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There are many methods for organizational and business development, so what makes the integral method unique?
First of all, the integral method does not analyze the organization or the way it has operated until now. It sets aside all the existing relationships among the organization’s members and focuses solely on raising everyone to a new level of integral, complementary, and positive relations.
The integral method speaks about human nature and the ego, i.e., the desire to enjoy for self-benefit, and teaches how to manage it in an optimal and balanced way. It does not try to destroy or suppress the ego. Instead, it gives a person tools for using it wisely in a way that benefits both the individual and the surrounding environment.
The goal of the integral method is to build the organization as a family. A family that functions well serves as an example of a healthy, stable, and highly developed system of relationships. In such a family every member feels a strong sense of belonging and wants to contribute as much as possible to its success. From this warm family feeling, the problems that currently exist between the organization’s members can be resolved.
In addition, this will benefit each individual in their personal life as well, at home, in relationships, with children, and so on. Why? It is because the organization’s members will gain not merely a good mood but an entirely new approach to life. As a result, wherever they go, whether to the bank, the supermarket, running errands, with friends and relatives, or even on the roads, they will behave differently and receive a positive response from those around them.
Developing the integral approach requires a consistent time framework. If conditions allow, it is recommended to allocate about an hour to an hour and a half for this process, two or three times a week. According to the changes that take place in our relationships, we will determine what adjustments should be made in the way the organization operates.
Within a short time, even after only a few weeks, it will be possible to see and measure the improvement: the members of the organization will feel closer to one another, cooperate more easily, resolve issues quickly and in a positive spirit, and avoid wasting time in unnecessary meetings or exhausting their energy on ego games, struggles for status, and battles for control.
As people acquire the integral approach, they will save resources, time, money, and materials. Their creativity and productivity will increase, as will their heartfelt attitude toward their work, their workplace, and their colleagues. The feeling of connection will create a smoother flow of processes and greater efficiency in all areas.
Another principle of the integral method is that it does not demand personal efforts from individuals in isolation. Instead, it works on building a new atmosphere in the organization. The integral atmosphere we create together becomes like a greenhouse, a supportive environment from which we all receive nourishment.
Within this method we hold lessons, discussions, workshops, exercises, and engaging activities. We learn to recognize the egoistic nature of human beings and the integral direction of development toward complementary connection between everyone.
Serious Games
One of the tools used in the method is role-playing. Play is a tool that can transform a person, as expressed in the saying “today’s game is tomorrow’s reality.” In fact, throughout nature creatures play in order to grow, and we design games for our children so that they will develop well.
However, unlike a theater class where the goal is to refine the actor’s performance, in the integral method play is not the goal but a means. We play in order to change our relationships and connect with one another, and the game helps us do this more easily.
What is it about play that helps us connect? First, habit. I am not a theater actor, so when I play the role of a person who treats others with kindness, the act of playing truly influences me and improves me. Second, play creates openness.
When I act, I feel comfortable saying things in front of others such as, “I truly appreciate you very much, I’m overflowing with appreciation.” Everyone understands that it is part of the exercise, and therefore I let myself speak in such a way. At the same time I gradually begin to change, because this new behavior positively influences me.
It becomes easier to act this way without fear of being hurt, because supposedly it is not really me, but this act I put on. To strengthen this exercise’s influence, it helps when participants respond with encouragement such as, “Wow, what a wonderful role you played. How did you do that? It actually suits you. That really is you.” Hearing such responses creates a positive feeling inside and helps a person adopt this behavior more naturally.
It is important to emphasize that such exercises should include only positive roles, roles that encourage a person to express the best version of themselves.
Small, Great, Equal
Another central tool in the integral method is the connection workshop. This is a structured discussion guided by special rules that let a deep connection form between participants.
The workshop has a facilitator who raises a question for discussion. Each participant speaks in turn while the others try to feel the speaker, connect with them, and absorb their words as though they were the wisest in the world.
While listening, I place myself in the position of being small before great people, so that I can receive what others say. When speaking, I place myself as great before those who are small, so that I can transmit and share the best within me with others.
By nature we are different, but these shared efforts—sometimes being small and receptive, and sometimes being great and giving—make us equal. Equality is a fundamental value in the integral method and a necessary condition for building harmonious connections.
Finally, one more point about the uniqueness of the integral method from a broader perspective. Integral connection between the members of an organization creates alignment with the integrality present in the entire system of nature. It moves in the same direction as the evolutionary trend that is placing all of us in the same boat. The growing mutual dependence in our interconnected world is a systemic signal that the future will be one of ever-increasing connectedness. Organizations that recognize this early will gain greatly. They will ride the wave.
Based on “New Life 120 – The Uniqueness of the Integral Approach” with Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman. Written/edited by students of Kabbalist Dr. Michael Laitman.