“Business as a Calling Work and the Examined Life ”
Michael Novak
If you have gone into business, have earned some considerable income, and somehow feel guilty about your “materialistic achievements,” listen to what the author says: “A career in business is not only a morally serious vocation but a morally noble one.”
You are a member of the academe or of some “noble” professions. You somehow have drifted into a small-scale business that now “creates wealth” for you and your workers. Problem is, you feel you now travel the low road of materialism. But, listen to this book:
“The heart of capitalism…is constituted by creative wit and the sheer joy of creating something solid, substantial, lasting and worth losing one’s shirt for. The zest is in the creating, The money that may (or may not) follow us more akin to public recognition than it is in itself.”
This does not sound like an enterprise driven by greed.
Then the author reveals, after studying the lives of famous wealth creators: “To most creators, the money itself is boring.”
The book, “Business as a Calling,” authored by Michael Novak, 246 pages, is subtitles Work and the Examined Life. It takes off from a Greek philosopher’s declaration: “An unexamined life is not worth living.” In that subtitle alone, Novak declared his belief that, after examining the “world of work” – engagingly laying its theological and philosophical basis – he arrives at the expected conclusion: Work is a ministry.
The author gives one the impression that he is a philosopher, theologian and political scientist – all rolled into one – investigating the ethical anchors of capitalism and business. As a matter of fact, Novak is a theologian, US ambassador, author and professor on Religion and Public Policy at the American Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C.
In this book, Novak revisits the landmarks thought of Adam Smith (author of “An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations”), Karl Marx (author of “Das Kapital”), and other famous names in political, economic and religious thought.
Novak regales us with little known facts, like: it was Karl Marx who gave the classic definition of capitalism, the idea Marx “hated fiercely.”
In a scholarly attempt to balance his understandable bias for capitalism and democracy, he also notes people’s low regard for businessmen, notably their loose moral, insatiable greed, and exploitative impulses. He quickly counters, however, that industrialists – anchored on sound moral foundations and governed by the principles of services and fair play – also abound.
The author seems to have a long-running debate with a socialist – or with an anti-capitalist. For example, on capitalism and the poor, he argues: “Capitalism makes it possible for the vast majority of the poor to break out of the prison of poverty; to find opportunity;…to rise into the middle class and higher. Watch the crowds on the streets of free nations: they walk the walk of the free.” It’s hard not to agree with Novak.
This nook devotes considerable pages on people’s “calling.” Novak admits that the word has a religious connotation to it and, in the process, elevates one’s work in business approximating the calling of, say, a priest, a minister or a nun.
A Catholic theologian, Novak quotes from Pope John Paul II to Augustine, from poet William Blake to British Prime Minister Tony Blair, from Kant to Kazantzakis, and from Plato to M. Scott Peck.
The remarkable think, though – considering the impressive array of ideas of thought leaders separated by centuries – is that the book has the discipline and coherence of a scholar who has more than a superficial appreciation of diverse philosophical and theological thinking.
Anyway, if we are not interested in this panorama of thought, the book will still be very useful to us, because it provides a well-argued ethical basis of why business is a “calling.” Often, friends chide businessmen for their endless pursuit of money, when businessmen know well enough that it’s not only money, but the joy of perfecting a craft.
It’s not really greed but the need to have enough economic power so that they can serve others. It’s not the perverse desire to decimate a competitor, but the thrill of putting together a strategy that wins. That’s why this book succeeds where lame or feeble answers from enterprise managers fail.
A bonus from this books is an entire chapter on philanthropy, titled: Giving it all away.” The chapter takes off from Andrew Carnegie’s dilemma (of Carnegie Hall fame) on how he can dispose of his wealth – because he cannot, obviously so, live forever, Read on and learn how Carnegie solved his dilemma – to the eternal of many.
