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The Accidental Executive: Lessons on Business, Faith, and Calling from the Life of Joseph
For people in the workplace, there is a great deal to learn from Joseph in the book of Genesis. He spent time both at the top and at the bottom—as a leader and as a slave in Egypt. In this new book about faith and work, author Albert M. Erisman shares lessons learned from the frontlines of business, government, and education, and how they connect to Joseph’s life. Through the author’s own work experiences and interviews with business leaders across the world, you’ll learn that Joseph dealt with issues that are still common in the business world today. Studying his life can offer guidance and encouragement in any workplace.
- GenresLeadershipBusiness
202 pages, Hardcover
First published April 30, 2015
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40 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 18, 2015
The Accidental Executive, by Albert M. Erisman, Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, 2015.
Summary: A former Boeing executive reflects deeply on the biblical character of Joseph in Genesis 37-50, and amplifies on these reflections from his own experience in business leadership and interviews with other executives in a highly readable account suitable for discussion groups in business and church settings.
Over the years I’ve seen many people write books that are a variation on the theme of “leadership lessons from the life of….” What sets the good ones apart from others in my opinion is how carefully and closely the author actually remains to the biblical text, not forcing it to affirm things it does not say or speculating or over-psychologizing the text.
This is one of the better examples of this genre in my opinion. It is evident to me that the author, a former Boeing executive, has spent a long time soaking in the narrative of Joseph’s life from his immature beginnings and lack of awareness of how his brothers perceived him, to his formative experiences as a slave where he feared God, worked responsibly and fled sexual temptation, to prison years where he devotes himself to the task at hand, trusts God over the long years as he awaits deliverance, and then forthrightly, and without regard to personal position advises Pharoah with divine insight and good strategic insight cultivated through years of service. Then we see how he copes with fantastic success, confronts the thorny issues of reconciliation with those who betrayed his trust, and his later years.
I thought it of particular interest that Erisman questions some of the later decisions and the lack of apparent consultation on Joseph’s part when he institutes policies that enslave all of Egypt (while his own family enjoys special privilege) and how this might have contributed to the eventual enslavement of Jacobs descendants. This was a new thought to me and I thought reflected well on approach to scripture that doesn’t see accounts of lives like Joseph’s as unvarying hagiographies but rather descriptions of people who both walked with God and made mistakes.
Erisman enriches his reflections by drawing upon his own experience in industry as a Director of Technology for the Boeing Corporation. Discussing Joseph’s patience for example, he talks about a strategy that his R & D folk came up with to make production processes more efficient that was squashed by conflict between two divisions but adopted five years later when assembly was bogged down and needed this solution. He describes meetings he held with his division during a downturn as an example of dealing with fear through utter transparency that did not withhold bad news nor what steps were being taken by the company.
While Erisman’s own experiences often make him aware of subtleties in the text of Genesis, the stories that came out of his interviews with other execs, orginally appearing in ethix.org, gave memorable illustrations that particularly underscored the quality of integrity that ran through Joseph’s life. Perhaps most moving was the example of Wayne Alderson, who turned around Pittron Steel through his “value of the person” campaign, where he provided an office for the union president, spent regular time on the shop floor with employees and regularly thanked them for their work as they finished a shift. Through this he made Pittron profitable, and a buy-out target. When the new owners expressed appreciation for what Alderson had done but did not want him to continue the practices that accomplished these results, Alderson walked away rather than compromise. He also tells the story of Sherron Watkins, who was the whistle-blower at Enron who exposed its fraudulent accounting, at the cost of her job.
Not all the execs lost their jobs however. We also have narratives of Gloria Nelund in the banking industry, Alan Mullaly at Ford, Bill Pollard at Servicemaster and Bonnie Wurzbacher at Coca-Cola among many others who talk about the challenges and opportunities for influence in the business world. And this underscores a final value of this book in revealing that there is no sacred-secular dualism where spiritual work is better than work in the world of business. Erisman concludes his book with a discussion of calling that argues that people can answer the big call of God on their lives in corporate life and the world of business.
The book’s chapters are short and make this ideal for discussions in business and professional groups considering the ethics and spirituality of work. The format also lends itself well to personal reflection and the book, printed on high quality paper, makes a great gift for the business person in one’s life. Church groups that want to gain an appreciation for the world of work and the opportunities for spiritual faithfulness will also find this book a great resource.
_____________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Summary: A former Boeing executive reflects deeply on the biblical character of Joseph in Genesis 37-50, and amplifies on these reflections from his own experience in business leadership and interviews with other executives in a highly readable account suitable for discussion groups in business and church settings.
