Digging deeper...

2 weeks ago in study circle (I attend a regular study circle with my Sai Baba group. we discuss all kindsa topics based in the context of spirituality. Not really religion) we discussed the topic of Corporate Dharma - diff from corporate ethics BTW:)

I was looking at an MBA admission packet today and came across this essay question. thought it might make for an interesting discussion.

You are the Managing Director of a $200 million in annual revenue specialty minerals business, headquartered in London, England. One of your major areas of growth is through global expansion. A critical region of growth is in India, and you have negotiated with the federal and regional authorities to construct a plant outside Bangalore.
Because of the large installed local customer base, this factory will contribute strongly to your financial performance this year.In fact, it will be impossible for you to reach your financial targets without a timely and seamless plant construction and transition to full operating production.

As you sit in your office on a rainy London morning, you consider your situation.You are more than a month behind schedule due to a myriad of construction and regulatory setbacks. Your senior management is highly concerned about thesituation, and specifically warning you about not hitting your financial targets forthe year.

As you ponder your situation, you receive a phone call from your local project manager in Bangalore, indicating there is yet another potential setback. The local electrical inspector who was scheduled to approve the factory power distribution system has cancelled, and cannot reschedule for another 3 weeks.The inspector, however, has told your project manager he could eliminate this“unfortunate” delay if he were to receive a personal payment- a bribe. The amount would not be very great, perhaps only 5 or 10 pounds sterling ($10 or $20 USD).

How would you respond and why?

When I read this I had a few immediate thoughts:
If I were writing this essay for the admission committee to review, what would I write? What would they want me to write rather. If I was in fact in that situation would I go the bribe route just so work can progress? does awareness of the way the system works in India coat me with a thicker skin?

then i paused:) and thought, but....what would Swami (Sai Baba) want me to do? one step could have so many consequences. Am I willing to move several steps ahead in the corporate world at the expense of my spiritual sadhana (path)? or...am I willing to risk it all on the career front to continue on the path of an Ideal Sai Youth?

I was at a retreat this past weekend and asked a question (I'll probably share that at some point in the near future). But for now, the answer is what's more important. The speaker quoted a personal example and went on to share that ultimately, it boils down to the faith that whatever happens in this moment, is for our greater good. It may not seem like it right now, but have faith that it is all part of a divine plan for you. If your conscience strongly pushes you one way, go with it. regardless of external distraction. It's similar to the quote a Young Adult (YA) read about perfection,. This isn't verbatim, but I think it captures the gist: Every moment is perfect in itself. who are we to say it's not perfect. if anything, it's our view that's not perfect.

How many of us are truly willing to surrender it all though, and walk on by today, knowing that we are investing in our greater good???