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Če želite imeti srečno in uspešno življenje, je pomembno, da začnete pri temeljih - pri sebi. Konfucij, starodavni kitajski filozof in učitelj, je bil eden izmed največjih modrecev v Vzhodni Aziji. V klasični konfucijanski literaturi je voditelje nagovarjal k prakticiranju petih temeljnih vrlin, ki so osnova za to, da postanemo plemenita oseba (Junzi 君子) ter da vzdržujemo harmonične skupnosti, ki temeljijo na zaupanju in dobrem zgledu. Konfucijevi nauki so poudarjali osebno vzornost nad določenimi pravili vedenja. Te vrline so pomembna načela in stebri nas samih in naše družbe za našo srečo in harmonijo.
Če ste preveč zaposleni, da bi prebrali celotno spodnje besedilo, si zapomnite le teh pet točk:
Dobrohotnost — 仁 (ren) Bodite prijazni ter spoštujte sebe in druge. Vnesite vrednote v življenja drugih ljudi. Razmišljajte tako, da bo korist za vse ("win-win").
Pravičnost - 義 (yi) Dojemanje celotnega konteksta situacije in ustrezno ravnanje.
Primernost - 禮(li) Razumite in spoštujte lokalne običaje. Pomagajte svoji družini in skupnosti. Bodite spoštljivi in zvesti v vseh odnosih, v katerih ste.
Modrost - 智(zhi) Uživajte v učenju in se zgledujte po modrostih. Učite se iz izkušenj drugih uspešnih ljudi v različnih podjetjih, okoljih in časih. To znanje prenesite v dejanja in modrost pretvorite v svoje misli, da boste lahko dobro presodili v vseh situacijah.
Zanesljivost - 信 (xin) Razvijajte zaupanje vase in v druge ljudi. Pri vsem, kar počnete, vedno ravnajte pošteno in moralno.
"Modri nikoli ne dvomijo. Humane nikoli ne skrbi. Pogumni se nikoli ne bojijo." - Konfucij, Analekti
1. Dobrohotnost - 仁 (ren)
Ren (仁) Dobrohotnost je ena temeljnih vrednot konfucijanske tradicije. Dobrohotnost je dejanje prijaznosti do sebe in drugih, ne da bi pričakovali kaj v zameno.
Prakticiranje dobrohotnosti je odvisno od nas samih, ključno pa je, da opravimo svoj del naloge. Konfucij je dejal: "Če želi obrtnik dobro opraviti svoje delo, mora najprej nabrusiti orodje, ki ga uporablja." "Dobrohotnost je odvisna od nas samih, človek si mora želeti dobrohotnosti in ta je končni cilj." Te besede nam sporočajo, da je dobrohotnost rezultat osebnega prizadevanja, samodiscipline in predanosti.
Z izboljšanjem samega sebe bomo verjetno pomagali tudi drugim, da se izboljšajo. Če vedno ravnamo dobrohotno in to prakticiramo v vsakdanjem življenju, je dobrohotnost že del nas samih. Konfucij je dobrohotnost opredelil kot "željo, da bi se uveljavil sam, in si obenem prizadeva uveljaviti tudi druge; željo, da bi se sam povečal, in si prizadeva povečati tudi druge". Konfucij je tudi dejal: "Dobrohotnost ni daleč, saj so jo tisti, ki jo iščejo, že našli."
Ne pozabite biti vedno prijazni do sebe, da boste lahko prijazni do drugih ljudi in tako bo svet boljši.
2. Pravičnost - 義 (yi)
V kitajski filozofiji se yi (義) nanaša na poštenost, pravičnost, moralo in pomen. Vključuje moralno naravnanost, da delamo dobro, ter intuicijo in razumevanje, da to počnemo kompetentno. Yi se ujema z usmeritvijo konfucijanske filozofije h kultiviranju človečnosti (ren) in spretnega ravnanja (li).
Yi predstavlja moralno bistrost, ki presega preprosto upoštevanje pravil in vključuje uravnoteženo razumevanje situacije ter "ustvarjalna spoznanja", potrebna za uporabo vrlin "brez izgube pogleda na celotno dobro". Yi predstavlja ta ideal celovitosti in sposobnost odločanja, da se vrlina pravilno in ustrezno uporabi v določeni situaciji."
