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BÀI
LUẬN KHÓA
Những Yếu Tố Đặc Thù Trong Nghệ Thuật Lãnh Đạo
Đối Với Tổ Chức Gia Đình Phật Tử
Biên soạn bởi Trại sinh
Tâm Thường Định – Bạch Xuân Phẻ
thuộc Chúng 16 – Kim Quang
Lời dẫn nhập:
Theo bài nghiên cứu này, trong tổ chức GĐPT
Việt Nam có hai lối lãnh đạo chính: Đó là Servant Leadership—Lãnh đạo ‘đầy tớ’ (Lãnh đạo bằng sự phục
vụ) và Authentic Leadership—Lãnh đạo ‘đích thực’ (Lãnh đạo bằng tấm lòng – cho tất cả những gì đang có trong chính khả
năng của mình). Đây là nền tảng cho một lối lãnh đạo tâm linh. Bài nghiên cứu
này viết bằng tiếng Anh, nhưng bài Thơ dẫn lối và Tổng quan nghiên cứu
(abstract) song ngữ bằng có thể giúp người đọc một phần thấu hiếu thêm một gốc
độ khách quan.
LÃNH ĐẠO TÂM LINH - Lãnh Đạo Bằng Thân Giáo
Giới lãnh đạo
bất kỳ mô hình lãnh đạo nào
cần
phải có cách hướng dẫn thiết thực.
Hãy
thiết lập các nguyên tắc
và
mục tiêu vững chắc,
rồi
tạo ra các tiêu chuẩn xuất sắc.
Thân
giáo hay mẫu mực để dẫn đầu
là
nền tảng sống và lãnh đạo có đạo đức,
cho
những người khác noi gương
và
truyền cảm hứng cùng yêu thương
cũng
như một tầm nhìn bao quát.
Chúng
ta phải nhiệt huyết và có hành động phong phú.
Có
nhiều hành hoạt khác nhau
nhưng
nó phải đặt trên nền tảng của trí tuệ, lòng từ bi và can đảm
Chúng
ta hãy hình dung cho được một tương lai tươi sáng,
tạo
ra một lý tưởng thiết thực
và
độc đáo mà chúng ta có thể trở thành,
thuyết
phục và có hành động yên tĩnh
cho
mọi người nhìn thấy và làm theo.
Một
tương lai thú vị và tuyệt vời.
Hãy
thách thức quá trình mình đang sinh hoạt
tìm
kiếm những cách thức sáng tạo
để
cải thiện tổ chức.
Hãy
thử nghiệm và chấp nhận rủi ro,
và
học hỏi từ những sai lầm và thất bại.
Đó
là những cơ hội học và tập
để
chuyến hóa.
Để
có một tương lai tốt hơn
chúng
ta hãy hành động.
Thúc
đẩy và hỗ trợ cho nhau
Hợp
tác và xây dựng trong sự thay đổi bền vững.
Hãy
tích cực và lạc quan
đoàn
kết và tôn trọng lẫn nhau
và
trân quý nhau.
Những
tấm lòng
thật
cao quý như nhịp tim còn đập,
hay
những tấm lòng
"để
cho gió cuốn đi"
hay
những nỗ lực phi thường
như
"tri nhân, tri diện, bất tri tâm."
Niềm
tin và phẩm giá con người
có
lẽ là chìa khoá để thành công.
Hỡi
các bạn trẻ đồng trang lứa
những
công việc khó khăn trước mặt
hy
vọng và ước mơ của chúng ta
sẽ
trở thành sự thật
khi
chúng ta quyết tâm sống cho tốt hơn
và
góp phần xây dựng trong tinh thần nhân bản.
Cho
sự phát triển của đoàn thể, cộng đồng, đất nước và nhân loại
hãy
đặt trên những nền tảng hiểu biết,
thương
yêu,
khoan
dung và tha thứ.
Bạch X. Phẻ
Sacramento, March 10th, 2012.
Spiritual Leadership - Leading by Example
Leadership,
any leadership model must have guidelines.
Set solid principles and objectives,
then create the standard of excellence.
Leading by Example
is the foundation of life and leadership,
for others to follow
and inspire,
to have a shared common vision,
with abundant enthusiasm and action.
There are many different paths
to our ultimate goals,
but these paths must be built on
the foundation of compassion, wisdom and courage.
We must envision the future,
create a practical ideal,
consider the potential uniqueness of the organization,
persuade and take quiet action
for all to see and follow.
An exciting and wonderful future.
