The idea that business can be a spiritual practice is bizarre to some but a reality for Fred Kofman, myself and a growing number of mainstream business people. We’re coming out of the meaning closet on a daily basis. Conscious Business by Fred Kofman is the best book on the notion of business as a spiritual practice I have read. No ungrounded theorist, Fed Kofman has worked with a large number of blue-chip companies (e.g. Yahoo, Microsoft, GM, Shell) over the years and this book is as much practical “nuts and bolts” as visionary treatise.
So who is Fred Kofman anyway? With forwards by both philosophical omelette-head Ken Wilber and business guru Peter Senge he certainly must host some interesting dinner parties. Originally from Argentina (and influenced by the linguistics of fellow Argentinean Fernando Flores) Fred Kofman was a much loved MIT professor before becoming associated with the integral crowd (omelettes not eggs – get it? )
Anyway…Conscious Business contains a number of great ideas which Fred Kofman elegantly brings together (few are “his”). Ken Wilber in the foreword defines conscious business as “business that takes into account body, mind and spirit in self, culture and nature.” So integral basically. He suggest taking these into account not because it is nice but because they are at work anyway. This to me is the heart of the matter – conscious business works better as it is more complete.
Here are some of the chapter titles to give you a feel:
Unconditional Responsibility
The notion that conscious employees take responsibility for their choices rather than blaming others. Making them “response-able” rather than being a victim.
Essential Integrity
Acting from values to achieve what Fred Kofman calls “success beyond success” – win or loose you still win if you’ve operated with integrity. Process over outcome.
Ontological Humility
Knowing the difference between observations and evaluations – facts and opinions. Multiple truths and seeing others points of view.
Authentic Communication and Constructive Negotiation
Essentially Fred Kofman’s approach to communication is like Non Violent Communication – focusing on underlying needs and standards, making clear requests, “detoxifying” language, looking for “win-wins”, openness , empathy, etc.
Impeccable Coordination
Fred brings to play the linguistic distinctions of Fernando Flores and others masterfully to show how people can coordinate action.
Emotional Mastery
All the skills above rely on emotional intelligence as per Daniel Goleman. A somatic (embodied) anger would add to the books content in this section, as this part of “body, mind and culture” is largely missing.
Another question for me is where are the book’s practices? It shows wonderful model and has some lovely stories but HOW do you put them into place?
Fred concludes by describing work that can be “self actualising” and also discusses flow states at work. There is also a wonderful quote towards the end of the book which I’d like to end with:
“Contrary to business school doctrine, “maximising shareholder wealth” has into been the dominant driving force of [exceptional] companies…Yes, they seek profits, but they’re equally guided by…core values and a sense of purpose beyond just making money. Yet, paradoxically, the visionary companies make more money than more purely profit-driven comparison companies” – Jim Colin and Jerry I Porras
My own conscious UK based training business is can be found here.
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Business So What: wake up