World Views and Self-Actualization

I couldn’t have planned it any better. In my last LinkedIn article on “Emotional Intelligence and World Views,” that focused on the EQi2.0 category of Self-Regard, I asked for feedback and requests from those following my posts regarding which aspect of Emotional Intelligence they would like me to tackle next. If I did not receive sufficient suggestions, because of its relationship to Self-Regard and its importance to one’s leadership acumen, I had planned to tackle Self-Actualization in a follow-on article. Since the publication of my last article, eleven professionals in the field have emailed me with requests and nine of the eleven requested I continue this discussion with the sub-scale of one’s world view impact on achieving “Self-Actualization.” An additional five executive coaches have contacted me with similar requests. 

Self-Regard, where we began, is of course the first sub-scale on the assessment, and Self-Actualization is conveniently the second. It is the sub-scale on the EQi2.0 that MHS, the copyright holder of the assessment, defines as a “sense of purpose and personal achievement.” Both can be dramatically impacted by one’s cultural imperatives that reflect the behavioral elements of a world view. I believe it is intuitively obvious that one needs to have a legitimate sense of Self-Regard in order to value one’s personal purpose and achievement. These two go hand in glove. So, if you have not yet read that earlier article, I suggest you take a gander before proceeding, because some of its premises are fundamental to the following discussion. 

My motive in all these postings is to help coaches, consultants, and individual assessors understand the extent to which the strength of the numerical scores on the EQi2.0 can be impacted by the values implicit in the dominant world views of the cultures in which they are immersed. We are often too quick to assume that high scores (usually 100 and above) are really good, and low scores are indicative of one’s lack of development. Getting to the “why” can be tricky, however, and what is being reflected in the scores can have several inputs. Often it is the extent to which individuals may be influenced by the dominant world views that are presuppositional to their cultures. Those individuals who are more attuned to the world views in which they live or more ardent adherents to their faiths, are more likely than others to have their scores impacted by their culture’s implicit presuppositions.  

Those of you who have worked with our Executive Strategies consultants over the years know that when we discuss organizational high performance, we suggest seven distinct steps that I outline in several of my books, but particularly in Culture and High Performance: Building a World Class Business and Organizational Culture (2011) and in my more recent 2019 book, Inliers: The Curse of Polarity Thinking. The first step, defining your Purpose, is closely aligned with Self-Regard. It is still surprising to me how often organizational teams and functional groups exist, and have for years, but when pressed to tell me what their function’s or team’s Purpose of existence is, members struggle: “I mean, we have always had a . . . team—we have always had such a staff position; I just assumed there was a purpose.” As individuals, we do not have that luxury. Knowing our Purpose in life is a direct vector into achieving authentic Self-Actualization. Such personal purpose or motivation is usually tied directly to one’s world view. 

Many years ago, while directing the Leadership Development program for German Hoechst, A. G. and American Celanese, I had the privilege of teaming up with Richard Leider, author of The Power of Purpose. Richard had our future GMs participate in several exercises and activities that uncovered the extent to which their personal Purpose impacted both how they fostered relationships in their private lives and contributed to how they managed and led others in their organization. Having participated in and learned from these activities myself and valuing the insights provided, I assume that is why Purpose has always been fundamental in our coaching and consulting work. It is also fundamental to my personal world view. Following developing Purpose, we at Executive Strategies International emphasize the need for leaders and their organizations to have clearly articulated Values, Vision, Mission, Operational Principles, Roles, and Metrics. We may get to the others in subsequent articles; for the nonce, however, how we acknowledge our Purpose in life can help us achieve a sense of personal Self-Actualization.

A couple of my early books on culture and teamwork include reminiscences of times working in the old Soviet Union, specifically parts of rural Russia, fortunately long before President Putin had sullied the name. In those regions, being able to demonstrate a personal interest in Russian history and being able to relate to it over a bottle or two of Stolichnaya, always went a long way to fostering understanding and establishing our consulting bonafides. In a similar vein, when working in Arab cultures, understanding their theology and being aware of and thoughtfully applying the most common shibboleths or proverbs capturing aspects of their culture goes a long way to foster mutual understanding. Most of these are born out of Islam and highlight positive behavioral implications of that faith. When I discussed Self-Regard in the 2020 article, I began with the Christian world view first and then discussed the impact of the Muslim and Jewish world views as alternatives. Let’s shake that process up this time and start with the Islamic world view premises to having a sound foundation of Self-Actualization initially and see how the Jewish and Christian cultural aspects relate afterwards. If you are aware of aspects of any of the three to which I seem to have given short shrift, please let me know. 

