Leading with Soul E-Book

Lee G. Bolman

• Herausgeber: John Wiley & Sons
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Serie: J-B US non-Franchise Leadership
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 238

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2011

Beschreibung

A new edition of the bestselling book on finding one's personal path to leadership Leading with Soul has inspired thousands of readers since its publication more than a decade ago. Far ahead of its time, the book illuminated the deeply personal journey to leadership. Now, in this new and revised edition, the authors update a timeless spiritual message in the light of the turmoil of recent years? including recession, the spread of global terrorism, and ethics scandals? as well as new insights from the literature of spirituality and work. * Bolman and Deal are the co-authors of the bestselling book Reframing Organizations, now in its 4th edition * Explores in greater depth the concepts of love, power, and significance as relates to leadership This completely revised story of an executive and his quest for deeper meaning continues to point the way to a more fulfilling work experience.

Leseprobe

Table of Contents

Cover

Title page

Copyright page

Dedication

Prelude

In Search of Soul and Spirit

The Spiritual Path

Soulful Leadership

Our Journey

The Search

CHAPTER 1 The Heart of Leadership Lives in the Hearts of Leaders

CHAPTER 2 The Human Heart Is More Than a Pump

CHAPTER 3 The Journey of a Soul

CHAPTER 4 Discovering New Teachers

INTERLUDE 1 Reclaiming Your Soul

In Search of Soul

The Spiritual Journey

Conviction

CHAPTER 5 A Place to Start

CHAPTER 6 Vicissitudes of the Journey

INTERLUDE 2 Leaning Into Your Fear

Finding Our Spiritual Centers

Spirit and Imperfection

Gifts

CHAPTER 7 Gifts of Leadership

CHAPTER 8 Authorship

CHAPTER 9 Love

CHAPTER 10 Power

CHAPTER 11 Significance

CHAPTER 12 Corporate Community

INTERLUDE 3 Community and the Cycle of Giving

The Gift of Love

The Gift of Authorship

The Gift of Power

The Gift of Significance

Giving to the Community

Sharing

CHAPTER 13 Summoning the Magic of Stories

CHAPTER 14 Lifting Our Voices in Song

CHAPTER 15 Celebrating Shared Icons

INTERLUDE 4 Expressing the Spirit

Story as Public Dream

Music as Enhancement

The Role of History and Icons

A New Life

CHAPTER 16 The Twilight of Leadership

CHAPTER 17 Deep Refuge

INTERLUDE 5 The Cycle of the Spirit

Embracing Destiny

Choosing Hope

Seeking Wisdom

CHAPTER 18 The Legacy

Postlude

Soul at Work

The Gift of Authorship

The Gift of Love

Gift of Power

The Gift of Significance

Conclusion

Continuing a Spirited Dialogue

Queries About the Book

How Do I . . . ?

Spreading Spirit

RECOMMENDED READINGS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

THE AUTHORS

WRITE TO THE AUTHORS

This page constitutes a continuation of the copyright page

Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Bolman, Lee G.

 Leading with soul : an uncommon journey of spirit / Lee G. Bolman, Terrence E. Deal. —Rev. 3rd ed.

p. cm.

 Includes bibliographical references.

 ISBN 978-0-470-61900-1 (hardback); ISBN 978-1-118-06734-5 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-06736-9 (ebk); ISBN 978-1-118-06753-6 (ebk)

 1. Leadership—Moral and ethical aspects. 2. Leadership—Religious aspects. I. Deal, Terrence E. II. Title.

 HD57.7.B64 2011

 658.4'092—dc22

2011014358

For

Barry Edwin Deal

August 17, 1959–November 28, 1964

Robert Louis Deal

February 17, 1916–October 25, 2003

Dorothy Frances Deal

December 21, 1919–January 29, 2010

Eldred Ross Bolman

March 3, 1914–May 4, 1985

Florence Bernice Bolman

August 26, 1915–June 28, 1999

Prelude

In Search of Soul and Spirit

All day I think about it, then at night I say it.