We must take the challenge,
and look for innovative ways
to improve our organization.
Experiment, take risks,
and learn from the mistakes and failures.
They present opportunities for growth
and transformation.
For a better future
we must take action,
promote and support each other.
Cooperation and collaboration for sustainable change.
Positivity,
mutual respect and unity
are all so precious,
like the rhythm of the heart.
Extraordinary effort,
inner values and human dignity
are the key,
my dear Buddhist friends.
Hard work is ahead,
our hopes and dreams
will come true
when we live for the greater good,
and when we contribute to the development of humanity,
to our organization, community or society,
it must build on the foundation of
mutual respect, great understanding and love,
tolerance and forgiveness.
Phe Bach
Sacramento, March 10th, 2012.
Leadership at Vietnamese Buddhist
Youth Association (VBYA) - Also known as Gia Đình Phật Tử (GĐPT)
SỰ LÃNH ĐẠO TRONG TỔ CHỨC GIA
ĐÌNH PHẬT TỬ
Abstract
(Tổng quan nghiên cứu)
Abstract: This research paper examines the leadership at The Vietnamese
Buddhist Youth Association (VBYA), also known as Gia Dinh Phat Tu (GDPT)
in Vietnamese, a non-profit organization that emphasizes not only virtue
(moral, ethical, and inner values) but also focuses on physical education,
character education, and spiritual education of the Buddhist youth. Its mission
is to train Buddhist youth to be moral, courageous, and righteous, and to help
build a positive society in accordance with Buddha’s teachings. Since its
leaders are volunteer-based, the recruitment and retention is undoubtedly a
challenge to firmly keep its vision. The author attempts to find a possible solution
for recruiting and retaining its leaders.
At the
Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association, two leadership theories genuinely stand
out: servant leadership and authentic leadership. Servant leadership
implies that leaders primarily lead by serving others – employees, customers
and community, whereas authentic leadership demonstrates these five qualities:
understanding their purpose, practicing solid values, leading with the heart,
establishing close and enduring relationships, and demonstrating self-discipline.
The author
recommends that since the VBYA does not have the financial means to compensate
and offer rewards, it must focus on training and development in order to
recruit and retain its leaders. Additionally, leaders of VBYA must
practice and implement the value of leading-by-example (Vietnamese: Thân
Giáo); it is certainly essential for the success of the organization. The
central Buddhist teachings help us transform mindful thought, speech, and
actions into our daily lives. Buddha’s teachings have reached and
transformed numerous people from all walks of life.
Like
many other Vietnamese individuals and organizations, VBYA has made many
achievements, and although its members also have had a significant number of
obstacles, they have managed to adapt, assimilate, and contribute while keeping
their distinctive Vietnamese Buddhist ethics and virtues. Vietnamese immigrants have preserved and flourished
their unique Vietnamese Buddhist heritage while contributing positively to the
cultural and spiritual needs of the Vietnamese and native communities in
America.
SỰ
LÃNH ĐẠO TRONG TỔ CHỨC GIA ĐÌNH PHẬT TỬ
Tóm tắt: Nghiên cứu này xem
xét cách lãnh đạo trong GIA ĐÌNH PHẬT TỬ, một tổ chức không có lợi nhuận, nhấn
mạnh không chỉ vào đạo đức và hạnh kiểm con người, mà còn tập trung vào giáo
dục thể chất, giáo dục nhân cách, và giáo dục tâm linh của thanh thiếu niên
Phật giáo (đức dục, trí dục và thể dục). Nhiệm vụ của tổ chức này là “đào tạo”
thanh thiếu đồng niên Phật giáo sống đời lành mạnh, đạo đức, dũng cảm và công
chính, và góp phần xây dựng một xã hội tích cực theo giáo lý của đức Phật. Vì tất
cả các nhà lãnh đạo (huynh trưởng) là những người làm thiện nguyện, việc tuyển
dụng và giữ chân huynh trưởng chắc chắn là một thách thức và khó thực hiện. Tác
giả đang nghiên cứu hầu tìm ra một giải pháp có thể để tuyển dụng và duy trì
các nhà lãnh đạo (huynh trưởng) cho tổ chức.