Since these behavioral influences are usually less rigid, controversial, and obligatory than the theology in the Qur’an, I will use such shibboleths or culturally relevant proverbs extant in much of the Muslim world as a launching pad and reference the Qur’an when appropriate. When working with predominately Muslim groups in the Arab world, it is helpful at a very pragmatic level to keep in mind the most frequently referenced proverbs that underscore behavior, behaviors that are just implicit in the richer world view. Granted, these are sometimes more Arab in nature than purely Muslim, but I believe that the ones I have selected capture both cultural aspects. After discussing a few of these, I will try to highlight similarities between Muslim, Christian, and Jewish world views—all “people of the Book” (ahl al-kitab), as the Qur’an describes them,” in achieving personal Self-Actualization. In each case, please keep in mind that the underlying thesis I am continuing to explore is that one’s dominant cultural world view (whether one is conscious of its influence or not) can influence the degree to which a subscale on the EQi2.0 is expressed as well-developed or not. 

The first Muslim-Arab proverb I’ll consider is the rather strange sounding, “Nothing scratches your back like your nail;” more colloquially, watch out for yourself first, because no one else might. While this is implicit in the Islamic world, you will find a similar suggestion running through the Judeo-Christian world views: “God helps him who helps himself.” Often erroneously claimed to be a biblical phrase, it is a sentiment influenced by the Torah and New Testament but is actually part of Benjamin Franklin’s homey wisdom expressed in Poor Richard’s Almanac. (Both cultures seem to agree that no one is better at fulfilling your needs than yourself). Don’t wait for others to help you; get out there and do something! This aspect of Self-Actualization can have several other cultural predicates—particularly in Asian communities where personal humility and self-effacement are often highly prized—but where individuals are more or less likely to strive to take care of themselves, first, depending on one’s world view. 

This approach to achievement screams Self-Actualization. In distinctly Christian cultures, placing others first tends to take priority; hence, the Christian can often unconsciously feel guilty scoring very high on this sub-scale. The Apostle Paul’s letter to the Philippians (chapter two in particular), emphasizes that Christians should place others first before their own self-interest (Romans 5:7), because that is what Jesus did. While clearly just a secular aspect of learned behavior, Self-Actualization can be either enhanced or disparaged to the extent one feels capable of living authentically within the general theological premises one’s culture. 

In this regard, Islamic premises are quite similar to those underlying the Christian world view and have no place for selfish desires. Indeed, there is the assumption that the almighty created the human soul with a predisposition to selfishness only as a test. The Qur’an (4:36) reminds adherents that “Allah does not love anyone vain or boastful.” Compare that aspect of the Christian world view wherein God, while not approving of pride or self-aggrandizement, loves everyone. This one difference has tremendous ramifications to how people view the desire for Self-Actualization. 

Next consider the cultural proverb, “The best talk is short and to the point.” While there is nothing ostensibly theological about this proverb, I wish more religious leaders as well as conference speakers of any culture would adhere to this one. While Islam is mute on this aspect of speech, the religious pronouncements in The Qur’an are themselves usually pithy; even the Prophet’s sayings are concise and without much elaboration. A similar sentiment found in the Jewish world views is, “In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.” This rendering comes from none other than King Solomon in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs (10:19.), a man reputedly the wisest of all the rulers in history. Even the disciple Matthew, in his New Testament gospel (chapter 5:37), counsels his readers to “let your yes be yes and your nay be nay.” Brevity is good. In a similar vein, James, the brother of Jesus, reminds his readers to say what you mean and mean what you say (James: 4:13-5:20). In short, Extraverts pay attention here, brevity is a virtue in most world views. I’ll try to honor that sentiment in this article. Whatever one’s natural preferences, to the extent one can honor this approach in business and conversation, one’s sense of having a good sense of Self-Actualization is enhanced. 

