Hi All,
We struggled with this issue in our selection of organizations for the
International Spirit at Work Awards. How do you decide if an organization
is spiritual? Can a religious or faith-based or faith-friendly organization
be classified as spiritual?
Our Selection Committee came to the conclusion that it is impossible to
characterize any organization as "spiritual," "religious," or anything else.
Instead we agreed to look at whether or not the organization had programs,
policies, and/or practices that nourish the human spirit at work. We ask
that applicants give us examples of both vertical and horizontal dimensions
of spirituality or consciousness (from Ken Wilber). This basically means
that it is not enough to just have good human resource practices (although
that is essential), there must also be some kind of awareness of a
connection to the Transcendent, however they define that.
We have given the award to both faith-based organizations and to secular
organizations. We ask applicants to show demonstration of the ways in which
they honor all faith traditions, and we will not give the award to the
organization that is committed to proselytizing and conversion. We will
also not give the award to an organization that whose primary purpose is
disseminating the teaching of one spiritual teacher or a particular
spiritual path. (So for instance, we will not give the award to a church,
regardless of how many spiritual practices they have for employees).
That is not to say that a church couldn't be classified as a spiritual
organization. Our goal is to identify organizational practices that can be
emulated by mainstream organizations, so we think that non-religious
institutions are probably more likely to be better models.
We are now moving to an expanded operationalization of "a commitment to
nurture the human spirit in the workplace." This includes asking our
applicants to sign up for the Global Compact, which emphasizes social
justice. In the future, we will probably be asking for evidence of
corporate social responsibility and of sustainability, although there are
separate awards for those practices. I think they are an essential part of
being an organization committed to spirituality in the workplace. I wonder
if others on this MSR list agree?
If anyone is interested in seeing the way we have operationalized
"spirituality" for the International Spirit at Work awards, you can download
a copy of the application from our website at
www.spiritatwork.org.
By the way, we have one week left to receive applications for the 2008
award, so if you know of any organizations that might qualify, please
encourage them to download an application.
Basic criteria:
* 20 or more full-time paid employees
* In business for five years or more
* Explicit spiritual practice, program or policy in place for one year or
more.
The awards will be given out at the International Spirit at Work Conference
in San Francisco, October 31-November 2nd. CEOs and executives from honoree
organizations will give workshops on how they have implemented spirituality
in the workplace.
Warm Regards,
Judi Neal
Judi Neal, Ph.D.
President & CEO, International Center for Spirit at Work (ICSW)
www.spiritatwork.org
President, Judi Neal & Associates
www.judineal.com
Author of Edgewalkers: People and Organizations that Take Risks, Build
Bridges, and Break New Ground (Praeger 2006)
www.edgewalkers.org
+1 203-467-9084 office
+1 203-804-6160 mobile
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change
the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead
-----Original Message-----
From: Management, Spirituality & Religion
[mailto:
MSR@AOMLISTS.pace.edu]On Behalf Of Day, Mellani J.
Sent: Thursday, May 08, 2008 11:09 AM
To:
MSR@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
Subject: Re: Spiritual Businesses
Nick:
It sounds like you believe that religious organizations cannot be
spiritual! Of course organizations can be spiritual without being
religious, but religious organizations can also be spiritual despite the
fact that they are categorized as religious. My organization has been
categorized as religious. In the year that I have been here, I have
found it to be spiritual as well, much more so than any secular
organization I have ever worked for, and I have worked in a variety of
secular corporate and academic environments over the years.
Mellani
__________________________________________________________
Dr. Mellani Day, D.B.A.
Assistant Dean of Business and Technology
Director, Master of Business Administration Program
College of Adult and Graduate Studies
Colorado Christian University
(303) 963-3434
"...if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear
to you." Phil. 3:15b
-----Original Message-----
From: Management, Spirituality & Religion [mailto:
MSR@AOMLISTS.pace.edu]
On Behalf Of Nicholas Twigg
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 3:19 PM
To:
MSR@AOMLISTS.pace.edu
Subject: Re: Spiritual Businesses
Sorry Mark, but I do not recognize "religious" organizations as being
Spiritual. I believe that an organization can be spiritual without being
religious. Secular spiritualist if you will. :-)
Nick
Dr. Nicholas W. Twigg
Coastal Carolina University
Management, Marketing, & Law
P.O. Box 261954, Conway, SC 29528
Wall 230C
843-349-2241
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mark Russell"