Where did I come from,

and what am I supposed to be doing?

I have no idea.

My soul is from elsewhere, I’m sure of that,

and I intend to end up there

—Rumi

Soul. Spirit. The words sometimes sound strange to the modern ear. We rarely think or talk about where we came from or what we are here to do. But soul and spirit are vital companions whenever we ask what life is about and where our path is taking us. This book invites you to embark on a journey in search of meaning and purpose in a world gone crazy. In recent years we’ve all been stunned by one psychic shock after another. The horror of 9/11 and the age of perpetual terror that it signaled. The greenhouse effect, raising the specter that the energy we use to fuel civilization may eventually destroy it. A parade of business scandals—Enron, WorldCom, AIG, Madoff, BP’s oil spill, the subprime mortgage debacle, and many more—making it hard to shake the belief that business leaders are short-sighted moral pygmies. The economic collapse of 2008 that shattered hope for people around the world and left millions haunted by fear and economic insecurity. A world adrift and out of control cries out for belief, hope, and inspired action.

Answering that poignant call for enlightenment and leadership at work is the goal of this book. It is a guide to the path we need to follow to find answers to questions none of us can escape. What can we hold on to? Where do we find solid footing? How can we create a better life and a better world? When each of us plunges into the depths of our being, there we find soul, a bedrock sense of identity and meaning—who we are, what we care about, and what we are here to do. We also discover spirit, a transcendent universal sense of oneness.

Soul and spirit are related in the same way as peaks and valleys, male and female. They are intimately connected. Each needs the other. The two are so interconnected that the words are often used interchangeably, but we see an important distinction. Soul is personal and unique, grounded in the depths of individual experience. Spirit is transcendent and all embracing. It is the universal source, the oneness of all things. Adherents of the world’s great religions name it Allah, Brahman, the Buddha, God, or Jahweh. Others find this source in love, nature, humanity, magic, or an ineffable sense of oneness with the cosmos. One clue to the universality of spirit is its recurrence as a central source of power and possibility in many of history’s most popular films. In Star Wars, it is called “the force,” in Lord of the Rings, it is “the One,” the remote creator, Eru Iluvatar. In The Matrix, “the One” is personified as Neo. In Avatar, as in many cultural traditions, spirit is pantheistic—God is in everything.

Soul and spirit are rooted in hope and faith—the things we believe even if they cannot be proven. Hope is the faith that dies last, the stubborn belief in new possibilities and a better tomorrow. Too often today’s travails leave us in an existential void. We have a haunting sense that somewhere along the line we got off track. We’re working harder than ever, but we’re not really sure why. We feel a vague emptiness as we rush madly through life, hoping that we can escape if we keep running. Deep down, we fear we’re losing the race. The need to reinfuse life at work with spirit, passion, and zest is greater than ever. “As millions of Americans arrive at their place of employment, the unfortunate reality is that many see their work environment not as an opportunity, but as a place of mundane misery.”1 Work satisfaction among American workers in 2009 reached the lowest level ever recorded. “It says something troubling about work in America. It is not about the business cycle or one grumpy generation,” says Linda Barrington of the Conference Board, which sponsored the survey. Our spiritual malaise and longing for something more need to be filled with spirit and faith. Those are the gifts that leaders with soul bring to organizations.

The Spiritual Path

The search for soul and spirit is a quest for depth, meaning, and faith transcending boundaries of gender, age, geography, and race. It’s as fresh and specific to our time as the latest high-tech gadget. It’s a counterforce to the modern technical mind-set that can toss people into orbit and put a smartphone in every pocket, yet provides few answers for bringing joy to life, meaning to work, or integrity and conviction to leadership.