Nghệ thuật lãnh đạo trong GIA
ĐÌNH PHẬT TỬ, có hai thuyết lãnh đạo nổi bật nhất đó là: Servant
Leadership—Lãnh đạo ‘đầy
tớ’ (Lãnh đạo bằng sự phục vụ) và
Authentic Leadership—Lãnh đạo ‘đích thực’ (Lãnh đạo bằng tấm lòng – cho tất cả những gì đang có trong chính khả
năng của mình). Sự lãnh đạo ‘đầy tớ’ hàm ý rằng các nhà lãnh đạo
chủ yếu hướng tới việc phục vụ cho tha nhân, cho những người khác trong đó có
đoàn sinh, chùa chiền và cộng đồng đang sinh hoạt (tự độ, độ tha), trong khi sự
lãnh đạo ‘đích thực’ chứng tỏ 5 phẩm chất này: hiểu mục đích của họ, thực hành
những giá trị vững chắc, dẫn dắt bằng trái tim, thiết lập mối quan hệ bền chặt
và chứng tỏ kỷ luật (tự giác, giác tha).
Tác giả cho rằng vì GIA ĐÌNH
PHẬT TỬ không có đủ phương tiện tài chính để đền bù và tặng thưởng, tổ chức này
phải tập trung vào sự huấn luyện, đào tạo và phát triển nhằm tuyển dụng và duy
trì các hàng lãnh đạo. Ngoài ra, các nhà lãnh đạo của GĐPT cần phải huân tập, trao
dồi và thực hành giá trị Lãnh Đạo bằng Thân Giáo. Đây là chìa khoá của sự thành
công và điều cần thiết cho sự duy trì bền lâu của tổ chức. Các giáo lý nồng cốt
của Phật giáo giúp chúng ta chuyển hoá tư tưởng, lời nói và hành động trong
cuộc sống hàng ngày của chúng ta. Giáo lý của Đức Phật đã ảnh hưởng, chuyển hoá
và giải thoát rất nhiều người trong mọi tầng lớp xã hội.
Cũng giống như nhiều cá nhân
và tổ chức khác tại Việt Nam trong và ngoài nước, tổ chức GIA ĐÌNH PHẬT TỬ đã
đạt được không ít những thành tựu, mặc dù các thành viên của tổ chức cũng có
những khó khăn và trở ngại đáng kể, nhưng họ vẫn có thể thích nghi, đồng hóa và
đóng góp xây dựng cho xã hội đa chủng, đồng thời còn giữ gìn đạo đức và phẩm
hạnh của người con Việt. Người nhập cư từ Việt Nam, trong đó có hàng huynh
trưởng GIA ĐÌNH PHẬT TỬ, đã duy trì, bảo tồn và phát huy di sản văn hoá độc đáo
của mình trong khi đó vẫn miệt mài đóng góp tích cực cho nhu cầu văn hoá và tâm
linh của cộng đồng người Việt Nam và người bản xứ ở Hoa Kỳ.
Nói tóm lại, bài luận khoá này
cung cấp cho độc giả một cơ hội nhìn sâu vào cách lãnh đạo trong tổ chức Gia
Đình Phật Tử và một giải pháp có thể khả thi để tuyển dụng và duy trì các hàng huynh
trưởng (các nhà lãnh đạo). Để có lợi ý và làm tốt cho tổ chức, chúng ta phải biết
điểm mạnh và điểm yếu của mình và tìm kiếm ra những giải pháp để làm cho tổ chức
mỗi ngày tốt đẹp hơn. Chúng ta, những người Việt tỵ nạn, di cư hay những người gốc
Việt sinh ra và lớn lên tại Hoa Kỳ đều đã và đang duy trì, phát huy và xuyển
dương văn hóa và di sản độc đáo Việt Nam, đồng thời đang đóng góp tích cực cho
nhu cầu văn hoá và tâm linh của cộng đồng chúng ta cũng như của người bản địa.
Sự cống hiến của chúng ta cho tha nhân và những cộng đồng mình đang chung sống,
cần phải tiếp tục để làm cho đất nước Hoa Kỳ trở thành một quốc gia tốt đẹp hơn
cho nhiều thế hệ trong tương lai. Đó cũng là một trong những lời dạy bảo của Cố
Hoà thượng Thích Hạnh Tuấn khi chúng em có nhân duyên phỏng vấn Thầy về nghệ
thuật lãnh đạo trong Phật giáo.
Xin hãy đọc tiếp bài luận khoá bằng tiếng Anh ở phía dưới.
