ABSTRACT
As described throughout this book, the growing spiritual revival in today’s society (see Ali 2001; Gunther 2001; Woodward 2001) is having profound effects in many organizational settings. Whether it be lunchtime meetings of executives discussing how to “listen to their hearts,” CEOs who have dedicated their businesses to serving a higher power, or business school conferences organized to debate the role of God in the workplace, the sentiments embodied in the still timely comments of television writer and producer Norman Lear and popular author Stephen Covey above are apparently widespread and reflect how many of us feel about the current state of organizational life. In fact, there is ample evidence to suggest that the needs for connectedness, purpose, and meaning are so pervasive and so deeply felt that the actions taken by individuals at every organizational level to address these needs are changing how we think about the ways we work, do business, and lead the organizations we create.
