Local businesses get WISE

Marshall Allen

GLENDALE -- The “Battlefield Earth” videos, “I am a Scientologist”

poster and numerous pictures of L. Ron Hubbard make it clear that

Sterling Management isn’t a typical consulting firm.

The company is one of about 100 in Glendale, Montrose, La Crescenta

and La Canada Flintridge that practice the organizational principles of

Scientology. In fact, Sterling Management’s business is to promote and

teach the organizational principles of the church to small business

owners across the country. Hubbard, founder of Scientology and a science

fiction writer and philosopher, developed what is referred to as his

“management technology” for the religion’s expansion.

Sterling Management owner Kevin Wilson and the other owners of local

companies use the management practices as members of the World Institute

of Scientology Enterprises -- WISE.

Scientology was formed in the 1950s and teaches that people are

basically good and can advance themselves to the degree they preserve

their spiritual integrity and values. People can also better their lives

through detailed self-analysis that leads to problem solving, according

to the book, “What is Scientology.”

WISE licenses and promotes Hubbard’s work to businesses for the Church

of Scientology, WISE President Don Drader said. About 3,200 WISE members

around the world pay anywhere from $250 to $36,000 per year for

membership. Most WISE members are Scientologists, but it’s not required,

Drader said.

Considering the emphasis on Hubbard and the prominence of Scientology

paraphernalia at Sterling Management, the company appears to walk a

tenuous line between the religious andsecular worlds. According to the

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, employers are not allowed

to discriminate against individuals because of their religion in hiring,

firing or conditions of employment.

James Ryan, an EEOC public affairs specialist, said he wasn’t aware of

WISE, but organizations are entitled to use religious principles in the

workplace, as long as employees have the option to object and be excused.

Wilson said he is aware of employee discrimination law and that he

stays within its bounds.

“This job has nothing to do with Scientology,” Wilson said. “In no way

can I dictate anyone’s job with Scientology.”

Wilson makes sure his company’s clients are aware of the relationship

between his business and Scientology, too. All Sterling Management

clients -- and there have been thousands over the years -- sign a waiver

before entering into the consulting relationship, Wilson said. The waiver

states that the Hubbard management materials imply “no religious

affiliation whatsoever.” It also states a Sterling consultant may

recommend a client see a Scientology practitioner, if the client has

personal problems beyond the scope of Sterling Management.

There are many other ways Hubbard’s principles are at work at Sterling

Management. For instance, the company actively promotes Hubbard, and uses

the same lingo and organizational structure as the church. And while a

person doesn’t have to be a Scientologist to work at Sterling, it might

help. All of Sterling Management’s executives, and most of its 30-person

staff, are Scientologists, Wilson said.

“If they’ve had a lot of training in Scientology, it makes them very

good executives,” he said. “They have a one-upmanship on that.”

In accordance with Hubbard’s teaching, Wilson said he promotes based

on production, not religion.

“Hubbard said it’s the effectiveness of people that’s important, not

race or creed,” Wilson said.

Putting Hubbard’s axioms into practice, Sterling uses about 150

individual statistics to assess a company’s health, Wilson said. When

graphed on sheets of paper and analyzed, the statistics give Wilson, or

any small business owner, the ability to determine action steps to take

for success, he said.

“Hubbard said to investigate the true source of success,” Wilson said.

“It’s an exact science.”