The quality of life in a society, largely depends upon the quality of decision-making by its Executives. Decision-makers best handle their responsibility when they resort to ‘conscious decision-making’ and that needs clear conviction & courage.
*In the “2G Scam”, the then Telecom Secretary suffered an arrest in 2011 under charges relating to certain executive decisions taken by him and he faced a trial for a long period before the CBI special court acquitted him in DEC 2018! He expressed that, ‘Decision-making within the bureaucracy and the institutions suffered the biggest collateral damage in the entire proceedings as officers are inclined to stay away from taking decisions now as they fear they would entangle themselves in a wrongdoing or corruption later! In the “Coal-gate Scam” of 2012, the then Coal Secretary suffered trial for corruption charges and was convicted in one case by CBI special court in May 2017. As per the media reports, one retired top bureaucrat opined that, ‘Such verdicts will discourage bureaucrats from taking decisions’.
*Executive’s Dharma! Incidents of investigations like the above, by concerned agencies & prosecution of executives, tend to naturally cause a certain inhibition in the minds of executives. This scare seemingly deepens with negative statements from colleague executives who suffer/might have suffered investigations. Actually, such statements lead to a wrong perception about decision-making that it is more an exercise with damaging consequences. In fact, decision-making is the very ‘dharma’ of the executive.
*Executives try to shy away from taking decisions! You may recall that around 2011-12, public decision-making came up for severe criticism and the infamous phrase “Policy Paralysis” came into existence. The then Hon’ble PM Dr. Manmohan Singh called a meeting of Secretaries to Govt. of India, in April 2012, only to assure them that there will be no witch-hunt in the name of fighting corruption and they should take decisions! This indicates that the decision makers were going slow on decisions.
*In the current regime also, as per media reports, on 10th Jun 2019, hon’ble PM Sri Narendra Modi called a meeting of Secretaries to direct them for impactful decision-making. He mentioned that each one of the Secretaries should think of himself/herself as Prime Minister while implementing strategies. He also asked them to come out of silos and speed up decisions. The media report said, ‘While civil servants have shied away from taking several decisions, fearing action by investigative agencies, Modi told the gathering that genuine mistakes are bound to happen and he would own up to them!’
*However, apparently, there prevails an undesirable executive attitude; ‘Avoid decisions, so avoid mistakes and this way, avoid the fear of investigating agencies.’ Such executives think that to avoid decisions, is to be “safe”. But is it really so? Certainly not. There are consequences, let us explore.
•Consequences as a responsible Executive: Though some executives might resort to this path, shying away from decisions, is not an option. Firstly, the quality of public life depends solely on executive decisions hence executives are answerable to their superiors. In addition, quality of their decision making is always subject to a 3rd party scrutiny like Vigilance & CBI etc. Hence such perception of ‘being safe’ is false as ‘indecision’ as well as ‘wrong decisions’ must come to light sooner or later. The executives actually make themselves even more vulnerable by adopting the ‘go slow’ attitude on decisions.
•Consequences to Executive as an Individual: These consequences are at the heart of this post;
*Decision-making is the very purpose for which the executives exist. They need to act to the best of their ability. This ability includes that the decisions, should not suffer from subjective considerations, are timely & taken proactively. However, if an executive decides the way that he ought not to decide, he takes decision B while he/she should have gone for decision B, he/she steps into a state called hypocrisy.
*Hypocrisy (दंभ, पाखंड) is the worst, non-Divine (आसुरी) quality [Verse: XVI/4: The Gita]. Why? Because hypocrisy immediately leads to creation of your critic, in your own ‘self’. You are now not a unified but a divided being. This is actually loss of integrity. You hate your critic hence you start fearing your own-self . And mind it, this is over and above the fear of those external agencies.
*In most cases a “vicious cycle” sets in: Hypocrisy leading to Loss of Integrity leading to Fear…! And the cycle repeats. If not managed, FEAR can have crippling effects on the ‘psychosomatic’ health of the individual. The safety perceived in avoiding decisions therefore is a misnomer and needs to be shunned.
