The Meaning Revolution

The Meaning Revolution by Fred Kofman is about how to become a transcendent leader, a leader who creates the opportunity for people to find meaning through their work. Kofman not only describes what it takes to be a transcendent leader but also explains how to develop the capacity to be such a leader. Kofman provides examples of transcendent leaders and the lessons to be learned from them. He also shares his own journey that brought him to the insights he includes in the book. This is an informative and insightful read. It can also be challenging, especially the final part of the book. Here Kofman gets into the spiritual (not religious) aspects of transcendent leadership. He effectively integrates spirituality and business. More controversial for some may be his passionate case for the superiority of capitalism over any other economic system. He is not blind to the abuses that occur within capitalist economies, but he argues that these negative consequences are due to the unethical and ego-centered actions of some of the players in business and government and not due to a systemic flaw in capitalism itself. There are many who would dispute this claim. Nonetheless, this book is worth reading for the positive vision Kofman holds up for business and work. If business did operate in alignment with his vision, the results would be the opportunity for individuals to live meaningful lives within communities of purpose that contribute to the wellbeing of the entire planet.