The Inner Edge : Effective Spirituality in Your Life and Work

Rating:
Summary: An important book for these times
Review: Over the past 40 years I have read a bookshelf full of books offering guidance on how to feel more fulfilled, be more effective in working within organizations, etc., etc. Of the many books I have read on such topics, The Inner Edge is unique in assembling and organizing, in one book, the essential elements of what one needs to "have his or her act together" in a way that provides the reader a practical and systematic guide to make the most of who you are and deal more effectively with those around you - in family, social, and work settings.

The Inner Edge can be used in several ways including helping you figure out what to do with the rest of your life, and providing you with a practical and complete 10-20 minute daily routine to help you make each day as fulfilling and productive as possible.

This book helps us realize that we all have, and can tap into, inner spiritual strengths using our intuitive powers; but that to be freed up to access these inner strengths we first need to do three things...recognize and deal with (what the authors call) "unfinished business", take an insightful and honest look at who we are, and then set boundaries and priorities on the demands placed by others and ourselves on our time and energy.

Furthermore, The Inner Edge does more than help us in understanding these things; it is also a "how to" book. And in that regard the authors' use of "guided visualizations", particularly in helping us tap into our inner spirituality, makes The Inner Edge stand out.

While the book should be helpful to people in various stages in their lives, I think it is particularly valuable to people of any age going through a personal or job related transition; young people getting started in their careers, and people who will soon be leaving the traditional work place and are trying to deal with what to do with the rest of their lives.

Rating:
Summary: A timely book in a era of misplaced values
Review: The Inner Edge could not have come at a better time. In a year filled with corporate greed and mismanagement, this book redefines what should be truly important in the world of business, and how to be successful and ethical at the same time. To have the Dalai Lama endorse it only reasserts the importance of the themes which resonate here. Ethics and spirituality do have a place in the business world, and if they can be successfully incorporated in the capitalist system, the world itself may become a better place. I especially liked the chapter on unfinished business, because it is often that which keeps us from developing into truly aware, healthy individuals. I only hope this book circulates throughout the business world, and maybe the greed-mongers will take a closer look at their own spirituality, and their effect on the community.

Rating:
Summary: Not very sharp........
Review: The title, preface and initial chapters excited me towards this book which i happen to browse in a local book store. I was quite excited and sometimes amazed by the clarity of presentation by the authors in the initial chapters which talks about life and its purpose, understanding and having your own "identity" and also about the side-effects of deep-rooted negative childhood habbits (unfinished business) which some people tend to carry along in their life unknowingly. The techniques to identify your strengths and small steps to be carried out to overcome the negative qualities are somewhat old but polished with new terminologies and jargons.
But I noticed a strange discontinuity in the authors presentation, when they jump into a new concept, so called "Quantum Decision Making (QDM)". The authors does not give good insight into QDM nor establish the relationship between the initial chapters and QDM. Hence overall we are introduced in lots new terms but without clear purpose and reasoning. The case studies of their approach has been clearly separated from the actual text, which was helpful to maintain the continuity in the discussion.
I would been happy or atleast understood the QDM concept better if a limited version of a CD or small visual guide was accompanied with this book. Because of this most of the latter part of the book goes over the head, when the authors talk about "icons", "multicolored 3D visualization" .. etc. Interesting/Useful initial chapters but poor second part.