"Če je v srcu pravičnost, bo v značaju lepota. Če je lepota v značaju, bo tudi doma vladala harmonija. Če je doma harmonija, bo v narodih red. Ko bo v narodih red, bo na svetu mir." - Konfucij
3. Primernost - 禮(li)
Li (禮) obsega več sorodnih pomenov, zato ga je težko izraziti z eno samo besedo. Tako ga prevajamo na več različnih načinov, med drugim kot "obredno dejanje", "spodobnost", "običaji", " etiketa", "morala" in "pravila primernega vedenja". Primernost pomeni vljudnost ali lastnost, da se ravnamo po splošno sprejetih standardih obnašanja in morale. Je oblika spoštovanja obreda - pravilnega načina ravnanja v najglobljem smislu.
Učenje o primernosti je spodbujalo ideale, kot so filialna pobožnost (pomembna vrlina in glavna dolžnost spoštovanja, poslušnosti in skrbi za starše in druge družinske člane), bratstvo, dobra vera in zvestoba. V vseh primerih se izraz li nanaša na vrsto človeških dejavnosti (od čaščenja prednikov do bontona za mizo) in na stališča spodobnosti, ki jih spodbujajo in krepijo. Splošno konfucijansko stališče je, da gojenje teh dejavnosti in odnosov spodbuja mir, harmonijo in pravilno upravljanje v družbi.
Vpliv primernosti je usmerjal javna pričakovanja, kot sta zvestoba nadrejenim in spoštovanje starejših v skupnosti. Primernost bi morali prakticirati vsi člani družbe. Primernost pomeni, da se nadrejeni do podrejenih obnašajo vljudno in spoštljivo. Konfucij je dejal, da "mora princ zaposliti svojega ministra v skladu s pravili primernosti; ministri morajo služiti svojemu princu z lojalnostjo" (Analekti, 3:19).
4. Modrost - 智(zhi)
Zhi (智). To je "modrost". Ne pomeni le imeti znanje (知), temveč imeti s tem znanjem tudi sposobnost pravilnega presojanja in odločanja (zato je pod znakom 知 sonce 日, ki se nanaša na višje vodstvo). Če imate "modrost", imate tudi razum. Imate razsodnost glede dobrega in zlega, pravilnega in napačnega, glede tega, kaj je sprejemljivo ali nesprejemljivo storiti. Poznavanje vsega tega bi lahko imenovali "modrost". Modrost je lastnost znanja, izkušenj in dobre presoje v kateri koli situaciji.
Modrost je sposobnost, da vidimo, kaj je prav in pošteno, in obratno, v obnašanju drugih. Konfucijanstvo pasivno ali aktivno obsoja človeka, ki ne spoštuje temeljnih moralnih vrednot, kot sta dobrohotnost in pravičnost.
Konfucij je trdil, da je "pravo znanje (modrost) sestavljeno iz tega, da veš, da veš, kar veš, in da ne veš, česar ne veš" . Tako je bil tudi sam študiozen, pozoren in vedoželjen človek. Nikoli ni bil zadovoljen s tem, da bi počival na lovorikah ali da bi kar koli imel za samoumevno. Konfucij se je ob vstopu v vsak nov kraj spoštljivo pozanimal o lokalnih običajih in vrednotah ter poiskal odgovor na vsako resno vprašanje, na katerega ni poznal odgovora.
Ljudje z renom si prizadevajo, da bi v svojem življenju izražali ren; modri ljudje (zhizhe 智者) pa so še posebej razgledani in imajo obilo refleksivnih življenjskih izkušenj, učenja, prakse - in drznega početja. Poleg tega, da utelešajo in izražajo ren in druge standardne vrline dobro kultivirane osebe (junzi 君子, gospodje), razumejo vzorce spreminjanja in oblikovanja ter korenine harmonije. Tako modri ne le uživajo v tem, da so ren, ampak zavestno uporabljajo ren in druge vrline, ko vidijo težave ali boljše načine, kako koristiti človeštvu.
5. Zanesljivost - 信 (xin)
Zaupanje ali, natančneje, biti vreden zaupanja ima osrednjo vlogo v konfucijanski etiki. "Xin" se običajno razume kot poštenost, integriteta, zanesljivost, zvestoba ali iskrenost.
Zanesljivost pomeni, da morajo biti besede dobro utemeljene. Zaupanja vredno ravnanje je bilo več generacij razlagano kot to, da v svojem govoru ne dovolimo niti prevare niti laži. V Analektih je zapisano: "Zanesljivost je podobna obrednim načelom: če so besede zanesljive, jih je mogoče ponavljati."