•Then? Be fearless; it is the Top Divine quality! [The Gita, XVI/1]. We may adopt this two step strategy;
1. Step (One):
i. Drop Hypocrisy because the vicious cycle initiates with ‘shying away’ attitude and Take Conscious Decisions; the decisions to the best of your ability, transparently, proactively!
ii. With this you immediately re-discover your integrity: Now you are a unified ‘self’; there is no inner critic! And ‘to be integral’ is to be in ‘Yoga’: योगः कर्मसु कौशलम! [The Gita: II/50]. Conscious Decision-Making is thus the path to executive integrity & salvation!
iii. If you are Fearless inside, the fearful, negative suggestions from others will no longer affect you! You will not choose to avoid decisions due to ‘fear’ of so-called investigating agencies. This is not only a logical conclusion it an also an experiential statement.
2. Step (Two): Omkar Recitation: And to help build additional courage & conviction for decision-making; do balanced recitation of Omkar regularly! It works almost like a therapy in improving courage function by strengthening the entire nervous system. That is comprehensively covered in another post titled, ‘Omkar Recitation & Speaking Ability!’, on this very website.
Audio for Omkar Recitation!
*Dimensions of Conscious Decision Making!
Executive should be conscious of his/her own mind while taking decisions. Be aware that someday you may have to stand in witness to your own decisions! It helps notice and avoid your undesirable subjective involvement in decision-making. The desirable will come in; the undesirable will go out i.e. you will be stepping on the path of conscious decision-making!
*Every Decision must be a;
i. Judicious Decision: Every executive decision must be a Speaking Order i.e. i) it must be a recorded (black & white) decision & ii) it must be a reasoned decision. The reasoned aspect requires that the decision-maker records all the reasons & considerations that he/she found relevant to arrive at the conclusion i.e. the decision. This aspect is also expected to ensure that the decision is objective and does not suffer from any subjective preference of the decision-making executive.
ii. Transparent Decision: Every executive decision must also be transparent. Disclosure of executive decision to public i.e. its display on notice boards, on web-sites etc. is usually understood as transparency. But essentially, displaying a decision for public knowledge is not the all-inclusive definition of transparency as many decisions concerning internal or external security & some other decisions where sensitive public-interest issues are involved, may actually be kept secret! Transparency is not no-secrecy.
*Transparency of the Mind: Need of Accessibility to 3rd Party: Actually, an executive is expected to take a decision in the best public/organizational interest. Whether this requirement stands complied, needs to be cross-checked at appropriate time by a 3rd Party. This can be done only if the decision-maker records all relevant contents of his mind on paper while taking decision. In a way the executive makes his/her mind accessible for a 3rd party scrutiny at a later date: Transparency therefore is the transparency of the mind of the decision maker: the decision may or may not be made public! And it is also an important requirement of Conscious Decision-Making.
*Transparency as the Key to Vigilance: Sri Vittal, Ex Chief Vigilance Commissioner, coined the beautiful phrase. If the executive decision also complies the test of transparency then he/she need not face any Vigilance/3rd Party inquiry as ‘transparency is the key to vigilance’; and one may actually not fear the agency even if an investigation is initiated. After all what the vigilance agency essentially does? Bring to surface if some dimension of executive decision is not clear. Transparency already ensures this. It is an effective defense against 3rd Party Scrutiny.
*Vigilance & Gautam Buddha! There is a verse in the ‘The Dhammapad’. The Mother, the great disciple of Sri Aurobindo Ghosh, translated it in English. It describes value of vigilance (rather value of executive-vigilance) excellently. The translation says,
“The vigilant do not die and the negligent? They are dead already”.
The take away points:
1. Offence is the best defense; Take decisions; be integral hence fearless!
2. Do balanced recitation of ‘Omkar’ for better confidence & conviction for decision-making.
*शुभकामनाएँ।