Corporate Soul: The Monk within the Manager

Citation

Walz, J.T. (2007), "Corporate Soul: The Monk within the Manager", Leadership & Organization Development Journal, Vol. 28 No. 4, pp. 377-378. https://doi.org/10.1108/01437730710752247

In an ecumenical approach to business and commerce, Moid Siddiqui has assembled the wisdom of the ages to speak to leadership and management practices. In the last 30 years corporate unethical practices have damaged the social contract between business and society. Because of this, leaders and managers have been encouraged to look to their values, born out of various religious, philosophical, and cultural traditions, to run their organizations in a more ethical manner. Corporate Soul: The Monk within the Manager, by Moid Siddiqui, is the first time that I have seen anyone try to synthesize all these various perspectives to posit an approach to management that draws on the very core of wisdom. The rollercoaster of leadership and management emphasis has survived scientific management, information management, knowledge management, and now wisdom management. However, it is not so much the management of wisdom that Siddiqui reveals, but the acceptance of wisdom, and the notion that a thread of truth runs through all traditions.

Siddiqui draws on all paths of wisdom from Wu Wei, Tai Chi, Buddhism, and Hinduism, to Christianity, Judaism, Sufism, and Greek philosophy. It is clear that he has taken considerable time to understand the principle concepts that these ways to wisdom address the issues of living life. From this, he draws the reader, in an almost mystical way, into considering leadership and management practices from a place deeper than one's value system. Although I profess to a value system born out of a Christian tradition, I found myself embracing the wonderful threads of common wisdom that each religious and philosophical tradition purport. This book is not about raising one perspective above another, but about helping the reader to see that true wisdom cannot be hid under a basket. It permeates all cultures and has something of value for all leaders and managers regardless of their religious, philosophical, or cultural heritage.

Siddiqui begins with the notion that management is not a science but an art involving people. Technology is merely the tool that assists the leader/manager to do their jobs effectively. He believes that, “A spiritual revolution in the corporate world is ready to erupt” (p. 46). With the rapidly changing landscape of global enterprise and the uncertainty of our corporate future, he may just be right. Siddiqui, using the metaphor of the trapeze artist swinging from one bar to another, reinforces this by helping the reader to understand that change requires releasing one thing and grabbing on to another. However, the release and grab are not the important aspects, it is the time and space between these two events that leaders and managers have to deal with. It is here, that the emotions of fear, anticipation, anxiety, etc. all reveal themselves. It is this in‐between time where we must all reach down into the very core of who we are and what we know to soar through this space of uncertainty and complete the moment of change, only to have to reach and grab again. He doesn't end here however. Siddiqui taps into the wisdom of the great philosophers and teachers to share the importance of process, timing, calming one's ambitions, setting aside nonessentials, waiting, choosing right alliances, humility, and much more. Suffice it to say, it is simply impossible to discuss, with proper breadth and depth, the nuggets that he reveals.

It is difficult to say whether this is a philosophy book adapted to organizational management, or a book on management that draws on philosophy. Whatever one believes it to be, I am confident that anyone who takes the time to read Corporate Soul: The Monk within the Manager, will be greatly enriched both psychologically and spiritually. You may even find yourself experiencing your own spiritual revolution through a spiritual revelation. I highly recommend this book.