Meditate, Trust the gut and Innovate

There is no doubt that the world of business is becoming more complex, demanding and competitive. Ensuring sustainability and competitiveness in the long run is much more challenging than starting a company. According to studies top businesses have average life span of 16-20 years.

Here are three mantras that can make a tremendous difference to the capacity of a business to stand the test of time- Intuition, Innovation and Teamwork (IIT). While these principles have often been emphasized as part of effective business paradigm, its only with deeper probing and finding ways of honing them that their immense potential for business longevity can be realised.

Intuition

Though planning based on logic, facts, figures and ground realities is a vital part of business, there is always a room for possibilities beyond the obvious. This is where intuitive thoughts come into the picture. Intuition means understanding through means other than thinking, learning, or the five senses. It is the process of being guided by a gut-feeling or hunch that tells us something beyond the comprehension of logical mind.

No business can sustain without intuitive ability. Whether it is about deciding in which markets to invest or which leaders to hire or taking any complex decision, the ability to listen to one’s gut feeling is essential. Though we are cultured to make crucial decisions about anything on the basis of rationality, we need to train ourselves to listen to that “inner voice” that appears instinctively from within. 

Intuition is no guesswork; it’s a skill of factoring in the unseen reality. Guesswork is accidental: it can also give failure. But intuition is for sure; if one has sharp intuitive ability, it wouldn’t fail.

In essence, we need both reason and intuition to make the best possible decisions. Now, the question is can one develop the intuitive power. Intuition is both inborn and can also be developed. Though it’s not a conscious process, we can always work on our ability to tap into that subconscious mind. As we have ignored this faculty of human consciousness, we need to retrain it. The way to do it is through regular meditation.

When the mind settles and becomes still, then intuition develops. If your mind is constantly stuck in desires about something or another, then it does not happen. When the mind is free of cravings, aversions and distortions, then it settles and becomes sharper. The most practical and logical way of stilling the mind is meditation. By meditating for a few minutes every morning and evening one can acquire the skill of integrating intuition in decision-making.

Innovation

Every business needs innovative ideas to keep ahead of the constantly evolving market dynamics, customer demands, technological advances, political developments and so on. To be successful in business it’s important to have an innovative mindset.

Innovation and creativity, like intuition, spring from within. So we need to tap that source. Is there any way in which we can improve the thought process? A thought is nothing but an impulse of energy and intelligence. For this impulse of energy and intelligence to arise and a correct thought to come, we need 16 impulses to meet at a point in the cerebral cortex at a certain speed. For this, our brain needs to be alive and trained to be receptive and alert to new concepts and ideas.

We all have a filter in our mind through which we listen and we accept only what we already know. This tendency in the mind - to take things which it already knows and reject that which it doesn’t know - is one of the main blocks for innovation. We can clear this block by attending to the area from where thoughts and ideas originate. Regular meditation changes the structure of the brain, opens up the well spring of creativity and fosters cutting-edge innovation.

Belongingness

A sense of belonging is a vital mantra for business success. The best teams are driven by a sense of belonging. Mutual respect and trust, a deep sense of oneness, and a commitment to group dynamics all play a big role in a success of an organisation. A clear channel of communication, fair decision-making, seamless conflict resolution mechanisms, group celebrations can enhance the sense of belonging.

Prosperity cannot flourish in a disturbed atmosphere. So a good manager needs to regularly review whether the organization is a home of teamwork, commitment with a sense of relationship to it or is it just like an ATM where people take money and walk away? He or she needs to ask how many of the employees have a sense of belongingness, the same sense of ownership that he or she has? Are the team members given a chance for their talents to blossom? Do they have a voice to share their concerns?

A good manager can make everyone feel committed to work and inculcate a sense of ownership. With communication skills, we can change the situation around us.

A sense of belongingness develops when the members of the team and their leader in particular, is free of stress. When one is stressed out, one tends to lose sight of the big picture and forget the team values. Accordingly, every organisation would do well to inculcate stress-busters like meditation, breathing exercise, etc as part of daily routine.  

The real measure of success is when one can smile through difficult circumstances and difficult people!