The "Free Tibet" Question - A New Approach

In the previous article, I suggested that the Chinese atrocity inflicted upon the Tibetans over the last more than 50 years, is helping the development of the rest of the world. Due to the Tibetan diaspora the Dalai Lama is known everywhere, and invited to speak across the globe. Tibetan Buddhism, today, is no longer found only in the remote areas around the Himalayas, but in every country. And although Buddhism is not the final answer, some aspects of it appears to be one step further than the Abrahamic religions - especially, when looking at the behaviors that result from their core-messages. So it now being available to much of the world is clearly a better state than before.

While the Christians still ask how God can allow these bad things happening to these good people, and while Buddhists just accept that it is happening, the Tool of the Universe idea provides a simple, plausible explanation, an important purpose: it was an effective way of spreading the light!



In this article, I would like to look at the response to the Tibet crisis from these three core perspectives:

The Christians don't find an answer to their question, and assume it was a mistake of God, which they now try to fix. Interestingly, they try to fix it by applying pressure to and fighting with China. That doesn't sound to be an expression of love - which Jesus always recommended. And - as quite common with forceful approaches - it hasn't work at all.

The Buddhists just accept the situation and do nothing but continue their life. (Well, some of them follow the Christian approach, too - abandoning their own core recommendation). That seems a better approach than to fight, as it doesn't create additional pain and suffering. However, it doesn't alleviate the ongoing pain and suffering of the Tibetans still stuck in the situation either.

When it rains it doesn't make sense to fight the fact that it is raining, nor is it necessary to just stand there. Walking to a shelter until it stops might work better.

In alignment with that analogy, the Tool of the Universe idea, does not encourage to fight, nor just to leave it as is. Instead, it asks to look for the purpose of the situation and for a shelter for those impacted. When there is a purpose for a situation, we can determine a direction for our course of action: Enlightenment is needed in the world, and was brought closer to everybody through the Tibetan diaspora.

The Tool of the Universe approach suggests to make the next step in this apparent direction: Let's make sure we maximize the positive benefits of the situation!



One action in alignment with this idea would be to work towards establishing Tibetan Buddhist monasteries in every country of the world. These monasteries could also function as cultural centers for both the population of the host country and the displaced Tibetans, who could resettle in the vicinities of these monasteries. That way, Tibetans are not left cutoff from their roots, and at the same time, it would be possible for them to live a fulfilled and dignified life. Also, it would take a lot of pressure off the Nepalese community, who is currently carrying the heaviest load, by hosting a disproportionately large number of refugees.

So instead of trying to fight the Chinese to retreat from Tibet, it might make more sense to try to work with them to allow those Tibetans who want to leave, to leave in peace. At the same time, supporters of the Tibetan cause in every country around the world could work with their government and fellow citizens to find a way to enable a Tibetan community in their midst.

The lessons that we all could learn from this are very, very important and relevant for today's political landscape:
* Cooperation works better than fighting.
* Foreign culture is not a threat to our own existence.
* While mono-culture causes stagnation, mixing cultures stirs up discussion, and facilitates new insights, development and growth.
* People from the other side of the world are the same as us: kind, loving, and with the same needs and wants: to survive, to be loved and appreciated, to live a fulfilled life.



Going by what every documentary about Tibet states, that area is quite inhospitable to human existence. So, hey, let the Chinese deal with it, trying to live there. Let the lucky Tibetans go to other places in the world, were surviving is much easier and where they are welcome and appreciated.

And who knows, without all the pressure, maybe China will open up their firm grip a little over time, and Tibetan monasteries will be allowed again in Tibet sometime...



Disclaimer and clarification: What the Chinese have done to the Tibetans - and continue to do - is disgusting and deplorable! However, we are not innocent either: If we were not so stuck in our spiritual development, such major crisis would not be necessary. Secondly, Buddhism is not the end of the spiritual journey, but just a first step.

Letter to a Dog Lover

My neighbors keep their dog on a chain in the back yard. They hardly ever play with it, or walk with it. All they do is bring it food. The dog is crying of loneliness and in anquish, not understanding why it was ostracized from the group. Below is a letter that I wrote in the hope it might help the neighbors realize what they are doing...

Dear Neighbor,

I would like to provide some information that should help you enjoy your dog much more, and help your dog, too, to enjoy their life as member of your family.

Member of your family!?!? Well, a dog's societal norms - i.e. the norms which a dog follows and according to which a dog acts - are different from our - i.e. human - norms.

A dog follows instincts. It can not act against them, like we act against ours. It can not "think" like us, "ponder" like us. We can understand how their society works, if we take the time to study it for a long, long time. Or, if we read a book - like John Fisher's "Think Dog", which explains in a funny and easy to understand language how dogs work, with tons of examples and anecdotes from his life as "dog whisperer".

A dog, of course, can not read a book about how humans work.

Is it fair, and reasonable, to expect a dog to be able to understand our behaviors, interpret correctly what we mean, when we do certain things?

