QNA WITH SRI SRI

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Q: In a bureaucratic working culture the innovative ideas of the juniors are not well accepted by the seniors. What is your advice to tackle this management issue?

Sri Sri Ravi Shankar: The person at the top, like a Minister or a Governor, or the head of an institution should not get stuck in the bureaucracy. Senior people should sometimes come down and talk to people of every level. Not at all times, but sometimes it helps. In a research setup, for example, there is a director and the people who are working under him on the second and third level may have great creative ideas. Now the director may not agree with those ideas even if they are good, but the head of the institution will sometimes have to listen to those ideas.

For innovation you need an atmosphere free of fear. Again, here there is a risk of losing discipline in an organisation. If the top officials are in touch with juniors, why would juniors even listen to the seniors? This can become an issue, and the senior persons may feel completely disempowered, or feel that they won't have any control over the juniors and may not be able to get any work done. There is a risk here, because for every little thing the juniors may reach out to the higher authorities when they have easy access to them. This is one supposed or perceived disadvantage of this system. On the other hand, if we are stuck in the bureaucracy that everything has to always go through the system, it could be stifling for creativity.

We need to find a balance. How do you find a balance? That's a big question. The balance to keep the system from collapsing and at the same time allowing the creativity to blossom. This requires thorough training for the senior management. If the senior management is friendly open and confident, and does not feel threatened by the juniors, they can get things done.

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