One of my favorite proverbs to pay attention to when working in the Muslim world is, “What you do will be done to you.” We try to weave this value into most of our consulting advice. For one involved with business or political negotiations in the Islamic world, this understanding often undergirds positions taken by various parties. While not a universal sentiment, it is a “tit-for-tat” response in most pagan world views as well and a common understanding in the Christian world view. What Christians call the Golden Rule is, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” (The New Testament Gospel of Luke 6:31). The sentiment is not stated directly in Jewish law (The Torah) but is more-or-less implicit in seven of the ten commandments that Jehovah God gives to Moses on Mount Sinai. As one lives a life in obedience to these spiritual laws (or for others, cultural imperatives), one’s sense of Self-Actualization can necessarily be enhanced. In a similar vein, the “Golden Rule,” as such does not appear in Islam but comes the closest in the dictum of Reciprocity: “Nor can goodness and Evil be equal. Repel (Evil) with what is better: Then will he between whom and you was [sic] hatred becomes, as it were, your friend and intimate” (Qur’an, 41:34). Your mother was apparently right; you will just feel better about yourself if you are nice. Even the pagan Greeks liked this one: “Do not do to others that which would anger you if others did it to you.” Such is the wisdom of the Athenian philosopher, Socrates; although, it cost him his life when forced to take a drink of hemlock for being so wise and self-Actualized. 

What role does the nature of the Muslim, Christian, or Jewish God play in one’s Self-Actualization? The general Muslim sentiment is: “Be afraid of he who is not afraid of God.” When it comes to documenting such fear in the Qur’an, the only question is, where do we start. The Arabic word for fear of God is taqwa; it is all consuming. It is everywhere, 35:28, 67:12, and 79:41 just as starters.

 As we are told in the Qur’an 55:46, “Fear Allah as if you can see Him always before you.” While not always so stark and awesome, in the Jewish world view, we are advised that, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom” (Proverbs 9:10). After all, as the Torah reminds readers, no one has seen God and lived (Exodus chapter 33.). Those who neglect honoring their god do so at their own jeopardy. Since all three religions are “People of the Book,” we should expect such a confluence of behavior, and we are not disappointed. The applicable question is how knowledgeable and ardent is the believer.

Self-Actualization can be impacted by guilt and lack of self-respect, and the impact can be seen often in scores on the EQi2.0 when one has not been able to live within the cultural norms of their respective religion. Have an honest conversation with your client about this one and help them to see that their honest reflections will often be reflected in the numerical scores on the EQi2.0.

Too often in the west, we can judge the extent to which someone has “made it,” by the way they dress. Self-Actualization often seems to be reflected by brand names and designer clothes. To the contrary, in the Muslim-Arab culture the predominant sentiment is to “Judge a person by his ethics, not by what he wears.” Indeed, in Dubai, Qatar, Saudi-Arabia, Yemen, or Ajman, it is difficult to tell rank, wealth, or the level of personal achievement in a group of 500 men all dressed in a similar white thawbs or among dozens of women donning black hijabs or having their faces covered by black veils. While the Qur’an has no specific commands regarding modesty of dress (except several veiled references to a woman’s dress), the general sentiment is to encourage modesty for both men and women. Their ostentatious cars (often Maserati’s and Ferraris) parked in front of their beach front residences, mosques, or Ritz Carlton for meetings are often easy giveaways, but their dress is not. 

The Apostle John would suggest a similar sentiment in the Christian world view: “Stop judging by mere appearances, but instead judge correctly” (The New Testament Gospel of John 7:24). For the Christian, Self-Actualization is achieved by obedience to Christ (think sanctification), not by one’s wealth, manner of dress, or merely following the rules. Indeed, when Jesus chose his disciples, with the exception of the tax collector, Matthew, there was not one among them who had any wealth or worldly achievement at all; the stench of fish and old wet nets is about all they brought to Jesus’ small band of followers. Most were fairly low on the Self-Actualization step ladder, until they met the one person who would teach them how to have a God-given sense of Self-Actualization. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. summarized several Christian world view sentiments with his now famous comment in his 1963 speech on race that people should “not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

It is hard to find a corresponding sentiment in the Jewish world view, where personal achievement is usually vaunted (except perhaps in some Hassidic sects), but would that all our cultures and races acted on this understanding more than we currently do. How does one accentuate Self-Actualization? By achieving good character. This subscale often captures this aspect of world views fairly dramatically. When such efforts fail, Self-Actualization dissipates and can have disastrous, sometimes deadly, consequences—just ask Jesus’ CFO, Judas Iscariot.

Let’s look at just a couple more cultural aspects of Islamic faith as expressed by cultural proverbs, before offering some suggestions and conclusions.  