Over the years I’ve seen many people write books that are a variation on the theme of “leadership lessons from the life of….” What sets the good ones apart from others in my opinion is how carefully and closely the author actually remains to the biblical text, not forcing it to affirm things it does not say or speculating or over-psychologizing the text.
This is one of the better examples of this genre in my opinion. It is evident to me that the author, a former Boeing executive, has spent a long time soaking in the narrative of Joseph’s life from his immature beginnings and lack of awareness of how his brothers perceived him, to his formative experiences as a slave where he feared God, worked responsibly and fled sexual temptation, to prison years where he devotes himself to the task at hand, trusts God over the long years as he awaits deliverance, and then forthrightly, and without regard to personal position advises Pharoah with divine insight and good strategic insight cultivated through years of service. Then we see how he copes with fantastic success, confronts the thorny issues of reconciliation with those who betrayed his trust, and his later years.
I thought it of particular interest that Erisman questions some of the later decisions and the lack of apparent consultation on Joseph’s part when he institutes policies that enslave all of Egypt (while his own family enjoys special privilege) and how this might have contributed to the eventual enslavement of Jacobs descendants. This was a new thought to me and I thought reflected well on approach to scripture that doesn’t see accounts of lives like Joseph’s as unvarying hagiographies but rather descriptions of people who both walked with God and made mistakes.
Erisman enriches his reflections by drawing upon his own experience in industry as a Director of Technology for the Boeing Corporation. Discussing Joseph’s patience for example, he talks about a strategy that his R & D folk came up with to make production processes more efficient that was squashed by conflict between two divisions but adopted five years later when assembly was bogged down and needed this solution. He describes meetings he held with his division during a downturn as an example of dealing with fear through utter transparency that did not withhold bad news nor what steps were being taken by the company.
While Erisman’s own experiences often make him aware of subtleties in the text of Genesis, the stories that came out of his interviews with other execs, orginally appearing in ethix.org, gave memorable illustrations that particularly underscored the quality of integrity that ran through Joseph’s life. Perhaps most moving was the example of Wayne Alderson, who turned around Pittron Steel through his “value of the person” campaign, where he provided an office for the union president, spent regular time on the shop floor with employees and regularly thanked them for their work as they finished a shift. Through this he made Pittron profitable, and a buy-out target. When the new owners expressed appreciation for what Alderson had done but did not want him to continue the practices that accomplished these results, Alderson walked away rather than compromise. He also tells the story of Sherron Watkins, who was the whistle-blower at Enron who exposed its fraudulent accounting, at the cost of her job.
Not all the execs lost their jobs however. We also have narratives of Gloria Nelund in the banking industry, Alan Mullaly at Ford, Bill Pollard at Servicemaster and Bonnie Wurzbacher at Coca-Cola among many others who talk about the challenges and opportunities for influence in the business world. And this underscores a final value of this book in revealing that there is no sacred-secular dualism where spiritual work is better than work in the world of business. Erisman concludes his book with a discussion of calling that argues that people can answer the big call of God on their lives in corporate life and the world of business.
The book’s chapters are short and make this ideal for discussions in business and professional groups considering the ethics and spirituality of work. The format also lends itself well to personal reflection and the book, printed on high quality paper, makes a great gift for the business person in one’s life. Church groups that want to gain an appreciation for the world of work and the opportunities for spiritual faithfulness will also find this book a great resource.
_____________________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Read
April 12, 2016My Reading Policy
As a policy, I tend not to reread anything. Given the amount of literature in existence, my desires lean toward maximum consumption. Unfortunately, this position causes me to miss the depth that emerges from multiple readings.
As an example, consider the second watch of a favorite film. Did you notice the themes and structure you missed the first time around? All the carefully placed clues stand out on second viewing and you can see how the director and writers left a trails of crumbs to the desired destination.
Many book lovers suggest that the true meaning of a work is never understood on first reading. If you’re lucky, you might catch 75% of it.
So I suffer somewhat from my decision, espousing quantity over quality.
As such, Albert Irishman’s The Accidental Executive provides an intriguing re-read of a classic bible story through the lens of business and ethics.
The Story of Joseph
For most Christians, the story of Joseph is one of the first Sunday school stories. What it means and how it might be applied to our modern life may or might not have much connection.
And yet, Erisman unfolds each aspect of the story, observing its many ways in which the life of Joseph informs how a Christian in the marketplace ought to live.
Erisman considers the early stages of Joseph’s life and how his youthful braggadocio pushes him to an early fall.
Erisman touches on Joseph’s rebound as a slave in Egypt, his approach to ethics and the courage to face pharaoh and to tell the truth even when it might not want to be heard.
Where the Professional Career Intersects
As an aside, it’s cool to see Erisman mention personal work, of which my professional life intersects.
