April 12, 2025
Finding the Right Balance and Spirit in Management
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YouTube reference: Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, Looking from Within, Chapter 2, Looking at Oneself and Others, pp. 48-49
This episode is also available as a blog post at https://sriaurobindostudies.wordpress.com/2025/04/10/finding-the-right-balance-and-spirit-in-management/
Video presentations,interviews and podcast episodes are all available on the YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@santoshkrinsky871
More information about Sri Aurobindo can be found at www.aurobindo.net
The US editions and links to e-book editions of SriAurobindo’s writings can be found at Lotus Press www.lotuspress.com
1
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,920
There is an art to management of
people within a company,
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,760
department or section.
Those who are tasked with
3
00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,680
undertaking this responsibility
frequently find it challenging
4
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,840
to get the exact right balance
to both motivate their team
5
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,600
members and keep things moving
smoothly forward.
6
00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:24,400
If they are too severe or
demanding, they breed a sullen
7
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,600
and obstinate form of either
active or passive resistance.
8
00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,520
A layer of negativity that
permeates the workplace makes
9
00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,080
people unhappy and thereby
reduces both attentiveness and
10
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:43,040
efficiency in the use of time.
This result then contributes to
11
00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,000
the vicious cycle of increased
severity.
12
00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,240
At some point, people quit the
job or find ways to retaliate
13
00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,280
for the negative energy or else
it affects their health and they
14
00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,240
suffer from various conditions
that both decreases their
15
00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,360
availability for the job and
their concentration and ability
16
00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:10,280
to act when at the job.
On the other side, some managers
17
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,280
try to become cheerleaders for
the team, dispensing excess
18
00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,080
praise in an attempt to
encourage and lighten the
19
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,440
atmosphere.
This approach has weaknesses as
20
00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,680
well.
Artificial praise not only gives
21
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,360
people the sense they are
succeeding when they actually
22
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,760
need to improve in their jobs,
it also however, tends to
23
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,520
demotivate those who are strong
performers when they see
24
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:40,280
mediocre or poor performance
being encouraged and rewarded as
25
00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,960
they can see that it is not real
and it increases the burden on
26
00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:47,840
them to carry the weight the
other should be shouldering.
27
00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:53,040
Such artificial praise also lets
people know that the management
28
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,640
is not paying attention and is
employing a form of falsehood to
29
00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,680
try to make people feel positive
about themselves.
30
00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,920
What is needed is for a balance
to be struck between intensity
31
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,680
of focus, discipline in the
actions and needed support and
32
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,720
encouragement based on actual
performance.
33
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,560
In other words, an approach
based in truth, goodwill,
34
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,360
respect and harmony.
Generally a manifestation of the
35
00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:29,120
quality of satwa without
slipping into either rigid
36
00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,600
severity or anger.
Generally a manifestation of
37
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,440
rajas, nor into a LAX and weak
management style that papers
38
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,480
over the failures with a closed
eyes.
39
00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,440
Approach of artificial praise
where does not actually do.
40
00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:50,200
Generally a manifestation of
Thomas Sri Aurobindo notes quote
41
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,080
to discourage anybody is wrong,
but to give false encouragement
42
00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,000
or encouragement of anything
wrong is not right.
43
00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:05,040
Severity has sometimes to be
used, though not overused when
44
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,600
without it.
An obstinate persistence in what
45
00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:13,280
is wrong cannot be set right.
It disciplining the subordinates
46
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,840
has to be done in the right
spirit and the subordinates must
47
00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,760
be able to feel that it is so
that they are being dealt with
48
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:27,360
in all uprightness and by a man
who has sympathy and insight and
49
00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:32,280
not only severity and energy.
It is a question of vital tact
50
00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:36,520
and a strong and large vital
finding always the right way to
51
00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,440
deal with the others.
In dealing with others there is
52
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,200
a way of speaking and doing
which gives most offence and
53
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,480
opens one most to
misunderstanding, and there is
54
00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,440
also a way which is quiet and
firm but conciliatory to those
55
00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,640
who can be conciliated, all who
are not absolutely of bad will.
56
00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,400
It is better to use the latter
than the former.
57
00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,560
No weakness, no arrogance or
violence.
58
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,640
This should be the spirit.
End Quote.
59
00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,720
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
60
00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,880
Chapter 2.
Looking at Oneself and Others,
61
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,399
pages 48 to 49.
00:00:00,760 --> 00:00:03,920
There is an art to management of
people within a company,
2
00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,760
department or section.
Those who are tasked with
3
00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:11,680
undertaking this responsibility
frequently find it challenging
4
00:00:11,680 --> 00:00:15,840
to get the exact right balance
to both motivate their team
5
00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:19,600
members and keep things moving
smoothly forward.
