Integration of East and West Perspectives Using Yin/Yang as a Lens

Copyright of Flame Centre 2012

Demise of western

management thought is

near!


INTEGRATION OF EAST/WEST

PERSPECTIVES

Wendy TanFounding Partner

Flame Centrewww.flamecentre.com

Using Yin/Yang as a Lens


Objectives of Session:

1. Share Reflection and Research on integration of West/East thinking in seek of wholeness

2. Exchange perspectives on this topic


3 Questions

•What is the East/West dichotomy?•How can East and West engage each other to have wholeness?•What are the examples of East/West integration?


Management by Objectives

Balanced Scorecard

Business Engineering

Western Management Thought

Enchantment

Empowerment

Engagement

DIS…

Rising Confidence of AsiaFrom being Factory

of the World to now an Innovator


‘Business’ in Chinese is ‘生意’ (pronounced as Sheng Yi)

Which means“Meaning of Life”

Eastern/Chinese Management Thought

Lao Zi 36 Strategies

Tao Zhu Gong’s Business Principles12 Golden Standards

Be a good judge of characterBe customer oriented

Be single-mindedBe captivating in your sales promotion

Be quick to respondBe vigilant in credit control

Be selective to recruit only the bestBe bold in marketing your product

Be smart in product acquisitionBe adept in analyzing market

opportunitiesBe a corporate model

Be far-sighted in developing a total business plan


Western Hero Chinese Hero


Western Notion of Exercise


Chinese Notion of Exercise


West East

CommonalitiesFocus on what works


West• Metal• Consumptive• Competitive• Concrete, tools,

processes• Black and white;

hard• Highly rational

• Direct• Legalistic• Shorter term

East/Chinese• Water• Restorative• Harmony• Philosophical,

principle based• Flexible, soft• Mixture of logic

and relationship• Indirect• Relationship • Longer term

What is the East/West dichotomy?


Exercise 1: At your table groups, define the east/west dichotomy in management/organizations. You can define according to time horizon, creativity, control, empowerment, relationship, leadership, decision making, structure, flexibility, images and etc.

vs.West East


Need for the coming

together of East & WestWhat is this

coming together of East & West?


In Search of

圓滿(yuan man)


Exercise 2:

Pick up an image that represents WHOLENESS to you.

Share with your Partner for 3 mins:- Your image of WHOLENESS- Describe 1 experience of WHOLENESS

Share at your table group for 10 mins. Identify one image/story to share to all.


Perhaps the role of OD is to seek wholeness in organizations and balance productivity with humanity.

Peter Block


Yin-Yang as a Representation of

Wholeness

• Co-existence of opposite but complementary forces

• Always shifting in seek of balance

• In the shift from imbalance to balance, energy is created

• This energy is life or progress

How can East and West Engage Each Other in Seek of

Wholeness?


What does Balance mean?

When balance is placed as a scale, it means:When 1 is up, the other is necessarily down. When 1 wins, the other loses. It is also static and short term.


Is Balance 50:50?


A Different Notion of Balance

Balance is circular and dynamic.At any one time, 1 force is stronger than the other (70:30).This imbalance requires the other force to emerge to achieve balance.Balance is achieved OVER time in the longer term.This imbalance and rebalancing also gives energy, Chi and life.Wholeness is the coming together of the opposing forces.


Western Medicine

vs.

TCM

Examples of East/West Integration


Confront vs. Avoid



Process run People vs. People run Process



The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time, and still retain the ability to function.

- F Scott Fitzgerald


Exercise 3

1. What are some examples of integration you have seen or experienced in organizations?

2. What are some examples of integration you have seen or experienced in your personal lives?


I Relationship

Work

We Business

Life


The Key:

Awareness of Dynamics

Acceptance with Non Judgment

Action with Wisdom


What?

So What?

Now What?

OD Practitioners…

By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; And third by experience, which is the bitterest.

- Confucius


Thank You!

Join the Conversation at

http://chinesemanagementthought.blogspot.sg/[email protected]

65-98804782

Integration of East and West Perspectives Using Yin/Yang as a Lens

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