It’s pretty cool to have been a part of this branding process and to have been included in the meetings where these decisions were made, now immortalized in a book!
There’s value in a reread and Erisman’s approach to the story of Joseph reinforces this idea. If you are interested in a new view of a classic bible story, especially for marketplace professionals, check out The Accidental Executive.
Originally published at http://www.wherepenmeetspaper.com
As a policy, I tend not to reread anything. Given the amount of literature in existence, my desires lean toward maximum consumption. Unfortunately, this position causes me to miss the depth that emerges from multiple readings.
As an example, consider the second watch of a favorite film. Did you notice the themes and structure you missed the first time around? All the carefully placed clues stand out on second viewing and you can see how the director and writers left a trails of crumbs to the desired destination.
Many book lovers suggest that the true meaning of a work is never understood on first reading. If you’re lucky, you might catch 75% of it.
So I suffer somewhat from my decision, espousing quantity over quality.
As such, Albert Irishman’s The Accidental Executive provides an intriguing re-read of a classic bible story through the lens of business and ethics.
The Story of Joseph
For most Christians, the story of Joseph is one of the first Sunday school stories. What it means and how it might be applied to our modern life may or might not have much connection.
And yet, Erisman unfolds each aspect of the story, observing its many ways in which the life of Joseph informs how a Christian in the marketplace ought to live.
Erisman considers the early stages of Joseph’s life and how his youthful braggadocio pushes him to an early fall.
“The day had started full of promise for Joseph. He was trusted by his father, deputized to provide leadership for the business, responsible for those older and more experienced than he, and asked to report back, almost as the associate director of the family business—and all of this at age seventeen. No doubt Joseph had every reason to be optimistic, so he would have been completely unprepared for what was to follow” (25).
Erisman touches on Joseph’s rebound as a slave in Egypt, his approach to ethics and the courage to face pharaoh and to tell the truth even when it might not want to be heard.
“As Joseph stood before Pharaoh and his advisors, Joseph was in the same position as a modern-day business consultant. He was there to help his client’s business—the Egyptian realm—develop a strategy to meet the coming agriculture situation. His proposal was to set up a new business” (76).
Where the Professional Career Intersects
As an aside, it’s cool to see Erisman mention personal work, of which my professional life intersects.
“In addressing these concerns, we have put together guidelines for establishing ‘rooted relationships,’ built around getting to know the other person and caring about that person first. It is not about what we can get from them, but who they are. Yes, business deals may come out of this relationship, but that should by the byproduct, not the focus” (53).
It’s pretty cool to have been a part of this branding process and to have been included in the meetings where these decisions were made, now immortalized in a book!
There’s value in a reread and Erisman’s approach to the story of Joseph reinforces this idea. If you are interested in a new view of a classic bible story, especially for marketplace professionals, check out The Accidental Executive.
Originally published at http://www.wherepenmeetspaper.com
May 1, 2016
This has always been my favorite bible story, but I will probably never look at Joseph the same way again. This was an awesome book on how we as believers can witness to our co-workers without reflecting poorly on our testimony and causing the listener to discredit what we are saying about Christ. Joseph is a great example of how we should operate in a godless workplace, even when all are against us. Joseph never wavered from giving God all the glory.
This is a great manual for any business owner or executive that is a believer. I was never either, but found much that was encouraging, so would recommend it to all those that are engaged in the workplace. There is much to be gained from watching how Joseph reacted to every circumstance, and Al has found many nuggets that I know you will really enjoy. How he wove in his many experiences at Boeing and in other work environments into the narrative is fantastic and interesting too. There are 28 Chapters, with titles like: The First Leadership Assignment; Office Politics; Talking about God in the Workplace; Transparency, Honesty, and Integrity & Temptation of Power.
I would highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: Al is a personal friend. Al was kind enough to gift me with a copy of this book.
This is a great manual for any business owner or executive that is a believer. I was never either, but found much that was encouraging, so would recommend it to all those that are engaged in the workplace. There is much to be gained from watching how Joseph reacted to every circumstance, and Al has found many nuggets that I know you will really enjoy. How he wove in his many experiences at Boeing and in other work environments into the narrative is fantastic and interesting too. There are 28 Chapters, with titles like: The First Leadership Assignment; Office Politics; Talking about God in the Workplace; Transparency, Honesty, and Integrity & Temptation of Power.
I would highly recommend it.
Disclaimer: Al is a personal friend. Al was kind enough to gift me with a copy of this book.
June 18, 2017
Fantastic book—even if you’re not an executive. Al walks us though how to live a fulfilling and ethical life using the story of Joseph as his framework. His use of both personal experiences and stories related to him by other leaders provide relevant and meaningful lessons for everyone. Highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews