The reflective mindset
David Boulton describes an unusual outreach opportunity
Several articles in recent issues of the Friend have focused minds on outreach as we begin the run-up to National Quaker Week. Outreach ranges from unsubtle evangelism, which we are shy of (though George Fox, not to mention Jesus of Nazareth, was pretty keen on it), to more subtle reminders that Quakers are alive, well and willing to share their adventurous approach to life. But how is this for an unusual outreach opportunity?
I was recently approached by Martin Brigham, who runs the International Masters Program in Management (IMPM) at Lancaster University. This is an innovative approach to business practice that has attracted worldwide attention as a radical alternative to the narrow orthodoxies of most MBA programmes. The students are not fresh-out-of-school would-be businessmen and women but highly experienced managers from some of the biggest names in global corporate affairs.
Martin’s question to me was simple: would I come and run a session with senior managers from companies including Lufthansa, Samsung, Panasonic, Fujitsu, Cable and Wireless, and the Kenyan Red Cross? I was baffled. My knowledge and experience of their world was minimal. I had a nightmare vision of myself facing a score of hard-nosed Alan Sugars telling me in unison ‘You’re fired!’ as I exposed my ignorance of global business culture. Then Martin told me, ‘I want you to talk about Quakerism’.
Quakerism? What had that got to do with international business? Martin reminded me that Lancaster University has long-standing Quaker connections. Its first vice-chancellor, Charles Carter, was a Friend and a Swarthmore Lecturer. They’ve just opened a Charles Carter Building, and there’s a George Fox Building on the campus. The IMPM course was to open with a two-week module on The Reflective Mindset, and didn’t Friends have something to offer on reflection, both personal and collaborative?
So I found myself facing twenty or so international decision makers, bussed to Brigflatts Meeting House. Most of them had never heard of Quakers. I talked about our understanding of the reflective mindset as manifested in Meeting for Worship and particularly our collective decision-making; of how Quaker businesspeople had carried their religious experience into the secular world; of our experience of linking corporate reflection to social action. I spoke of our rejection of creeds, dogmas, hierarchy, and our substitution of Advices for commandments, and Queries for rules and regulations. I did my best to answer their many questions. Then Martin, who has never been to a Quaker Meeting, suggested we settle into silent Meeting for Worship.
I think it was the Meeting for Worship bit that really got them. Most had never experienced anything like it. Some told me afterwards how moving they had found it. ‘It’s so simple,’ a Korean executive said, ‘but it could change the world!’ A German manager said he’d carry the experience through the whole course, as they move on from the reflection module to Analytical, Worldly, Collaborative and Action mindset modules, based in Montreal, Bangalore, Beijing and Rio de Janeiro. ‘We live, sleep and eat business,’ said another, ‘but this course exposes us to new ways of thinking, new ways of reflecting, and new ways of making the big decisions. It opens up our narrow world’. I don’t think I made any new Quakers, but that was not the intention. Lancaster now wants to incorporate the Quaker dimension into future IMPM programmes, and I look forward to repeating the process next year. It’s a valuable opportunity to reach out – and, in my case, boldly go where I’ve never been before.
Comments
Fascinating description of an experience that should be replicated ! I have been thinking about using our experience a Quakers to reform the way Parliament works. I imagine this would be a long way ahead but you never know things are changing. I start from the fact that the majority of people do not like party politics but do want to be represented. The question is if the MPs were all independents with strong links to their home base how would they manage the business of governing ? At this point I would introduce the concept of Nominations Committees [with a previous group nominated to choose the NCs] These committees would be committed to choose people to represent all aspects of society across the spectrum. Those selected and chosen would serve on committees to run the different departments etc. A special Committee would be appointed to take decisions like the budget. There are obviously refinements that could be developed. As much as possible decisions would be made by consensus. This is widely used by younger people and it should be possible to move towards this method. All MPs would be expected to work for the good of all and to report back to their constituents every six or twelve months. I should be interested in comments - not making the assumption that there are too many vested interests for something like this to happen but with ideas of how our experience as Quakers can help improve our very wobbly democracy.
By SarahL on 2nd September 2011 - 11:58
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