A system or habit of virtue

I am a worrier and overthinker. I cannot help but overthink plans and potential outcomes. But what helps me focus on the present is putting faith in a routine, a habit, a system that can take of itself, akin to how an athlete practices and trusts his craft once its game time.

Maybe the invitation is to design systems or habits of virtue, not to overthink the destination too much.

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Matthew 6:24-34. So do not worry about tomorrow: tomorrow will take care of itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 169: JUNE 18, 2022]

Why do we pray?

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

With this premise, perhaps a prayer is more about expressing – articulating – our intentions. Prayers are means for us to predispose ourselves towards a greater good, and uttering words we mean have power. At the very least, they clarify our insights for us and for those who hear our words.

Maybe it is like teaching. A teacher somehow begins to know more about what he claims to teach when he articulate or rearticulates the lesson, the theory, the insight, the application.

At the risk of expressing my thoughts through an inappropriate superlative, I think that in a way, the teaching vocation can parallel Jesus as the Word Incarnate. As Jesus teaches us how to pray, He demonstrates that He is one with God through prayer; hence, the Word Incarnate.

On the other hand, a teacher who means what he teaches becomes one with the insight. And maybe, just maybe, at that moment, a teacher can personify being an Insight Incarnate.

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Matthew 6:7-15. The Lord’s Prayer

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 167: JUNE 16, 2022]

To focus on hating enemies is to be defeated

Our differences can naturally lead to having enemies. But the greater question is: is defeating the enemy the goal, or is it just a side quest, or worse, a distraction?

The word “enemy” is laden with meaning; a dictionary affixes the feeling of hatred towards another in defining what “enemy” means. But if we let hatred and emotions occupy our attention, we deprive ourselves the bandwidth to generate insights that would allow us to flourish.

To focus on hating enemies is to invite defeat, because at that moment, we distract ourselves from growing. But maybe if we love our enemies, or at least find a way to love the challenge they provide, we ultimately become better – one step closer to being the best version of ourselves.

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Matthew 5:43-48. Love your enemy

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 165: JUNE 14, 2022]

Some reflections on action research for transformation (ART)

We are fortunate to have Dr. Hilary Bradbury be our Distinguised Visiting Professor for the past weeks. She has advocated action research for transformation (ART), and I find that the ART metamodel, which I try to simply describe from learnings as a researcher managing the relational, conceptual, and experimental spaces to effect a desired improvement in socio-ecological well-being.

While listening to the homily today, what stood out to me was how the Catholic view of the Trinitarian God can be aligned with ART.

The Trinitarian relationship between the three persons but one God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) can serve as an anchor for how improving the quality of relationships (relational space) among the action researcher and other stakeholders is vital to attempt the pursuit of what is Truly Good.

The gifts of the Holy Spirit, particularly knowledge and wisdom helps inform the conceptual space and theorizing in ART.

Active works of faith and virtue is encouraged by the experimental space in ART. Furthermore, under the general empirical method, decision and action are the culmination of insight that is manifested in the real world.

The gospel for today speaks about the Spirit of Truth, and I find solace that there is a research orientation and methodology like ART that can help approximate what supporting the Spirit of Truth means. Thus, we embrace the challenge transcending our ego and adopt a mindset and “heartset” that is self-with-others.

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John 16:12-15. The Spirit of Truth

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 163: JUNE 12, 2022]

How can the whole maintain being greater than the sum of its parts?

“… for it will do you less harm to lose one part of yourself than to have your whole body thrown into hell.”

When I tried to apply systems thinking in my dissertation on viability, I was fascinated by the system definition of “homeostasis”. Borrowed from the biological field, homeostasis pertains to self-regulation processes within a system, such as managing body temperatures when harmful microorganisms enter (hence, fever). In a systems and organizational view, homeostasis happens when activities or initiatives that do not contribute to the system’s purpose are dispensed with or discontinued.

Thus, the imperative for any organization is to ensure that its parts always contribute to its mission, much like how a person aspires to be pure by regulating one’s thoughts and body parts.

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Matthew 5:27-32. You shall not commit adultery

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 161: JUNE 10, 2022]