How to read this book? First, scan it to get its drift. Then, on second reading, explore the thought slowly. I’m not saying that you will love the book but, I know, that you will end up loving your business calling over again. Yes, you will exult with the author when he uses this quote:
“Enterprise is the creation of surprise”
Sunday, July 30, 2000
Sunday, July 23, 2000
Modern day fable on decision making
“Who moved my Cheese”
Spencer Johnson, M.D.,
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1998
It is somehow disconcerting – and unflattering – to read a book where two little mice are smarter that two little people (the book has to use “little people” in an attempt to cut them to the size of rodents).
In this slim book, the truth unsettles. Mice, by simply trusting instincts, find and get what they want (a big piece of cheese!) faster than humans. We, people, are slowed down by such needless baggage as anxiety, a “settler” mentality, and preoccupation with social standing. Of course, one can quickly add that cheese is the territory of mice, not people. But, by saying that, we are already conceding that we cannot even beat rats in their own game of chasing cheese! Which worsens out case.
And yet this book, “Who moved my Cheese?” is a charming modern day fable that portrays the foibles of little men – apply called “Hem” and “Haw” – and shows us how we can learn a lesson or two from a tandem of mice named “Sniff” and “Scurry.”
The two rodents in this book are better decision makers due to their simplistic thinking process, as contrasted to the two rat-sized men who are caught in a complex web of issues and concerns.
The author, Spencer Johnson – co-author of Kenneth Blanchard in the highly popular “The One Minute Manager” – has made sure he gives us hints on the character of the four creatures. Sniff and Scurry are in the never-ending activity of noting scents of cheese and of constantly running around. Hem and Haw, in contrast, are in the blissful state of believing that their “cheese” will be there forever, and are thus completely unprepared for a situation when the cheese disappears.
The 94-page book has four main parts: (1) a seven-page Foreword titled “The Story Behind the Story,” (2) “A Gathering: Chicago,” that reads like a Prologue (when former high school classmates gather for lunch, one of whom tells the Story); (3) the Story itself; and (4) “A Discussion,” that reads like an Epilogue, when the classmates interpret and apply the story to their lives.
The charming story is only 51 pages long, right in the middle of the book – which is only 54 percent of the entire opus. When I first got the book, I decided to skip the preliminaries, refusing to be influenced by so much commentary and annotation – and went direct to the story on Page 25 and never put it down until the end of the tale on Page 76. I never regretted going to the “cheese,” If you will, and this enjoyed its charm, richness and layers and layers of meanings.
The turning point of the story is when the Cheese at Station C disappeared.
The two mice responded one way. Narrates the author: They weren’t surprised. Since Sniff and Scurry had noticed the supply of cheese had been getting smaller every day, they were prepared for the inevitable and knew instinctively what to do.
As for the two little people, the author narrates: They were unprepared for what they found. “What! No Cheese?” Hem yelled. He continued yelling, “No Cheese? No Cheese?” as though if he shouted loud enough someone would put it back. “Who moved my Cheese?” he hollered. Finally, he put his hands on his hips, his face turned red, and he screamed at the top of his voice, “It’s not fair!”
Sounds familiar? The author, a medical doctor, knows us fellow humans only too well. No wonder, the mice are destined to get another Cheese Station first. The rodents declared, “It’s Maze time!” meaning, off they go through the Maze (translated: Life). But that is getting ahead of the story.
The story is an inexhaustible wellspring of simple truths and insights about life – not only about preparing fro change as the annotations have so belabored the point. I suggest that you read that story first. The fable reads like poetry, astonishing us with glimpses of truth with such simplicity. That reminds me of the dysfunctional role of paraphrase (the commentary covers almost half of this book) for a piece of work. A work of art, said one poet,
“…can not be repeated in paraphrase,
It is not a thought, but a grace.”
Human creations – paintings, poems and fables – possess a grace anad a life all their own. Viewers and readers can get from these works much more that even the creator intended. “Who Moved My Cheese?” – in the tradition of “The Little Prince” – is a book that executives, managers and all others can read once, twice and many more times – and still discover more gems of truth and grace about ourselves each time.
As for Cheese, like the proverbial cake, you cannot have your cheese and eat it too. If this very simple truism still escapes you – whether you are at the executive suite, the work place or at home – you need a turning point and say, “It’s Maze time!”
