#11 泰 Great-Vibrant Flow in Harmony
天地泰 坤上乾下
This hexagram has the Earth trigram at the top and a Heaven trigram at the bottom.
Earth flows downward whereas Heaven flows upward and so resulting in vibrant activities of mixing of flows. Because Heaven and Earth share the same objective of producing life, the interaction results, not in chaos, but peace and abundance of lives and things. So ‘泰 tai’ has been frequently translated as peace or peaceful. It is actually harmonious interactions resulting in abundance. It is productivity. There is no waste. It is productive activities and joyful celebrations at the same time. Maybe a good word is the Hebrew ‘Shalom’ which also means peace but is peace of wholeness, prosperity, health, and life.
The start-up company, after taking the difficult decision of starting the company, working hard in all areas of business, overcoming all the difficulties, accumulating from the little, and following through the teachings covered in the past postings, we now arrive at the main street, the peek, becoming the or one of the leaders in the market. How do we stay and how do we continue to grow?
Description:
- 小往大来: little investment and yet big returns. (great productivity!) The multiplier effect has taken place.
- 吉亨: good fortune and vibrant flow
Textual Commentary:
彖曰：泰，小往大来，吉亨。则是天地交，而万物通也；上下交，而其志同也。内阳而外阴，内健而外顺，内君子而外小人，君子道长，小人道消也
泰 tai is little given and great returns. It is good fortune flowing. It is the interaction of Heaven and Earth resulting in the production of many living things in a flowing ecosystem. This is similar to what is written above. It has the following additional,
3. 上下交，而其志同也。The productive interaction of top and bottom is due to sharing and alignment to the same objective
4. 内阳而外阴，内健而外顺: internal is strong(yang) and external is gentle(yin). Internal is tough and external is adaptive and following.
5. 内君子而外小人，君子道长，小人道消也。Internal is a wise man (literal superior man), while external is selfish and self-centered (literal: little man). Transformation and growth in going on with more and more wise men coming out and less and less of selfish conduct.
Pictorial Commentary:
象曰：天地交泰，后以财(裁)成天地之道，辅相天地之宜，以左右民
Let us follow the ways of Heaven and Earth to lead and manage the people. This also means making the laws of Heaven and Earth as the laws for the people to follow.
Moral Teaching:
First, let me remind ourselves that we don’t get here just by doing the things taught here. Please understand that the process of growth is through many stages. You are here because you have overcome the obstacles and dangers you encountered on your way here.
Running a large organization or a large business faces a different set of challenges than that of a start-up or a small organization. This is probably the reason that some very successful entrepreneurs want to keep their companies small. High growth and largeness may not be your goals for life. You have to make your choice.
What are the principles we learned for running a large corporation?
1. Invest to Gain
There needs to be continued investment in people, resources, customers, and suppliers in order to gain. It is most likely that your production process has been fine-tuned for great productivity (else you may not have arrived here), nevertheless, a big multiplier on a zero input is still zero output. Never forget to need for continued investment in improvement and innovation.
2. Shared Objectives from Top to Bottom
From top to bottom, the objectives, goals, or targets must be cascaded. The activities must be aligned towards achieving the corporate strategic goals from bottom to top. Personal objectives, at least a subset of them, must be aligned with the corporate objectives. There is no hero here or all are heroes. It is an ecosystem of living organisms, of people, each, different, contributing their competencies to support the growth of the larger organization.
3. Ways of Communications – Transparency because Tough inside Gentle Outside
Inside must be strong in objectives and capability. Outside must be gentle and adaptable, flexible, and fitting to each other. Communications and ideas, even strong ones, must be allowed to be expressed, heard, discussed, debated and the better ones adopted. Once adopted, the execution must be fast and tough yet there are frequent and honest reviews of the progress and weaknesses encountered. We must have the boldness to admit faults pointed out by others and make the necessary corrections. Pointing out errors is not seen as sabotaging colleagues but as acts of helpfulness to help one another improve.
