Self-management and work performance: an exploratory cross-cultural study

Abstract

Without understanding one's self, individuals blindly and with a minimal amount of consciousness, go about their lives and their businesses. Understanding one's self and how it can influence work performance offers individuals the opportunity to more meaningfully carry out their duties and fulfil their work requirements. Sri Aurobindo, an Indian spiritual philosopher and advocate of self-management, argued that man is not the last step in the evolutionary process; rather, man is a transitional being with the capacity to collaborate in its own evolution. The international township of Auroville, India was founded with Aurobindo's vision in mind. We administered a questionnaire to people in Auroville and a comparable group in Ohio, USA. This cross-cultural study allowed us to test hypotheses and compare the samples. Results suggest that practicing self-management on a moment-to-moment basis can help a person become more self-aware, thereby enhancing the individual's work performance. Results and implications are provided.