The Tao of Enron: Spiritual Lessons from a Fortune 500 Fallout

The subtle seduction of power and riches has taken over corporate America.

WorldCom. Global Crossing. Tyco. Enron. What do all of these once ballyhooed but now reviled corporations have in common, besides bankruptcy and a passel of soon-to-be-indicted senior executives? They all share a thirst for quick profits at the expense of investors, employees, and the most basic of business ethics.

The Tao of Enron shows how the core values at Enron led inevitably to its implosion. By sketching out the stories of several of the principal players in this debacle, the authors show how pride, impatience, a lust for power, and the ability to mentally separate issues of faith from the practice of business joined forces to destroy one of America’s most admired "young" companies.

Authors Chris Seay and Chris Bryan examine the universal issues of faith we can learn from this Fortune 500 fallout. The hard-learned lessons can benefit not merely the boardroom, but also the living room. Anyone can fall prey to the same lust for power, possessions, and status that poisoned Enron.

Considering that in 1997 over 57 percent of Americans believed you sometimes have to bend the rules to get by in life (Barna Research), this book is necessary in helping us inspect our goals and beliefs and how they play out in our everyday lives. All of us must choose between two roads that stretch out before us––and all of us are "this close" to the dark side.

CHRIS SEAY is pastor of Ecclesia, a progressive Christian community in Houston, Texas, recognized for exploring spiritual questions of culture and breaking new ground in art, music, and film. He travels extensively speaking on faith and postmodernity. Seay, author of The Gospel According to Tony Soprano and a contributor to Stories of Emergence, has appeared on numerous radio and television broadcasts, including CNN and ABC News. His books have been reviewed in USA Today, Entertainment Weekly, and Publisher’s Weekly.

CHRIS BRYAN was vice president of administration and human resources for Enron Oil and Gas Company from 1984 to 1997, having left the position to pursue a life of service in Christian ministry. Currently, Chris is interim administrator for Baptist Mission Centers and recently served as associate pastor at Baptist Temple Church in Houston, Texas. Chris received a bachelor’s degree in personnel management from Texas Tech University and an M.Div. degree from George W. Truett Seminary at Baylor University. He and his wife, Judy, live in Houston and are the parents of two daughters, Heather and Amy.