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1 Introduction to the 1998 White Paper

This chronicle is to be referred to as our 1998 White Paper on Management Tactics.

A policy of training our own management persons and staff and not paying them salary for their services is one of our traditions.

We have two types of managers; the better ones have the ability to tutor our trainee managers in S5 development.

By following the path mapped in this white paper, we can expand our organisation's paradigm to develop a more global approach to information.

This managerial white paper looks at the image and style needed to be conserved by our present TUTOR MANAGERS who will continue to minister to our organisation to at least the year 2026 A.D.

Tutor managers read voraciously, trust and re-evaluate our heritage information, build our future by substantial analysis, understand why we favour a rationale of using similar tactics to those trail blazing managers of the past who found how to capitalise on opportunities of their time and place and proved themselves to be superior antecedent emotionally mature tutor managers.

Our Teacher considers there are three emotionally mature Tutor Managers at present.

As we intend that both types of our management persons sail through their work with extended assignments, optimum administration suggests we must provide a plethora of fast workstations located at a safe anchorage.

The final goal (our benchmark) of our Tutor Managers in image and style is directed to long term accord with suitable organisations.

Long term accord is our glossed translation of the Buddhist ideal of kalyamitrayana (Pali).

Tutor managers train our other managers in our tactics.

The empowering thought driving our tutor managers is "IF WE DO NOT CHANGE OUR DIRECTION, WE ARE LIKELY TO END UP WHERE WE ARE HEADED." (Chinese proverb)

We are currently restructuring our nine workgroups into five workgroups.

2. The Chan Academy Development Workgroup

Historically, the Chan Academy was founded with these objectives:

1. To establish Melbourne as the Centre of Chan Arts and Culture within Australia
2. To Teach Chan and provide facilities for visiting Teachers
3. To develop the practice of Chan to be relevant to Australian society and to an international standard.

Over the years, we have developed a prime asset - the superior reference collection of Chan art pieces that form part of the JOHN D. HUGHES COLLECTION.

This prime asset will now be managed by the new Chan workgroup.

3. Infrastructure development imperatives needed for Chan tutor managers

The reading area needed for tutor managers should be comfortable, and able to be used day or night so we must avoid substandard lighting. Refer to best practice lighting practice in lumins.

In December 1998, as an imperative, we doubled our daylight library reading space with a view to improved door access to the Suite 1 library space.

It was imperative to air condition and ventilate the library area because it is the working area where our Chan managers research their solutions.

Since they depend upon our store of research material, they must make every effort to get the library catalogue of the collection containing our prime written references on line.

An air conditioner can service the JOHN D. HUGHES COLLECTION library area.

It is intended to build a verandah across the front Eastern wall. To make more space available for two extra places for Chan painting practice it is imperative to regroup administration equipment from the Chan Hall.

Presently, located at the entrance of the Chan Hall, PC5A and its printer, used for accounting, administrative and BDDR preparation, need to be moved to a new office space.

Possibly, these items can be moved to the office area in Suite 3.

4. The basis of our Chan image and style framed in accord imperatives

Just as an engineer client would reject any training product that shows ignorance of common standards, so when any Member or client meets with our internet site or data warehouse base, he or she has to have a reasonable expectancy that any random entry made produces a quality result.

One technique tutor managers use as a viewfinder is to measure a person's emotional maturity style development.

We can tolerate persons of limited capacity but we need to look for signs of limited managerial capability.

We must know by 1998 how much aptitude Members have for taking full responsibility for an assignment.

The time has come to measure of accountability to others. We also measure how much emotional load persons put on the organisation within the duration of their membership.

Our new management tutors work in a group style to convert most of our methods to S5 - that of a learning organisation.

Members connect together by sharing their new higher skills with others in a local and globally connected context.

With metadata ("data about data" - information that qualifies other information) and sufficient vigour, managers direct our LAN and WAN to find tutor leaders in like-minded information-centred organisations.

A word of caution!

Whenever we had a change in significant management style in the past, such as S3 to S4, we lost about one third of our Members.

How much effort should we put into the few Members remaining who lag in their transposing to S4 culture?

Is it reasonable such laggards can expect the emotional support of those converted to S4?

