Thinking About Zen, Careers and Spiritual Work

As an Executive Search Consultant I'm constantly talking with people about their careers. The funny thing is that most people don't think about it that much. Certainly not as much as I thought they would considering the amount of time and effort they are putting into it. Studies show that most people spend more time at work than they do with their family. For such a huge investment of their time it's still quite rare for me to talk with a candidate who's extensively mapped out the career path they seek, or even a candidate who has put a lot of effort into understanding what makes them happy at work.

However, I can undeniably say that the candidates who are the greatest pleasure to work with are those who've taken the time to know themselves well. And more often than not those who have tend to get a great deal of satisfaction from what they do, not just their title, remuneration or the quality of company they work for. One of the best books I've read on the concept of getting satisfaction from the work you do is "Finding Flow". The concept involves searching for those moments when you feel most productive, when you are really into your work and trying to create them more regularly.

I'm currently reading another book, "Zen at Work" by Les Kaye. Kaye is interviewed online here where he gives a peek into his experience of studying Zen and why it helped him in the workplace (Kaye worked for IBM in Silicon Valley). Although he goes to great pains to say it didn't necessarily help his career, it's interesting that he obviously believes that in can be very beneficial for anyone to consider work as a spiritual practice:

Through continued Zen meditation practice, one comes to recognize that work is a spiritual activity, not just a way to earn a living. As this recognition subtly grows and takes shape, the individual very naturally approaches work with a more giving, selfless attitude. Work becomes less stressful, more joyful and creative, more collaborative as the individual becomes more reflective and less reactive in responding to work situations.

I'm most interested in whether Kaye's ideas on work being a spiritual activity can help people find more enjoyment at work. Not necessarily for any type of spiritual benefit, but mostly in the search for happiness. As Kaye says in the interview, the world of work has become more and more difficult. There are more things trying to take our time than ever before and less security as well. So if work is such a huge part of life, it would seem to be excruciatingly painful for that time to be without joy. Yet it's my experience that this is certainly the case for many people.

What's the next step? I'm just not sure, I think that the concept is wonderful, but is difficult to grasp and just the idea of "spiritual" is likely to turn a lot of people off immediately. However, I truly believe that if you are going to find happiness in your career, or even just in your everyday work then considering a search for deeper meaning than just pay and benefits could be the answer. Although it mightn't necessarily be Zen or "Flow", I do believe the search would be beneficial. And if you've found another way, then feel free to share in the comments.

 

Comments

[Simon Young]

Nice post! I nearly jumped for joy the other day when I heard Michael Gerber, author of the E-Myth, describe being an entrepreneur as a spiritual activity.

Great quote: "Spirituality is more pragmatic than we thought, and pragmatism is more spiritual than we thought"

Starting my career in a very odd way as I did (working at a non-profit Christian ministry) I've always thought of career as a calling. I believe that's what the idea of a profession originally was - something of a vocation.

Of course, we don't have lifelong jobs any more, but that doesn't make me believe any less in the sense of work as a calling.

What do I get out of this belief system? Security. If I'm called to my work, that doesn't come out of someone else's caprice, but instead from God - or the Universe, or the Force, or the Flying Spaghetti monster, depending on your creed.

So if God's put me where I need to be, I can make courageous decisions. I don't have to worry about losing my job because I can never lose a calling. Unless, of course, I decide to give it up.

[Steven]

Simon, thanks for the great comment. I think you've completely validated my point. The fact that you see your career as a calling gives you value that external influences just can't provide. So we can add that seeing your work as a calling from God, the Force, Yoda or whatever you believe in is another way to find greater joy (and we can add security and courage to the list) in your career. I wonder how many people feel this way about their work, and if those that do get greater enjoyment out of it? Perhaps a poll is in order.

[Ben]

This is a really interesting post Steven. After being raised a Catholic, I went through an extremely atheist period, and have more recently been feeling a distinct lack of spirituality in my life.

