Taking Your Soul to Work

“In the relentless busyness of modern life we have lost the rhythm between work and rest and for the want of rest our very lives are in danger.”^[i] This dire warning is offered by Wayne Muller in his book Sabbath.  He suggests that most Americans are simply exhausted by the relentless pressure toward action and accomplishment and promises of more; be it more money, recognition, satisfaction, love, information, influence, possessions or security. He concludes that without time for true rest, or Sabbath, we are unable to listen to the still small voice of inner wisdom.  As such we are unable to remember where we are most deeply nourished nor can we see clearly the shape and texture of the people and things before us. We also believe this lack of clarity makes it difficult, if not impossible, to lead with integrity and authenticity.

As leaders, if we focus solely on the American social script of ambition and achievement, it is easy to lose track of who we are and thus forfeit the opportunity to cultivate a deeper sense of personal purpose and soulfulness in our work. When our capacity to hear the voice of our soul is diminished we become alienated from the very experiences and behaviors that are life-giving and which sustain and invigorate us, as well as, our organizations and communities. However, when leaders intentionally align a sense of soul with their work they can reconcile this alienating division and revitalize their leadership.

What does it mean to bring your soul to your work?

Integrating a sense of soul into our work involves cultivating the qualities of self-awareness, compassion for others, integrity in our actions, grace and hospitality in addition to “soul work”, competence and expertise in our vocation.  “Soul work” is the recognition that while we must hone our technical expertise, we must also attend to the development of our inner authenticity and authority. Such work generates alignment between values and actions tapping the full potential of the human spirit. From this process leaders begin to foster trust and shape environments where respect for both the work and the individual are evident. In short, integrating the wisdom of the soul into our work evokes the deepest talents and gifts we have to offer and leads to enhanced fulfillment.

Admittedly, holding a space for the soul is more challenging than any other kind of leadership.  Talking about the soul of an organization, or exploring our personal sense of the soul in the context of our professional lives is far from mainstream business practice, let alone the focus of most organizational leadership training.  Most organizations focus their training and professional development on the technical and intellectual pursuits that are perceived to enhance performance and garner stronger bottom line results.  However, a focus on the soul within the context of the organization places emphasis on the integration of the organizational mission throughout all aspects of the organization's practice.  When the mission becomes the touchstone against which key decisions are made, leaders are called upon to discern how their individual and collective actions reflect the core values and beliefs of the organization.  As this alignment evolves it releases a great sense of synergy, creativity, and often renewed commitment.  Welcoming the soul in the environments where we work strengthens the quality of our leadership and generates a wake of goodwill that ultimately flows from individuals, to organizations to communities and beyond.

To focus on the inner aspects of leadership takes time and discipline.  Time of course is precious in most work settings where downsizing and economic challenges results in hiring freezes and people often managing more than their ideal workload. Sadly, despite the fact that we have mastered amazing advances in technology and communication, which have jettisoned us into a global economy, such advances have done little to slow the pace of our corporate or private lives and have not created sense of balance, harmony or space for deeper reflection on the meaning of our work.  Few leaders are able to avoid blurring the lines of work and personal time, making it difficult for most to find an effective work life balance.  However, we owe it to ourselves, and to those we lead, to create time for this sustaining, vital soul work. 

Integrating Soul and Work

We have found that evoking the soul can happen through simple yet intentional behaviors that honor the human spirit and acknowledge the deeper meaning of our vocational contributions.  For example, a colleague who is a health care administrator for a large hospital system sends personalized messages of gratitude to all his colleagues on a regular basis, usually on cards that preview the work of a new local artist.  A university professor faithfully invites her students for one-on-one conversations to ask what is happening in their lives and inquire how she can best support their academic aspirations and personal goals.  A veterinarian welcomes children to spend time in her clinic including them in her daily routine while encouraging them to pursue their own career dreams.  Welcoming the soul is exemplified by the engineer in an international corporation who fosters trust and customer loyalty by addressing complaints and concerns with a commitment to resolving problems immediately rather than wasting energy assigning blame.

We have had the pleasure of working with an executive for many years who, without fail, creates an atmosphere of trust and confidence with all those with whom she interacts.  She is a dynamic leader whose commitment to those with whom she works is as strong as the commitment she has to her own professional success and personal happiness.   On a regular basis she inspires people with her transparency, humor and capacity to bring out the best in others.  On any given day, one can hear her articulating the valuable contributions of her colleagues and her clients.  She is simultaneously clear about her own abilities as well as her shortcomings, and generally creates an atmosphere that blends hard work with much laughter and a willingness to honor mistakes as part of the learning process. She lives the intended meaning of the ancient Native American saying, “The spirit in me honors the spirit in you”.  Her simple yet intentional actions exemplify not only taking one's soul to work, but welcoming the soul in others.

Recognizing the Soul at Work

Some of the qualities we have noticed in people who skillfully integrate the soul into their work include a commitment to extending grace and compassion, a dedication to creating hospitable space and opportunities for thoughtful reflection on the meaning and quality of the work being done. Those who integrate the soul into their work have a capacity to evoke the best in others raising the overall sense of self-esteem and accomplishment among colleagues. Soul-filled leaders define themselves by who they are rather than by what they do.  They are people who, as Brian Mahan suggests in Forgetting Ourselves on Purpose^[ii], have learned to do an end-run around the American ambition script of fame, fortune and power to access more meaningful, soulful success and vocational fulfillment.  In discerning the soul in our work settings, we are wise to notice those times when our being and doing are so closely integrated that our work becomes an extension of who we are and what we most deeply value and love.  It's about noticing those times when we become lost in the beauty and fulfillment of our work as our best talents and energy are applied to our craft.

The Integrated Work of Leadership

Through our leadership development work with thousands of individuals and leadership teams around the world, we have discerned effective practices that help to circumvent the ever-accelerating busyness and the often spirit-devoid prescription for success.  Ki ThoughtBridge offers a process for the integration of soul and leadership through our Integrated Work of Leadership© curriculum. This process guides leaders through an analysis of their leadership history and experiences of building trust-based relationships.  The training offers insights on how to read one's current reality truthfully and how to discern a deep awareness of personal mission.  The process offers a respite from the daily demands of leadership and integrates adaptive practices such as respecting diversity, cultivating courage, practicing silence and solitude and leading change with authority and integrity. In the end, the process leads individuals to give voice to their deepest sense of purpose and vocational vision. As leaders complete this process and integrate the practices and habits of inner work into their daily routines, they report a stronger sense of confidence, greater alignment between their actions and their values, and ultimately their soul becomes evident in and through their work.

Taking one's soul to work is a choice that can restore meaning and joy and helps us to re-claim vocational vitality.  With commitment and a clear intention to listen to one's internal voice and deepest convictions, our leadership and our lives become inspired, renewed and transformed.