"The spirit and the body carry different loads and require different attentions too often we put saddlebags on Jesus and let the donkey run loose in the pasture" - Marcic (1997)

Introduction to Spirit at Work

The human side of management has always intrigued business and management gurus in all eras. As they have tried to put a definition on human elements such motivation, creativity, knowledge and leadership, they have strived to have an insight into complex human nature for a perfect answer - one that has always eluded them. In old times, times before the management gurus, the teachers at schools and colleges were also spiritual teachers, taking responsibility for an overall development of a pupil. Today, the students are buried in myriad of theories and left with lengthy assignments and examinations in the name of self-learning. The MBA schools are churning out academic managers and the organisations are still grappling with human problems.

"Most organisations do not know how to deal with emotions. so they try to pretend it does not exist. By design, corporations are emotionally barren" (Dehler & Welsh, 1994, p17).

We should not forget that organisations and corporations are made up of people. On the other hand, very few students are today interested in active or intrinsic "learning" for themselves. Most business and management degrees are sought as "stepping stones" of a promising career or an intenral promotion, i.e. the comercial use of the education is predominant. There are, indeed, some serious students but they get caught in the system that is not designed for them. The problem arises from the view that professional and personal lives are two separate entities. That keeps the human spirit out of equation. The "tough" and unflinching managers are looked upon as "good " managers. Competition and aspiration for a higher lifestyle eliminates any possibility of genuine compassion, ethics, kinship, social welfare and integrity.

The remaining article can be read at http://www.thespiritual.org/HTML/MngmtMain.htm

Regards,

srini