In the 21st century, we have an infinite array of choices. That unlimited buffet that we face everyday, at both home and work, often puts us in a “grey-zone” when it comes to choosing the right thing to do in any given situation. How do we know for sure? In many ways, that’s what life’s journey is all about – finding out through trial and error what choices worked well and those we wish we could do over. But, that’s if we are fortunate enough to have gotten and understood the feedback we need (and ideally sooner rather than later). The type of feedback that provides clarity and real learning around our decisions. We would be able to take that real knowledge about the impacts of our choices and ideally, use that information to make better decisions next time.
But in a highly complex world where the stakes are continuously rising and we are realizing how interconnected we are, wouldn’t it be great to make better decisions and choices in the first place? I actually think that this is no longer an optional desire because we are hitting the limits in a variety of societal systems in our lives that demand we become much smarter, wiser, and compassionate about the choices that we make. Not only for ourselves, but for our fellow citizens around the world. As the saying goes, time is running short…
My solution to the infinite choice problem is the Doing the Right Thing Matrix. I find that you can use this lens to effectively navigate any decision and guide yourself from a non-optimal choice to a more optimal outcome. In addition, as many of the choices and decisions we make in our lives are done jointly with others, the matrix provides a framework for “getting on the same page” and reaching consensus.
Here’s how it works:
On the vertical axis we have decision making from a rational, logical, or mind driven perspective (the What to do). And on the horizontal axis, we have decision making from an intuitive, right-brained, and heart-driven approach (the Why or Reason behind What we do). When these two aspects of who we are are balanced, then we end up in the top right box – we’ve done the right thing for the right reason. Or to state it in a different way, we would have thoroughly thought out the approach to a problem from a rational and logical perspective and come up with something that made a lot of sense. And, we would have done it from a place of motivation where our heart was in the right place – we wanted to do the right thing, and were operating from a place of caring and respect for others rather than a place of ego-driven self-concern.
If you let that sink in for a bit and ruminate on an example from your own life, you’ll start to see how to apply this in day to day situations. You’ll also see that it’s often easy to slip into the top left box – doing the right thing for the wrong reason or down into the lower right box, where you do the wrong thing for the right reason. In the first case, you’ve probably come up with a pretty good well thought out solution, but perhaps you’re motivation for doing it is based more on what’s best for you rather than how the solution is beneficial for all stakeholders. Often times, this type of outcome may survive in the short term, but over time, since it doesn’t meet the needs of the broader group (or even your own higher purpose), it may fall apart. It’s not sustainable.
Ending up in the bottom right corner is where you are operating from a place of compassion, caring, and empathy (you’re heart is in the right place), but you haven’t put enough intellectual horsepower into examining all possible solutions to identify the best one. As a result, the positive impact you seek may not fully materialize.
The lower left box is a place you want to avoid and where luckily, most of us don’t venture too often. This is where you’re rational mind and intuitive heart are not well developed at all and you’ve entered into a completely wrong solution or approach. Whereas the upper right box is where the Truth lies, the home of the Divine Consciousness. The lower left is its diametric opposite – the home of the False. Get out of there fast.
What this tool allows us to do is to be proactive in asking where we have landed in any situation. Just by asking the question, we have now started a process to become intentional and conscious about our decision making. It forces us to test the assumptions inherent in our thinking process in a way that challenges us to always migrate to the top right box – the balancing of heart and mind.
The Critical Ingredient: Core Operating Principles
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prin·ci·ple
noun
a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.
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For the tool to work, though, we do need one crucial set of data that allows us to effectively ask if we are doing the right thing for the right reason. I call that data your Core Operating Principles. Why those are critical to define is that your “right thing and right reason” will vary over someone else’s based upon how each of you view the world and your relationship to it. Some people may think that being kind and considerate and bending over backwards to help others is a core part of who they are whereas someone else may think that being hyper-competitive and success driven, where winning at all costs is a central part of who they are. Those two people looking at an identical situation or problem, will come up with very different choices for doing the right thing for the right reasons.
Those differences in Core Operating Principles are in many ways the source of the world’s conflicts and problems.
We are hyper polarized and lack a sense of unity. It is the absence of agreement on how we view the world that is the missing link in evolving every aspect of our personal and collective lives to the next stage in their development. In the developed world, we have enormous amounts of wealth and technology, but we can’t seem to solve the most basic human problems. So first gaining clarity for ourselves on what our own Core Operating Principles currently are and what we ideally would would like them to be and then ultimately discussing with others, is essential in Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reasons.
My personal Core Operating Principles are the following:
- Unity Consciousness – We are one highly interconnected and interdependent reality. Everything else is an illusion. Being in a state of acceptance and love in the world is what moves mountains.
- Service to Others, not Service to Self – When you realize everything is interdependent, then serving others is in fact serving yourself. They are one and the same.
- Aiming for the Highest Intention – Starting out with pre-conceived Limitations in a Universe with Unlimited Possibilities is like starting a race with your shoelaces tied together. Start by aiming for the ideal outcome – you’re ability to create that reality is stronger than you think.
- Systems Thinking – Only by understanding the interconnections between things can you truly solve complex problems. The illusion of separation always provides the wrong answer and is against the direction of where the universe wants to evolve.
- Living in the Present Moment – The past no longer exists, and the future waits to be created in the present moment. Once you leave the present moment, you have left the Truth, the only thing that really exists.
- Truth, Transparency, No Politics – Everything else is False.
- Inclusionary Leadership – Allow others to lead as circumstances and their expertise dictates. We are all here to help each other become the best version of ourselves that we can be.
- Shrink the Ego – A “light” ego is essential to a fruitful life journey. Put the ego in its proper place – as a tool to help you navigate the material world, but don’t let it separate you from the spiritual truth that connects all of us.
These principles could also be called a model of personal ethics or values. They are the filters we use to experience and interact with the world around us. Something we don’t speak about nearly enough in our personal or professional lives. Yet, if you look carefully, it is this lack of ethics in every facet of our world today that causes us such suffering. From our non-stop violence and war, political stale-mating, economic inequality, unhappiness, hyper-competition, and much more. Some of these issues exist because, ironically, some people believe that it is fine to have two sets of core operating principles or values – one for their personal lives and one for their professional lives. This is truly strange as it would suggest that it’s ok to be two different versions of yourself throughout the day. An example would be the nice, caring parent at home and the tenacious winner take all corporate warrior at work. It’s a level of cognitive dissonance which leads to a level of inauthenticity that takes its toll on individuals themselves as well as those around them. The truth of course is that our culture actually accepts and promotes this concept.
To regain a holistic and unified society, it is imperative then that once we have honed our own Core Operating Principles, we then need to share and discuss them with others. We need to help each other bring ethics back into the conversation and place them center stage into the key decision points in our lives. We need to remove hesitancy in asking ourselves, our families, our neighbors, and our colleagues the critical question for the 21st century – “Are We Doing the Right Thing for the Right Reason”? We would ideally follow up that question by sharing our core operating principles how they guide us in our choices and decision making. Through this approach, we can begin to achieve the Unity Consciousness we so desperately need in the world.
Conclusion
You can use Do the Right Thing Matrix for virtually any aspect of your life. Once you start implementing it, you’ll find yourself asking the question for every significant thing you do at home or work. It drives clarity where previously there was grey area. Coupled with an effective set of Core Operating Principles, it can help all of us transform ourselves and the world into the best versions possible.
~Jay Kshatri
www.ThinkSmarterWorld.com
