The Spirit and the Soul of Business
Business can be an endeavor that supports a transcendent purpose and rich meaning.
As a quest, business provides the opportunity to band together with others and undertake a journey. Business is indeed the structure that shapes our planet in the 21st century and provides an opportunity for transformation. Business is merely a construct for humans in relationship with each other to live deeper and more spiritual lives. Business as a spiritual practice is Evolutionary, in that it provides a context for humans to transcend into a greater purpose, oneness, and impact and a context to descend into depth, emotion, healing, and identity.
The spirit of business is all things transcendental. It is upwards and outwards. it is filled with energy and possibility. The opportunity to ascend, to have a purpose, and add value and energy to the world. The spirit of business is all things mission, purpose, and higher good. Humans banding together over a common purpose provides a collective spiritual quest, where the tribal nature of humans revolves around a shared sense of evolution. A felt sense of energy is created and the culture becomes a place that unleashes human potential. When a sense of spirit is alive in a business there is a great sense of momentum and almost zealotry towards the commonly shared ascent. Large-scale emotional buy-in to a business is actually quite rare, but when it exists, great things happen. The moonshot was an example of spirit alive; large-scale energy galvanized towards something beyond what was possible. Late nights and almost ascetic commitments to the cause are a hallmark of spirit in business.
Spirit is also a place of potential, of realization into the true nature of things and in this way, business is a place for individuals to realize their true nature and grow up. Given the amount of time people spend at work, it is the primary place where people learn, test, and grow. They move up the ladder to greater heights of contribution and leadership. They find themselves looking to the heavens on a spiritual journey.
The soul of business is downward into the earth. It is identity, emotion, feelings, relationships. The place of expressiveness and essence. A sense of soulfulness is known as a sense of depth, expression, and truth. The soul of business is the journey into the earth, where the slow nature of humanity plays out. It is a place of healing. Business is a place of healing. People go to work to recreate patterns that have haunted them, although most are unaware this journey is in front of them. Appropriate leadership development cultivates a sense of soul. The leader that can find the power of expression finds the power of influence and followership. Healing oneself in leadership creates gravitas, which people experience as presence. Presence is soul.
A shared sense of soul is a deep connection to the essence of the organization. The deep bedrock of who it is, the construct of the deepest levels of its identity. Once this is discovered, it too becomes a rallying point and brings forth the best parts of the collective. Powerful organizations have a defined and embedded sense of soul, that manifests itself in rituals, symbols, jargon, and vernacular. Speeches are given that honor the collective soul, values that come alive in the displays of humanity.
Both are important. Mission and values. Transcendence and eminence. People have a hunger for the uplift of spirit and the connective eminence of soul.