6
00:00:20,480 --> 00:00:24,400
If they are too severe or
demanding, they breed a sullen
7
00:00:24,400 --> 00:00:28,600
and obstinate form of either
active or passive resistance.
8
00:00:29,280 --> 00:00:33,520
A layer of negativity that
permeates the workplace makes
9
00:00:33,520 --> 00:00:38,080
people unhappy and thereby
reduces both attentiveness and
10
00:00:38,080 --> 00:00:43,040
efficiency in the use of time.
This result then contributes to
11
00:00:43,040 --> 00:00:46,000
the vicious cycle of increased
severity.
12
00:00:46,800 --> 00:00:51,240
At some point, people quit the
job or find ways to retaliate
13
00:00:51,240 --> 00:00:56,280
for the negative energy or else
it affects their health and they
14
00:00:56,280 --> 00:01:00,240
suffer from various conditions
that both decreases their
15
00:01:00,240 --> 00:01:04,360
availability for the job and
their concentration and ability
16
00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:10,280
to act when at the job.
On the other side, some managers
17
00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:14,280
try to become cheerleaders for
the team, dispensing excess
18
00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:17,080
praise in an attempt to
encourage and lighten the
19
00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:20,440
atmosphere.
This approach has weaknesses as
20
00:01:20,440 --> 00:01:23,680
well.
Artificial praise not only gives
21
00:01:23,680 --> 00:01:26,360
people the sense they are
succeeding when they actually
22
00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:31,760
need to improve in their jobs,
it also however, tends to
23
00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:35,520
demotivate those who are strong
performers when they see
24
00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:40,280
mediocre or poor performance
being encouraged and rewarded as
25
00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:44,960
they can see that it is not real
and it increases the burden on
26
00:01:44,960 --> 00:01:47,840
them to carry the weight the
other should be shouldering.
27
00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:53,040
Such artificial praise also lets
people know that the management
28
00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:57,640
is not paying attention and is
employing a form of falsehood to
29
00:01:57,640 --> 00:02:00,680
try to make people feel positive
about themselves.
30
00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:06,920
What is needed is for a balance
to be struck between intensity
31
00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,680
of focus, discipline in the
actions and needed support and
32
00:02:11,680 --> 00:02:14,720
encouragement based on actual
performance.
33
00:02:15,360 --> 00:02:19,560
In other words, an approach
based in truth, goodwill,
34
00:02:19,840 --> 00:02:24,360
respect and harmony.
Generally a manifestation of the
35
00:02:24,360 --> 00:02:29,120
quality of satwa without
slipping into either rigid
36
00:02:29,120 --> 00:02:32,600
severity or anger.
Generally a manifestation of
37
00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:37,440
rajas, nor into a LAX and weak
management style that papers
38
00:02:37,440 --> 00:02:39,480
over the failures with a closed
eyes.
39
00:02:39,480 --> 00:02:43,440
Approach of artificial praise
where does not actually do.
40
00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:50,200
Generally a manifestation of
Thomas Sri Aurobindo notes quote
41
00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:56,080
to discourage anybody is wrong,
but to give false encouragement
42
00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,000
or encouragement of anything
wrong is not right.
43
00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:05,040
Severity has sometimes to be
used, though not overused when
44
00:03:05,040 --> 00:03:07,600
without it.
An obstinate persistence in what
45
00:03:07,600 --> 00:03:13,280
is wrong cannot be set right.
It disciplining the subordinates
46
00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:17,840
has to be done in the right
spirit and the subordinates must
47
00:03:17,840 --> 00:03:21,760
be able to feel that it is so
that they are being dealt with
48
00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:27,360
in all uprightness and by a man
who has sympathy and insight and
49
00:03:27,360 --> 00:03:32,280
not only severity and energy.
It is a question of vital tact
50
00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:36,520
and a strong and large vital
finding always the right way to
51
00:03:36,520 --> 00:03:40,440
deal with the others.
In dealing with others there is
52
00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:44,200
a way of speaking and doing
which gives most offence and
53
00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:48,480
opens one most to
misunderstanding, and there is
54
00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:53,440
also a way which is quiet and
firm but conciliatory to those
55
00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,640
who can be conciliated, all who
are not absolutely of bad will.
56
00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:02,400
It is better to use the latter
than the former.
57
00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:06,560
No weakness, no arrogance or
violence.
58
00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,640
This should be the spirit.
End Quote.
59
00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:15,720
Reference Sri Aurobindo and the
Mother, Looking from Within,
60
00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:18,880
Chapter 2.
Looking at Oneself and Others,
61
00:04:19,440 --> 00:04:21,399
pages 48 to 49.