This movement travels an age-old path that is not confined to religious or mystical traditions. Atheists and Muslims, Christians and Humanists, Agnostics, Buddhists, and many more all embark on the same quest. They see different things along the way, but all seek answers to the same fundamental spiritual questions that are basic to being human. Even the rationalism that governs much of managerial thinking serves for some as a spiritual anchor. The view that people and organizations are essentially rational entities that respond to incentives is a powerful tool in managerial practice. It also serves as a theology for many adherents, but one that is often unfulfilling because it cuts believers off from soul and spirit.

Our approach is inclusive, open to all these perspectives and more. If you arrive deeply committed to your religious faith, join us on the journey. If you are convinced that the idea of God is absurd or traditional religion is mere superstition, we welcome you as well. Regardless of where you begin, we honor your search and seek to support it. Our goal is not to teach a specific theology or philosophy but to pose questions and stimulate reflection to help you deepen the faith you have or find the one you need. We invite you to become a coauthor. Treat the stories and ideas in these pages as a stimulus and a starting point. Fill in the gaps you find in what we have produced by writing your own story and exploring your own path. Look for opportunities to share your reflections and questions with others. We hope the book can guide you on the journey of the soul that is vital to building inspired and inspiring leadership.

Over the centuries, people have found meaning in work, family, community, and shared belief. They have drawn upon shared resources to do what they could not do alone. United efforts—raising a barn, shoring up a levee, rescuing earthquake victims, celebrating a marriage, or singing a hymn—have brought people together, created enduring bonds, and exemplified the possibilities in collective spirit. Such traditional sources of meaning, energy, and achievement are increasingly endangered in a world of fleeting, virtual relationships. Individuals ponder a question posed two thousand years ago: What does it profit us if we gain the world but lose our souls?2 It is no surprise that signs of spiritual hunger and restlessness are everywhere. Many of us brought hope and optimism into the new millennium only to find that almost all our certitudes failed. It is time to embark on a journey to seek answers to the questions that Rumi posed at the beginning of this chapter. Where did we come from? What are we here to do? What is the meaning of our life? What is our destiny?

Soulful Leadership

We hope that this book will stimulate a journey in search of your leadership gifts. Each of us has a special contribution to make if we can shoulder the personal and spiritual work needed to discover and share our own gifts. Across sectors and levels, organizations are starved for the leadership they need. Leaders who have lost touch with their souls, who are confused and uncertain about their core values and beliefs, inevitably lose their way or sound an uncertain trumpet.

A growing movement seeks to recapture the essence that soul and spirit can bring to the modern workplace and its environment. As Matthew Fox writes: “Life and livelihood ought not to be separated but to flow from the same source, which is Spirit, for both life and livelihood are about Spirit. Spirit means life, and both life and livelihood are about living in depth, living with meaning, purpose, joy, and a sense of contribution to the greater community. A spirituality of work is about bringing life and livelihood back together again. And spirit with them.”3

Leading with soul brings meaning and purpose back to workplaces that have lost them. It goes beyond technology, efficiency, and the bottom line to meet human needs for success and ful­fillment. Spirited leadership fires motivation, deepens loyalty, and galvanizes performance. It reinfuses soul and spirit, marrying the two so that spirit feeds soul and soul enriches spirit. Committed and passionate leaders find their soul’s treasure store and offer its gifts to others.4

The chapters ahead explore why soul, spirit, faith, and hope belong at the heart of leadership. They do this through a dialogue between a beleaguered leader and a wise sage. Over the centuries, spiritual leaders of all traditions and faiths have taught and learned through example, story, and dialogue. Sufi and Christian parables, Zen koans, the Jewish Haggadah, Hindu legends, and Native American stories are but a few examples. In our story, you are invited to join Steve Camden, a highly successful, fast-track manager who has run into an existential wall, as he works with Maria, a spiritual mentor.

