Margaret Benefiel, Ph.D.Executive Soulwww.ExecutiveSoul.com
The Soul of Care
Overview
Last night: Soulful leadership in tough times
This morning: The soul of care
Definitions
Soul: a person’s or organization’s deepest core (May, 2004)
Leader: Leaders influence people to wrestle with conflicts in values, or with gaps between stated and lived values (Heifetz).
Choosing the PathFollowing the heartFinding partnersDaring to dream
Staying on TrackKeeping mission at the forePracticing gratitudeBattling for the soul
Persevering to the EndBreaking the cycle of violencePersevering to the endFinding spiritual guidance
The Soul of Care
Choosing the PathFollowing the heartFinding partnersDaring to dream
Staying on TrackKeeping mission at the forePracticing gratitudeBattling for the soul
Persevering to the EndBreaking the cycle of violencePersevering to the endFinding spiritual guidance
The Soul of Care
Following the Heart, Finding Partners
Rabbi Samuel Karff
Spiritual foundations of healthcare
“Nobody can take away my power to heal.”
-- Sacred Vocation Program
Morsi Mansour
The dream: Healthcare for all
The means: Empowering nurses
-- Aswan Regional Healthcare Project
Daring to Dream
Choosing the PathFollowing the heartFinding partnersDaring to dream
Staying on TrackKeeping mission at the forePracticing gratitudeBattling for the soul
Persevering to the EndBreaking the cycle of violencePersevering to the endFinding spiritual guidance
The Soul of Care
Jim Sanger
Operationalizing the mission
-- St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Hospital
Keeping Mission at the Fore
Meg Clapp
Goal: Operationalizing the mission
Means: Shifting the culture through gratitude
-- Mass. General Hospital Pharmacy
Practicing Gratitude
Expansive Cycle of Gratitude
Meg makes habit of thanking employees regularly
MGH Pharmacy team practices gratitude
Meg finds her heart expanded; she develops a thankful heart
Atmosphere in group shifts; a culture of gratitude is created.
Doing Being
Individual
Group
Jean Quinn
Goal: Thriving teams
Means: Ongoing support
-- Sophia Housing
Battling for the Soul
Choosing the PathFollowing the heartFinding partnersDaring to dream
Staying on TrackKeeping mission at the forePracticing gratitudeBattling for the soul
Persevering to the EndBreaking the cycle of violencePersevering to the endFinding spiritual guidance
The Soul of Care
Genny Nelson
Goal: a safe place to be nurtured and to heal
Means: practicing nonviolence
-- Sisters of the Road Café
Breaking the Cycle of Violence
Bob Carlson
Enduring Dark Nights
-- Reell Precision Manufacturing
Persevering to the End
The Leader’s Three-fold Path
Purgative 1st Dark Night Illuminative 2nd Dark Night Unitive
Awakening to awareness of spiritual reality
Discovering that Godgives good gifts
Realizing that followinga spiritual path bringsadded dimension to life
Discovering addictionsand attachments
Good works and floweringof the virtues
Great energy todo God’s work
Listening prayer
Easier to persevere
Discovering that the spiritual journey Is about one’s own transformation
Fully letting go – surrendering the illusionof absolute autonomy
Soul experiences unionwith God
Ego and life become relativized to a highergood
Abundant gifts fromGod begin to dry up
Confusion – missing thecloseness to God
Questioning: What am Idoing wrong?
Redoubling efforts, onlyto experience more drynessand frustration
Familiar approaches toprayer stop working
God seems to havedisappeared
Even through alternativemethods of prayer, Goddoes not return
Learning to desire God For God’s self
The Leader’s Three-fold Path
1. Purgative
2. Illuminative
3. Unitive
First DarkNight
Second DarkNight
Continual processof learning to let go
Awakening to awareness of spiritual reality
Discovering that Godgives good gifts
Realizing that followinga spiritual path bringsadded dimension to life
Discovering addictionsand attachmentsGood works and
floweringof the virtues
Great energy todo God’s work
Listening prayer
Easier to persevere
Discovering that the spiritual journey is about one’s own transformation
Fully letting go – Surrendering the illusionof absolute autonomy
Soul experiences unionwith God
Ego and life become relativized to a highergood
The Organization’s Three-fold Path
Purgative 1st Dark Night Illuminative 2nd Dark Night Unitive
Chose to follow a spiritual path during formative years
Adhered to spiritualprinciples through thickand thin
High morale,high productivity
Financial success
Sought spiritual direction
Perceived, understood, and articulated the soul of the organization
Business back on values-based course to success
Clarification of valuescreated new energy and commitment
Vision renewed
Egos and company itself became relativized to a highergood
Transition: Can we growand stay true to ourvalues?
Bob feltdissatisfied
Questioned whether principles would hinder success
Naysayers’ voices getstronger
Internal politicsintensified
Creativity stagnated
Leadership weary
Hit a wall: no wayforward
Began to move entireorganization intoIlluminative Way
Values tested throughchallenges
The Organizational Three-fold Path
1. Purgative
2. Illuminative
3. Unitive
First DarkNight
Second DarkNight
Continual processof learning to let go
Chose to follow a spiritual path during formative years
Adhered to spiritualprinciples through thickand thin
High morale,high productivity
Financial success
Clarification of valuescreated new energy and commitment
Vision renewed
Egos and company Itself became relativized to a highergood
Sought spiritual direction
Perceived, understood, and articulated the soul of the organization
Business back on values-based course to success
Began to move entireorganization intoIlluminative Way
Values tested throughchallenges
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
The necessity of caring for the soul.
Finding Spiritual Guidance
Soul Care
Centering prayer Yoga Walk in woods
Yoga class Religious services Centering prayer group
Look out window and breathe Stone in pocket Connect with co-worker
Patient story Celebration, fun Mission discernment
Outside Workplace Inside Workplace
Individualsoul-enhancingpractices
Groupsoul-enhancingpractices
Enliven the soul in your organization
You are empoweredAll members of an organization have a sphere of influence.
Listen for soulPride in workmanship and joy in work are manifestations of soulful care– and provide an opening to celebrate the human spirit.
Don’t go it aloneSoulful care transcends cultures and traditions – reach across differences while holding on to what makes you strong.
Patience in PerilDifficult times are the very times it is most important to be patient and faithful.
-- Your soul score?
-- Gratitude chart?
-- Soul care for self?
-- Enliven organizational soul?
Your Commitment
Your Soul Score
Yourself ______ Your team ______ Your organization as a whole ______
(on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest score)