I think it would be up to the "smarter" ones to learn about and treat the other according to what they understand, how they are programmed through their instincts.

A dog is a pack animal. As such it is part of a group and it instinctively tries to do anything it can to get the approval of the group, to be accepted by the group. (In that we are actually not so different, are we? Many humans do really crazy things just to be accepted by their peers...) A pack animal can not survive for long outside of the group - so being accepted by the group is a matter of life and death to the dog!

One way - the most severe way available within a pack - to punish a member of the pack for wrong doing is to expel them from the group. (Again, very similar to our own behavior, isn't it? Think about school, prison, UN sanctions...) Such an outcast dog will do anything - ANYTHING - that they can think of that would allow them to get back into the pack.

A dog accepts and adopts the owner's family as its pack. Whether we like it or not, whether we understand it, know or are aware of it or not. It tries to get our acceptance and approval.

I know that dogs have been treated the way you are treating yours. However, just because somebody else made a mistake doesn't mean you can not do better. After all, we can choose to grow and go beyond our instincts. Please try to keep an open mind, and continue reading...

If we tie the dog up, away from the rest of the group, it thinks it has done something severely wrong - similar to how you would feel if you were tied up in the center of town with a sign around your neck telling how mean you are. Well, you can read the sign, and understand what the people are saying. The Dog can't read. It has no clue what it did wrong or why it is being punished.

It tries to be good. Display its best behavior. Show you its love, its subordination, its willingness to abide by the rules of the pack. Ever noticed how it behaves when you go and bring it its food? It wags not just its tail, but the whole backside. It puts its head down, it puts its tail between the hind legs. It whelps... All signs of submission. Of "I am sorry!" Of "Please allow me back into the group, I promise to do better!".

Think about what you would do, if your family ostracizes you. First, you'd try to get back into their favor. If it doesn't work, you would cry and continue to try. After a while, however, if nothing you do works, you would get more and more frustrated and angry. If no matter what you do, they don't allow you back in, you most likely would start hating them. After some more time, you might just give up to try. And you would finish your life being angry and mean to anybody and anything that comes close.

Ever heard of the expression: "A mean yard dog". Well, now you know why the dog is mean.



A dog is the man's best friend. That is another expression, I am sure, you heard before.

I believe you got the dog for that reason. For your kids to enjoy the unconditional love of another being in this world. Maybe to have a friend around to warn you of intruders and to defend you. And your dog has the potential to be and do all of that! Its highest priority in life is to be your friend.

I hope that being its friend is high enough a priority for you, too, to open your mind to the above information. To try to learn to understand how dogs work. And to try to treat your dog so it can understand your treatment.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Best wishes and much joy with your four-legged friend for life!



Your neighbor

(who is crying, whenever your dog cries for your love...)

Corporate Greed (part 1)

Emron, sub-prime mortgages, and so on: corporate greed is on everybody's mind these days . and stays there, as we get one instance after another as reminders of the problem.

However, what is a corporation really? Nothing, but a piece of paper filed with some registrar somewhere!

What provides life to such an artificial entity are the people who contribute to it. The character attributes of these people become the character attributes of the corporation. Every person who interacts with a corporation, impacts it, in any small or big way.

1. Employees

First, of course, there are the employees. Everybody who works for a corporation . from the CEO to the housekeeper, from the full-time employee to the contractor . all of them are expending time, effort, ideas, energy that helps that corporation get closer to its goal . whatever that goal is.

Do you know what your employers business purpose is? What is its attitude, its approach to achieve its goals? Is that purpose, and are these goals and approaches in congruence with your believes and values?

If not, why are you using the little time that makes up your life to support something you don't believe in? For the money? So money is more important than your other values? But, isn't that greed, too? Aren't you also part of the corporate greed?

When your grandchild or great-grandchild asks you with big adoring eyes, would you be happy and proud to tell her/him you came to this world to support xyz (whatever your employer works towards)?

Labor vs. Contribution . Management vs. Leadership

Today, more and more people come to understand that life is about more than just raising kids and working to make money. Everywhere I go I meet folks who are looking to find their life's purpose.

As described in other texts, I believe that my purpose can not be I myself. To my life is about making a contribution to this creation.

Money is not any longer the reason for my work, but just aside-effect - necessary, but by itself not sufficient. I want to spend the remaining few hundred weeks of my life working towards the fulfillment of my soul's mission. My job can and has to be supporting my in this quest.

It is now clear to me that I won't last long in a job that is preventing me from working on what I came to this world to do. Looked at it in the other way around, if a job required me to work on something that is in alignment with my mission I will be very productive and an amazing contributor.

I think, many people are in this mode, that I am; although not all of them may have realized what's going on, why they are so unhappy in their job.



Are you happy and fulfilled in your job? What is your mission here in this world? Does your job provide an opportunity for you to work on your mission?



If this my observation is accurate, it is advisable to employers to adjust their approach to make use of this fact. First, an employer - actually, every supervisor, manager, and team-leader - should clear about what their mission and goals are. This makes it easier for every team-member to easier see how the job is providing the opportunity to implement her/his life's purpose.

