Cura Personalis

This morning, before work, I briefly visited my alma mater, De Nobili Maithon. We were commemorating the feast of Ignatius of Loyola (Founder, Jesuit Orders). Rev. Provincial Father was visiting from Jamshedpur, and what better way to mark than planting trees. Among the other things, a concept that Father spoke about has stayed with me and has made me reflect and read some more in between sorting the day’s ongoings.

Cura Personalis. The Latin phrase, forming one of the pillars of Jesuit education, roughly translates into holistic development of the mind, body and, spirit for us and more importantly for those. ?It also indicates that to attain (what Maslow would have said) self-actualization, we need to accept that it cannot be attained singularly. The process of ‘giving’ and ‘receiving’, is continuous. Cura Personalis also finds resonances in the Bhagwad Gita, when Krishna so rightly opines, “A gift is pure when it is given from the heart to the right person at the right time and, at the right place, and when we expect nothing in return.”

When I take two steps back and reflect on these two converging ideologies (without getting into distracting tangents) and map them on the dynamics at the workplace, I find 5 takeaways (mostly you too would have experienced, internalized and thought about these; I am just jotting them down):

1. The success of a project and business KRAs is critical but it is equally critical to invest in the well-rounded growth and development of the team/practice/capability area that enables this success – collectively and individually, establishing a personal connect, and owning the relationship.
2. In your capacity as a leader or a mentor, do not expect direct returns. A well mentored team member positively influences and guides yet another junior and the trail of giving and receiving continues. It takes time to create a legacy.
3. While leading a team or being responsible for people, stop being holier than thou. Cura/care for a person isn’t genuine until it is objective, growth-oriented and, realistic. Also, bake in buffer for error and learning. First time right is not just about the outcome but also about the process and the experiences.
4. The Jesuit and the Vedic philosophies align on continuing to invest in the development of the self and others without correlating them with short-term goals. Replicate that in the workplace. Fine-tune skills and help work upon areas with a long-term development view. Remember this even when business is down or deadlines are harsh. Expectations of immediate results only lead to short-term upticks.
5. Lastly, both philosophies focus on renouncing when the time is right. At the workplace, know when to pull out or when not to dive in. Do not become a barrier in the growth path of those who you have mentored. Let them set sail on their own and continue the chain of Cura Personalis.