The purpose of business is to create the well-being of all stakeholders – customers, employees, shareholders, community and mother nature. This is what practical spirituality means – a force that brings all faiths and religions together.
We believe that “work places” have a profound impact on the culture of our times as we spend more time at work as compared to at home. If we look forward to work each day and return home with “Joy and Positive Energy”, our communities are nourished and our nations become healthier.
Good, responsible, ethical and inspiring work places always win in the long run even though the world is full of so called corrupt and wealthy business people today!
All people have an innate desire to do good and serve the well being of all. Faulty education and upbringing make people forget this.
The role of education is to know who you are and discover your purpose and connect to the goodness within.
All of us have been blessed with unique gifts to work towards our true purpose. When we work to leverage our gifts towards our purpose, we become inspired leaders. When we enable others to do so, we build inspired leaders and organizations of consequence.
There is a leadership crisis today as most leaders, especially in the business world, do not identify with the purpose of creating well being of all.
Business schools need to urgently focus on this crisis by developing leaders who are aware of this, care enough about it and dare to make a difference. Such leaders have character, competence and enthusiasm.
SOIL Citizenship - Character
Mindfulness: Is being fully present in the now without regrets about the past and anxiety of the future. It is self awareness in which our inner voice is the witness of all that we think, feel or do.
Just be is the focus of our program on yoga, meditation and wellness taught by our Sivananda Yoga teacher Susie Roy. The text we use is called Chup Sadhana or The Practice of Silence.
Compassion: Is not just feeling for those who are in need and in pain but pro-actively doing something to reduce suffering of the less fortunate strata of society.
In SOIL, we practice compassion by each student working one day a week with an NGO that is engaged in this social agenda. This is our Social Innovation Program or SIP. That always helps us with our Self Improvement Program – SIP. SIP through SIP.
Sustainability: Is about using our resources in a way that balances the needs of today with those of tomorrow. It is about producing more than what we consume.
We do this by teaching courses on Climate Change, Theory of Constraints and Total Quality Management. We then encourage students to take up projects to apply this learning to real life situations.
Ethics: Is the difference between our right to do things and the right thing to do to create the well being of all stakeholders. It is transparency, honesty, integrity and the congruence between what we say, feel and do.
We teach ethics by simulating situations through "theatre" and by encouraging students to explore their ethical dilemmas.
We practice ethics in the way we live and work at SOIL.
Diversity: Is recognizing the uniqueness in ourselves and in each person and leveraging the same to help us realize our true potential.
In SOIL, we use the globally recognized Caliper instrument and a comprehensive talent appreciation process to profile each student who applies to SOIL.
This helps in identifying the unique strengths of each student and in preparing a tailor made individual learning plan which is reviewed periodically.
OUR RITUALS
Morning Circle each day – We offer prayers from different faiths, share insights, appreciate each other & keep track of what is happening within & without us."A place for Community"
Celebrations – Spontaneous & planned – For festivals, for birthdays of all students, staff. For important milestones & good work. In each event we appreciate each person & attribute. Celebrating together creates Joy & Happiness.
Annual Retreat in the Himalayas
All students, faculty & Staff travel together by train to Pathankot & spend three days at Tapovan, in Sidhbari ( Dharamshala) at the Ashram of Swami Chinmayananda. We visit villages, learn & practice Appreciative Inquiry & see the amazing integrated community development work of the Chinmaya organisation of rural development – CORD
This retreat helps us to learn from our past & prepare for the future
Annual Conference on Inspired Leadership
We bring the entire eco-system of SOIL together for 2 days – students, staff, faculty, mentors, NGO partners, Industry Consortium members, recruiters & media. This is conceived, designed, planned & executed by student community to showcase their talent & get real leadership experience of creating awareness about the 5 pillars of SOIL Citizenship
Annual Convocation & Family day
The students & their families spend their day at SOIL & jointly celebrate their Graduation by reliving the year long journey.
This is the forum to recognise outstanding students & teams for achievements on all stages - Academic, Social Innovation, Character etc.
OUR SYMBOLS
Campus Building
A lot of natural light through large glass work instead of bricks, greenery, earthy & pastel shades – represents the five elements.
Harmony with nature is a crucial feature of design.
Our logo
Dark green for the nourishing environment, light green for the germination of ideas, orange for the spark of igniting the Genie-Us (The genie within us). SOIL is a nursery for human growth that lights the spark of self discovery in a nourishing environment. The role of a teacher is like a gardener
Aesthetics & Artwork
We have artwork & well designed visual appeal in space so that the space has a calming & refreshing impact on all of us.
Spaces impact our being.
Classrooms with round tables
Our classrooms enable team work & enable teachers to behave like facilitators rather than talk at students from elevated spaces & podiums. Architecture builds community.
Our Cafeteria & playing area
There is a whole floor (20% of all space) dedicated to community space for eating (Breaking Bread together), celebrations & playing (Table tennis , carom) etc. People who eat, celebrate and play together form trusting relationships.
Building Competence
- Fresh and future ready curriculum –develops whole systems thinking, emotional intelligence and smart execution skills
- Distinguished faculty from all over the world – academics, consultants and practitioners
- Academies conducted 3 times a year
- Live projects sponsored by leading corporations
