledge with their insights and “soul” put into their integrative projects. It is doubly rewarding when these mentees are former students who have demonstrated growth through the years of their stay.

If you may pardon my pun, it is in witnessing these “meraki-lous” moments when sacrifices are worth it – responding to late night consultations or painstakingly provoking student groups to aspire being authentic exemplars.

Indeed, “the laborers are few”. But in a sense, a few “meraki-lous laborers” amid a sea of those merely going through the motions is more than enough to uplift the soul of a professor.

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Matthew 9:32-38. “… But the laborers are few.”

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 186: JULY 5, 2022]

Towards “enmissioning”

It is relatively easy to imagine, to envision a desired future or state of ourselves, our organization, or even society. We have an idea of “what could be”.

However, it is harder to “enmission”, to put to life and action how our strengths and talents can serve others. To dedicate ourselves to “what ought to be” and perform good actions for goodness’ sake.

It requires a sober understanding of our past tendencies and weaknesses and a realistic yet optimistic view of our limitless potential. It is a balance of humility and hope; unafraid to act but mindful (and heartful) of the relevant context.

I always ask my students, “What are your strengths? What is your key skill?” And oftentimes, they struggle to answer concretely. They talk about passion, but passion is ultimately fickle.

Enmissioning requires a person to understand one’s talents and a certain “goodness” that one yearns to manifest. And that journey is iterative. I dabbled frustratingly in social entrepreneurship, nonprofit work, e-commerce, consumer goods, market research, and consultancy anchored on my skill to write, insight, and learn. These numerous past experiments led me to the academe, and so far, I feel that my mission is to be here. I feel that my writing and insighting skills are always challenged while also being an enabler for others to flourish.

In an uncertain context, overemphasizing long-term visions might not be practical anymore – to envision. It might be more worthwhile to “enmission”, that is, to constantly reflect on one’s strengths and purpose and find spaces where one can translate potential into action.

Maybe, teaching students to “enmission” is the next step for management education that is truly humanistic and sustainability-oriented.

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Luke 10:1-12, 17-20. The mission and the return of the seventy-two

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 184: JULY 3, 2022]

Towards a more reasonable kind of mercy

Practically, the problem with letting mercy be the default is that non-repentant wrongdoers may abuse the kindness of the merciful. However, we can draw inspiration from how mercy is always presented with justice; as if they are two sides of the same coin. The rational mind is to justice as the emotional heart is to mercy.

What I like about how Jesus manifests mercy is that it is done to enliven the benevolent spirit underlying traditions and norms, which unfortunately may have been more oppressive and discriminatory rather than emancipating and liberating. The Pharisees and the hypocrites settle on technicalities and traditions that disable tax collectors (which are defaultly seen in a negative light) from becoming better persons.

In a way, mercy in this context corrects the injustices stemming from misinterpretations or misapplications of traditions. Moreover, mercy in this context actually enables justice and fairness, in a way that provides opportunities for the truly repentant (but burdened with negative reputations) to turn over a new leaf.

Thus, the challenge for us is not merely to view mercy through the lens of emotional pity. There is potential to synthesize both the rational and emotional in imbibing a more reasonable kind of mercy that enables flourishing.

Justice and mercy are indeed two sides of the same coin, in the same way that our mind and heart are two sides of our person.

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Matthew 9:9-13. I desire mercy

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 182: JULY 1, 2022]