virtuous warriors

======

“ … today’s soldiers receive awards for valor. But valor was taken for granted in the old armies, in the monk ranks. It was virtue that was sought.

Maybe a soldier makes an act of sacrifice for his parents. Maybe he dedicates his life to the perfection of archery. Maybe he spent all of his off duty hours writing the nine million names of Buddha.

Or maybe performed great feats for the cause of truth.

In these cases he would be rewarded with a medallion from a general.”

discussion on Tibetan warrior monks versus todays warriors

======

Ok. While this is Memorial Day this is actually about business.

Before I begin.

I have huge respect for people who serve in the military. I sometimes believe a lot of that respect is driven by how my military friends discuss courage, honor and valor versus the non-military people which has given me a glimpse of what society values versus what a soldier values.

Regardless.

I do not doubt that a soldier finds pride in a chest full of awards & medals. But I also tend to believe they are more proud of simply wearing the uniform – unadorned. My point is that the uniform is a reflection of a personal choice and a collective impact – which is the true reward.

But that really isn’t the point of this quote.

While I tend to believe we give too much lip service to how much we appreciate those who choose to serve and too little heartfelt gratitude and respect for those who choose to serve I wonder how society would view today’s military if they were rewarded with medallions based on virtuistic behavior and not just awards for valor <thereby showing people that choosing to serve is deeper than simply picking up a gun and showing courage>.

Or how about this?

I wonder how society would view today’s leaders, business and government, if they were rewarded with medallions based on virtue and virtuistic behavior.

Yikes.

No bonuses for results <because that is expected> and awards only for things beyond ‘job responsibility performance.’

Imagine if these would be awards that were a measure of their character and not just of their behavior <or talents>.

Imagine rewards for ‘maybe performed great feats for the cause of truth.’

Okay.

That was funny, wasn’t it?

Could you see THAT happening in today’s business world? <no>

And even if we did do it I imagine, using my most cynical perspective, that most people would still find ‘something wrong’ with even that.

Sigh.

But here is what I truly liked about the thought. Virtue is not defined in some religious way nor is it defined by ‘what is honesty’ or ethics or anything like that, it is defined by enlightenment of self. Defined by honing an additional craft.

Defined by broadening the mind by focusing the mind.

Defined by thoughtful purpose and not by numbers, deadlines and bonuses.

What a thought.

No milestones and fake deadlines.

No quarterly goals.

Yes to expecting everyone to do their job.

Yes to expecting success.

Yeah.

I know.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t really work that way.

Now.

How about if we did this in management?

Maybe we could assume that as you work your way up you show your ‘valor’ in the doing and meeting the expectations. And once you have proven you can excel at the expectations & responsibilities of your job then your compensation rewards get shifted to values; not valor. Maybe people get rewarded for learning new skills and topics completely unassociated with their job.

This may sound crazy.

But think about it.

In today’s business world we have become business people who no longer punch a clock, but rather punch a goal/deadline/task. There is nothing deeper, from an individual aspect (to business at least), than checking the boxes and getting a check.

Sure. From the top down the good organizations are trying to instill some culture and pride and sense of purpose. But those efforts seem a little ass backwards or maybe trying to do something ‘counter to the system.’ What I mean by that is if everyone is being measured by doing and in task completion <even when exceptional is tagged to it> than the system is saying act one way and think one way while the organization may be suggesting “hey, we should also think this way.”

To be clear.

I am an organizational vision guy.

I am an organizational culture guy.

I am an organizational “dynamic beyond our own purpose” guy.

But my pea-like brain is telling me I am doing so and thinking so in conflict with a general business attitude focused on something else.

Look.

I know I can’t run a business solely giving out medallions for virtuosity and ignoring ‘valor.’

But maybe my point is that we should be doing a better job of reshaping a business culture wherein virtuosity and valor at least have a peer relationship with all the deadline/milestone/KPI mumbo jumbo.

Anyway.

I have to tell you as I end this thought that having a business in which the employees ‘maybe performed great feats for the cause of truth’ sounds like it would be a fucking awesome business to lead.

I have to tell you as I end this thought that having a military that rewarded virtue as often as it did courage sounds like it would be a fucking awesome military to lead.

Ponder.