Our Journey

This book began as a product of providence rather than planning. It was an unexpected calling that emerged during an informal lunch with colleagues at our publisher, Jossey-Bass. We arrived that day with a list of potential book projects, all well within our social science comfort zone. Partway through the meeting, Lynn Luckow, then president of Jossey-Bass, interrupted the conversation’s flow to ask a simple, inspired question: “What do you really want to do? Blue-sky it.” Silence fell over the breaking of bread and sipping of wine as we both gradually realized the awful truth: we didn’t know what we really wanted to do. Out of that silence came a surprising reply: “We’d like to do a book about leadership and spirit.” (Thanks again, Lynn, for being the godfather of this project.)

That answer put us on an unfamiliar and scary path. We had committed to write a book with only a hazy idea of where we were going and what we had to say. Fortunately, many friends and colleagues came to our rescue with ideas and support. We plunged into the great spiritual literature from around the world: the Tao, the Koran, the Bible, the Bhagavad-Gita, Sufi poetry, Native American mythology, African American folk tales, the Tibetan Book of the Dead, and many other works. All these helped greatly, but they were not enough. We also had to go deep inside to find our own spiritual centers. We couldn’t write about anyone else’s spiritual journey without examining and deepening our own. We couldn’t talk about soul and spirit without experiencing firsthand what they meant for us.

For Terry, this journey triggered a conversation with his wife, Sandy, that eventually led him to give up a tenured position at Vanderbilt University so that he and Sandy could fulfill their dream of returning home to California to design and build a house on the central coast. It also enabled him to revisit a painful chapter in his life that he had neglected for many years—the tragic death in 1964 of his five-year-old son Barry. The impact on Lee was equally profound—difficult but essential reappraisals of a painful divorce and the death of his father, a recom­mitment to religious faith, and a move to Kansas City and the University of Missouri after more than twenty years at Harvard University.

This story is a parable drawn from our own lives and the lives of others we have known. We hope it speaks to you. To assist your reflections, we punctuate the story with a series of interludes—meditations on the issues and questions raised in the story. Walt Whitman captures our hopes for your journey:

Sail forth—steer for the deep waters only,

Reckless O soul, exploring, I with thee,

and thou with me,

For we are bound where mariner has not yet

dared to go,

And we will risk the ship, ourselves and all.5

Notes

1. Virgil H. Adams III, C. R. Snyder, Kevin L. Rand, Elisa Ann O’Donnell, David R. Sigmon, and Kim M. Pulvers, “Hope in the Workplace,” in Robert A. Giacalone and Carole L. Jurkiewicz, Handbook of Workplace Spirituality and Organizational Performance (Armonk, N.Y.: Sharpe, 2010).

2. In the Gospel According to St. Mark (8:36, King James Version), for example, Mark tells us that Jesus asked, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.” See also Matthew 16:26 and Luke 9:25.

3. M. Fox, The Reinvention of Work: A New Vision of Livelihood for Our Time (San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1994), pp. 1–2.

4. Compare J. Hillman, A Blue Fire: Selected Writings, edited by T. Moore (New York: HarperCollins, 1991), p. 113.

5. W. Whitman, “Passage to India,” in M. Van Doren (ed.), The Portable Walt Whitman (New York: Penguin, 1977), p. 284.

The Search

CHAPTER 1

The Heart of Leadership Lives in the Hearts of Leaders

He was tired, and it was getting dark. He’d driven three hours up mountain roads. Not by choice. Why had John sent him? Who was this woman he was supposed to meet? He didn’t know, and didn’t like not knowing. He liked to read a review before seeing a movie or reading a book.

His name was Steven Camden. Like the city in New Jersey. He grew up in New Jersey, but in Newark, not Camden. Not that it made much difference. Tough neighborhoods in both places. He’d survived one of the toughest.

The house was low, made of wood and glass. A candle flickering in a window. Faux rustic or Asian or something, he thought. He bounded up the maple-leaf-matted fieldstone steps at his usual brisk pace, but he felt more puzzled than confident.

He knocked on the door. He waited. Was she here? She knew he was coming, didn’t she? She must know he had better things to do than just stand on her doorstep. Hadn’t John told her how busy he is? He looked again and she was there.