I'm certainly not going back to Christian dogma and their One God, but delving into Zen has been a real eye opener. Your post raises an interesting point that perhaps using an external spirituality as a way to 'make up for' or 'deal with' an unfulfilling job is not the right approach. Perhaps looking for a spiritual connection with your work is another way? I can see this working even if you're not 100% in love with your job, just as some Zen masters say that even bad meditation is 'good', as long as you take the time to observe it.

[Steven]

Great point Ben, if even bad meditation is good and all things we do in life can be done with mindfulness then even a job you initially don't like can become rewarding. I like this because it takes the onus off of the "job" or your "manager" or "company" for creating your happiness.

I did a educational psych class at Uni where the lecturer told us the key point to being a teacher is making sure the kids always think their effort is the key to results. Once they believe external factors are responsible for producing their results they will be really hard to turn around. They lose that drive because they feel out of control. In the case of work, I think we sometimes too quickly let outside factors be the reasons for our unhappiness. Reclaiming that through zen, a higher calling, or the force (or whatever) is a very valuable act.

[Pat McHenry Sullivan]

Thanks for this exchange! Les Kaye's book is one of about 150 in the Spirit and Work Resource Center library my husband and I created. We also have collected hundreds of articles from major media (Forbes, Fortune, Industry Week) and professional journals (e.g., Training magazine and the Law Practice Management quarterly of the American Bar Association). Throughout there is the theme that when you bring spirit to work, it's more meaningful, ethical and satisfying for the workers and everyone he or she impacts.

If you are ever in the Berkeley, CA area, come use the library without cost. We always love getting new information and resources to share. We recently created spiritandworkresourcecenter.com as a labor of love to pass on some of these resources. Currently most of the articles there are ones by me, because I have the rights to those, including an article by world religions scholar Huston Smith on the wisdom of all the world's faiths to work, but we're in the midst of creating a lot of links to similar online articles and bloga (like this one). We also welcome articles in this field for posting.

Personally, I found I had to integrate spirit and work about 13 years when my husband was out of work, we went through the long illnesses and deaths of 3 family members on the other side of the country, and I was in a joy I didn't like. Once I got off my spiritual high horse, I found in a huge corporate law firm a world of kindred spirits and meaningful practices hidden in open sight. I also found the soul of the legal profession and now find great joy in helping to promote spirit and law.

Just imagine: a world filled with people who bless their work and do it as a calling! We're all able to help make that happen! Thanks again and many blessings for all your work.

[Steven]

I find it really interesting Pat that you were able to find in open sight (and at a law firm) meaningful practice. And that it was once you got off your "high horse" as you described it that made the difference. I'm guessing that you'd feel it's really a personal change then to get to this kind of calling rather than a organizational or business change?

[Pat McHenry Sullivan]

Re your great comment, Steve, all organizational and business change starts with one person! Maybe you read a book, share a concern or resource with a friend over lunch or get inspired in another way. Next, you put the new thought into practice, and when you dare talk to others, you find kindred spirits all over the place -- especially with the internet, or special interest groups in your field, etc. T

When I got off my spiritual high horse, I discovered the Bay Area Organizational Development Network, which was having its first meetings on spirit and work in about 1996. They invited me to come to the meetings; I soon had an assignment to photograph "workplace altars" in law firms and other surprising places, or stories of how people keep spirit alive in work. That led to invitations to speak, an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, then a series of columns, now books and talks, etc.

Everyone tells me the same story: it would be great if all organizations were more receptive to meaning, purpose, joy, etc., but you don't have to wait until such activities are approved. Just do it respectfully and discreetly, and your work will change for the better. The issue of religious practices at work is a whole other story with lots of HR and legal ramifications, but generally people are pretty sophisticated at drawing wisdom for work from all the world's faiths. Want more? Check my book, Work with Meaning, Work with Joy, or other great books on the subject.

[Steven]

Thanks a lot Pat. I think it's so important that people stop waiting for their organization to "be more receptive" or "provide direction". There is a lot of search on the outside when the focus I think needs to start with the self.