How far are present Members willing to commit themselves over the next two years to work together with goodwill towards other Members who alienate themselves from our culture by a wish to hold a longing for our "old- fashioned" S3 because it gave them emotional support?

5. Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management (SCM) includes Gap analysis.

Supply Chain Management shows the vulnerability of allowing careless persons the use of privileged assets. We must use a higher technology path to reach beyond S4 management style.

Clear thinking about the needs of our global "customers", predicts a change of our culture to a remarkable degree. For example, a certain percent of e-mail may not be deliverable.

SCM DEFINES WHO ARE AND WHO ARE NOT OUR "CUSTOMERS".

For example, drug users are "careless" persons, so they NO LONGER fit into our SCM definition of who we serve as "customers".

A decade ago, we found drug users we helped were most consumptive of our resources.

We inhibited our infrastructure development by caring for them.

At that time, drug addicts without rich parents had few real rescue paths apart from the good fortune of detention in penal institutions.

There are now methadone and other quit systems existing and the Government funds many expensive programs for addicts who really want to quit.

For the last three years, we have referred addicts elsewhere and used our funds in a more cost benefit manner by refurbishing our premises and upgrading our older equipment.

Because we cannot afford complete insurance burglar premiums to cover system replacement, for security reasons of our computer systems, we can no longer risk inviting persons whose minds are affected by abusing chemical substances onto our premises.

In any case, it must be stated as a general rule, persons abusing chemical substances seek an S1 management style to avoid personal commitment.

Since we have now redefined SCM, we find new "customers" belong on our supply chain to fill the space left by dropping our "deadwood".

The new administration role is to welcome these persons or organisations to share some of our heritage and new resources.

The global environment propels the new management beyond their S4 management style future.

6. Inclination towards our $ conversion to give new integrations

Of our two types of managers, the better ones have the ability to tutor our trainee managers in S5 development.

They do not believe throwing money at a complex project helps to provide a better opportunity of success.

Several years ago, we needed to evaluate the possibility of setting up a country retreat Centre.

To collect and examine sufficient Shire zoning data, hazards, and possible cost benefits of such a project, we were part funded by the Government and for a 6 month period used two paid part-time persons to collect data to give them work experience.

We found we needed high input from a tutor manager for our six monthly reports. The time and costs involved when measured against actual work as output to our organisation was ineffective as a cost benefit.

We would not seek to repeat such a program.

There are many Government projects giving up to $100 000 of funding for internet cottage projects on a dollar for dollar basis for development grants, where a manager could be paid up to $50 000 for one year's work.

None of our present managers have shown interest enough to lodge an application.

In view of our past self-help managerial successes, Members appear to have little interest in changing the system because they have not investigated what might be gained by altering our approach.

At December 1998, our Teacher's viewpoint is we have one very good, two good, three average and one below average manager operating part-time in our organisation.

These seven active managers resulting from 20 years of our training operations manage the Centre at a satisfactory level.

This suggests we have an average production rate of three managers per year.

Because of our geography, our organisation has missed out on training many potentially good managers, some of Vietnamese birth and some of Cambodian birth who were unemployed graduates.

At the time, unfortunately for us, they lived two hours travel time from our Centre and had no transport.

7. Our training vision - five new managers start training next year

The minimum we expect of our present seven current managers is they continue their own training next year and yet be willing to put back into our systems by collectively training five new managers in 1999 with a 20% attrition rate over the next three years.

Our new management vision should aim to produce five retained managers a year over the next three years.

By the year 2003, we need to aim to have 25 trained managers ready to fund, run and maintain our present Centre and three new Centres.

We estimate one person undertaking our five-year management training program averages about $60,000 per year total expenditure.

The cost of production of one of our managers is about $300,000.

This figure includes personal costs of his or her formal study for State qualifications.

Averaging cost to $60 000 per year, we expect our managers to replace themselves over three years.

Candidates for management should think through their relationship to the organisation as if they were new members or ex-members.

Are new members or ex-members most likely to help or hinder our organisation managers financially? Explain why and how.

The main selection consideration for management selection we are using now is mature evidence of loyalty, enthusiasm, a solid track record showing mastery of one or more major people skills, and a desire to reach S5 skills within six months of appointment.

Intending members of the new management work group will be eligible for attendance at the WFB Conference in Sri Lanka.