Her name was Maria. He first noticed her eyes: deep, brown, full of something he recognized but could not name. Once inside, he looked around the room. Mostly he noticed the Japanese art. It was like a gallery. Yet something was missing.

You’ve spent time in Japan, he said.

She nodded. Many years. Every piece is a memory.

I lived in Tokyo two years myself. For him, Tokyo had been endless business meetings. No time for galleries. His only souvenirs came from the airport duty-free shop.

She seemed to be waiting.

Was he supposed to make the next move? Where to begin? Blurt out his worries to a woman he barely knew? He tried to buy time. John seems to have a lot of confidence in you, he said.

We’re old friends. I knew him back when he was starting the business. We’ve become even closer since he retired. I’ve learned a lot from him.

She seemed to be waiting again. Now what? He’d always been good with words. Where were they now?

Do you feel uncomfortable here? she asked.

No. He hesitated. Well, maybe a little. Maybe I shouldn’t have come.

Have some tea.

He watched her pour the tea. He wanted coffee, but took the tea.

You’ve been working hard?

All my life. He sipped his tea. Green tea. Reminded him of Japan. He’d ordered it many times. Nihon cha, kudasai. A comforting sense of nostalgia.

Why? she asked.

Why what? He’d lost track.

Why do you work so hard?

He paused. What kind of question was that? Why does anyone work hard? It’s what you do. It’s how I got where I am.

Do you like where you are?

Of course. He was lying. He knew it. Did she? Probably. Well, maybe not. Not as much as I used to.

What’s changed?

He hesitated. Was he walking into a trap? Should he leave? Or tell the truth? He vaguely imagined John looking over his shoulder. Why be scared of this woman? he wondered. Then, a second thought. What do I have to lose?

I was promoted a year ago. Running one of our biggest divisions. I was sure I was ready.

And now?

He stared at the cranes delicately circling the outside of his teacup. Until he met this woman, he liked to think nothing scared him. He hesitated.

I’m not sure.

What’s changed?

Until this job, everything went right. People thought I could walk on water. Maybe it was talent, maybe luck, maybe just a lot of sweat. Something’s not working anymore. He looked down and signaled his puzzlement by exhaling loudly.

You’re discouraged? She sounded sincere. Why did she make him so nervous?

Like I’m on a treadmill. Running faster and faster. Getting farther and farther behind.

You need to get off.

I didn’t need to drive three hours to learn that. He knew he sounded impatient. That’s how he felt.

What have you tried?

Just about everything. Better time management. A mission statement. Strategic planning. Balanced scorecard. Training. A Six Sigma program.

Why was she staring at him? Why so silent? Did she think he’d done the wrong things? That he hadn’t done enough?

He continued. I’ve sent executives to a top-rated management program. Hired consultants. World-class guys with world-class fees. I read a lot. The Journal. Fortune. Harvard Business Review. Industry blogs, but that’s mostly a waste of time.

She laughed. Why do you do all those things?

Her laughter grated. He felt his shoulders tighten. Was she laughing at him?

It worked before. Why not now?

She turned serious. What do you want from me?

The question stung. What did he really want? He wasn’t sure. He groped for an answer. His mouth felt dry.

My work is my life. Always has been. I grew up poor, and I didn’t want to stay that way. Now, I’ve got money but a lot of the fun is gone. My boss is getting restless. First time I ever felt I might fail in a job.

What’s not working? she asked.

He told her about needing unity, but people never agreeing. He said he needed a vision, but it was hard to see beyond next week. Things seemed to be falling apart. He was losing hope. He’d never felt so lost.

She said she’d been there. That she understood.

Where had she been? Did she really understand? He wanted to say something. No words came.

And your spirit? she asked.

He looked to the door. He wanted to run. Get some fresh air. Get away from this crazy woman. Somehow, he couldn’t move. Spirit? he stammered.

