It is a universally accepted principle that the most effective contemporary management process is through participative management. This principle teaches us that the dynamic management process begins with a belief in the potential of people. The Quran prominently regards man as the best of all the creations. Allah says, “We have indeed created man in the best moulds”. This positive attitude towards the nature of human potential provides a strong commitment that every human potential in an organisation has to be fully explored for the benefits of all parties, i.e. the organisation, the individual concerned and the society at large.
The development of an individual potential normally begins with his belief system. If the belief system is holistic and multi-dimensional in its approach, a well rounded personality is very possible to be developed. Our religious belief, worldview and value system should be as closely integrated into our work lives as they are integrated into our families and our other activities. The ability to manage our lives in this integrated approach can be a very dynamic formula for great success in our working lives.
Islam encompasses all aspects of man’s existence. It considers life in its totality, all virtues performed by man, individually and collectively, are considered religious. Indeed, all actions of man are accountable to God. The Quran says, “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it”. This teaching of Islam requires every worker in an organisation to perform his responsibility as a religious requirement. Islam strongly opposes the view that there is a dichotomy between religious virtue and quality performance of the worker in the work place. Everything that an individual does in his life activity must fulfill the religious requirement according to Islam. To strive for excellence is indeed a religious virtue.
Islamic worldview provides a guideline for an individual and society to organise their works. Islam is a network interrelating the concepts of God, of humanity, of man’s relationship to God, man’s position and role in the universe, and his relationship to his fellow men in all capacities. It prescribes that man individually and collectively should organise on the values of truth, justice and brotherhood. This approach of Islam is very humane and can contribute to lasting success.
Based on the Islamic belief and its worldview there is ample space and room for example, for individual worker in the organisation to develop his potential in a dynamic manner. As a religion which propagates continuous human development, the natural potential that is within man should be given serious effort for its development. The art of leadership in an organisation lies in polishing, liberating and enabling those gifts to be contributive.
In the effort for the organisation to move forward successfully, all potentials of its workers must be mobilised to be contributive positively towards attaining the organisation’s goals. It is a natural fact that the failure to mobilise all potentials among the workers can retard the organisation performance. The ability to mobilise all potentials reflects that every worker is participating effectively in the running of the organisation.
It is important to understand and accept the fact that there is diversity of talents among workers. This natural phenomenon enable the organisation to accept that each of the worker is equally needed to realise the organisation’s goal. Failure to recognise this human nature is a very big mistake.
Diversity allows each worker to contribute in a special way, to make his special gift a part of the organisation effort. This creates an atmosphere where everyone feels that he is useful, needed, acknowledged, recognised and being part of the group.
In the present competitive environment, it is well recognised that we must figure out ways to tap into the creativity and potential of people at all levels. The room for worker’s creativity must be as spacious as possible. The workers should regard themselves as volunteers to the organisation. Their affiliation to the organisation is more of covenantal relationships rather than contractual. Max De Pree is of the opinion that a contractual relationship of the worker with an organisation has nothing to do with reaching the worker’s potential. Indeed, the relationship between organisation and workers which is based on contractual requirements will not result in productive contributions by the workers.
Alexander Solzhenitsyn, in his famous 1978 speech at Harvard, recognised the shortcoming of developing worker’s potential through legalistic relationships. He said, “A society based on the letter of the law will never reach any higher and will fail to take advantage of the full range of human possibilities. The letter of the law is too cold and formal to have a beneficial influence on society. Whenever the tissue of life is woven of legalistic relationships, it creates an atmosphere of spiritual mediocrity that paralyses men’s noblest impulses”. And later, “After a certain level of the problem has been reached, legalistic thinking induces paralysis; it prevents one from seeing the scale and the meaning of events”.
In our present quest for excellence, the management of our organisation must take heed of the religious requirement that human potential can be contributive if we have a strong belief in the potential of all people working in our organisation. They are required to be guided by a clear mission of the organisation and with dynamic leadership.
Max De Pree is right in his line of thought when he considered participative management arises out of the heart and out of a personal philosophy about people. He reinterated that participative management cannot be added to, or subtracted from, a corporate policy manual as though it was one more managerial tool. Everyone in the organisation must be participative in the running of the organisation. The organisation must guarantee that decisions will not be arbitrary, secret, or closed to questioning.
The Islamic principle of syura as prescribed by the Quran definitely is a good guideline. Allah says, “And they consult their affairs by mutual consultation”. A rational environment values trust and human dignity. Ample opportunities for personal development and self-fulfilment in attachment to the organisation must be provided. The initial belief in man as the best of all creations is an essential beginning for us to strive for success.