"It gives me great pleasure and pride to be with you on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of IESE's activities in Madrid. It is a source of profound joy to see the development of an educational initiative that has helped many people to grow professionally and to discover the profound (human, social and Christian) meaning of work, a subject dear to our hearts. St. Josemaría.
You have built one of the most prestigious business schools in the world, so judging by the external results you have done a good job. I would like to encourage you that, together with your external successes supported by the rankings of business schools In order to achieve the most significant internal successes, you should also point to other internal successes that are of even greater value to each of you from God's perspective. These internal successes, which are compatible with successes and failures from a business point of view, are the fruit of a job well done out of love.
For these internal successes, it matters not only what we do and with what results, but also how we work and why. It is through these internal successes that the impact of this school will reach even further.
As St. Josemaría said, "Work, all work, is a witness to man's dignity, to his dominion over creation. It is an occasion for the development of one's own personality. It is a bond of union with other beings, a source of resources to support one's own family, a means of contributing to the improvement of society in which one lives and to the progress of all humanity" (St. Josemaría, Christ Is Passing By, no. 47).
St. Josemaría speaks here about the why of work in general. For you, the reason for your work is reflected in IESE's mission: You develop leaders who aspire to have a profound, positive and lasting impact on individuals, businesses and society through professional excellence, integrity and a spirit of service.
Truly, if you fulfill this inspiring purpose well, you will reach the very heart of society. You will improve the world from within. For the noble purpose you pursue can be lived out in all your activities, not just those with the highest strategic value that you take on at IESE from the top. All work can have great value from the inside.
In the same natural order, "the dignity of work depends not so much on what is done as on the person who does it, who, in the case of man, is a spiritual, intelligent and free being" (St. John Paul II, Discourse, July 3, 1986, n. 3).
The natural dignity of work, then, is rooted in the spiritual dignity of the human person, and it will be greater or lesser according to the greater or lesser quality or goodness that work has as a spiritual action. Now, this quality or goodness depends essentially on freedom: on love - not as passion or sentiment - but as dilectio (On the existential choice of the ultimate end, as an act of freedom, cf. C. Fabro, Riflessioni sulla liberta, Maggioli, Rimini 1983, pp. 43-51; 57-85).
As you have already seen in your Juan Antonio Pérez LópezIn our company, it is about fostering in ourselves and in the people we manage the transcendent motives: the interest in serving customers well, the human connection with people, the commitment to the company's purpose. This is in large part what stimulates us to serve more and better. And that can be done while also achieving the strategic results that companies need and while enabling the right people to develop the right competencies.
And although it may seem an exaggeration, St. Josemaría said: "It should not be forgotten, therefore, that the dignity of work is founded on Love. Man's great privilege is to be able to love, thus transcending the ephemeral and the transitory. He can love other creatures, that is, a you and an I full of meaning. And he can love God, who opens for us the gates of heaven, who constitutes us members of his family, who authorizes us to speak to him also from face to face, face to face".
In other words, we are made for Love and work is one of the platforms on which Love can grow within ourselves and in society. This is a good part of the Christian's vocation in the world, in society.
"For this reason, man should not limit himself to making things, to constructing objects. Work is born of love, it manifests love, it is ordered to love" (St. Josemaría, Christ Is Passing By, no. 48).
I recently came across an inspiring story that appeared many years ago in Forbes magazine that illustrates that human connection, that love manifested through work. It was written by an ER nurse in an American hospital who witnessed an amazing act of leadership:
"It was about 10:30 p.m. It was about 10:30 p.m.. The room was a mess. I was finishing up work on the chart before I went home. The doctor I loved working with was training a new doctor, who had done a very respectable and competent job, telling him what he had done well and what he could have done differently. Then he put his hand on the young doctor's shoulder and said, 'When you were done, did you see the young cleaning man who came in to clean the room?' The young man looked at him blankly.
The older doctor said, 'His name is Carlos. He's been here for three years. He does a fabulous job. When he comes in, he cleans the room so fast that you and I can see our next patients quickly. His wife's name is Maria. They have four children. He then named each of the four children and gave the age of each. The older doctor continued, 'He lives in a rented house about three blocks from here in Santa Ana. They came from Mexico five years ago. His name is Carlos,' he repeated. Then he said, 'Next week I'd like you to tell me something about Carlos that I don't already know. OK? Now let's go check on the rest of the patients.
The nurse was amazed: "I remember standing there writing my nursing notes, stunned, and thinking, I just witnessed awesome leadership."
Sometimes we can lose sight of that human tone when we think of work from the perspective of competing with other companies for more profit instead of thinking about serving people with attention and care, with love. Obviously, companies cannot lose sight of strategy or profit, which is a sign of a quality service provided in a responsible and efficient manner. But just as important as economic results, if not more so, is to serve with love for work and love for people.
"For a Christian, these perspectives are enlarged and broadened. For work appears as a participation in the creative work of God, who, in creating man, blessed him by saying to him: 'Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth' (Gen I, 28). Because, in addition, having been taken up by Christ, work is presented to us as a redeemed and redemptive reality: it is not only the sphere in which man lives, but also the means and path of holiness, a sanctifying and sanctifying reality" (St. Josemaría, Christ Is Passing By, no. 47).
What does it mean to sanctify from work?
Let us consider two fundamental aspects, linked together, on which the founder of Opus Dei insisted on innumerable occasions. In the first place, it is clear that the supernatural dimension of work is not something juxtaposed to its natural human dimension: the order of Redemption does not add something foreign to what work is in itself in the order of Creation; it is the very reality of human work that is elevated to the order of grace; sanctifying work is not "doing something holy" while working, but precisely making work itself holy.
