Role of Ethics for Sustaining Excellence in Administration

Excellence in Administration: A Path to Sustainability

Across the nation, administration is being called for excellence. Like everything else, excellence cannot be taught in classrooms. Excellence in administration is achieved when the administration fulfills its objectives, and it is sustained when each individual is working towards it on both a personal and professional level.

Defining Excellence in Administration

What happens in a system where excellence is perceived differently by different people? When the definition of excellence varies, so do the means to achieve and sustain it. To contribute to the sustainability of excellence in an administrative system, each individual must align their efforts towards continuous improvement at their level by following practices that mobilize the energy of the system.

For such mobilization, individuals must inculcate excellence in their thinking, perception, communication, interpersonal dealings, and performance. Once we understand and appreciate this prerequisite to excellence, our notion of it shifts from being merely an outcome achieved by chance to an attitude. Any simple act, when blended with virtues or ethics, elevates its value beyond the ordinary. That act then becomes an expertise that cannot be competed against, leading to sustainable excellence.

For example:

• A simple act of serving others with unconditional love and selflessness transformed Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu into Mother Teresa, and later, Saint Teresa.
• Standing by the truth with honesty, integrity, and non-violence turned Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi into Mahatma Gandhi.
• The virtues of determination, perseverance, and hope led Abraham Lincoln to greatness.
• The courage to forgive and an open heart made Nelson Mandela the father of democratic South Africa, admired for uniting a nation.

This underscores the need to develop an attitude of excellence by understanding what is required of us and how we can experience it first-hand. Proper understanding of ourselves, others, and the system we administer is of utmost importance.

Self-Awareness: The Key to Excellence

One major hindrance to sustaining excellence is the lack of self-awareness and the inability to transform ourselves to excel in every situation. Without knowing our true selves, how can we be fully conscious of our potential and our unique strengths? As a result, we start looking outward for triggers to simulate a sense of excellence, but such achievements are short-lived.

As the Microcosm, So the Macrocosm—our external world is managed and controlled by what is internal. Our world is created twice: first in our minds, then through our words and actions. This transformation affects our beliefs, our perception of events, and ultimately, the administrative system.

A well-known parable illustrates this idea:

One evening, a child was searching for lost keys under a dim streetlight. A passerby offered help, and soon more people joined in. An elderly woman inquired about the situation and asked, “Where did you lose your keys?” The child admitted, “In the empty garage where I was playing with my friends.” Stunned, the people asked, “Then why are you searching here?” The child replied, “It’s dark in the garage, and I fear the darkness. There’s light here, so I thought to look here instead.”

While we may laugh at the child’s logic, are we not doing the same—searching for excellence outside, under the diminishing light of external validation, while the true key lies within?

Balancing Ethics and Administration

An administrator is like a tightrope walker, balancing each step while keeping the destination in focus. A misstep can lead to failure. While an administrator must be lawful, they must also avoid being rigid, arrogant, or adamant. The duty of an administrator is to protect the well-being of all while maintaining fairness. Laws are necessary, but so is sensitivity to the needs of individuals. Such balance leads to a peaceful and happy life.

Virtues for Ethical Administration

Those in administrative roles must cultivate inner strengths such as:

• Patience
• Tolerance
• Discernment
• Sound judgment
• Compassion
• Courage
• Integrity
• Efficiency
• Self-motivation
• Detached involvement
• Love
• Stability
• Understanding
• Open-mindedness
• Assertiveness

Without understanding the true meaning of these virtues, ethical administration for sustaining excellence is lost.

For example, Power is a mark of administrators. Excellence in administration depends on how power is exercised—whether it empowers others or merely enforces authority. A true administrator understands that real power does not come from position, prestige, or pay. Instead, it comes from inner strength, self-control, and the ability to inspire others.

However, administrators often face tremendous mental and physical strain, impacting their effectiveness. True power lies in self-control, remaining free from external pressures, and making balanced decisions while upholding ethics. Spiritual empowerment helps awaken these inner powers, enhancing administrative qualities and enabling sustainable excellence.

Overcoming Weaknesses in Administration

A good administrator should avoid:

• Prejudices
• Biased judgments
• Blame
• Stress accumulation
• Attachment to ideas or roles
• Dominance and dictation

These weaknesses act as black holes in the system. A true administrator is self-aware and understands both the weaknesses and strengths within themselves, others, and the system. This awareness allows them to transform challenges into opportunities.

Earning Trust and Cooperation

Sustainable excellence in administration requires earning trust, respect, and cooperation from those being administered. Only then will administration remain sustainable. A good administrator motivates their team intrinsically, rather than relying on external rewards.

By understanding their own inner self, an administrator gains insight into others, recognizing their deeper aspirations. Instead of criticizing and complaining, they foster a positive mindset and use the strengths of the system and people to bring out the best in them. Winning people’s loyalty and acceptance ensures sustainability.

Conversely, administration enforced through force, fear, or coercion is unsustainable. Such methods perish over time, making the system fragile.

Decision-Making and Intuition in Administration

Excellence in administration also depends on understanding situations wisely, making timely decisions, and ensuring consistency in those decisions.

A good administrator:

• Listens to others and considers their suggestions.
• Trusts their inner voice and intuition to catch signals from situations and people.
• Maintains perfect coordination between mind, intellect, and body.

This “catching ability” of the intellect allows individuals to interpret signals without being influenced by external pressures. Spirituality helps strengthen this inner harmony, enabling clear thinking, effective analysis, and seamless communication.

The Role of Spirituality in Excellence

Rajyoga Meditation is a technique that allows administrators to experience inner self-awareness through silence. Meditation enhances self-worth, strengthens the intellect, and fills individuals with peace and power. When thoughts, words, and actions align, misunderstandings and errors are minimized, ensuring excellence.

Conclusion: Peering Within for Sustainable Excellence

We stand on the verge of experiencing sustainable excellence. All that is required is to look within, explore the limitless inner world, and extend it to others through ethics and virtues. By doing so, administrators can cultivate an attitude of excellence that not only achieves but sustains excellence for generations to come.