They must understand that since we have limited resources to take us in our new global direction, they must be firm that only a modest amount of our resources are available to former members.

In the last decade, mainly through our BDDR and WFB performances, we have established a good reputation in this goal area with over 300 Buddhist organisations in Australia and overseas.

We support the network who voted for our Founder as VP of the WFB.

8. Emotional maturity is commanded of our managers

Past Managers learnt that our protector's program towards childish persons is he or she cannot be tolerated to stay on our premises.

By transactional analysis theory classification, if a naughty or good childish person seeks to hold their attention-seeking behaviour longer than two hours then they must leave.

Because such persons are unteachable, most leave within that time.

Management is one path to achieve emotional maturity.

Removal of personal suffering occurs because our present managers must have at least one peak diplomatic mind which is displayed at our peak events.

To help the next generation of managers, the 1999 paradigm is to be adjusted in stages until the childish person leaves the premises within 20 minutes, most times.

We teach management maturity to acceptable Members by inviting them to expose themselves emotionally to the complex managerial surprises.

The first emotional surprise to be learnt is that our marketing image and style is NOT "too old-fashioned" in global terms.

In fact, we are leaders in style.

The second emotional surprise is that we expect more than lip service when supervising and updating the language used in any of our "older" heritage instruction units.

Reality checks are in common use in our systems.

For such reasons, we frame all systemic management of our databases to use the 5 trusts & our 5 styles.

We have suggested five trusts are useful for such work. (Ref. The five trusts leading to work skill - one of the highest Blessings published in Brooking Street Bugle no. 60 Pub. B.D.C.(U) Ltd. Dec. 1993 at p. 5. ISSN 1321 ­1463)

This article is based on the author's (unpublished) Deakin University thesis (1993).

9. Managing to build our long-term accords

We are managing for the long-term accords we build.

First, we designate organisations we believe will be in business 50 years from now.

To make this long-term accord, we need to achieve at least 3 years of building "trust". To build trust, we first target 3 years of goodwill.

Before we target goodwill, we target active friendship for one year.

Before active friendship, there is a need to be of good service, (lending a helping hand - ongoing).

To give good service, we must exhibit generosity (lending a helping hand).

To exhibit generosity, we must develop new resources, because it is hard to practice charity if you are poor.

"Trust" extends to the risk situation where you could put yourself in a relationship with another organisation where you could be exploited.

At the long-term accord level, there is no risk since neither organisation would exploit the other.
Each level is matched by a certain style: hence the need for our 5 styles.

We believe our notions of cultural adaptability consultative structure/model may be of interest to others.

The five styles mentioned in our brochure represent our ideal model and actual practice. The author intends developing a flow chart to show how these five styles connect with the notion of trust.

We do not aspire to develop views and opinions on all NESB "issues"; but choose to spend our limited resources to provide a forum speaking of those needs/views of NESB groups in their specialist pursuit of areas of Australian Buddhist religious matters as a WFB Regional Centre.

10. Raising our profile in S5 professionalism

Our new Chan Academy tolerant image was advanced by a concerted advertising effort with the local Shire for 9 September, 1998 Founder's Day.

Our 1999 Chan art calendar advances our S5 professionalism and credibility.

In 1999, JDH will increase his teaching activity provided his painting sales figures increase to cover his costs of production and framing.

His first priority is further painting expeditions accompanied by his Chan Students who can fund their own travel and accommodation.

It is important he produce more Chan work.

His second priority is he would like to keep offering more frequent Chan courses at the low fees of $60 per student per session.

In 1999, "user pays" costs will be contained by a small paradigm shift in the Chan Academy to increase its seated class size by two places to eight students (plus Teacher).

The positioning of the three book shelves along the Chan Hall wall may also need to reviewed, so as to fully utilise the existing six places.

It is assumed Members wish to avoid JDH increasing charges to $100 per session for Chan instruction.

To avoid an increase in charges they need to promote painting classes and sales of materials.

Starting in the year 2000, to be a Chan student who will be accepted for teachings, you must demonstrate you raised $1000 for our organisation that year.

Future sales of related products and services such as, production of our 1999 Chan Calendar (and placing it on the internet) will greatly enhance the recognition and visibility of our business trading name "CHAN ACADEMY" in 1999.

