Mosaic Leadership Approach to Address Pluralism

Karna Bahadur Chongbang

Gratefulness to

Our teacher/ facilitator Dr. Dil Prasad Shrestha

&

Joanne Wilsey,

(University of Oklahoma, Degree of Doctor of Philosophy dissertation on MOSAIC METAPHOR OF ORGANIZATION )

Concept of pluralism• Merriam-Webster dictionary : ‘a state of society in

which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain and develop their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization’

• Oxford Dictionaries: A condition or system in which two or more states, groups, principles, sources of authority, etc., coexist.

• Therefore, ‘pluralism means divided loyalties-competing values and commitments, moral codes, principles and goals, distinctive regional and ideological outlooks, revolt ethnic and religious claims- but it also implies strength in diversity’.

(Richard Norman)

Concept of term ‘Mosaic’

• As argued in the literature, ‘mosaic’ is the term derived from ‘Moses’ or ‘Muses’, name of person given by Pharaoh’s daughter in Egypt, which means ‘son of’ God.

• Used to mean triangular, square shape of pebbles in the ancient Egypt

• In the aesthetic field, mosaic refers to assemblage of small pieces of colored glass, stone’; ‘decorative art’; ‘small , flat, or roughly square pieces of stone or glass of different colours.

Mosaics

‘Mosaic’ as metaphor

• Mosaics are a metaphor for life : many events and experiences (tiles) to create the exquisite masterpiece of life.

• Mosaic metaphor in cultural pluralism and diversity: fruit salad, rainbow or garden

Mosaic as Salad pot/bowl rather than melting pot

Melting pot theory Salad bowl theory• Canadian approach and

approach of today’s America

• The separate ingredients

• Multicultural or pluralistic practice in a society or an organization

• Preservation of cultural uniqueness and arrangement of the cultures

• Old theory applied by America.

• The ingredients melted together

• Assimilation process of cultural groups, ethnic group or belief system

• Blending the cultures or hybridization the cultures

Figures speak themselves

Melting pot Salad bowl

Mosaic in Nepalese context• Historically proclaimed by Prithvi Narayan Shah,

“Nepal chaar jaat chhattish warnako phulbaari”

• Religious diversity ie. Hindu, Buddhist, Islam, Kirat, Jain, Sikh, Christian etc.

• Ethnic diversity ie. Brahmin, Chhetri, Gurung, Rai, Limbu, Tamang, Sherpa, Newar etc.

• Caste diversity ie. Brahmin, Chhetri, Baisya and Sudra.

• Constitutionally, in 1990 and now, on the process to re-defining the role of the state and the nature of governance to accommodate its diverse social, cultural, ethnic, language and racial groups on an equal footing.

Functional and structural position of mosaic leader approach

Mosaic leader

Mosaic member

Mosaic member

Characteristics of mosaic leader

• Strategic multicultural leadership

• 21st century’s revolution of information

• Emphasis on service sustainability

• Very much personalized service

• Promoting the inclusion of diversity and their world views

• Suitable to a flat or virtual structure of an organization

Con…

• Compatible concept with charismatic leadership and shared leadership

• Mutual influence between leaders and members

• Maintenance of emotional empathy rather than sympathy

Importance of mosaic approach in leadership

• Tells a beautiful and harmonious story

• Emphasizes human adaptabilities, capabilities creativities represented abstractly in a social institution

• Represents individual or different functional areas of a organization

• Promotes the value of inclusion of diverse individuals to reduce the possible constraints in the organization

• Provisions to diverse individuals to contribute with their unique talents and perspectives in organizational effectiveness

Cont…• Helps move organizations to next level in

terms of appreciating and exploiting difference

• Hears, respects and values the different voices

• Emphasizes almost equal important and contribution of each culture, value, skill and capacity

• Emphasizes both uniqueness and unity

Inclusive policy as mosaic leadership approach in Nepal

• Provision of physical representation from ethnicity, caste and religion

• Quota system to ensure representation of Dalit, madhesi, disadvantaged and female

• Quota for physically different people

• Group right model to ensure the to ensure the promotion and protection of cultural heritage and identities

• Neutral state; neither support nor intervention

Traditional vs. mosaic leadershipTraditional leadership

• Hierarchical organizational structure

• Vertical communication

• Visible and concrete structure of organization

• Assimilation of leaders’ values and believes

Mosaic leadership

• Flat organizational structure or pizza structure

• Horizontal communication

• Virtual organization

• Preservation of leaders’ cultural diversities

Cont…

Traditional leadership

• Mechanical

• Enforced or directive leadership

• Theoretical leadership

• Technical and scientific

Mosaic leadership

• Humanistic

• Consensual leadership

• Grounded leadership

• Aesthetic and ethical

Implication

• It implies that every people or people of cultural group has unique useful leadership skills, knowledge and abilities which have to be explored and used in the educational organization leadership process which suggests us that the traditional leadership approaches does not function well to acquaint the organizational leadership for 21st century particularly in the multicultural pluralistic societies like Nepalese society.

Reflection

Moaic approach to leadership as a leading leadership approach of the 21st century.

References• HECKTIC(2009). Mosaics, as Metaphor. Retrieved from

http://www.hecktictravels.com/madaba-mosaic• Mosaics are a metaphor.

http://www.pinterest.com/rubyrrrmrn/mosaics-are-a-metaphor/?z=1

• Wilsey, J. (2013). Mosaic metaphor of organization. Retrieved from https://shareok.org/bitstream/handle/11244/10361/Dissertation%2520(Published)(PDF).pdf%3Fse..

• Chong, S. (2010). Metaphor for diversity. Retrieved from http://3dchristianity.wordpress.com/2010/10/29/metaphors-for-diversity/

• Norman, R.( n. d.). The idea of pluralism in the United States. http://ourpluralhistory.stcc.edu/resources/Curriculum/TheIdeaofPluralism.pdf

Thank you for your patience!