Konfucij je v Analektih dejal: "Če je človek vreden zaupanja, mu bodo drugi dali odgovornost." To pomeni, da če ste zaupanja vredni, se bodo drugi bolj verjetno zanesli na vas. Na delovnem mestu, če ste znani po zanesljivosti, bo vaš nadrejeni to opazil in vam bo bolj verjetno zaupal pomembne naloge (in upajmo), boste zato bolje nagrajeni z višjo plačo in boste dobili napredovanje, ko bo prišel čas.
Konfucij je dejal, da je "zanesljivost boljša od moči, sposobnosti laskanja ali zgovornosti". Nadalje je razložil, da je zanesljivost boljša od hrane ali orožja, in sklenil: "Če ljudstvo ne meni, da je vladar vreden zaupanja, država ne bo obstala." V poslovnem svetu je neposredno sorazmerno razmerje med odgovornostjo in zaupanjem opredelil Edward Romar:
Medtem ko morajo vsi člani fiduciarne družbe ravnati moralno, skupne vrednote naravne hierarhije in delitve dela še bolj zahtevajo, da vodje ravnajo etično. V hierarhičnih odnosih, za katere je značilna delitev dela, se moč in odgovornost prenašata navzgor. V teh razmerah višje ko je oseba v organizaciji, večji nadzor in vpliv ima in bolj njeno ravnanje vpliva na tiste, ki so pod njo. Posledično postane potreba po zaupanju pomembnejša, saj imajo tisti, ki so na nižjih položajih, manjši nadzor nad tistimi, ki so nad njimi.
Ali je vse to učenje samo na papirju? Preberite več o Uporabi konfucijanskih vrlin v financah
The Five Virtues Of Confucianism For A Happier And More Successful Life
If you’d like to have a happy and successful life, it is important to start on the basics — our own self. Confucius, the ancient Chinese philosopher and teacher, was one of the wisest sage in East Asia. The classical literature on Confucianism exhorted leaders to practice five core virtues as the basis for becoming a noble person (Junzi 君子) and for sustaining harmonious communities built on trust and good example. Confucius’ teachings stressed personal exemplification over certain rules of behaviors. These virtues are important principles and pillars to ourselves and our society for our happiness and harmony.
If you are too busy to read all the text below, just remember these 5 points:
Benevolence — 仁 (ren) Be kind and show respect for yourself and others. Add values to other people’s life. Think win-win.
Righteousness — 義 (yi) Understand the full context of a situation and do the appropriate things.
Propriety — 禮(li) Understand and respect the local customs. Help your family and community. Be respectful and loyal to any relationships you are in.
Wisdom — 智(zhi) Enjoy learning and look up to wisdoms. Learn the experience of other successful people in different businesses, backgrounds and times. Take those knowledge into action and transform the wisdom in your thoughts in order to make a good judgment in any situations.
Trustworthiness — 信 (xin) Develop trust in yourself and other people. Always act with honesty and integrity in everything you do.
“The wise never doubt. The Humane never worry. The brave never fear.” ― Confucius, The Analects
1. Benevolence — 仁 (ren)
Ren (仁) Benevolence is one of the core values of Confucian tradition. Benevolence is an act of kindness towards ourselves and others without expecting anything in return.
The practice of Benevolence is up to oneself and the key is to do our own part. Confucius said, “ for a craftsman, if he wants to do his job well, he must first sharpen the tools he uses”, “Benevolence is up to oneself, one should desire Benevolence, and it is the ultimate goal.” These words mean to us that Benevolence is the result of personal striving, self-discipline and commitment.
If we improve ourselves, we are likely to help others to improve. If we always act with benevolence and practice it in our daily life, then benevolence is already part of us. Confucius defined benevolence as “wishing to be established himself, seeks also to establish others; wishing to be enlarged himself, he seeks also to enlarge others.” Confucius also said, “Benevolence is not far off, for those seek it has already found it.”
Remember to always be kind to yourself, so you can be kind to other people and the world will be a better place.
2. Righteousness — 義 (yi)
In Chinese philosophy, Yi (義) refers to righteousness, justice, morality, and meaning. It involves a moral disposition to do good, and also the intuition and sensibility to do so competently. Yi resonates with Confucian philosophy’s orientation towards the cultivation of benevolence (ren) and skillful practice (li).
Yi represents moral acumen which goes beyond simple rule following, and involves a balanced understanding of a situation, and the “creative insights” necessary to apply virtues “with no loss of sight of the total good. Yi represents this ideal of totality as well as a decision-generating ability to apply a virtue properly and appropriately in a situation.”
