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

by Anselm Grün, Jochen Zeitz

An exploration of spirituality, values, and sustainability in business When Jochen Zeitz and Anselm Grün first met onstage as "the manager and the monk," Zeitz was CEO and Chairman of Puma, and Father Grün was a monk serving as cellarer, the business manager of his Benedictine abbey. They came together to discuss their shared what it means to lead and manage responsibly and sustainably in today's shifting world. Available for the first time in English, The Manager and the Monk features these topical essays and dialogues, drawing on sources as diverse as the Bible, contemporary religious thought, psychological theory, and the innovative "environmental profit & loss account" Zeitz developed for Puma. Together, Zeitz and Gr??n explore their intersecting definitions of prosperity, values, sustainability, among a host of other topics. The Manager and the Monk is a thoughtful, impassioned plea for how to manage responsibly in the modern world.

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2013

About the author

Anselm Grün terminated his school years in 1964 with the A-level equivalent Abitur at the grammar school in Würzburg, Germany. In the same year he began as a novice at the nearby Benedictine Münsterschwarzach Abbey. From 1965 to 1971 he studied philosophy and theology at St. Ottilien Archabbey and in Rome. In 1974 he completed his PhD in theology on Karl Rahner. From 1974 to 1976 Anselm Grün studied Business in Nuremberg. Then he became the Cellerar of Münsterschwarzach Abbey and is thus responsible for the economic administration of the abbey with its over 280 employees and 20 businesses.

Reviews

[Jordi Tomas · Rating 3 out of 5]

I rate it only 3 stars because this book is, at some point, extremelly repetitive on some particular topics, namely nature and environment.
That being said, I consider this an insightful book to read in order to do some retrospective judgement. This book was written a decade ago. Notwithstanding this, anyone reading this book could think it was written last month. It is just focused on some of the topics that mark today's national and international agenda for both States and Companies. Indeed, this book tackles its attention on environment and sustainability in a way that is more characteristic of 2021, not 2020.
Do I recommend this book? Only if you have some interest on Jochen Zeitz. He is a visionary, and spending time with a powerful mind is always a wise investment.
If you have other interests, I'd give this book a pass.