Garden of Delight: Intuitive Leadership Approach

By Mashi Rahmani Ph.D.

With great pleasure, we invite you to enter the Garden of Delight, an environment developed by well-intended, pure motives. As the plants and fruits grow and flourish in a healthy garden, nourished by the loving and diligent leadership of its gardener, so too do we as humans, coming of age in our own personal growth, choosing to do what is right, what is fair, and what is in the best interest of all people. A healthy garden produces rich rewards of healthy, vital vegetation. An organization based on the morals of honesty and kindness produces its own rich rewards. Journey with us, as we walk through the garden, inhale with gusto and breathe in its sweet aroma, and surround ourselves with the beauty of a daring, yet peaceful new concept in leadership and management.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 29, 2015
• ISBN: 9781496956477

Book preview

© 2015 Mashi Rahmani Ph.D. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 10/08/2015

ISBN: 978-1-4969-5648-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-5646-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4969-5647-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014921254

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Special thank you to the following individuals for artwork and photography included in the book: Oran Rahmani, Jennifer Shaw, and Jahanshah Ardalan.

LANDSCAPE OF THE GARDEN

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

THE GARDEN

The Formation Of A Garden

Creating The Garden

Managing By Perception, Or Intuition?

SO MANY WONDERFUL IDEAS AND THEORIES PAST AND PRESENT, TUCKED AWAY IN DIFFERENT GARDENS AROUND THE WORLD

Past and Present Management Theories And Styles

Pure Motives VersusTainted Intentions

THE IDEAS OF THE GARDEN OF DELIGHTBEGIN TO SHOW THEMSELVES,AND BLOOM FOR ALL TO SEE

Gardens and the Organization

EVERY GARDEN NEEDS A LOVING GARDENER

The Gardener

Intuitive Leaders

Capitalists, Socialists, Religious, and…

Intuitive Leaders GrowHealthy Gardens

Retention; Keeping The Garden Healthy

Return On Investment:Future Sustainability

THE GARDEN PAYS IT FORWARD

Looking Beyond the Vines

Does the Mirror Show Us What We Want to See?

Does a Magnet Attract Or Reject?

Lovefficiency

The Ultimate Garden

Topiary

GREENHOUSE

Case Study

Survey

Intuitive Leadership

References

Dedicated to the people of the world who have value for love,

realizing that it is the fuel and energy which make the wheels of the economy

run more smoothly and efficiently.

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Acknowledgements

These days, a typical boy at the age of fourteen is most likely not very much in tune with what he wants to do with his professional future, let alone forty seven years ago. It was the 1960’s, and much of the world was infatuated with the rapidly changing social environment, and post WWII industry boom. The concept of effective management, or management theories alone for that matter, as well as approaches for effective performance and productivity, for an average person in the Middle East, was certainly revolutionary and unique.

It was my mother, Polin, who planted the seed and encouraged me to study management. Her words I can still hear: There will be a great need for it in the future. On the other hand, my father, Abul-Fazl, an electrical engineer and innovative business man with a heart of gold, was always telling our family that we need to take care of humanity. His unique saying was Your wires must always be connected to God, otherwise you will not get clear signals and the energy to spark your light bulbs. Combining the foresight and wisdom of my parents, I was encouraged to explore both ideas: leadership with a loving approach. The experience that built into the concept has proved to be invaluable. Nearly forty years after I received their advice, I completed my Global MBA through the London School of Economics, HEC Paris, and NYU Stern (in a program called TRIUM). In 2005, I was asked to join the Board at the Drucker/Ito School of Management, which eventually resulted in me being asked to become a member of the Board of Trustees at Claremont Graduate University. Who would have thought in the 1960’s that a young man from the Middle East would someday be able to serve on the Board of such a reputable educational institution in the United States?

As a member of the Baha’i Faith, I have been fortunate to witness what some might consider as the message of a new Faith, spread worldwide. Through the teachings and content of the Baha’i Writings, clear messages were expressed, of love, humility, and fellowship. While the world as a whole was changing, so was humanity. The messages I was taught from the day I was born were becoming more relevant with time, and continue to do so each day, with new and powerful meanings. Our global economic structure has seen highs and lows and extreme transitions over the past several decades. Faith remains a constant within my own life and career, as I have watched the two work more in harmony with each other than I ever thought possible.

Many professionals, business owners, leaders, and coaches, will encourage folks to find a mentor. Being so fortunate to have my path cross with Mr. Ali Nakhjavání, a former member of the Universal House of Justice at the Baha’i World Centre, who served at that Institution for forty years, a loving husband and father, a social theorist, philosopher, and a globally known figure within the Faith. He is one of the most knowledgeable individuals I have ever met, who taught me an immeasurable amount of understanding about life, and the direction of my journey. Through his living example, he continues to touch my life and the lives of so many others through his actions and wisdom.

The concept of the Garden of Delight has developed over several years of testing within the think tank that is my own company… our research center, our testing facility, and our proving grounds: MMC (Medical Management Consultants). For over thirty years, MMC has provided services to companies across the United States. The MMC staff has been responsible for so much of the company’s success, our model, and our unique environment, and must be thanked for providing creativity and dedication towards careers which have flourished, and allowed for the company to serve as an incubator for the Garden of Delight. In particular, I wish to thank two of my colleagues and advisors, Charles Chatelain and Crystal O’Brien, who have offered insight and research over the years specifically to the writing of this book and its content. Additionally, my dear friend, Bob Klitgaard, a brilliant intellectual, world renowned economist, former Dean of the Rand Corporation, past President and University Professor at Claremont Graduate University, had also been an encouragement to formalize the Garden of Delight.

Finally, I must thank my own family: my wife, Ladan, our two children, Pouya and Arya, and our two adopted children who came into our lives from Ethiopia, Antonio and Yodit, for their love, courage, and patience over the years. We have all been in this together, and their love has been a most encouraging and motivating force thus far.

With the hope that you may enjoy your walk through the garden, hopefully you will feel inspired to create a garden within your own lives and organizations; one that will be unique, beautiful, and offers you much peace and happiness.

In the garden of thy heart plant naught but the rose of love.

-Bahá’i Writings

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Introduction

How much does the following scenario parallel a past experience you might have had walking into an office? Entering the doors is like walking past confident gates, festooned with a welcoming yet secure design. Approaching the reception desk, you find yourself wrapped in a pleasant scent and familiar beauty, which grabs you. The fragrance, the sounds, and the sights foreshadow that something bountiful lives within. With a warm smile, the receptionist greets you, welcomes you, and instantly, with just a few kind words and gestures, invites you to take part in the company’s culture. You’re a visitor here, but you’re treated like a