4. Give time for Transformation
Give time for people to change from self-centeredness to group or organizational-centeredness. Forgive and correct. Forgiving a wrong is not good enough. One has to be guided and helped to do what it right. Celebrate small successes.
5. Follow the Ways of Heaven & Earth
The ways of Heaven( as Father, Strength, Initiative, Righteousness, Justice & Innovation) and Earth(as Mother, Love, Support, Correction, Improvement) must be adopted as values of the company. Please refer to earlier posts for details.
Stage 1 Begin Nine: Pull out the thatch grass and the entangled roots also pull out the rest of the grass and roots of the same kind. Moving out to conquer is good. 初九：拔茅茹，以其夤，征吉
The pictorial commentary added that the ambition is to expand outward. 象曰：拔茅征吉，志在外也
This is at the starting stage of the main street, and continued growth and expansion are desirable and possible due to the productivity and momentum achieved. Don’t stop. Expand.
There are two keywords, the pulling out 拔, and the entangled collection (joined together). Pulling out signifies uprooting and moving off to plant new ground. Joined together signifies the unity of the people and resources. Both are needed for expansion. Moving out unitedly to establish new markets and new businesses.
Stage 2 Second Nine: Accept uneducated (literal: desolation). Cross Rivers. Travel Far. No Favorites (literal friends). One is proficient in being fair and righteous (literal: walking the middle way).九二：包荒，用冯河，不遐遗，朋亡，得尚于中行
Pictorial Commentary added, promotes, and shows the way of righteousness and fairness far and wide like light shining. 象曰：包荒，得尚于中行，以光大也
What is the mindset and heart of the large corporation, especially the CEO and senior management? What is the effort in search of talent? How could talents be retained?
We find four keys here:
- able to accept and develop the untrained, the odd people, the people of different cultures or races (uncultured to us, highly cultured in their own), or most accurately, the unpolished diamonds and develop them.
- able to cover some big obstacles in search for them.
- able to travel far to get them
- able to play fair and have no favorites
It also applies to the ways we handle projects besides people. Are we able to go one step further beyond our staff or customers’ expectations?
We should not just talk about being fair but really do it; implementing it across the corporation and across the globe. In this global world, the ability to accept and synergize the differences in cultures and races for the benefit of the corporation is an important competitive advantage.
For innovation, we don’t want ideas to be the same or similar. We want to be as different as possible. Globalization is not just seeking out the best from the world. It is also about localizing them enough to meet the needs of the different localities, cultures, and races. Things that are inside can be globalized or standardized (e.g. chip sets, interconnection standards), and things that are outside, e.g. user interface, colors, and shapes, need to be localized. The bigger you want to be, the more differences you have to cover and you must be able to do it well.
Stage 3 Third Nine: Any flat plain will have undulation. Any going will have a return. He who remains righteous in difficulty has no fault. No need to worry about his integrity. He can enjoy his food and blessings 九三：无平不陂，无往不复，艰贞无咎。 勿恤其孚，于食有福。
The pictorial commentary added that this cyclical behavior is due to the boundaries (or the trajectories) set by Heaven and Earth. 象曰：无往不复，天地际也。
Here we have the warning – the key message from I Ching, your present prosperity or good life will change. There are cycles. Hence to maintain prosperity, one has to adapt to the changes. Do not take your success for granted. Another positive way to look at it is that any that happens to you can be a blessing or a curse. We have the initiative to respond to the uncontrollable changes that happened. Adopting a positive attitude of things does not happen to us but to us. We had the famous parable of the “Old Man losing a horse and you cannot tell whether it is good or bad.” An old man lost a horse. His neighbors had pity on him. The horse brought back a wild horse sometime later. His neighbors envied him. His son fell off the wild horse and broke his leg. His neighbor complained about the bad fortunes. A war broke out and his son was not conscripted because of his injury.
