The Three Doshas

According to Ayurveda, when the top-down drag of entropy in the mind overcomes the bottom-up pull of activity in the body, a living entity can get out of balance.

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When the mind's vision and genius is not coupled to the natural rhythms of the body, the health of the entity suffers. The Ayurvedic tradition leads us to realise that the health of living entity is dependent on its abiility to listen to its body. The listening reflects the ability of the mind to attend to its physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs.

But not all living entities are the same. Ayurveda suggests there are three types which are called doshas.

Vata Dosha which controls movement

Pitta Dosha which controls process

Kapha Dosha which controls structure

In organisations, when things go wrong or need changing the first reaction is to re-structure. But this might not be what is required to regain health. The processes of communication to move information across functional boundaries may be all that's needed. Changing the structure may have a negative impact and cause the early death of the organisation.

The power of the doshas should not be overlooked when changes are being introduced, or change needs to happen in such a way as to maintain a natural balance of energy forces.

Using the doshas to assess the type of entity you are dealing with, can help Real Change Leaders focus their energy to secure and maintain a 'healthy body' - personally and organisationally.

These principles lie behind the EFQM Model for example which focuses on struture (the things that hold the people together such as policy and strategy) and processes (such as information, recruitment, finance, etc., that enable the body to function) and and the movement (which takes the form of activity to achieve the purpose set by the mind or the leadership of the organisation). Using a subjective measurement system an assessment is made to show where energy needs to be put in to increase the health of the organisation.

Assessing the Health of Organisations

Vata type organisations are judged by the speed their response, with a strong emphasis on innovation. The demands on them are to deliver popular products, low prices and reliable services. Examples are Virgin, Asda, etc. Their needs are best served by a preponderance of Vitta types in the workforce, people who perform activity quickly and are quick to respond to new information. They thrive on constant change.

Pitta type organisations are both enterprising and reliable. They are comfortable with routine and continuous improvement, know how to build strong relationships and a loyal customer base. Examples would be Amazon.Com, Marks & Spencer, etc. They are best served with a preponderance of Pitta types who can be intense. They usually have endurance and an enterprising character, as well as a liking for precision and being in control of situations.

Kapha type organisations are solid and powerfully, built to provide a steady flow of energy. They are slow to respond to change but remain sensitive to the needs of all customers to get standardised services of a consistent quality. Examples are governmental organisations, utilities, charities, etc. They have a preponderance of Kapha type people who are happy with the status quo and can therefore be slow to respond because they cannot afford to make mistakes. They have to mull things over for a long time before making decisions and consult widely to secure a consensus.

The dosha forces can be found in living organisations as they are found in people and the cells within people. They are the energy forces that balance the mind body system.

The four dynamics of dosha energy

Pitta Dosha - Outside-In Energy - that uses the community energy that comes from the media, government, citizens, those who control your ability to process your resources to deliver what they want or need.

Kapha Doasha - Top-Down Energy - that uses the structural energy that comes from your family connections, communication links or positional power, when you are 'contracted' to follow a preferred way of doing things.

Vata Dosha - Bottom-Up Energy - that uses the people energy that comes from your interaction with friends, colleagues or competitors who need you to be actively engaged.

These three are balanced by the ......

Inside-Out Energy - that uses the intellectual and spiritual energy that comes from your own heart and mind. This is reflected in self-determination, self-confidence and self-management.

It is your ability to behave as a 'cultural architect' or Real Change Leader that enables these competing energy forces to be held in balance. If they are not continuously attended to, like all living things, their energy will dissipate or become destructive, and create imbalances that can lead to dis-ease and eventually the death of the organisation.

More information can be found in Deepak Chopra's book 'Perfect Health' published by Bantam in 2001.