The Power of Spirit: How Organizations Transform [Paperback]

Harrison Owen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 30, 2000

One of the leading pioneers in the field of organizational change argues that real transformation does not result from corporate mandate but from the expression of the spirit and passion of the people in the organization. He suggests ways to release this spirit and dissipate the "Soul Pollution" -- apathy, stress, and exhaustion -- that plagues today's workforce.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

"I really enjoyed this book. It is insightful, entertaining, and inspirational."Dick Richards, author of Artful Work

"I can wholeheartedly recommend The Power of Spirit to anybody who wants an easy-to-read, easy-to-understand (yet vastly insightful), and easy-to-implement book that effectively lets you work WITHinstead of AGAINSTnatures powerful principles for effective organization."Gustaf Delin, The ForeSight Group and Global Network, Sweden

About the Author

Harrison Owen is president of H.H. Owen and Co., a consulting firm focusing on the enhancement of organizational culture in large social systems, especially under conditions of radical change. He has consulted to Owens/Corning Fiberglas, the IRS (Appeals Division), Procter & Gamble, Arthur Young, Shell Canada, Volvo, ASTD, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Product Details

• Paperback: 260 pages
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers (August 30, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1576750906
• ISBN-13: 978-1576750902
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #213,705 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Difference That Makes a Difference..., February 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Power of Spirit: How Organizations Transform (Paperback)

is that this book is clearly written from the heart, and offers a deeply human solution to the "soul pollution" in today's workplace. I've read most the well known books on organizational change/transformation - and there are some excellent ones - but this one really rings true.

Mr. Owen suggests that management, a barely disguised euphemism for control, is a figment of our imagination. He holds that choas is actually the natural state of human affairs, not the exception. If we let go of outdated beliefs, and simply observe how things really get done, we will transform toxic workplaces into inspired organizations. By simply embracing what is.

Like a lot of people, especially women, I left corporate America because I was unable to reconcile their values w/ mine. Always puzzled by people who contrasted their "work personalities" with their "real personalities", I'm more convinced than ever that separating from ourselves at work is not only unnecessary, but destroys the organization along with the selves that make it up!

Spending time with Harrison Owen's voice allows you to hear your own.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Read!, February 22, 2002

By 

Rolf Dobelli "getAbstract" (Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Power of Spirit: How Organizations Transform (Paperback)

Harrison Owen's book has its share of shortcomings, but there is certainly something to recommend here as well. Owen's explanations of organizational change, complex adaptive systems and chaos theory as they apply to business and innovation are lucid and easy to understand. Less appealing are his lapses into jargon that seems more appropriate to a yoga class than a human resources department, and the theoretical tone that permeates the book. We from getAbstract recommend this book to anyone in search of an alternative perspective on modern management.

4.0 out of 5 stars Watch a master-consultant at work in helping organisations get in touch with their core, April 1, 2010

By 

Darren Cronshaw (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Power of Spirit: How Organizations Transform (Paperback)

Harrison Owen, The Power of Spirit: How Organizations Transform (San Francisco: Berrett-Koehler, 2000)

Owen, an Anglican Priest and civil rights worker, extends his meeting management tool `open-space technology' to more broadly treat organisational transformation. The process begins with anyone who wants to come sitting in a circle (with `open space' between), and then allowing the group to set the agenda related to the central concern, such as a church's future. Owen has consistently seen groups achieve amazing results in two-to-three days; processing grief, expressing anger, sorting priorities, restructuring, letting fresh vision emerge, and unearthing stories and myths that cultivate `spirit'. This is an application of chaos theory, suggesting that the disequilibrium that chaos brings is an essential condition for life, learning, innovation and - strange as it may seem - organisation. The resulting InterActive organisations are characterized by chaos, high learning, high play, appropriate structure, and genuine community. Stories and myths are central to cultivating `Spirit' and counteracting `soul pollution': `When people hear the story, become part of the story to the point that the story is them, Spirit tends to soar and all the rest is just icing on the cake.' (p.171) So Owen describes a process for interviewing 10-20 people, collecting common stories, telling them (warts and all), burying some, and celebrating those that describe the organizational ethos. He says it is amazing what his two questions unearth: `What is this place and what should it be?' This is a scary process for managers who are used to modern Pro-Active control and strategic planning, but for brave new leaders it offers some guidelines for cultivating the sort of innovation, synergy and vibrancy that emerging churches need.

Originally reviewed for "The Emerging Church: Pioneering Leadership and Innovation Reading Guide", Zadok Paper (Forthcoming 2010).