Leadership at Vietnamese Buddhist
Youth Association (VBYA) - Also known as Gia Đình Phật Tử (GĐPT)
Abstract: This
research paper examines the leadership at The Vietnamese Buddhist Youth
Association (VBYA), also known as Gia Dinh Phat Tu (GDPT) in
Vietnamese, a non-profit organization that emphasizes not only virtue (moral,
ethical, and inner values) but also focuses on physical education, character
education, and spiritual education of the Buddhist youth. Its mission is to
train Buddhist youth to be moral, courageous, and righteous, and to help build
a positive society in accordance with Buddha’s teachings. Since its leaders are
volunteer-based, the recruitment and retention is undoubtedly a challenge to
firmly keep its vision. The author attempts to find a possible solution for
recruiting and retaining its leaders.
At the
Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association, two leadership theories genuinely stand
out: servant leadership and authentic leadership. Servant leadership
implies that leaders primarily lead by serving others – employees, customers
and community, whereas authentic leadership demonstrates these five qualities:
understanding their purpose, practicing solid values, leading with the heart,
establishing close and enduring relationships, and demonstrating
self-discipline.
The author
recommends that since the VBYA does not have the financial means to compensate
and offer rewards, it must focus on training and development in order to
recruit and retain its leaders. Additionally, leaders of VBYA must
practice and implement the value of leading-by-example (Vietnamese: Thân
Giáo); it is certainly essential for the success of the organization. The
central Buddhist teachings help us transform mindful thought, speech, and
actions into our daily lives. Buddha’s teachings have reached and
transformed numerous people from all walks of life.
Like
many other Vietnamese individuals and organizations, VBYA has made many
achievements, and although its members also have had a significant number of
obstacles, they have managed to adapt, assimilate, and contribute while keeping
their distinctive Vietnamese Buddhist ethics and virtues. Vietnamese immigrants have preserved and flourished
their unique Vietnamese Buddhist heritage while contributing positively to the
cultural and spiritual needs of the Vietnamese and native communities in
America.
Table of Contents
Title
Page-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of
Contents------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Purpose-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Applied
Leadership Theories at VBYA-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Leadership’s
Strengths and Weaknesses in VBYA----------------------------------------------------------
Recommendations-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reference---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Introduction
The Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association (VBYA) was established in Hue City,
Vietnam in 1953. Sharing the fate of Vietnamese refugees after the end of
the Vietnam War on April 30th, 1975, it came to this country and has
flourished ever since. The first Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association in
America, called Cuu Kim Son Buddhist Youth Association, was established in 1976
in San Francisco, CA. Today, there are over 250 chapters of Vietnamese Buddhist
Youth Associations all over the United States. VBYA is a non-profit
organization that emphasizes not only virtue and moral, ethical and inner
values, but also focuses on physical education, character education, and
spiritual education of Buddhist youth (GDPT Viet Nam, 2008).
Its vision and mission are to train Buddhist youth to be moral, courageous and
righteous, and to help build a positive society in accordance with Buddha’s
teachings. According to the GDPT’s constitution, its objectives are:
·
To instill in members Buddhist teachings and practice to enable
them to live in mindfulness--with peace, joy, and harmony--and empathy with
others;
·
To raise self-esteem and self-support of the spirit among members;
·
To lead and promote a meaningful and moral social life, healthy in
spirit, mind and body; to foster philanthropy among members.
·
To develop leadership and management skills, creativity, and sense
of responsibility in members.
·
To cultivate communication skills by practicing Right Speech and
Deep Listening, and contribute to building strong, happy families and a
productive, peaceful society (GDPT Viet Nam, 2008).
To lead and carry
out such ambitions, Talent Management is needed to recruit and retain its
manpower. Like any other organization or individual, VBYA wants to be
successful. As Carroll (2007) suggests, rules for living our daily lives are
relatively straightforward: “Focus on desired results and achieve them as
quickly as possible... Amass valuable possessions and avoid unpleasant
experiences…. Protect yourself unless there is a reason not to.” (p.
152). Unfortunately, it is not that simple for any individual or
organization. In fact, many organizations, for profit or nonprofit, including
the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association, are struggling with “desired
results” due to the lack of manpower and talent management resources. In other
words, these organizations often do not have a defined, successful training,
evaluation and retention program. In addition, according to Basarab
(2011), there is a lack of reliable strategies and methods to measure what a
successful training program and/or evaluation really is.
Purpose
The purpose of
this paper is to explore the prevalent leadership theories that are being
utilized within the Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association. Furthermore,
it will suggest ways to evaluate personnel and talent management as well as offer
advice to recruit and retain its leaders.
