A Shift Is Happening
More and more of us are coming to a new outlook on life and work– from pure achievement to insisting on greater purpose and commitment for one’s self and organization. Research shows this has been happening for some time now and, at a very large scale.
For instance, Patricia Aburdeen, co-author of the ‘New York Times’ bestseller Megatrends 2000, and author of Megatrends 2010, predicted the emergence of “conscious capitalism” in the US which included,
- The Power of Spirituality – From Personal to Organizational
- The Dawn of Conscious Capitalism
- Leading from the Middle
- The Values-Driven Consumer
- The Wave of Conscious Solutions
- The Socially Responsible Investment Boom
- Spirituality at Work and in Business
Not An Abstract Ideal
Fostering spirit at work doesn’t mean devotion to lofty beliefs or a dogma. It’s about a basic human pursuit — to live a life that means something worthwhile. Perhaps surprisingly, this does offer some real benefits. Several research studies find that where there is spirit at the workplace there is,
- Employees at all levels approaching work as a mission, rather than just a job
- Hopefulness and meaning around work
- Greater life satisfaction
- Personal well-being
- Reduced stress
- Greater job satisfaction
- Increased job performance–work unit performance and sales growth
- Connectedness to one another and to the workplace as a community
- Organizational commitment
- Increased climate of trust
“Spirit at work is living your life purpose by striving for what’s aspiring, purposeful and meaningful to you.”
Uncheck Yourself
The unwritten rule has been that we should bring about 25% of who we are into our places of work. However, when more parts of us and more of us are engaged then creativity and commitment grow in great measure. Recent research that a colleague and I have published shows that one of the quickest ways to spark this change come by investing in diversity, equity and inclusion.
Spirit Led-Leadership
“Spiritual leadership theory can be viewed as an emerging paradigm that links spirituality and leadership (Fry, 2005b). ‘Spiritual leadership involves motivating and inspiring both leaders and their followers to love and serve others.”
Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research. American Psychological Association 2012, Vol. 64, No. 2, 89–107
And, remember that all change meets resistance. So it takes committed leaders, at all levels, who don’t avoid but, choose to work skillfully with resistance. They are courageous and compassionate.
Please take a look at my new website. If this looks like something you’d like to know more about, for your self, your team or your organization’s, please let me know. I’d enjoy the opportunity to talk with you.
Thank you,
Chris
Chris, your stuff is fantastic! I love all of it. To lead a life with courage and compassion…yes sir.
Vulnerability has also been a very powerful notion for me in my personal growth and in business.