Work as a spiritual experience
The workplace is not the first place that comes to mind for a spiritual experience. Yet it is here, under florescent lights, in airtight, sometimes windowless rooms, where the spiritual experience takes place. In buildings with rooms that people go to great lengths to decorate to remind themselves who they truly are or want to become.
I always feel as if I'm eavesdropping on someone's private, authentic life when I walk by a cube or enter an office. It is there that I catch a glimpse of a life the person has parked at the door while becoming someone else, whether support staff or CEO. I've seen screen savers in major international companies serve as family photo albums, or scroll "God loves me", or "Live one day at a time emphasizing ethics rather than rules," (Wayne Dyer), or any number of soul-searching/satisfying images. But the daily strains of competition, deadlines and protocols subvert the authentic, fully realized self and therefore the employee's best work.
I'm amazed at the disconnect, its impact on employees, and the daily toll it takes on the soul.
Yet each time I work with a group or a client in the corporate or nonprofit arena, I come away feeling uplifted. That I've connected my outer self to my soul - my work to my purpose. And participants in these sessions report the same to me. Their language of the account may differ, but essentially, that's their experience, too. Clients work hard in our sessions mastering skills. They push through callused patterns, struggle to connect their heads with their hearts, and take risks in front of one another.
And along the way, other things occur. I think that's because, regardless of the work we do together, several principles guide us:
• Everyone owns a piece of the Truth.
• Bringing out the best in others is good for people and good for business.
• Feedback - even negative criticism and evaluation - can be a positive, if not an uplifting experience - when the goal is to bring out that best.
• Most people know what they need to learn and will pursue it if there is trust and encouragement.
• Passion belongs in the workplace. And so does laughter.
These are all part of the arduous process of self-discovery, self-actualization, being our authentic selves, connecting with others and getting really good at something. All essential elements of a spiritual life and a successful business.
It is possible to strive for and experience this kind of life in the workplace. And it's why I keep doing this work.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Work as a spiritual experience
The workplace is not the first place that comes to mind for a spiritual experience. Yet it is here, under florescent lights, in airtight, sometimes windowless rooms, where the spiritual experience takes place. In buildings with rooms that people go to great lengths to decorate to remind themselves who they truly are or want to become.
I always feel as if I'm eavesdropping on someone's private, authentic life when I walk by a cube or enter an office. It is there that I catch a glimpse of a life the person has parked at the door while becoming someone else, whether support staff or CEO. I've seen screen savers in major international companies serve as family photo albums, or scroll "God loves me", or "Live one day at a time emphasizing ethics rather than rules," (Wayne Dyer), or any number of soul-searching/satisfying images. But the daily strains of competition, deadlines and protocols subvert the authentic, fully realized self and therefore the employee's best work.
I'm amazed at the disconnect, its impact on employees, and the daily toll it takes on the soul.
Yet each time I work with a group or a client in the corporate or nonprofit arena, I come away feeling uplifted. That I've connected my outer self to my soul - my work to my purpose. And participants in these sessions report the same to me. Their language of the account may differ, but essentially, that's their experience, too. Clients work hard in our sessions mastering skills. They push through callused patterns, struggle to connect their heads with their hearts, and take risks in front of one another.
And along the way, other things occur. I think that's because, regardless of the work we do together, several principles guide us:
• Everyone owns a piece of the Truth.
• Bringing out the best in others is good for people and good for business.
• Feedback - even negative criticism and evaluation - can be a positive, if not an uplifting experience - when the goal is to bring out that best.
• Most people know what they need to learn and will pursue it if there is trust and encouragement.
• Passion belongs in the workplace. And so does laughter.
These are all part of the arduous process of self-discovery, self-actualization, being our authentic selves, connecting with others and getting really good at something. All essential elements of a spiritual life and a successful business.
It is possible to strive for and experience this kind of life in the workplace. And it's why I keep doing this work.
The workplace is not the first place that comes to mind for a spiritual experience. Yet it is here, under florescent lights, in airtight, sometimes windowless rooms, where the spiritual experience takes place. In buildings with rooms that people go to great lengths to decorate to remind themselves who they truly are or want to become.
I always feel as if I'm eavesdropping on someone's private, authentic life when I walk by a cube or enter an office. It is there that I catch a glimpse of a life the person has parked at the door while becoming someone else, whether support staff or CEO. I've seen screen savers in major international companies serve as family photo albums, or scroll "God loves me", or "Live one day at a time emphasizing ethics rather than rules," (Wayne Dyer), or any number of soul-searching/satisfying images. But the daily strains of competition, deadlines and protocols subvert the authentic, fully realized self and therefore the employee's best work.
I'm amazed at the disconnect, its impact on employees, and the daily toll it takes on the soul.
Yet each time I work with a group or a client in the corporate or nonprofit arena, I come away feeling uplifted. That I've connected my outer self to my soul - my work to my purpose. And participants in these sessions report the same to me. Their language of the account may differ, but essentially, that's their experience, too. Clients work hard in our sessions mastering skills. They push through callused patterns, struggle to connect their heads with their hearts, and take risks in front of one another.
And along the way, other things occur. I think that's because, regardless of the work we do together, several principles guide us:
• Everyone owns a piece of the Truth.
• Bringing out the best in others is good for people and good for business.
• Feedback - even negative criticism and evaluation - can be a positive, if not an uplifting experience - when the goal is to bring out that best.
• Most people know what they need to learn and will pursue it if there is trust and encouragement.
• Passion belongs in the workplace. And so does laughter.
These are all part of the arduous process of self-discovery, self-actualization, being our authentic selves, connecting with others and getting really good at something. All essential elements of a spiritual life and a successful business.
It is possible to strive for and experience this kind of life in the workplace. And it's why I keep doing this work.
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