Uncovering BoDE: Part 2: 'KAVANAH' (Hebrew), Intention

By Neil Bhaskar

In the world of business, success is often measured by monetary gains and market dominance. What if there was a way to achieve more holistic growth that encompasses both business success and personal well-being? That is precisely what Uncovering BoDE aims to achieve. Here, we will

• Language: English
• Publisher: Freeze Time Media
• Release date: Apr 4, 2024
• ISBN: 9781946702777

Book preview

Introduction

If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will take you there.

— Lewis Carroll

You are holding the second volume of a five-volume set introducing BoDE - Builders of Digital Economy. BoDE’s philosophy and accelerator methodology empower individuals to become business leaders and shape their own well-being.

BoDE addresses the three main conflicts of humankind:

Man vs. Nature = Environment

Man vs. Man = Violence

Man vs. Himself = Happiness

Through the implementation of BoDE principles, businesses can align with the environment, eliminate violence, and increase personal happiness. These are monumental aspirations, but there are ample empirical examples of companies using practical applications of the BoDE methodology to support the belief that it is indeed possible. It just takes time!

To accomplish these three significant missions, all of us must be accountable and avoid passing the buck. In a company setting, BoDE values and respects everyone, from the owner to the person who cleans the building each night. It also places expectations, responsibility, and accountability on everyone. This collective effort is necessary to achieve the seemingly unachievable.

As you read this book, think about how BoDE can apply to your personal life and your business. There is a wealth of information here, and it may take several readings for all the lessons to truly sink in and become a part of you. Once you reach that point, the sky is the limit for what you can achieve for yourself and others.

1

BoDE Redux

Slide 1

Be like a postage stamp — stick to one thing until you get there.

— Josh Billings

Welcome to the second volume of a series of books dedicated to explaining the intricacies and refinements of BoDE. In the first book, BoDE: Builders of Digital Economy - A Business Accelerator Framework, I explained how I created BoDE as a business methodology and expanded it into a comprehensive philosophy that encompasses one’s personal and professional life.

When I describe BoDE, the word that continually comes to mind is organic. Specifically, I refer to the part of the word’s definition laid out by the Oxford Languages Dictionary, which denotes a relation between elements of something such that they fit together harmoniously as necessary parts of a whole.

In entrepreneurship, training, and management practices, there is often a tendency to separate a person’s life into what they do for the company and everything else. Leadership tends to place more emphasis on work-related activities, neglecting other aspects. However, human beings cannot be neatly divided like cutting a board in half. Moreover, in the 21st century, our lives have become more complex, and work-life balance is no longer a fictional term. It is something that companies and organizations must strive for to have happy and fulfilled employees, regardless of their role within the company.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made the importance of work-life balance even more evident. Labor statistics indicate that many people are leaving their jobs or the corporate world altogether because they are unhappy or unfulfilled. As a company, if you can’t retain good employees, you’ll constantly find yourself in a cycle of hiring and struggling to maintain a solid staff.

Even before the pandemic, I recognized the need for a business methodology that fits the demands of the 21st century. The initial framework for BoDE emerged from a combination of research, experience, and trial and error within my successful companies. Over the past few years, as I incorporated more companies into the BoDE framework and developed related training programs, I realized the importance of further evolution towards establishing a foundation of personal well-being for anyone looking to fully implement BoDE’s potential.

The Essence of BoDE

In ancient India, Buddha was an ascetic and spiritual teacher who lived during the 6th or 5th century BCE. He was the founder of Buddhism and is revered by Buddhists as a fully enlightened being who taught a path to Nirvana, which includes freedom from ignorance, craving, and suffering. Buddha’s awakening came to be understood as an immediate and complete awakening and liberation. The name BoDE comes from the story of Buddha having his awakening while sitting under a fig tree. In Sanskrit, the word for this eureka moment is Bodhi.

I believe BoDE is comparable to the eureka moment for a business. It can be applied at any stage in a company’s life cycle, whether during the startup phase, daily operations, or when spinning off a new venture. By applying the principles of BoDE, a company can stimulate growth and improve organizational structure at any given time.

BoDE in Business

BoDE offers a solid methodology that appeals to both experienced business owners and those with limited management education. It serves as a helpful guide for entrepreneurs by providing a Business Canvas to visualize and convey their business model effectively. This canvas, known as the BoDE Business Canvas (BBC), condenses the essential elements of a business onto a single page using eleven different colors. On the canvas, the right side represents Customers & Needs, while the left side captures the organizational resources and partnerships required to meet those needs. Furthermore, BoDE emphasizes two vital elements for a business foundation, namely context and time.

A key aspect of BoDE is the conscious and deliberate use of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), which are instrumental in utilizing the potential of a company’s employees and fostering overall growth. While many businesses are aware of KPIs and think they are using them, they often fail to implement them correctly or consistently. Consequently, they are often caught off guard when their company begins to struggle.

One of BoDE’s strengths lies in its focus on people. While metrics may be important, it is ultimately the people who drive those metrics. Comparable to military operations, where plans tend to change upon contact with the enemy, effective training is necessary to ensure that everyone is on the same page. In business, unforeseen obstacles can arise, and it is the people within the organization who must maneuver and adapt to overcome them. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the resilience and adaptability of successful businesses, ultimately showcasing the significance of people in navigating challenging situations.

In summary, BoDE provides entrepreneurs with a comprehensive methodology, emphasizing the visualization of the business model and the crucial role of people in driving success. By understanding the dynamics of their business, utilizing KPIs effectively, and fostering a people-centered approach, entrepreneurs can position themselves for sustainable growth and navigate unexpected challenges.

BoDE as a Personal Philosophy

BoDE methodology originated as an approach to entrepreneurial management, with the aim of facilitating organic yet disruptive growth. It places emphasis on human capital, formal policies, and procedures. As the BoDE philosophy continued to evolve, it became clear to me that in order for individuals to excel as managers and business owners, their physical, mental, and temporal health must also thrive. This growth and strengthening adds a richness to our lives, and it is something that BoDE embraces.

While this book will delve deeper into the business aspects of BoDE, we will first explore what drives us as humans. If our objectives include becoming effective business leaders with a focus on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles, as well as becoming better individuals, then we need to reassess ourselves with a fresh perspective. I recommend that you approach this book with an open mind and honestly evaluate how you can apply the lessons provided.

BoDE has a lot to offer. Its philosophy transcends age, race, religion, political affiliation, education level, or country of origin. It aims to bring people together