OnlineFinding Your Path to Success and Fulfillment
Today's global community desperately needs leaders with soul. Margaret Benefiel's groundbreaking book meets that need beautifully, by teaching principles of soulful leadership, illustrated with stories of real leaders who practice them. Required reading.
—Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu,
Nobel Peace Prize recipient and human rights advocate
The Soul of a Leader breaks the mould of leadership books. Both practical and inspiring, Margaret Benefiel's book lays out a path we can follow to make a real difference in whatever world we land. Benefiel helps me to dare to dream, battle for my soul, and break through the barriers that keep me from succeeding.
— David Batstone, professor and author,
Saving the Corporate Soul, and Not for Sale
Margaret Benefiel has gone right to the source – leaders who have chosen a deeper, more soulful path to building better organizations and a better society. Their stories are woven together to provide inspiring lessons for all of us who seek to build depth and spirit at work.
—Lee Bolman, professor and co–author,
Leading With Soul
The Soul of a Leader touched the soul of this reader. With her stories of real people struggling to lead with soul in a variety of workplaces, Margaret Benefiel guides others through the important steps of becoming a soulful leader. She does not minimize the difficulties, but makes the journey possible for all committed to this path.
—Rev. Jane E. Vennard, author,
A Praying Congregation: The Art of Teaching Spiritual Practice
No organizational leader reading this book can help but find both inspiration and practical, concrete help for nurturing their own souls and the soul of their organization. The author's deep organizational and spiritual background provides a realistic yet visionary ground for attending the inner life of leaders and the workers of their organizations, in close relation to the practical outer needs of organizational life. The book paves the way for soul-full personal and organizational life that brings the fruits of integrity, shared values, mutual respect, and success, illustrated through many inspiring stories of leaders and the transformation of their organizations.
—The Rev. Dr. Tilden Edwards, Founder and Senior Fellow, Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation
This book is a must read for anyone who ever considered grounding their lives and work in love and service to pursue a higher calling that just might change the world. Margaret Benefiel is one of the most creative thinkers on spiritual leadership alive today and The Soul of a Leader is an accessible taste of her brilliance. Like a masterful conductor, she combines theology with science and presents a practical guide filled with case studies and everyday examples that we can all follow in our own spiritual journey.
—Louis W. (Jody) Fry, Professor of Management
For the new generation of leaders who are replacing the Baby Boomers, please read this engaging book so you can take over leadership with soul and spirit and heart! Margaret gives you real-life examples and practical steps to take in your own setting and create the kind of organization you envision!
—Charlotte Roberts, co-author,
the million–selling The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook
Margaret Benefiel has written a book that is powerfully inspirational and eminently practical. Through the use of stories culled from interviews with leaders with soul, she provides excellent guidance as to how to lead with soul.
—Jerry Biberman, professor of management and author, Work and Spirit: A Reader of New Spiritual Paradigms for Organizations
Benefiel's gentle yet incisive insights remind us all that leadership at its core is grounded in the soul. Her collection of human stories illustrate various themes that will help leaders nourish their soul and strengthen their leadership.
—David W. Miller, Ph.D., President,
The Avodah Institute
Something is changing dramatically in the world of organizational leadership. No longer is it just enough to meet quarterly expectations and grow the bottom line. Leaders themselves are finding their soul and wanting to grow spiritually in a way that is integrated with their work and family life. And as they grow personally, they begin to feel called to nurture the soul formation of those who work with them in the organizations they lead. Margaret's Benefiel's brilliant book, The Soul of a Leader, provides an inspirational and practical guide to leading with soul. This will become an important reference book for those pioneers who are leading from the deepest core of who they are, and who are committed to making a positive difference in the world.
—Judi Neal, Ph.D., President & CEO,
International Center for Spirit at Work
Professor Emeritus, University of New Haven
International Center for Spirit at Work
Author of Edgewalkers: People and Organizations that Take Risks, Build Bridges and Break New Ground.