Heart Business: Building a Kinder Gentler Workplace
Heart Business: Building a Kinder, Gentler Workplace
Heart Business: Building a Kinder, Gentler Workplace by Dolores Lynn Torrell is a concise, faith-based business book rooted in Catholic spirituality. Drawing directly from the author's real-world experience as a workplace minister/chaplain in a large corporation, it offers a frank critique of the soulless, competitive modern workplace and provides a practical Christian framework for infusing compassion, justice, and human dignity into daily business life. The core message is that workplaces can (and should) reflect God's reign of justice, joy, and peace when people bring their "heart" -- spirituality, kindness, and service -- into their professional roles instead of defaulting to meanness, endless work, or cutthroat competition. The book is short, accessible, and aimed at ordinary workers and leaders who want to align faith with career without sacrificing effectiveness.
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Chapter Titles
Foreword (by William J. Toth, commending the book for extending God's reign to workplaces)Preface: Letter Chapter 1: A Marketplace Devoid of SpiritualityChapter 2: The Marketplace: Its Culture and PhilosophyChapter 3: A Personal Journey into the MarketplaceChapter 4: Representing God in the MarketplaceChapter 5: The Dignity of WorkChapter 6: The Seventh Principle: Diakonia (service/ministry)Key Themes
- Modern workplaces have become spiritually empty ("devoid of spirituality"), dominated by meanness "in" style, ruthless competition, and a never-ending work ethic that harms people and families.
- Corporate culture and philosophy prioritize winning at all costs; competition itself is not the enemy, but meanness toward fellow humans is. Where does the endless-work ethic lead? How do spirituality and compassion even belong in business?
- Spirituality must begin as a personal journey -- readers are invited to examine their own faith life and bring it intentionally into the marketplace rather than compartmentalizing or "short-cutting" it.
- Personal conversion and reflection are the foundation for changing workplace dynamics.
- Christians are called to "represent God" visibly and ethically at work through daily choices, words, and actions.
- Practical guidance on living out faith without proselytizing, including justice, kindness, and integrity in a secular environment.
- All work has inherent dignity because it participates in God's creative and redemptive activity.
- Affirming the worth of every worker (regardless of role or status) counters dehumanizing corporate practices and restores meaning to labor.
- "Diakonia" (the Greek biblical term for humble service/ministry) is presented as the culminating "seventh principle" of heart business.
- True success comes from serving others, building community, and extending compassion -- turning the workplace into a kinder, gentler environment aligned with the Gospel.
The book remains relevant for anyone interested in workplace spirituality, emotional intelligence in business, or faith-at-work movements. It's practical rather than theoretical, blending personal stories from the author's AT&T ministry with scriptural insight and straightforward questions for reflection. If you're seeking a quick, inspiring read on humane leadership or Catholic social teaching applied to business, this slim volume delivers exactly that.
Visit us at https: //catholicbookpublishing.com/ for more Catholic Bibles, Books and resources to nourish your faith.
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