The Manager and the Monk: A Discourse on Prayer, Profit, and Principles

Summary

What could the conversation between an internationally-prominent CEO and a career Benedictine monk possibly teach us about business? In The Manager and the Monk, Jochen Zeitz and Anselm Grün engage in a lively dialogue about leading with values in the fast-changing 21st-century world, exploring such questions as: Do core values stand a chance in the world of business? To what extent does a monk think like a manager? How much consideration and empathy can a manager afford to show? What do money and success mean to us? At first glance, Jochen Zeitz and Anselm Grün seem as different as two men can be. Zeitz is the CEO of a major corporation (Puma), a leader at multinational luxury brands holding company PPR, and was the youngest CEO in history to lead a company on the German stock exchange. He speaks 6 languages and has lived in the US, Germany, and Kenya. Anselm Grün, meanwhile, has lived in a Benedictine monastery since he was 19. He manages the staff and finances of the monastery's commercial activities, which include beekeeping, furniture-making, and baking. He is also an author of dozens of religious and spiritual books. Their conversation began two years ago at an onstage discussion in front of an audience in Nuremberg. Aware that the missions and goals of their organizations and their lifestyles are worlds apart, they write: "We were initially surprised and intrigued to find that there is more that unites us than divides us. We both wish to protect the environment, improve society, and employ sustainable methods: both within our companies' and beyond their borders. As managers, we must learn to conduct business without harming people or the environment.  As spiritual human beings, we look for ways to find ourselves and create more unity without losing sight of the need for efficient management." To inform their dialogue, Zeitz (the Manager) spent some time in the monastery, where he was able to find peace and see his world from a different point of view. In return, Grün (the Monk) expanded his knowledge of virtual' companies such as PUMA and the fast-paced, electronically networked world of targets and numbers by visiting the group headquarters and attending conferences. Through a series of topical chapters on subjects such as sustainability, the economy, and prosperity, culture, values, success and responsibility, The Manager and the Monk engage in a dialogue that shows how to effectively manage with values in the 21st century.