Even though there are cycles of life, there is one unchanging principle, and that is the principle of righteousness or justice. Follow after it even in a difficult time. It will ensure your blessings and to enjoy your food.
Stage 4 Fourth Six: simple and easy, not showing off one’s riches, making friends with neighbors without reservations, and just pure integrity. 六四：翩翩不富，以其邻，不戒以孚。
The pictorial commentary says simple and easy as not being rich is not showing one true riches ( Rich people tend to show off their wealth by being demanding and condensing). Not taking precautions on one trust is because of the true motive of the friendship of the heart. 象曰：翩翩不富，皆失实也。 不戒以孚，中心愿也.
The rich people’s most common temptation is to show off one’s riches. We become proud and look down on others. We become more selective in making friends. This is not encouraged by I Ching. This hexagram teaches us to put aside our riches be simple and easy and be of the heart to be friends with others.
This applies to corporations as well. A corporation can be more demanding in its quality and standards but never belittle its partners. Toyota’s manufacturing line is famous and successful because it helps its suppliers to grow and be integrated into its manufacturing lines. A successful Thai businessman shared with me that he helped his staff to set up their own companies and became his supplier. By so doing, the kept his supply chain flowing well with trusted partners that provide quality, efficiency, and technology. It will be better than him trying to do it all by himself. He said that when he started, he was helped by the others as well. I think this is a good way to keep talented staff. They may not have to work for you but they are still your trusted partners.
Recently there are many books written about the speed, efficiency, and power of trust. This is taught in this hexagram. When you are rich, you are in the best position to help build this network of trusted partners.
The earlier part of I-Ching tells us to be selective in our befriending. Here it tells us to be transparent and have no reservations. Isn’t this contradictory? The answer is no. Selection of friends is part one and developing good friendships is part two. A good friendship cannot be developed with too much hiding of real intentions. How then can we be sure of the trust we extended is not betrayed? Good advice is Trust first and Verify later. A company can pay their staff on their expense claims immediately. The verification process can take place later or even by random selection. However, once a violation is detected, its punishment must be executed and publicized.
Stage 5 Fifth Six: The King ‘E’ gave his daughter/sister in marriage. This is a great fortune. 六五：帝乙归妹，以祉元吉。
The pictorial commentary added it is a great blessing because you achieved your ambition. 象曰：以祉元吉，中以行愿也
I guess the closest relationship that can be built between friends is to be related in marriage. Most wealthy families build an additional close network through marriages. Whether eventually, the ending is good or bad is still dependent on how one manages and builds the business.
Stage 6 Top Six: The Castle walls have fallen back into the moat. Must not use the army to force changes. Need to declare your commands within the city. Truly remorseful. 城复于隍，勿用师。 自邑告命，贞吝。
The pictorial commentary adds that the fallen walls are due to the confused management issuing contradictory commands. 象曰：城复于隍，其命乱也。
The eventual collapse of a great success has finally come. A major cause is highlighted as confused management. When a company is very large there will likely be a lot of different power groups formed and creating political infighting. There are so many divisions and infighting that no one is clear about who is in charge and whose commands to follow. Is this fall avoidable? I think it could if we follow the advice for the following hexagrams.
Summary:
This is a great state to arrive at. It is overflowing with abundance and joy. You got the multiplier effect into play so that small investments and effort bring forth large gains. The corporate mission is shared and all from top to bottom cooperate to achieve it. The culture and practices are fair and right. Bad practices and bad people are kept out. The inside is strong and the external is gentle. The public does not perceive you as the aggressor but as a good corporation. Watch out for the danger that success brings.
Further wisdom is:
- United and Move out to Expand Quickly.
- Get the Best of the Global Resources. Develop untrained talents.
- Keeping Fair. Having no favorites is ever more important.
- Big yet Still Friendly. It is easy to make friends with integrity.
- Relationships with Royalties (Stakeholders, customers, partners, staff with powerful influence).
- Watch out for the danger that success brings – blind to change, not responsive, infighting, and corruption that brings the walls down.
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