God Is My CEO: Following God's Principles in a Bottom-Line World

Rating:
Summary: Interesting, inspirational reading
Review: America is populated by a great many people who attend religious services on a regular basis. They affiliate with a congregation of people who think, believe, and worship as they do. Millions of people build their lives around their religious beliefs and principles.

Then there's business. In the world of business, profit is worshipped by corporate leaders and employees at all levels. Achieving corporate goals becomes all-consuming, with little room for bible-based principles. Biblical teachings are fine for the personal side of life, but business is business. Or is it?

The movement known as spirituality in the workplace has been gaining momentum, with supporters careful to differentiate between spirituality and religion. The human spirit is central to the corporate spirituality theme, but God and religion do seem to find their way into the picture. When people express their spirituality, their religious beliefs underlie their values and approach, even if specific teachings are not overtly expressed.

In God is My CEO, Larry Julian surveys the landscape through the stories of twenty well-respected leaders. Each of these influential people runs a business through the application of biblical principles, with great results. You'll learn from people like Bill George, CEO of Medtronic; Jerry Colangelo, owner of the Phoenix Suns and the Arizona Diamondbacks; Al Quie, the former governor of the state of Minnesota; and Archie Dunham, Chairman and CEO of Conoco, Inc.; Horst Schulz, CEO of the Ritz Carlton Hotel Company; and Truett Cathy, founder and Chairman of Chick-Fil-A, an amazingly successful quick service restaurant chain that's always closed on Sunday.

The helpful organization of the book takes us first through an understanding of the Clash of Two Worlds. You'll learn about the relationships and conflicts between profits and principles. The ten sections that follow each includes a statement of the issue and Julian's suggestion of a solution. The rest of each section is two chapters telling the story of the biblically-based executives. The ten sections are Purpose, Success, Courage, Patience, Leadership by Example, Yielding Control, Tough Decisions, Servant Leadership, Integration, and Priorities.

Each chapter explores real-life issues with some intriguing stories that will make you think. The religious theme is, of course, prominent in this book. However, while it is ever-present, the biblical message is comfortably woven into the vignettes. You'll be surprised how fast a read this book is, as you turn page after page to follow the stories.

Roger

Rating:
Summary: A Great Book!!!
Review: For me, this book was truely inspirational, a breath of fresh air. I, (like many many others in society,I'm sure) used to believe that there was little room for God or our faith in the business world. It was just dog-eat-dog, Monday to Friday. Larry Julian shows you just how uninformed that thinking is. He interviews not just average business men & women, but captains of industry. True leaders in their field. And he shows you how these people not only believe in God, but practice their Faith and follow HIS teachings EVERY DAY. It is WHY they are so successful.
For those of you who think they have to choose between God or business, read this book.

Rating:
Summary: Insightful!
Review: So often executives check their faith in God at the door before coming to work. Using the stories of 20 influential leaders to illustrate 10 business principles, author Larry Julian skillfully shows that it is possible to integrate your religious faith and your work practices. These men and women successfully run major organizations, and all of them credit their belief in God for their achievements. Although some of the stories are more inspiring than others, this book promises relief from the pressures of the bottom line and freedom from the stumbling blocks that impede success, both temporal and eternal. Each chapter includes thought-provoking questions you can contemplate or use as the basis of further discussions. Julian ends with a step-by-step business plan showing you how to apply all your newly processed spiritual knowledge as a practical tool. Although - given that it is dedicated to Jesus Christ - the book seems primarily directed to Christians, We suggest that any leader who is trying to make a profit, keep priorities straight and motivate employees should take a look.