The Chan Academy is an information specialist involved in the creation, organisation, indexing and marketing of many Buddhist services.

With metadata ("data about data" - information that qualifies other information) and sufficient vigour, managers direct our LAN and WAN use to find tutor leaders in like-minded information-centred organisations.

The range of new services or ways of delivering current services in new ways are not fully apparent but indications and possibilities do exist.

For example, our on site UNIX file server uses a PINE electronic message system on our LOCAL AREA NETWORK (LAN).

In December 1998, key Members were taught how to access the ISYS search engine on PC10.

It has great potential as a tool for creativity, discovery and education because it allows a person to search our data warehouse in extenso and " cut and paste" to a file monograph.

Our Wide Area Network (WAN) will allow more members to participate in resolution of their need for direct reference services.

Members are to asked to implement a culture to remove channelled thinking by destroying the camaraderie of a consolidated administration elite that believes others prevent systemic failure and who believes their major task is answering correspondence and keeping minutes rather than planning to prevent failure of any system in the organisation.

Our WAN will allow retrieval of past and present information stored on ALL of our PC's hard discs.

Reading of all privately developed documents of all previous workgroups is possible so that a Member can build and edit his or her own monograph documents.

Powerful bulletin boards, on our LAN and WAN, provide a new format for the exchange and delivery of information within our organisation.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. Centre Maintenance Development Work Group comprises unpaid persons who serve the Directors, the Landlord, and Company Administration Development Work Group.

In a sense, the Centre Maintenance Development Work Group acted as the visible pre-eminent line of custodians of the buildings and surrounds at 33 Brooking Street, Upwey.

The Centre Maintenance Work Group is now amalgamated into the Administration Work Group. Their labour is to keep in motion the mandate agreed to with the Landlord and "keep the Centre going" so that others can benefit from the orderly and guarded assets they make available.

Maintenance is within the constitutional requirements of the Memorandum of Association.

The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd. Centre Maintenance Development Work Group comprised unpaid persons who serve the Directors, the Landlord, and Company Administration Development Work Group.

Our new database project is to design, mass finance and implement our existing resources to provide them with local electronic databases. We need a 100-fold increase within the next 2 years.

We intend to rebuild our Australian infrastructure in an S5 manner.

Before putting in place a particular image and style, you need to consider what happens when an external threat appears.

Conflict theorists posit that an external threat to a collectivity results in a tightening of the internal bonds of solidarity.

An organisation facing a challenge seems to respond either by defending its values or focusing on its survival to the exclusion (if necessary) of values.

Our management is determined to find a path that could sustain our organisation's image and style without resorting to either of these options.

11. World Buddhist University and Religious Education Work Group

The current and developing information environment presents existing challenges for professional approaches well beyond the boundaries of creating effectiveness for services.

Because of the technological changes we have made and are about to launch, there is a unique opportunity to refine current managerial activities.

With this refinement, we have been able to identify and design new services, such as our internet site and radio broadcasts.

Such new services create new roles and responsibilities for the professional development of our Members.

The value of information eludes all attempts at precise confirmation. It is dependent entirely upon context, use and outcome.

To recap, information:

--is shareable, not exchangeable, and can be given away and retained at the same time;
--is expandable, and increases with use;
--is compressible, able to be summarised, integrated, etc;
--its value may vary over time in an entirely unpredictable way.

May all beings be well and happy.

This script was written and edited by John D. Hughes and Leanne Eames.

Disclaimer:

As we, the Chan Academy Australia, Chan Academy being a registered business name of the Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd., do not control the actions of our service providers from time to time, make no warranty as to the continuous operation of our website(s). Also, we make no assertion as to the veracity of any of the information included in any of the links with our websites, or another source accessed through our website(s).

Accordingly, we accept no liability to any user or subsequent third party, either expressed or implied, whether or not caused by error or omission on either our part, or a member, employee or other person associated with the Chan Academy Australia (Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.)

This Radio Script is for Free Distribution. It contains Buddha Dhamma material and is provided for the purpose of research and study.

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"The gift of Dhamma excels all other gifts".

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© 2002. Copyright. The Buddhist Discussion Centre (Upwey) Ltd.