Secondly, a switch from workers-management to team-leadership is to be made. The task of any supervisor is no longer to watch to ensure everybody is pulling their weight, trying to ensure productivity by threatening, conjoling and manipulating. Instead, the new task is to define goals that inspire the co-workers, and to remove obstacles so the coworkers are not hindered in their productivity. In essence: when people want to go where the bus is heading, it is moving at full speed, and the leaders have to ensure it is heading in a good direction, and to avoid traffic-jams...



What is your leadership style (in your job, and among your friends and family), and that of your superior: Forcing obedience or inspiring greatness?

Be mindful: Inspiring greatness can not be used as a means to manipulate. Do you see the difference?

Improving Your Department's “Gas-Mileage”

In “Built To Last” the authors dedicate a chapter to the topic “The Tyranny of the OR”. They describe several examples, where we traditionally see two involved aspects as competing with each other. Make money OR fulfill a purpose, do well in the short term OR focus on long term objectives.
They observed, that “visionary companies” do not succumb to this view-point, but find a way to “embrace the genius of the AND”. For example, such companies do not try to find a balance between “purpose beyond profit” on the one hand, and “pragmatic pursuit of profit” on the other; they do both. As another example they mention that visionary companies strive to do well in the short term AND do well in the long term.

I think Honda accomplished this goal – to embrace the genius of the AND – too, with their V6 engine, which they use in the Accord-V6 and the Odyssey: They improved the gas-mileage AND increased the power of these cars!
The principle is quite interesting: During regular cruising only three of the six cylinders fire. When there's a little more power needed, a fourth cylinder gets added, and only when full power is required, all six cylinders are active. The switching between the modes is virtually unnoticeable by the driver.

Well, here's an idea for team-leaders, managers, and executives: you can rig your department in a similar fashion as Honda's V6 engine!

You have three types of staff:

• The traditional employee type. That is the equivalent of the three cylinders that keep the department at cruising speed.

The “fourth cylinder” type, who you can quickly engage and disengage, to meet typical workload fluctuations. This would be part-time employees, who are helping with month-end, year-end, busy-season, and at other semi-regular high-demand times. 
The idea here is, that the person would be part-time per year, not per day. That means, during crunch-time such an employee might work 60 hours in a week. And at slow season the person might be completely off for days or weeks. But overall she/he would be employed for, say 1000 hours per year, instead of the typical 1760 hours.

Finally, the “fifth and sixth cylinder” type, who would provide the power to tackle bigger projects – implementing a project that's outside or in addition to the regular work, system conversions, modernizations, and so on. 
Usually, these are contractors. A contractor in the traditional sense, however, is like a secondary engine, and not part of the regular engine. However, just like the cylinders are a normal part of the single engine, such a contributor should be a normal part of the single team.

In essence I am suggesting to look at the folks who help accomplish your goals, from a different perspective. All those who are contributing to achieve your goals are part of the team!

• It is irrelevant how somebody is compensated. That is a minor side-issue that pay-roll has to worry about. What matters is how much the person costs. Also, cost per hour is irrelevant. What matters is cost per production-point. Similar as with electricity: voltage by itself doesn't mean much; neither does amperage by itself. A generator's capacity is measured in Watts (i.e. voltage times amperage per time). In terms of a contributor the formula could be time to get something done times cost per hour.
• It is irrelevant whether somebody works 20, 40, or 60 hours per week, as much as it is irrelevant whether somebody is in the office every day, or only on some days. What matters is how much overall production-points of a person cost. Somebody waiting for work, or artificially prolonging the existing work so it doesn't get too boring, is not adding to the team's productivity, but still produces costs.
• To you, who wants to achieve a goal, the only aspect of importance is: how to get your goal accomplished with the least amount of unnecessary overhead.
• A person who is part of the team knows the environment, the team, the processes, and the goal. Such a person hits the ground running, an does not need as much ramp-up time as a new person would need.

Sure, the V6 is spending some effort carrying the additional cylinders around, even when they are disengaged. And there is some fancy technology needed, to make the transitions smooth and effortless. Similarly, some additional, mostly administrative, costs incur for the non-traditional members on your team, even while they are not engaged. And your department's operation, your leadership style and management methods require some new, non-traditional approaches to maximize the contribution of your additional power-reserves.
However, the benefit is clear: excellent overall gas-mileage AND the strength and fluidity required to deal with fluctuating workload and the constant, fast-paced changes of todays world.

So here's my question to you:

Are you GM or Honda?

Are you stuck in old ways, in denial about the changing world, and hoping for a government bailout when the time comes? Or, are you nimble, innovative and adaptable enough to shape the new times, ready to pioneer new technologies and approaches, and will you emerge from this crisis as a leader?

(J. Collins, J. Porras; Built To Last – Successful Habits of Visionary Companies; HarperBusiness; 1 edition (November 2, 2004); ISBN-13: 978-0060566104)