Applied
Leadership Theories at VBYA
At the Vietnamese
Buddhist Youth Association, there are two leadership theories that genuinely
stand out: they are servant leadership and authentic leadership. Servant
leadership implies that leaders primarily lead by serving others – employees,
customers and the community Greenleaf (1970). Servant leadership has
strong links to major religions in the world. In Buddhism, the concept of
“serving others is serving the Buddha” is written in the Kinh
Đại Thừa (Thích, 2011). In Christianity, Arcay (2009)
suggests that the root of servant leadership can be traced back to a discussion
between Jesus Christ and his disciples as recorded in the Gospel of Luke,
chapter 22: verses 24-27. Again, according to Arcay (2009), servant
leadership requires the full embodiment of serving God, which means serving
with all your heart and soul.
Greenleaf (1970)
first coined the term servant leadership in 1970 in his book titled The
Servant As Leader. It has regained popularity in the last decade due
to its strong altruistic and ethical overtones (Northouse, 2004).
Greenleaf (1995) described his model as one that encourages “collaboration,
trust, foresight, listening, and the ethical use of power and empowerment”
(p.1). He argues that servant leadership is serving first with
dignity. Customers, employees, and the community as a whole have the
highest priority. According to Greenleaf (1995, 2006) and Spears & Frick
(1992), servant leadership implies that leaders primarily lead by serving
others – employees, customers and community. They subjugate their
personal needs and desires for the good of the greater community.
In authentic
leadership, as George (2008) pointed out, leaders demonstrate these five
qualities: 1) understanding their purpose, 2) practicing solid values, 3)
leading with heart, 4) establishing close and enduring relationships, and 5)
demonstrating self-discipline (p. 92). All of the VBYA leaders volunteer their
time, energy and talents. They serve and lead to the best of their
abilities. Thus, they are very authentic and sincere in carrying out
their tasks. Duchon & Plowman (2005, as cited in DeVost, 2010), point
out that spiritual leaders shape work units in a way that allows employees to
participate in meaningful work, even in what constitutes “meaningful work” (p.
28) in modern organizational changes. According to Tepper (2003), any
individual with a strong inner sense of spirituality will be more likely to find
meaning, will be more satisfied with their work and will contribute
significantly more than the non-spiritual one. Additionally, they are more
likely to be open-minded, have the ability to experience gratitude for ordinary
events, and seek meaning for their spiritual journey as well as having a high
intolerance for inequity.
Leadership’s
Strengths and Weaknesses in VBYA
The leaders in
VBYA are all volunteers with a clear mindset to make differences in their lives
and in the lives of others. As Alexander Norman writes in the
introduction to the book Beyond Religion-Ethics For a Whole World by
His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama, “(We need) to come to our own
understanding of the importance of inner values, which [the Dalai Lama]
believes are the source of both an ethically harmonious world and the
individual peace of mind, confidence, and happiness we all seek” (p. xv).
In a similiar vein, Thich Minh Dat, a spiritual advisor for the Vietnamese
Buddhist Community in Northern California, states that anyone of us is an
educator because sooner or later, we are all brother/sister, husband/wife,
grandfather/grandmother and “If a doctor makes a mistake, he or she can only
kill a single person, but if an educator like us makes a mistake, we can kill a
whole generation” (Thích, 2011). VBYA’s leaders are instilled with this
doctrine.
The leaders of
VBYA have a strong foundation and follow fundamental principles with
defined obligations and responsibilities. The networking between the
leaders is similar to a family structure, where they respect and nurture one
another. Their minds and hearts are always serving others as well as
preserving, protecting and strengthening the Association’s vision and mission.
There is a strong relationship among the leaders within their organization and
they share similar inner values such as selflessness, sacrifice, and
harmoniousness. They also have a high sense of spiritualism and strong
moral values. Some of these moral values include compassion, diligence,
determination, joy, gratitude, love, integrity, honesty, mindfulness, harmony,
perseverance, responsibility, trustworthiness, trust, understanding and wisdom.
One of the
weaknesses of the Association, however, is the lack of a successful recruiting,
training and retention program. Many non-profit organizations, including the
Vietnamese Buddhist Youth Association, are struggling with defining the success
of their training programs. It is very humbling for the VBYA leaders to carry
out their clear vision and mission. Carroll (2007) contends that
humility, simply put, is the absence of arrogance, which means that we engage
our work authentically and communicate with others without self-serving agendas
(p. 143). Yet, the lack of continuous training and evaluation is a dominant
hurdle for VBYA to overcome. Russ-Eft & Preskill, (2009) points out that
any training programs or investment in human capital or predictive return must
be measurable. To them, evaluation is part of the assessment to improve
any organization. Besides not having an adequate assessment process, the
financial aspect of the VBYA is also an enormous problem. Without sufficient
funding, it is very difficult to attract and retain talent. According to an
article on the Talent Management website: “Retaining, Recruiting
Top Talent Key Priorities for Employers, Survey Finds” (Buck Consultants, May
12, 2011): “Employers are using hiring bonuses to attract talent and
retention bonuses to keep them.” Furthermore, the two most important
components of recruiting and retaining talent are training and development, and
compensation and rewards (SHRM Foundation, 2008).
