| Review – The Tao of Enron |
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by
Chris Seay and Chris Bryan
 Review by Tom Gilbert
It was inevitable that Enron’s bubble would burst.
You can only continue to hide your losses and shady business
dealings for so long. The fact that the people behind
the corrupt accounting practices continued on long past
the point of saving the company from financial destruction
is the real crux of Enron’s fall from a highly regarded
new economy corporation to its place among the growing
number of crashed companies.
The Tao of Enron (Navpress) by Chris Seay and
Chris Bryan explores what happened and speculates as to
why. Blame aside, the important lessons discussed in this
book are the true benefits you’ll get from reading
it. The book, subtitled “Spiritual Lessons from
a Fortune 500 Fallout”, suggest investing in these
lessons may pay real dividends.
For Enron’s elite, the top executives, their biggest
shame should be the many lost fortunes of long-time
employees. In good faith those loyal workers invested
in Enron’s company plans and stock expecting a
secure financial retirement.
Nobody has publicly accepted blame. It’s hard to believe
that the board of Enron, or top executives like Kenneth
Lay or Jeffrey Skilling, didn’t know what was
going on. When no one is held accountable for wrong
actions and no admission for such is forthcoming then
we are left with people continually abusing the system
in the name of personal gain. But, as the authors note,
you cannot legislate honesty and integrity.
Unfortunately, what now seems apparent at Enron (and
other corporate collapses from greed run wild) is that
they thumbed their noses at concepts they had listed
as core values. Talk about a double sucker punch to
the stomach!
Corporations and companies could borrow a valuable lesson pointed
out by Seay and practiced by the Iroquois confederation.
In their council deliberations, they would contemplate
the implications to the seventh generation. How different
from our desire to have our rewards now, often before
we have done any real work to earn them. Moreover, with
no real concern of how it might affect others later
on. Prudent planning is a worthy consideration that
benefits anyone: individual, business, government or
nation.
We should always act promptly when it comes to doing the
right thing. Patience is encouraged, however, when we
are dealing in matters that can strongly influence others,
especially money matters. Thoughtful, prayerful consideration:
imagine that being part of deliberations in corporate
boardrooms.
Spiritual lessons abound in chapters that are much more about
living with fiscal responsibility and ethical considerations
than it is about assigning blame.
The undoing of greed and pride, the lust for power and
the Western-world mindset of constant consumerism has
poisoned our way of thinking.
It’s not too late to change and our country’s economy
can be salvaged, says Chris Seay, but only through taking
honest stock of our values and turning to God for the
forgiveness and redemption that always comes when true
repentance takes place.
This book explores what happened at Enron and why. Can we
learn from this and will we find business leaders and
everyday workers willing to do their jobs and conduct
business with the integrity of true Biblical principles?
These are the tough questions before us, and our salvation
as a nation may rest in them. Spiritual lessons are
important in all our areas of life—not just our
“church-going lives”. This is especially
so in the financial and business realm.
The Tao of Enron challenges us to take stock
of our lifestyles and values. The sweeping changes necessary
in our world always begin with each of us as individuals.
We must face the evil of self-will run rampant. We can
work for fair wages and invest in our companies in more
ways than purchasing stock. The lack of any real community
belonging was a downfall of Enron.
Long-term results come from substantive change and simple living
born out of corporate understanding. The authors emphasize
that people of faith must lead the way.
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Scripture taken from the
Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®.Copyright ©
1973, 1978, 1984 International Bible Society. All rights
reserved throughout the world. Used by permission of International
Bible Society.
NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered
trademarks of International Bible Society. Use of either
trademark for the offering of goods or services requires
the prior written consent of International Bible Society.
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy
Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996. Used
by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton,
IL 60189, USA. All rights reserved.
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