The Manager and the Monk - Hardcover

by Jochen Zeitz (Author), Anselm Grün (Author)

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 goal: 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.

• Jochen Zeitz was CEO of Puma for 18 years and is founder, with Sir Richard Branson, of the B Team, a global initiative aimed at transforming the future of business
• Anselm Grün is cellarer (business manager) of Münsterschwarzach Abbey in Germany, overseeing a staff of 300 in crafts such as beekeeping and brewing; and an internationally best-selling author of more than 300 books available in 35 languages
• Translated from an award-winning German book, Gott, Geld, und Gewissen, which has been translated into 11 languages

The Manager and the Monk is a thoughtful, impassioned plea for how to manage responsibly in the modern world.

Front Jacket

When Jochen Zeitz and Anselm Grün first met onstage in 2008 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 goal: 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 topical essays and dialogues inspired by their ongoing series of conversations.

Touching on the most pressing challenges facing any business today, both Zeitz and Grün draw deeply on the stories and lessons of their managerial and spiritual backgrounds. Zeitz served as the youngest CEO of a publicly-listed company in German history, transforming PUMA from an ailing brand into a multibillion-dollar powerhouse and developing PUMA's trailblazing "Environmental Profit and Loss Account," an award-winning corporate sustainability initiative. As the business manager of the Münsterschwarzach Abbey in Germany, Grün was responsible for the economic administration of the abbey, its 300 employees, and 20 businesses.

What truly unites them, however, is a keen interest in exploring the spiritual and ethical dimensions of their work. Both manager and monk call on sources as diverse as the Bible, contemporary religious thought, and psychological theory to explore provocative questions on a variety of topics, such as:

• WHEN WE SPEAK of corporate "culture" what does that have to do with "culture" in society at large?
• CAN A BUSINESS simultaneously embrace spiritual values while delivering shareholder value?
• ARE THERE LESSONS in the way we should manage natural resources for how we should manage people?

Rich with insights on spirituality, values, and sustainability in business, The Manager and the Monk is a thoughtful exploration and impassioned plea for how to manage responsibly in the modern world.

Author Biography

JOCHEN ZEITZ is director of PPR and chairman of its board's sustainable development committee, after having been CEO of the Sport and Lifestyle division and chief sustainability officer of PPR since 2010. Prior to this, Zeitz served 18 years as chairman and CEO of PUMA. He founded the non-profit Zeitz Foundation of Intercultural Ecosphere Safety, and with Sir Richard Branson is founder and cochair of The B Team. He has been a member of the board of directors of Harley-Davidson since 2007 and is on the advisory board of TEEB (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity).

For more information, please visit www.zeitzfoundation.org or follow Jochen on Twitter via @JochenZeitz.

FATHER ANSELM GRÜN, OSB, ThD, is the cellarer, or financial manager, of the Münsterschwarzach Abbey, near Würzburg, Germany. At age 19 he became a Benedictine monk at Münsterschwarzach Abbey, learning the art of leading others based on the Rule of St. Benedict of Nursia. He also studied philosophy, theology, and business administration, and is an internationally best-selling author whose books are available in 35 languages.

For more information, please visit www.anselm-gruen.de.