keep calm and speak the truth

ABSENCE OF CONSCIENCE

Sanjay Kirimanjeshwar

KEEP CALM

AND

SPEAK THETRUTH

July 20, 2015

Absence of Conscience | Keep Calm and Speak the Truth | Sanjay Kirimanjeshwar

IN A RECLUSIVE AFRICAN TRIBE, EVERY WRONG DOER IS BROUGHT TO THE CENTER OF THE VILLAGE AND IS SURROUNDED BY ALL THE TRIBESMEN.

FOR TWO DAYS, THEY SPEAK OF ALL THE GOOD THINGS HE DID, AND HELP HIM REALIZE THE GOODNESS IN HIM.


THE TRIBE BELIEVES THAT ALL PEOPLE ARE GOOD, AND WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING WRONG,

IT IS ACTUALLY A CRY FOR

HELP!


THEREFORE, THEY JOIN HANDS TO CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT OF POSITIVITY, REALIZATION,

INTROSPECTION, AND OFFER A PATH TO CORRECT ONE’S WAYS WITHIN THE SECURE EMOTIONAL

FORTRESSES OF THEIR BRETHREN.


SO BEAUTIFUL, POWERFUL, EFFECTIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE!


IN THE ADVANCED CORPORATE WORLD, SADLY THERE ARE NO SUCH SOCIALLY EVOLVED TECHNIQUES.

ONLY THE INDIVIDUAL’S CONSCIENCE CAN OFFER A RESCUE.


SELFISH MOTIVES, INSECURITIES, POWER,

THE NEED TO BE AHEAD CAN

CLOUD THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN

RIGHT FAIR

GOOD TRUTH

WRONGUNFAIRBADLIES


IS THE DIFFICULTY OF BEING GOOD THAT DIFFICULT?

THINK


FRANKLY, THE ESSENCE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS FAIRLY

ESTABLISHED IN MOST SOCIETIES, AND THEREFORE AMONG MOST CORPORATE PROFESSIONALS.

RIGHT FAIR

GOOD TRUTH

WRONGUNFAIRBADLIES


THE ABSENCE OF TWO PRIMARY REQUISITES LIMIT THE ABILITY TO INVOKE ONE’S CONSCIENCE AND BE RIGHTEOUS...


TAKING OWNERSHIP OF WHAT YOU DO.1


AND BEING ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS.2


AND, IT EVENTUALLY LEADS TO A SUSTAINED ABSENCE OF CONSCIENCE.


MANY RISK ENDING UP THIS WAY, BECAUSE THEY THINK THEY CAN GET AWAY.


BUT HONESTLY, CAN YOU GET AWAY FROM YOURSELF?


STEPS TO CULTIVATING CONSCIENCEINTROSPECTION, VALIDATION, CONFRONTATION.


CULTIVATING CONSCIENCE THROUGH INTROSPECTION A SAMPLE LIST OF QUESTIONS THAT CAN HELP YOU

INTROSPECT

DID I MANIPULATE SOMEONEWAS I SELFISHDID I MISUSE MY POSITION OF POWERDID I THINK NO ONE CAN QUESTION MEWHAT WOULD MY CHILD THINK OF MY ACTIONSDID I SAY IT’S OKEVERYONE DOES IT, WHY FRETWHAT IF SOMEONE DID IT TO ME

GO AHEAD AND BUILD YOUR OWN LIST!

TAKE THE SIGNIFICANT SITUATIONS IN YOUR DAY, WEEK OR MONTH… WHATEVER TIMELINE YOU PREFER

MARK THOSE SITUATIONS IN SHADES OF GREY BASED ON HOW MUCH YOU WERE OFF BY YOUR OWN STANDARDS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

1

2


INTROSPECTION TIP

KEEP CALM

AND

SPEAK THETRUTH


BECAUSE IT’S A CONVERSATION BETWEEN WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND WHAT YOU OUGHT TO HAVE DONE.


INCASE YOU DREW A BLANK AND ARE ABLE TO SLEEP UNINTERRUPTED,

GOOD FOR YOU!

TRY RAISING YOUR STANDARDS A BIT.

TIP


CULTIVATING CONSCIENCE THROUGH VALIDATION

INCIDENT: ONE OF YOUR FAVORITE REPORTEE REGULARLY STEALS WORK CREDITS AND YOU TURN A BLIND EYE. YOUR TEAM IS CRESTFALLEN BY YOUR SILENCE

YOUR SENTIMENT: HE IS MY FAVORITE AND I WANT HIM TO DO WELL. IT’S OK. NO BIG DEAL

PEER SENTIMENT: YOUR SILENCE ENCOURAGES UNHEALTHY WORK ETHICS WITHIN THE TEAM. ALSO, MAY BE YOU TOO STEAL CREDITS AT YOUR LEVEL

BASED ON THE INTROSPECTION EXERCISE, DISCUSS WITH A PEER AND MAP THE SENTIMENT

AS A SECONDARY VALIDATION, PICK ANY NEWSMAKING INCIDENT IN THE WORLD AND DRAW A PARALLEL WITH THE PUBLIC SENTIMENT

TRIANGULATE TO ARRIVE AT A SELF-DETERMINED CONCLUSION

1

2

INCIDENT

YOUR SENTIMENT

PEERSENTIMENT

PUBLICSENTIMENT

3

NEWS MAKING INCIDENT: CORRUPTION SCANDAL INVOLVING COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AND THE SILENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

PUBLIC SENTIMENT: THE ENTIRE SYSTEM IS CORRUPT

TRIANGULATION AND CONCLUSION: MY TEAM PROBABLY THINKS I AM HAND IN GLOVE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING


BETWEEN WHAT YOU THOUGHT WAS OK AND WHAT YOU NOW THINK IS RIGHT LIES THE BIGGEST HURDLE TO CULTIVATING CONSCIENCE.


EGOTHE

CONFRONTATION WITH YOUR


CULTIVATING CONSCIENCE THROUGH CONFRONTATION

TAKE YOUR EGO OUT OF THE EQUATION

IT ‘S ONLY YOU AND WHAT YOU NOW THINK IS RIGHT

YOU DON’T LOSE FACE, BUT EARN RESPECT AND TRUST

1

2

YOUR EGO

YOU WHAT’S RIGHT

3

WATCH OUT FOR THE EGO DRIVERS!

BUT, I AM THE BOSSI CAN BRAZEN THIS OUTI HAVE POWERFUL FRIENDSI WILL DO WHATEVER I WANTNO ONE CAN STOP MEETHICS AND MORALS ARE NO LONGER RELEVANTIT’S A RAT RACE, AND FOCUS ONLY ON WINNINGEVERYONE DOES ITTHIS IS THE ORGANIZATION CULTUREIT’S A SMALL THINGI DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THESE THINGSIT IS SURVIVAL OF THE FITTESTCOME ON, I AM NOT LIKE THATI HAVE ALWAYS BEEN FAIRYOU CAN’T SAY THAT TO ME

DON’T SUCCUMB TO YOUR EGO


CULTIVATING CONSCIENCE IS A LIFE LONG CHOICE. YOU CAN START AT ANY MOMENT

AND STAY TRUTHFUL TO YOURSELF.

FROM TIME TO TIME, TAKE A LOOK AT YOURSELF. IT IS NOT IMPORTANT HOW

MUCH MONEY YOU HAVE, OR IF YOU HAVE THE CORNER OFFICE, OR WHAT POSITION

YOU HAVE REACHED.

EVENTUALLY, WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS WHAT IS THE PERSON YOU HAVE BECOME.

STAY TRUE. STAY CONSCIOUS


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Sanjay Kirimanjeshwar is a career marketing professional based in Bangalore, India. Sanjay believes that the absence of conscience among individuals make people and organizations hollow, and causes erosion of righteousness in corporate life. It is important for everyone to introspect their actions and be good to each other.

Sanjay can be reached at [email protected]. The views expressed in this presentation are his personal.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

When I first saw the slide show version of Marty Neumeier’s Brand Gap many years ago, I was awestruck by its simplicity and the conversational style of presentation.

It taught me how to build slides.

mailto:[email protected]

keep calm and speak the truth

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