A rather obscure sentiment is expressed as “Humiliate your money not yourself.” This is a tough sentiment to translate; although, many of the Prophet’s writings in the Qur’an hint at it. No wonder then that ensuring Shariah financial compliance when working in Muslim cultures is so important. The Jewish world view is a tad ambiguous on this one, as wealth and prestige are to be prized to achieve Self-Actualization, yet all of Job’s “counsellors” and hypocritical “friends” are quick to accuse him of hypocrisy regarding this aspect of being once blessed by God with extensive wealth, property, and family. This feature’s relationship with Self-Actualization is perhaps easier seen in the Christian world view, with the Apostle Paul’s admonition in the New Testament (1 Timothy 6:10) that, “The love of money is the root of all evil.” In brief, don’t become obsessed by wealth and the greed often associated with accumulating money. It is not wealth that is evil but the “love” of it that holds the stigma. Christians should only spend their money in ways that honor God and protect one’s dignity, thereby enhancing personal Self-Actualization. Aside from these prevailing world views, even the mythological King Midas and James Bond’s Goldfinger both had to learn this lesson the hard way: lots of wealth but very little Self-Actualization there. 

Duplicity is disrespected in most cultures. When negotiating in the Muslim world, it is always good to remember that regardless of one’s veracity, “What is in the heart will be uncovered by the tongue.” The Christian world view echoes this admonition with “But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these things defile a man” (the Gospel of Matthew, 15:18). I guess this is what my dad always meant when he counselled me that “your actions speak so loudly, I can’t hear a word that you say.” The mouth and behavior always “out” the values of the heart. 

What does the Jewish world view say about this value? Go spend some time with the Book of Job, the oldest book in the Jewish tradition. One’s degree of Self-Actualization is often best seen in the eyes of others as they deal with you. How one has been raised and later rewarded in life, can directly impact one’s sense of personal Self-Actualization. With all the pompous unsolicited advice the once wealthy and successful Job receives from his “friends,” Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, it is no wonder his sense of Self-Regard and overall Self-Actualization suffer: “Woe is me, I am a brother to dragons and companion to owls” (Job 30:29).

How about following the rules and being precise in one’s dealings with others? Every good carpenter has heard from his or her mentor, “Measure twice, cut once.” Measuring afterwards and discovering you were wrong accomplishes nothing except frustration. In Muslim cultures, this precision is captured by the proverb, “The one who does not measure before he dives will not benefit from measuring after diving.” The consequences here can be debilitating. The Jewish world view captures this behavior in several places in the Torah and books of the prophets as they follow precise instructions from God. In the Old Testament Book of Genesis (6: 14-16), Jehovah God specifies the precise measurements of the arc he directs Noah to make and later in the Book of Exodus (chapter 27), God describes the precise measurements and specific construction of the Arc of the Covenant. The implication in each case is that precise measurement first is God’s plan and such specificity will define success. A failure to do so will surely result in disaster. 

Eric Auerbach in his masterful Mimesis: The Representation of Reality in Western Literature, makes the point that such specificity in measurement and a piece of literature’s smallest details lends credibility to the truthfulness of a text. Just think about the linear specificity of events in the “end times” eschatology laid out in the book of Revelation and the specificity of the numbers of years or number of redeemed souls like, 3 ½ years, 7 years, 12,000 Jews from each of 12 tribes, 144,000 witnesses, 1000 years, 40 days and nights, and 40 years. These figures are not just generalities or approximations; Greek manuscripts will allow of nothing short of specificity. Even the specific dimensions of the “New Jerusalem” are documented. One who is sloppy and unspecific in any of these three world views has less of a chance of viewing their Self-Actualization as authentic. In several of the above examples, it is how one is perceived by others, and sometimes the entire culture that adds to one’s perceived self-worth—in short, the extent to which individuals may view themselves as having achieved Self-Actualization. 

