Timeless, practical principles in a dynamic workplace

“The Wisdom of Solomon at Work”
By Charles C. Manz, et al
Berrett-Koehler Publishers, 2001


One remarkable thing is happening in the workplace even in this much bandied about century characterized by speed and frenzied change: The concept of “soul” is reclaiming an area once reserved for revenue generation and profit making. Suddenly, the concrete corporate jungle is now seen as a “living” organism, having a life of its own, influencing the people in it even as the people are in turn giving it “soul.”

Another remarkable trend has been noted. Graduate management schools are churning more and more books that go back to antiquity, retrace the “ancient paths,” and cull from such a journey timeless principles that will confer meaning to an increasingly absurd existence and offer principles that truly keep your body and soul together – in a much deeper sense.

A supreme irony has been noted in this age of high-speed technology: in the midst of an explosion of information, there is very limited understanding; in an age that has put knowledge on a pedestal, there is no wisdom; in a century full of techniques, principles have become elusive.

The book “Wisdom of Solomon at Work” is a noteworthy attempt to distill life and work principles from the lives, words and insights of five known characters of the Hebrew Bible – or the Old Testament as is commonly known to us. And lest you suspect that the viewpoint caters to one form of religion, the authors are quick to add that all four of them represent a religious heritage in the Jewish, Catholic and Protestant traditions – all of which trace their roots to Hebrew.

“The Wisdom of Solomon is a holistic perspective that moves us toward a sense of personal integrity where we desire to boldly act out of a set of beliefs and values regardless of the situation in which we find ourselves,” the authors say, adding that “struggle, challenge, and change are at the core of our wisdom perspective.”

The book chose five Biblical characters with pronounced virtues; faith for Job, courage for David, compassion for Ruth, integrity and justice for Moses, and wisdom for Solomon. The authors add that the virtues are “interactive” – one virtue building on another. To summarize, they say: “Faith can establish the courage to act with compassion.”

Of course, the principles are not as neat as that – because the authors presented the five Biblical characters as “flesh-and-blood,” not convenient caricatures. In other words, they are not saints, only forgiven.

The obvious event to demonstrate David’s courage was his encounter with Goliath, but the authors have chosen to zero in on the Israelite king’s “deeper courage when he faced his own mistakes.” It was David who took a woman who was someone else’s wife, tried many cover-ups to hide his secret sin when Batsheba said “I was pregnant” – and, when everything else failed, he sent Batsheba’s real husband to the frontline and thus die in raging battle. (Our Senate committee hearings discuss cover-up attempts, hidden bank accounts, destroying the evidence and summary executions. Alas, nothing has changed!)

The book has gone even further, as it encourages top executives “to incorporate wisdom into our personal and work lives,” by going through a three-step process: recognize, reconcile and reconstruct.

It was convenient in the past to maintain a dichotomy between “business realities” and “ethics born of ancient Biblical principles.” The book wants the readers to think through the tension and, perhaps, find a common ground. The authors recommend carrying a “spiritual backpack.”

What is inside this “backpack.” It must contain, they say, a mix of stories, legends, and ethical principles from our religious/ethical heritage” that should be handy to the executive when faced with choices and decisions.

You ask: Aren’t spiritual issues passé in a secular world governed by business principles, corporate culture and the world’s best practices? The authors reply: “Spiritual issues are central to the challenges of worklife… Our vast cultural and technological change has moved us to seek sources of social stability, meaning, and purpose.”

Efficiency and productivity – the gods of commerce – could result from effective organizational structures and judicious data analysis; “but spirit and meaning,” if you believe the book, “can often spell the difference between an organization that thrives and one that merely exists.”

DZFE, the only classic station in the Philippines, has been successful because it appeals to hard-nosed businessmen by bringing to its listeners the “finer things in life” – appropriately called the “The Master’s Touch.” This book somehow falls under the category of offering you something finer and deeper – and, yes, rare.