Lead Like a Monk

"""That millions of workers changed jobs or left the workforce all together in the wake of the global pandemic suggests something drastically wrong with the current culture of work. Too many of us experience our work as soul-less. This book shows that it doesn't have to be that way. It demonstrates not only why we are drawn to work that has meaning, but how we can make of our work a nourishment for the soul. Father Grun draws from a most unlikely source, the 6th century The Rule of St. Benedict, written as a guide for monks seeking a contemplative life. Yet, ensconced in this slender text is practical guidance and psychological wisdom that remains as relevant as ever. It is a vision of work in which the most successful leaders put people and principles first. It is a vision of success that means placing one's personal ambitions in the service of the common good. This is absolutely the right book at the right time in our history--necessary reading for all seeking to bring both mind and soul to work."" --Judith Valente, author of How To Live: What The Rule of St. Benedict Teaches Us About Happiness, Meaning and Community and The Art of Pausing: Meditations for the Overworked and Overwhelmed ""For those who believe monks have nothing to teach us about life outside a cloister, this wonderful and insightful book is a gentle admonition to think again. Although they have endured for over a thousand years, monasteries do not run themselves. Like any other common human endeavor, they thrive under good shepherds and wither under bad ones. In this book, Anselm Grün harnesses the wisdom of centuries of experience, distills the essence of effective monastic leadership, and translates it into common-sense concepts and practical principles us non-monks can readily apply in our own various communities."" --Michael Patrick O'Brien, author of Monastery Mornings: My Unusual Boyhood Among the Saints and Monks"