Title: The Evolved Executive: The Future of Work Is Love in Action
Author: Heather Hanson Wickman PhD.
Publisher: Lioncrest Publishing
ISBN: 978-1544511375
Pages: 152
Genre: Leadership, Conscious Business, Spiritual Growth
Reviewed by: John Murray
Pacific Book Review
Job satisfaction seems to be falling dramatically in recent years. Statistics abound about accidents in the workplace on the rise, increased costs for employers, reduced trust in supervisors and executives, and so on. All of which boils down to a simple conclusion: something needs to change. Heather Hanson Wickman draws upon her own experiences with dissatisfaction in the workplace and real-life issues to craft a solution in The Evolved Executive: The Future of Work Is Love in Action.
The subtitle of her book eloquently presents her solution: the future of work is love in action. Wickman’s core thesis revolves around the realistic application of love through innovative practices and self-awareness. Love, in this case, is the absence of fear coupled with allowing more freedom and autonomy and human connections in the workplace. The current unofficial but widespread management techniques build upon fear and shame.
Wickman’s The Evolved Executive ideally would leverage love instead of fear to focus on growth and potential towards a shared vision. As that suggests, workers and bosses would enter an interactive relationship instead of a combative one. Throughout her book, Wickman always brings the issue back to building and maintaining positive connections. Obviously aimed at management and higher ups, the message is applicable to anyone in the workplace.
The Evolved Executive is accessible and benefits from a well-thought-out layout. Wickham writes with a patient and friendly tone. She ensures her message comes across from a position of authority but with a sympathetic and engaging style, one might suggest she writes with love. After explanations, she presents real-world examples and boosts the message with actionable steps and exercises. The book ends with a link to her consulting agency which was founded on the principles of the book and seems to be a fount of knowledge for enthusiastic readers.
An interesting element is the inclusion of mindfulness. Mindfulness is a spreading philosophy of simply being present. In the traditional sense, you practice meditation to build up a level of mindfulness daily. Wickham uses the basic version of mindfulness to incorporate and spread the business version of love. This is as simple as being thoughtful of actions and speech, and always acting towards achievable goals set by management and labor.
As a business book, The Evolved Executive offers a refreshing solution to a long-running problem. The techniques are clearly explained with clear next-steps-to-take following. Even those not in management will learn applicable lessons from the book even if their workplace doesn’t follow Wickham’s ideal loving system. Accessible, engaging, and compelling, The Evolved Executive provides a way out for a troubled system.