“If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character. If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the home. If there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nations. When there is order in the nations, there will peace in the world.” — Confucius
3. Propriety— 禮(li)
Li (禮) encompasses a constellation of related meanings, making it difficult to render with a single English word. Thus, it is translated in a number of different ways including "ritual action," "propriety," "customs," "etiquette," "morals," and "rules of proper behavior." Propriety means politeness or the quality of conforming to conventionally accepted standards of behavior or morals. It is a form of respect for ritual — the proper way of doing things in the deepest sense.
The teachings of propriety promoted ideals such as filial piety (the important virtue and primary duty of respect, obedience, and care for your parents and other family members), brotherliness, good faith, and loyalty. In all cases, the term Li refers to a range of human activities (from ancestor worship to dinner-table etiquette) and the attitudes of propriety that stimulate and reinforce them. The general Confucian perspective is that the cultivation of these activities and attitudes promotes peace, harmony, and proper governance within society.
The influence of Propriety guided public expectations, such as the loyalty to superiors and respect for elders in the community. Propriety should be practiced by all members of society. Propriety involves the superior treating the inferior with politeness and respect. As Confucius said “a prince should employ his minister according to the rules of propriety; ministers should serve their prince with loyalty” (Analects, 3:19).
4. Wisdom — 智(zhi)
Zhi (智). This is "wisdom." It means not just having knowledge (知), but with that knowledge, also having the capacity to make correct judgements and decisions (therefore a sun 日 below the character of 知, referring to a higher guidance). If you have "wisdom" you also have reason. You have discretion regarding good and evil, right and wrong, what is acceptable or not acceptable to do. Knowing all of that could be called "wisdom". Wisdom is the characteristics of having knowledge, experience, and good judgment in any given situation.
Wisdom is the ability to see what is right and fair, or the converse, in the behaviors exhibited by others. Confucianism holds one in contempt, either passively or actively, for failure to uphold the cardinal moral values of Benevolence and Righteousness.
Confucius affirmed that "true knowledge (wisdom) consists in knowing that you do know what you do know and that you do not know what you do not know" . Thus, he himself was a studious, observant, inquisitive person. Never content to rest on his laurels or to take anything for granted. Confucius respectfully asked about local customs and values upon entering any new place and would pursue the answer to any serious question to which he did not know the answer.
People of ren are cultivated to manifest ren in their lives; the wise person (zhizhe 智者), however, are particularly discerning and have an abundance of reflective life experience, learning, practice-and derring-do. Beyond embodying and expressing ren and the other standard virtues of a well-cultivated person (junzi 君子, gentlemen), they grasp the patterns of change and formation and the roots of harmony. Thus, beyond taking ease in being of ren, the wise consciously bring ren and the other virtues to bear when they see problems or better ways to benefit humanity.
5. Trustworthiness — 信 (xin)
Trust or, more precisely, being trustworthy, plays a central role in the Confucian ethic. “Xin” is usually understood as honesty, integrity, trustworthiness, faithfulness, or sincerity.
Trustworthiness means that one’s words must be well founded. For generations, trustworthiness has been explained as allowing neither deception nor falsehoods in one’speech. The Analects states, “Trustworthiness is similar to ritual principles: when words are trustworthy, they can be repeated.”
In the Analects, Confucius said, “if one is trustworthy, others will give one responsibility.” This means if you are trustworthy, others will be more likely to rely upon you. In the workplace, if you are known for trustworthiness, your manager will take notice and are more likely to give you important tasks (and hopefully) therefore you will be compensated better with a higher salary, and get a promotion when time comes.
Confucius said “trustworthiness is superior to strength, ability to flatter, or eloquence”. He further explained that trustworthiness was superior to either food or weapons, concluding: “If the people do not find the ruler trustworthy, the state will not stand.” In the corporate world, the directly proportional relation between responsibility and trust is articulated by Edward Romar:
While all members of a fiduciary society are required to behave morally, the shared values of natural hierarchy and division of labor demand, even more, that leaders conduct themselves ethically. In hierarchical relationships characterized by a division of labor, power and responsibility flow upward. In this situation the higher a person is in the organization, the more control and influence he has and the more his behaviour impacts those below. Consequently, the need for trust becomes more important, since those in the lower relationships have less control over those above.
Are all these teaching only on paper? Read more about Applying Confucian Virtues in Finance