VBYA does not have the money to offer these incentives.
Recommendations
Since the VBYA does not have the financial means to compensate its staff and
faculty or offer rewards, it must focus on training and development to recruit
and retain its leaders. According to SHRM
Foundation (2008) “It takes extensive analysis, a thorough understanding
of the many strategies and practices available, and the ability to put retention
plans into action and learn from their outcomes. But given the increasing
difficulty of keeping valued employees on board in the face of major shifts in
the talent landscape, it is well worth the effort” (p. 27). It offers the following advice: “Strengthening
employee engagement in your organization can also help you retain talent.
Engaged employees are satisfied with their jobs, enjoy their work and the
organization, believe that their job is important, take pride in the company,
and believe that their employer values their contributions.” (SHRM Foundation, 2008, p. 21)
SHRM
Foundation (2008) also reveals that “research shows that certain HR practices can be
especially powerful in enabling an organization to achieve its retention goals.
These practices include (1) recruitment, (2) selection, (3) socialization, (4)
training and development, (5) compensation and rewards, (6) supervision, and
(7) employee engagement (p. 21). Lastly, SHRM
Foundation (2008) concludes:
“To get the most
from your retention management plans, you will need to: (1) analyze the nature
of turnover in your organization and the extent to which it is a problem (or
likely to become one); (2) understand research findings on the drivers of
employee turnover and the ways in which workers make turnover decisions; (3)
diagnose the most important and manageable drivers of turnover in your company;
and, (4) design, implement, and evaluate strategies to improve retention in
ways that meet your organization’s unique needs” (p. 27).
Additionally, to be consistent with Buddhist philosophy, leaders of VBYA must
practice and implement the value of leading-by-example (Thân Giáo); it
is essential for the success of the organization. According to Bach (2012),
“Leading by example is just one invaluable lesson the Buddha taught us. It is
based upon our mindful thought, speech, and actions in our daily life.
His teachings have reached and transformed innumerous people from all walks of
life. The peaceful development of humanity is in large part due to the
enlightened teachings of the Buddha. Today, Buddhism can be a possible solution
for the human crises” (p. 5). He suggests that Buddhist youth leaders should
establish these guidelines: 1) Establish a Moral and Ethical Mindset; 2)
Understand and Articulate the Principle of Cause and Effect (Law of Karma); 3)
Think Globally and Act Locally – making a difference around you first; 4)
Demonstrate Mutual Respect and Mutual Benefit; 5) Practice Being Present With
Each Other (Presencing) - “ Presencing as in the Theory U” - Senge,
P. M., Scharmer, C. O., Jaworski, J., & Flowers, B. S. (2005), 6) Engage In
The Power of Unity or Collaboration With Other Organizations for Sustainable
Change; and 7) Be a (Buddhist) Practitioner, Not Only a Learner (p.6).
As a leader, especially a leader in a Buddhist
institution, one must be mindful and have a solid foundation in the Dharma (the
teaching of Buddha). As Michael Carroll (2007) suggests in his book, The
Mindful Leader, the ten talents of a mindful leader are: simplicity, poise,
respect, courage, confidence, enthusiasm, patience, awareness, skillfulness,
and humility. He continues that bringing our full being to work through
synchronizing, engaging the whole, inspiring health and well-being in organizations
and establishing authenticity, all combine to define a successful leader.
