St. Benedict's Enlightened Leader

It  took us about 100 years to  see  business enterprises as  living organisms which is not difficult to understand. The way they function is going to determine the way the hearts of persons are going to be moved. Writing in the Peace Weekly a professor in the business department of a university wants us to see the influence of big business on society.

Employees, consumers,  investors and many others place much  hope in these enterprises. The energy of those involved with the enterprise will determine the success of the business.

The cells of the enterprise  are the workers; they have to be healthy if the enterprise is going to have vitality. This very obvious principle of management  is difficult to follow in this world of unlimited competition.  If a business enterprise wants to grow healthily it is necessary to be vigilant about the problems of unlimited  competition. 

There are examples of companies that have developed  this  concern for one another and  nurtured the growth of the company.  It is the enlightened  leader who is the motivating cause for the  growth  of the company and helping in the enlightenment of the workers. 


An enlightened leader can be described as  a loving and humble person. This is the secret that attracts one person to another. When the workers see  a leader as a father figure the workers  are more disposed to devote themselves to the work.


 Benedictines have shown  us  this type of management for the last 1500 years. This is what the Rule of St. Benedict says about the person who is responsible for the finance of the community.  " As cellarer of the monastery let there be chosen from the community one who is wise, of mature character, sober, not a great eater, not haughty, nor excitable, not offensive, not slow, not wasteful, but a God-fearing man who may be like a father to the whole community. "(Chapter 31)

The professor leaves us with the thought that one enlightened  leader in the world of business  with an inspiration has the possibility of changing the world. This  he sees as a great blessing.