A popular Arab proverb, particularly in Muslim countries bordering the Persian Gulf, is “For an eye a thousand eyes are honored.” OK, that is a bit obscure; let’s unpack it. Several years ago, when I brought in as a consultant by Carnegie Mellon University to work in University City in Doha, Qatar, the fact that I could reference friendship with Sheikh Hamad ibn Khalifa Al Thani, the transformative Emir of Qatar, or his most famous wife, the well-respected Sheikha Moza, went a long way to commend me to other high-ranking business executives and government officials. Such references to friendships opened doors with the head of Tasweeq, Qatar Gas, and others. This is not just petty high-level name dropping in the Muslim world. It was not so much that I knew their Emir and one of his wives but the fact that they could vouch for my values and understanding of their culture that commended me. They were the “eye;” I was just one of the “many.” You can read more about this relationship and how it was established if so inclined in my novel, The Spirit of the Oryx; that’s an unsolicited advertisement.

In the western Christian tradition, think of all the times in the first century when the Apostle Paul uses his personal name and reputation with nascent Christian groups in Ephesus, Thessalonica, Philippi, Corinth, and elsewhere to recommend his associates, Timothy, Silas, and others. They should be honored and given an ear because Paul recommends them. We see this in the New Testament epistle to the Philippians, 2: 19-25; 4: 3, and others. You know me, Paul says, therefore trust me when I commend these colleagues. Because one person is honored, many will be helped. There are “eyes” everywhere. This stresses the need to have a person known by both parties that may not know one another who is held in high esteem by both. This form of connection validates the willingness to work together. When working in Arab cultures, one cannot over-estimate the need to name drop periodically to establish credibility. This behavior is generally frowned upon in the west but expected and prized in the Persian Gulf. Personalize that resume by connecting with others who are commonly known. 

We could go on ad infinitum, but since our space in LinkedIn is limited and your time is valuable, the last one I will consider in this discussion is a constant reminder that those who are truly Self-Actualized speak circumspectly and mean what they say. The cultural proverb that best captures this value is, “The one who offers to give help as a choice, will not give help.” In short, when offering assistance or aid, don’t be gratuitous or quick to chime in; be prudent, honest, and persistent in the offers you make. To the Muslim mind, for example, just “offering” to help may be a sure sign you may not actually provide it when requested. This proverb has huge implications not only in business but in executing foreign policy in the Islamic world. This proverb recognizes the difficulty that proud human beings have in asking for assistance. We can overcome that reluctance by “being pushy” when proffering aid. Just do it; don’t pontificate about your willingness to do so. Far from being condescending, such an approach helps restore the dignity of those in need of such aid, but who might be unwilling to ask for it.

There are, of course, many more such similarities that can help us expand our empathy and build ties among people that on the surface may seem so different. Human beings across functional areas, cultures, races, genders, religions, and overall world views are not so different after all; we are all spawned from largely similar experiences, but how our respective world views impact our behaviors can be quite different. This understanding accounts for much of the reason why discussing Emotional Intelligence and exploring the 15 sub-scales on the EQi2.0 is impactful in every country where we consult. We all crave Self-Actualization, even when such a craving goes unacknowledged. The question is, to what extent might individuals feel disenfranchised by the dominant world view of their cultures if they are not living up to its expectations. Such disenfranchisement can often be reflected in lower scores on the EQi2.0.

These are just a few of many concerns we have found most helpful in recent history. Since I have a personal interest in culture, business, and exceptional organizational performance as well as religion and faith, I thought these few examples might highlight such a desire for understanding. I am sure that in this age when so many people want to be insulted or feel aggrieved by anything a person can say or do, there may be some of you who are even offended by an attempt to draw such correspondences. If so, please let me know. Hoping to emotionally intelligent, I’ll try to empathize, but without apology. I’ll let that be your problem. 

We value the insights provided by the various categories of EQ highlighted by the EQi2.0 but are increasingly cognizant that the scores may reflect far more than just the extent to which one has developed that aspect of Emotional Intelligence. Cultural pressures are strong, and to the extent one is unaware of such pressures, a savvy self-aware coach or counsellor can usually offer some helpful observations. Self-Actualization can be achieved to different degrees to the extent one is captured by the values of one’s culture and dominant world view. Talking with clients without an understanding of their world views and the extent to which they feel empowered or even emboldened to live within it can bias even their scores on various elements of the EQi2.0. 

As always, my advice—I hope sage advice—to coaches and trainers is to “do your homework;” know whom you are working with and have as clear a picture as you can of the dominant world view in which they live and work. When in doubt, ask. As usual, I’ll leave the next step up to you. Article 1 dealt with Self-Regard. This one, obviously, deals with Self-Actualization. If you have suggestions for the next article, please let me know at esipres6@earthlink.net.

William Jeffries