Furthermore, the leaders should live a spiritual life and lead by setting
positive examples. Another study by Andre L. Delbecq (2008), a professor of
Organizational Analysis and Management at J. Thomas and Kathleen L. McCarthy
University and Director of the Institute for Spirituality and Organizational
Leadership at Santa University’s Leavey School of Business suggests that the
managers who are working with him exhibit these positive changes through
meditation and spiritual disciplines (p. 495):
· Improved capacities to listen—less need to dominate
· More patience with others—less judgmental and self-asserting
· Great adaptability—less desire to control events and others
· Great focus—less distraction and anxiety
· Greater ability to devote self to service through work—less
frustration with burdens and irritants at work
· More hopefulness and joyfulness even in times of difficulty—less
cynicism and pessimism
· Greater overall serenity and trust
· More confidence in using personal competencies—deeper knowledge of
self-limitations, more trust that things will work out
· Persistence and diligence—less withdrawal and self-occupation when
under stress
To Delbecq,
nourishing the soul of the leader and the inner growth certainly matters. Thus,
the spiritual dimension of leadership is particularly crucial and vital for
success in any organization. To emphasize this point, we will examine the work
of Vietnamese Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. He is a peace activist, a
writer, a poet, a scholar, and a Buddhist monk, and is the champion of
mindfulness. His work has carried mindfulness practices into mainstream
culture. His wisdom and practice of mindfulness have provided guidance
and a practical approach, which benefit individuals, families and
organizations. Thich Nhat Hanh (1993, 2007) emphasizes: “With mindfulness, we
are aware of what is going on in our bodies, our feelings, our minds, and the
world, and we avoid doing harm to ourselves and others.” He continues: “Mindfulness
protects us, our families, and our society, and ensures a safe and happy
present and a safe and happy future. Precepts are the most concrete
expression of the practice of mindfulness” (p. 2).
Precepts (or Sila in Sanskrit and Pali – the ancient language
of India) is a “code of conduct that embraces a commitment to harmony and
self-restraint with the principle motivation being non-violence, or freedom
from causing harm” Bodhi (2005). It can be described in various ways as
virtue (Gethin, 1998, p. 170; Harvey, 2007, p. 199), right conduct (Gethin (1998), p. 170), morality (Gombrich, 2002, p. 89; Nyanatiloka, 1988,
and Saddhatissa, 1987, pp. 54, 56), moral discipline (Bodhi,
2005, p. 153) and precept.
In the
book, For a Future To Be Possible: Buddhist Ethics For Everyday Life,
Thich Nhat Hanh encourages us to practice the precepts that we have abided
to. The five most basic precepts of ancient times (i.e. do not kill,
steal, perform sexual misconduct, lie or use alcohol/intoxicants) still apply
for all Buddhists today (Bodhi, 2005;
Thich, 1993, 2011). Thich Nhat Hanh (Thich, 1993, 2007, 2011) skillfully
and compassionately translated these precepts for our modern time and called
them “The Five Mindfulness Trainings”. According to him, they “represent the
Buddhist vision for a global spirituality and ethics. They are a concrete
expression of the Buddha’s teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Noble
Eightfold Path, the path of right understanding and true love, leading to
healing, transformation, and happiness for ourselves and for the world.”
In
addition, Thich Nhat Hanh (Thich 1993, 2007, 2011) points out that “to practice
the Five Mindfulness Trainings is to cultivate the insight of interbeing, or
Right View, which can remove all discrimination, intolerance, anger, fear, and
despair.” The five ancient precepts were adapted to our modern time under
Thich Nhat Hanh’s vision as the Five Mindfulness Trainings. They are as
follows:
The First Mindfulness Training - Reverence For
Life
Aware of the suffering caused by the destruction of life, I am committed to
cultivating the insight of interbeing and compassion and learning ways to
protect the lives of people, animals, plants, and minerals. I am determined not
to kill, not to let others kill, and not to support any act of killing in the
world, in my thinking, or in my way of life. Seeing that harmful actions arise
from anger, fear, greed, and intolerance, which in turn come from dualistic and
discriminative thinking, I will cultivate openness, non-discrimination, and
non-attachment to views in order to transform violence, fanaticism, and
dogmatism in myself and in the world.
The Second Mindfulness Training - True Happiness
(Generosity)
Aware of the suffering caused by exploitation, social injustice,
stealing, and oppression, I am committed to practicing generosity in my
thinking, speaking, and acting. I am determined not to steal and not to possess
anything that should belong to others; and I will share my time, energy, and
material resources with those who are in need. I will practice looking deeply
to see that the happiness and suffering of others are not separate from my own
happiness and suffering; that true happiness is not possible without
understanding and compassion; and that running after wealth, fame, power and
sensual pleasures can bring much suffering and despair. I am aware that
happiness depends on my mental attitude and not on external conditions, and
that I can live happily in the present moment simply by remembering that I
already have more than enough conditions to be happy. I am committed to
practicing Right Livelihood so that I can help reduce the suffering of living
beings on Earth and reverse the process of global warming.