Yes, your spirit. Her tone was firm, assured. As if it were a perfectly normal question. Was she serious?

What do you mean?

Spirit. Fire. Vitality. The force that sustains meaning and hope.

He was squirming. Was it a mistake for him to come?

A business is what you make it, she said calmly. If you believe it’s a machine, it will be. A temple? It can be that too. Spirit and faith are the core of human life. Without them, you lose your way. You live without zest. You go through the motions, but don’t know why.

He felt the anger building. He’d driven three hours for this? Teeth clenched, he told her what he felt. Look, I’m running a business, not a church! He sounded angry. He meant to. It usually made people back off.

But not this time. Her eyes riveted on his. She smiled. What do you hope to run it with? More sweat? More control? More gimmicks?

Maybe some wisdom. He hadn’t meant to say that, but it came out anyway.

Wisdom will come. First, you have to look into your heart.

He was squirming again. Embarrassed. He could feel the blood rushing to his face. Why was he still here? Why didn’t he get up and walk out? You sound like my mother, he said scornfully. Follow your heart, she always said. She never understood business.

Do you? she asked.

Of course.

Then, set a new course. You want to lead, don’t you?

He nodded glumly.

She continued. The heart of leadership is in the hearts of leaders. You have to lead from something deep inside.

Like what?

I can’t tell you what’s in your heart, nor would you want me to. No one can find meaning for you. Not your consultants, not your boss, not the Harvard Business Review. Only you really know what’s in your heart.

He felt a twinge in his chest. A coincidence? He knew he’d been working too hard.

This isn’t what you expected, she said.

Not at all.

It feels strange?

She was right. He wanted to be in control, but she was running a step ahead of him.

Maybe a little, he admitted, wishing he hadn’t.

She poured him more tea. You’ve been in uncomfortable situations before, haven’t you?

Sure.

Have you learned from them?

He tried to review all his awkward moments. He gave up. There had been too many. Usually.

Good. Then, shall we continue?

Continue what? A senseless conversation? Still, she seemed to be onto something. Something he sensed but couldn’t grasp. Maybe. I’m not sure.

Would you like some time to reflect? A walk, maybe?

His phone rang. He felt embarrassed. I told my secretary only to call only if it’s important.

Take the call. Then the walk. Try the garden. We’ll talk more when you get back.

CHAPTER 2

The Human Heart Is More Than a Pump

The walk helped. A chance to clear his head. He’d heard she was good. Very good. But she wasn’t making sense. Off in the ozone. Talk more, she’d said. About what? How could he get her on his wavelength?

He found her reading in her study. Look, he said. I’ve thought it over. Heart and spirit can wait. I’ve got problems now!

She looked up from her book. You’re missing the point.

His jaw tightened. He was tired of playing games. He spat out, What the hell are you talking about?

You. She paused, looking at him. You’re decisive. You get things done.

Yeah. She’s starting to get it, he thought.

You think things through. You’re a good analyst.

True.

You take charge. You’re on top of things.

One of my strengths. He was feeling better now. She was beginning to understand him.

Maybe your biggest weakness.

Was this a trick? He hated weakness. He felt his face flush again. He could barely control his rage.

Look, I’m a manager, not a social worker. You’ve got to be tough to get ahead.

She ignored the anger in his voice. How tough?

Why couldn’t she get it? Put her in her place, then get out of here. John said you could help. Obviously bad advice. You’re off the mark. Wasting my time. You’re …

She laughed gently. At him?

I’m sorry, he said. I don’t mean to offend you. Why was he apologizing? She should feel sorry for being useless.

Are you trying to scare me away? she asked.

She was right. She was getting too close. He knew the pattern. When you feel vulnerable, go on the attack. It usually worked.

OK, I’m upset. I’m tired. I’m looking for help.

Maybe your head and hands have taken you as far as they can.

Suppose that’s true. Then what?

Try a new route. A journey of the heart.

A journey of the heart? Sounds like a TV soap opera.