New strategic dimensions vital in chaotic conditions -Consultant

Ramani Kangaraarachchi

New strategic dimensions for thriving on chaos demands go beyond conventional thinking and ensure survival and growth under increasingly chaotic conditions.

Therefore, it is necessary to bring this dimensions shift into business as the first step towards thriving chaos because the old solutions no longer works said Consultant, Strategic Planning Marketing and Communication, Dr Asoka N Jinadasa.

He was addressing the participants at a two-day workshop organized by the Central Bank at the Banking Institute in Rajagiriya.

Referring to a quotation from a book authored by Tom Peters on Thriving on Chaos, he said that the winners of tomorrow will deal proactively with chaos, look at chaos as the source of market advantage, and not look at chaos as a problem to be solved because chaos and uncertainty are market opportunities.

He said that the main reasons for the downturn are living beyond an organization’s means, building on imagined ,future wealth and excessive recruitment and spending during good times.

Human organizations tend to become fat, lazy and slow during good times, instead of staying lean, disciplined and fast. Hence, bad decisions taken during good times create bad times for the companies, he said.

There are two common approaches to achieve success; firstly wait for luck or pray for opportunities which is a passive approach and do things that would make a difference which is an active approach. Dr Jinadasa said according to a pioneering German Physicist, Werner Herisnberg, in the history of human thinking, the most fruitful developments took place when two different lines of thought met, from different cultural or religious traditions.

In the early part of the 20th century, Intelligence Quotient (IQ) became an important factor, as those who qualified at IQ tests were considered very intelligent.

It was the only criterion to select and promote people. In the mid 1990s another quotient Emotional intelligence Quotient (EQ) emerged and since then IQ and EQ dominated the managerial spectrum.

Now, a third wave of scientific research has prompted the creation of the Spiritual Intelligence Quotient (SQ) but traditionally, spirituality had no place in business and the management concepts advocate that the business of business is business.

Management thinkers are now focusing on the Total Intelligence Quotient which is equal to the total IQ, EQ and SQ. Meanwhile, modern psychologists define Spiritual Intelligence as “Maximising the full potential of humans.”