David Whyte, a poet and corporate consultant, explores the transformative power of poetry in the workplace. He argues that every job shapes our souls and discusses how inviting risk can lead to personal growth. Whyte shares insights from his background in marine zoology and reflects on the importance of meaningful friendships. He draws lessons from the tale of Beowulf, highlighting the necessity of confronting inner fears and engaging in tough conversations. Throughout, he reads stirring poems that illuminate the connection between work, identity, and creativity.
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From Marine Zoology to Poetry
David Whyte was initially drawn to marine zoology by Jacques Cousteau.
He pursued sciences despite his passion for poetry, believing he could always return to literature independently.
insights INSIGHT
Conversational Nature of Reality
The Galapagos Islands transformed Whyte's understanding of identity.
He realized that identity depends on attention to the external world rather than internal beliefs.
insights INSIGHT
The Soul in the Workplace
Office work requires a different language than poetry because corporate language is often de-racinated from human experience.
Spending significant time at work shapes one's identity, so it's important to be mindful of who you are becoming through your work.
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Poetry and the Preservation of the Soul in Corporate America
David Whyte
In this book, David Whyte uses poetry and his unique perspective as a poet and consultant to help readers find meaning and fulfillment in their work. The book delves into the deeper concerns of workers, such as facing fears, following dreams, and balancing personal and professional life. It emphasizes the importance of creativity, self-reflection, and aligning personal identity with work and community roles.
The bell and the blackbird
David Whyte
In 'The Bell and the Blackbird', David Whyte explores the themes of inner depth and outer engagement through the symbolic sounds of a bell and a blackbird. The book delves into the human experience of navigating between the call to introspection and the call to engage with the world, emphasizing the courage required for both paths. It reflects on the idea that true growth involves embracing vulnerability and finding balance between these dualities.
When you think of areas of life that speak to the soul, and elicit poetry, you likely think of things like romantic relationships and natural landscapes. You probably don't think of office work and cubicles.
But my guest today says that the soul is involved in every kind of work, and poetry is an essential vehicle for examining what your work is doing to your soul, and for learning to bring more soul into what you do. His name is David Whyte and he's a poet, a philosopher, and the author of multiple books of both poetry and prose, as well as a corporate consultant who uses poetry to help companies with their organizational leadership. We begin our conversation with David's background in marine zoology and how his experience being a naturalist guide in the Galapagos Islands influenced his ideas on the conversational nature of reality. We discuss how the amount of time you spend at your job is greatly shaping who you are, the way we lose youthful idealism for our work, and the importance of inviting the right kind of danger into your life. David then unpacks what the ancient tale of Beowulf can teach men about having hard conversations both personally and professionally, and bridging one's outer and inner lives. We talk as well about the importance of men having good friendships outside the office. Along the way, David reads a few short, stirring poems that speak to these themes.
The Art of Manliness 
