Udai Pareek, I call Udai Pareek a gentle soul because my experience of him inside and outside of ISABS has been that of a gentle person with no air about himself. A Jesuit friend of mine, Joe Marie Herederro, a professor of political science, introduced me to Udai and then through Udai to Indian Society of Applied Behavioural Science (ISABS). Joe Marie had a high regard for Udai and his expertise in organization development. Jose Marie introduced me to Udai Pareek as he knew him from NTL, USA days and later on as an OD practitioner and academic visiting IIMA. Joe gave me the brochure which had come by post to Behaviour Science Centre, Ahmedabad. Seeing the fees for laboratory training, I knew it would not be possible to attend. A call to Udai made it possible to attend. I boarded the train Hyderabad; my fees was weighed by ISABS. I was robbed on my return journey with just Rs. 200 in my pockets. Thus began my journey with process work and ISABS. If it was not for Udai, I do not think I would have been part of ISABS.
I was fortunate to have him and Lynton as my facilitators in my Professional Development journey at ISABS. Udai, as a facilitator, was grounded in theory, focused on the group and its process and was observant, gentle and firm in his feedback to participants. I had a sense the man did not waste time, energy and words as he was succinct in articulating in his feedback.
Of course, it helped me immensely in integrating critical feedback and learning. I do not think he lost sight of the individual and person in the labs he facilitated and interacted with. Yet, he was aware of the group context and process interacting with the individuals and the impact it generated. Udai provided an example of a facilitator whose role was to facilitate processes and group climate, not to dictate, direct, or satisfy one’s needs (especially affiliation and acknowledgement), and to exhibit one’s competencies. His style and method enriched me in developing my approach to facilitation and being consciously and constantly aware of the group dynamics. I am grateful to him for what I have learned.
Udai seemed conscious in his approach to training groups that a group was a microcosm of a larger society and provided an opportunity to examine oneself in the context of others and the group. Likewise, the individual provides others with the same opportunity. Experimentation and learning are made effective in an environment of democracy, inclusiveness, sensitivity, respect for all stakeholders, fairness, and power sharing.
Inour interactions, I realized that he was painfully aware of social issues such as poverty and human rights violations in the country. He was aware of the role organizations played in shaping society and could play a positive role in addressing social issues. I guess he believed in organization development with the human touch. I guessed he was convinced that a good human being contributes to the development of an organization, being ethical, dealing fairly and justly with its members.
His knowledge, experience of OD and research bent are reflected in his books. Some of my writings have reflected my efforts to integrate my studies of philosophy, theology, civil society organizations,social and applied behavioural sciences. I want to acknowledge some of the inspiration I drew from interactions with people like Udai Pareek, Rolf Lynton, Abad Ahmad and others in my early days with ISABS.
It was an honour to contribute an article to a book Udai Pareek edited, ‘Empowerment of People – A Process: HRD Challenge in 21st Century’ published by Tata McGraw-Hill, in 1999. When I approached Udai, he willingly wrote a forward to a small booklet I wrote for Not-for-Profit Organizations titled ‘Conceptual Tools for Training Facilitator’, 2005, New Delhi: Indian Social Institute.
Thanks to ISABS and gentle souls like Udai, my key learnings as a participant and professional member are anchored around a few concepts.
The human process is dynamic and interactive, and if you observe the ‘here-and-now’ behaviour and process, you may get insight into the emotions and cognitive maps of people and groups. Change is possible when all three are brought to consciousness and undergo critical analysis and restructuring.
My cognitive programming (my beliefs and assumptions about life, human needs, world, work, physical reality, power dynamics and relations) sets emotion in motion (as emotions are constructs of the mind) in groups, my work and relationships. An Effective and lasting change in emotions and behaviour is difficult without a change of mind, cognitive map, and beliefs.
I have realized that as a process work facilitator, my attentiveness to both content (what people say, discuss, and dispute) and processes (how it is said, in the context, and possibly why) is crucial for the group. Effective process facilitation relies on my ability to navigate through the content and my competence to identify the underlying processes, focusing on the dynamics of what is being discussed. Consequently, I have learned to stay alert and fully engaged, keeping my eyes open and ears ‘wax-free’ to ensure I capture everything that is happening in the group and each stakeholder in the group.
Another important insight endorsed through numerous group process work experiences is that a learning group is a microcosm of a larger society and provides an opportunity to examine myself in the context of others and the group, and likewise, I provide others that same opportunity.
The opportunity for Professional Development in ISABS with Udai and his contemporary mentioned above in ISABS convinced me that a training Group (T-group)’ is neither a ‘group therapy’ nor a counselling session. It is a democratic group committed to experimenting and learning by observing, acting, providing feedback and harnessing collective learning through conceptualities.
I have good memories of Udai and acknowledge his contribution to many organizations and society. Adios! Udai – a gentle soul.
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