Spencer Johnson, M.D.,
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, New York, 1998
It is somehow disconcerting – and unflattering – to read a book where two little mice are smarter that two little people (the book has to use “little people” in an attempt to cut them to the size of rodents).
In this slim book, the truth unsettles. Mice, by simply trusting instincts, find and get what they want (a big piece of cheese!) faster than humans. We, people, are slowed down by such needless baggage as anxiety, a “settler” mentality, and preoccupation with social standing. Of course, one can quickly add that cheese is the territory of mice, not people. But, by saying that, we are already conceding that we cannot even beat rats in their own game of chasing cheese! Which worsens out case.
And yet this book, “Who moved my Cheese?” is a charming modern day fable that portrays the foibles of little men – apply called “Hem” and “Haw” – and shows us how we can learn a lesson or two from a tandem of mice named “Sniff” and “Scurry.”
The two rodents in this book are better decision makers due to their simplistic thinking process, as contrasted to the two rat-sized men who are caught in a complex web of issues and concerns.
The author, Spencer Johnson – co-author of Kenneth Blanchard in the highly popular “The One Minute Manager” – has made sure he gives us hints on the character of the four creatures. Sniff and Scurry are in the never-ending activity of noting scents of cheese and of constantly running around. Hem and Haw, in contrast, are in the blissful state of believing that their “cheese” will be there forever, and are thus completely unprepared for a situation when the cheese disappears.
The 94-page book has four main parts: (1) a seven-page Foreword titled “The Story Behind the Story,” (2) “A Gathering: Chicago,” that reads like a Prologue (when former high school classmates gather for lunch, one of whom tells the Story); (3) the Story itself; and (4) “A Discussion,” that reads like an Epilogue, when the classmates interpret and apply the story to their lives.
The charming story is only 51 pages long, right in the middle of the book – which is only 54 percent of the entire opus. When I first got the book, I decided to skip the preliminaries, refusing to be influenced by so much commentary and annotation – and went direct to the story on Page 25 and never put it down until the end of the tale on Page 76. I never regretted going to the “cheese,” If you will, and this enjoyed its charm, richness and layers and layers of meanings.
The turning point of the story is when the Cheese at Station C disappeared.
The two mice responded one way. Narrates the author: They weren’t surprised. Since Sniff and Scurry had noticed the supply of cheese had been getting smaller every day, they were prepared for the inevitable and knew instinctively what to do.
As for the two little people, the author narrates: They were unprepared for what they found. “What! No Cheese?” Hem yelled. He continued yelling, “No Cheese? No Cheese?” as though if he shouted loud enough someone would put it back. “Who moved my Cheese?” he hollered. Finally, he put his hands on his hips, his face turned red, and he screamed at the top of his voice, “It’s not fair!”
Sounds familiar? The author, a medical doctor, knows us fellow humans only too well. No wonder, the mice are destined to get another Cheese Station first. The rodents declared, “It’s Maze time!” meaning, off they go through the Maze (translated: Life). But that is getting ahead of the story.
The story is an inexhaustible wellspring of simple truths and insights about life – not only about preparing fro change as the annotations have so belabored the point. I suggest that you read that story first. The fable reads like poetry, astonishing us with glimpses of truth with such simplicity. That reminds me of the dysfunctional role of paraphrase (the commentary covers almost half of this book) for a piece of work. A work of art, said one poet,
“…can not be repeated in paraphrase,
It is not a thought, but a grace.”
Human creations – paintings, poems and fables – possess a grace anad a life all their own. Viewers and readers can get from these works much more that even the creator intended. “Who Moved My Cheese?” – in the tradition of “The Little Prince” – is a book that executives, managers and all others can read once, twice and many more times – and still discover more gems of truth and grace about ourselves each time.
As for Cheese, like the proverbial cake, you cannot have your cheese and eat it too. If this very simple truism still escapes you – whether you are at the executive suite, the work place or at home – you need a turning point and say, “It’s Maze time!”
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)