The Third Mindfulness Training - True Love (Sexual Responsibility)
Aware of the suffering caused by sexual misconduct, I am committed
to cultivating responsibility and learning ways to protect the safety and
integrity of individuals, couples, families, and society. Knowing that sexual
desire is not love, and that sexual activity motivated by craving always harms
myself as well as others, I am determined not to engage in sexual relations
without true love and a deep, long-term commitment made known to my family and
friends. I will do everything in my power to protect children from sexual abuse
and to prevent couples and families from being broken by sexual misconduct.
Seeing that body and mind are one, I am committed to learning appropriate ways
to take care of my sexual energy and cultivating loving kindness, compassion,
joy and inclusiveness – which are the four basic elements of true love – for my
greater happiness and the greater happiness of others. Practicing true love, we
know that we will continue beautifully into the future.
The Fourth Mindfulness Training - Loving Speech and Deep Listening
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful speech and the
inability to listen to others, I am committed to cultivating loving speech and
compassionate listening in order to relieve suffering and to promote
reconciliation and peace in myself and among other people, ethnic and religious
groups, and nations. Knowing that words can create happiness or suffering, I am
committed to speaking truthfully using words that inspire confidence, joy, and
hope. When anger is manifesting in me, I am determined not to speak. I will
practice mindful breathing and walking in order to recognize and to look deeply
into my anger. I know that the roots of anger can be found in my wrong
perceptions and lack of understanding of the suffering in myself and in the
other person. I will speak and listen in a way that can help myself and the
other person to transform suffering and see the way out of difficult
situations. I am determined not to spread news that I do not know to be certain
and not to utter words that can cause division or discord. I will practice
Right Diligence to nourish my capacity for understanding, love, joy, and
inclusiveness, and gradually transform anger, violence, and fear that lie deep
in my consciousness.
The Fifth Mindfulness Training - Nourishment and Healing (Diet for a mindful
society)
Aware of the suffering caused by unmindful consumption, I am
committed to cultivating good health, both physical and mental, for myself, my
family, and my society by practicing mindful eating, drinking, and consuming. I
will practice looking deeply into how I consume the Four Kinds of Nutriments,
namely edible foods, sense impressions, volition, and consciousness. I am
determined not to gamble, or to use alcohol, drugs, or any other products which
contain toxins, such as certain websites, electronic games, TV programs, films,
magazines, books, and conversations. I will practice coming back to the present
moment to be in touch with the refreshing, healing and nourishing elements in
me and around me, not letting regrets and sorrow drag me back into the past nor
letting anxieties, fear, or craving pull me out of the present moment. I am
determined not to try to cover up loneliness, anxiety, or other suffering by
losing myself in consumption. I will contemplate interbeing and consume in a
way that preserves peace, joy, and well-being in my body and consciousness, and
in the collective body and consciousness of my family, my society and the
Earth.
Another seed of
strong leadership is leading by example. Venerable Thích Minh Đạt (2011)
believes leadership influences by: 1) Example: Teaching through your actions or
behavior. One must live a moral and ethical life. Benefit yourself and benefit
others, and then influence and contribute positively to our community and
society. 2) Teaching by loving speech: seek understanding and wisdom. 3)
Teaching by practicing the Eightfold Path: The first one is Right Thought: your
thinking must be constructive and always be based on the teachings of the
Buddha, with Compassion and Wisdom.
Conclusion
Thich (2007), a
PhD scholar at the University of Florida, concludes that Vietnamese Buddhists
are adapting to, interacting with, and assimilating into the American
mainstream culture with their Buddhist values. They have made many
achievements, and although they also had a significant number of obstacles,
they managed to adapt, assimilate, and contribute while keeping their
distinctive Vietnamese Buddhist ethics and virtues. He concludes that
the Vietnamese immigrants have preserved
their unique Vietnamese Buddhist heritage, and indeed, their heritage has
flourished, while contributing positively to the cultural and spiritual
needs of the Vietnamese and native communities in America.
This paper offers
the reader an opportunity to look deeply into the leadership at the Vietnamese
Buddhist Youth Association and a possible solution for recruiting and retaining
its leaders. To fully benefit for the organization, we must know our strengths
and weaknesses and seek solutions betterment of the organization. We, as Vietnamese refugees, immigrants, and American-born
Vietnamese, have preserved, advanced and flourished our unique Vietnamese
Buddhist culture and heritage while contributing positively to the cultural and
spiritual needs of our communities as well as the native ones. Our
contributions to the greater good need to continue to make America a better
place to live for our children, grandchildren and for all, not only in this
generation but many generations to come.
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