The second aspect, inseparable and, in a certain sense, a consequence of the previous one, is that sanctified work is sanctifying: man not only can and must sanctify himself and cooperate in the sanctification of others and of the world while working, but precisely through his work, doing it humanly well, serving people out of love for God. This Christian spirit in the performance of work must prepare the world to better recognize God and thus also contribute to sustainability, peace and social justice. It is necessary," recalls Leo XIV, "to strive to remedy the global inequalities which trace deep furrows of opulence and destitution between continents, countries and even within societies" (Leo XIV, Speech to the diplomatic corps, 16-V-2025).
And, as St. Josemaría explained, there is a necessary relationship between the sanctification of professional work and the reconciliation of the world with God: "To unite professional work with the ascetic struggle and with contemplation-something that may seem impossible, but which is necessary to help reconcile the world with God-and to convert this ordinary work into an instrument of personal sanctification and apostolate. Is this not a noble and great ideal, for which it is worthwhile to give one's life? Instruction19-III-1934, n. 33).
We can live this noble and great ideal at work, whatever it is; always have this perspective of serving society, "A world to change", as you say in your advertising. I like to see that in your purpose you speak of a leadership that is good for people, companies and also for society as a whole. Companies can do a lot of good for society, although it is also true that not everything that society needs can be achieved through companies, since they are limited by the need to offer a limited and specific service and to generate profits, which is part of their purpose.
Responsible states, communities and families are also needed. In your formation, strive to reach the whole person, also in his or her spiritual dimension, so that from these well-formed persons we may contribute to serve society in all its dimensions. This is the fruit of the sanctification of your work well done out of love. To transform the world, we have to start with ourselves and make room for God in our lives, and concretely in our work.
There are some well-known words of the Founder of Opus Dei that contain a very brief and essential delimitation of the concept of sanctification of work, in the form of practical advice: "Give a supernatural motive to your ordinary professional work, and you will have sanctified your work" (St. Josemaría, Camino, n. 359). It is not a matter of doing things differently, but of doing the same things in a different way, with a supernatural motive that stimulates us to put in more effort and more love.
In other words, the activity of working becomes holy when it is carried out for a supernatural motive. But this affirmation should not be understood as a kind of "morality of intentions alone"; it is not a question, in classical terms, of giving primacy to the finis operantis as independent of the finis operis, which would be deprived of its own relevance. The finis operantis is the motivation of the person working, which may be motivated by various intentions. The finis operis is what we are trying to achieve with our activity, which may be to serve the client, to complete a report, to achieve a goal. To serve effectively with our work it is not enough to have good intentions, but to get to the concrete facts. To serve, to serveas St. Josemaría used to say.
The supernatural order assumes and elevates this human reality, so that work is holy if it is "born of love, manifests love, is ordered to love" and if this love is that "charity of God that has been poured into our hearts, by the Holy Spirit that has been given to us" (Rom 5, 5). When we live that unity of life of which St. Josemaría spoke so much, the charity of God is poured out in all the activities of our work: reports, calls, small details completed with love. The finis operantis penetrates and informs from within the finis operis of all our actions.
Work is holy, is sanctified, when it is governed and informed by God's love for God and for others. This is the substance of that "supernatural motive" that is sufficient to sanctify work; and it is even better to understand that this "intention" tends per se to the human perfection of the work itself: "We cannot offer the Lord something that, within the poor human limitations, is not perfect, without blemish, carried out with attention to the smallest details: God does not accept shoddy work. You shall not present anything defective, Holy Scripture admonishes us, for it would not be worthy of him (Lev. XXII, 20). Therefore, the work of each one of us, that labor that occupies our days and energies, must be a worthy offering to the Creator, operatio DeiIt is the work of God and for God: in a word, an accomplished, impeccable task" St. Josemaría, Friends of God55: cf. nn. 58 and 6).
But working with perfection is not to be confused with the perfectionism that can come from pride and lack of order. We must work well within reason, knowing that we have many occupations that demand our attention, to which we must also bring the love of God.
Sanctified work is not only work by God and for God, but it is, at the same time and necessarily, God's work, because it is God who sanctifies; it is He who first loves and makes our love possible through the Holy Spirit, of whom our charity is a participation. In order that God may work in us and through our work (so that our work may be work of God)We need to open spaces in our day to God, spaces for prayer and listening - at home, in the office, in the street, in the church - to achieve that unity with God that allows God to enter into all our actions.
Sanctifying work, in an objective, external, structural sense (for example, finance or accounting), is inseparable not only from sanctifying with work (in the day to day, through the concrete effort to achieve goals of service to people), but also from sanctifying oneself in work (growing in love), which is the necessary and immediate consequence of sanctifying work in its subjective aspect (as an action of the person).
Certainly, unsanctified subjective work can cooperate in the sanctification of the world, to the extent that it contributes to the establishment of social, economic, etc., structures that are naturally effective and just, which is an indispensable part of the ordering of these structures according to God. Think here, for example, of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations.
However, only a subjective work that is sanctified and, therefore, sanctifying for the one who performs it, necessarily cooperates not only in shaping a just world, but also in informing it with the charity of Christ, in sanctifying it. Naturally, this sanctification of the world from within requires not one but many persons who sanctify their work and sanctify themselves in their work in all professions.
St. Josemaría also affirmed this with the expression "the divine paths of the earth have been opened. We need many men and women who want to walk these paths to elevate the world from within, not through organized and perhaps ideological campaigns, which can be polarizing, but through the interior growth of each person in his or her own place, open to others and thus welcoming the grace of God who wants to spread faith, hope and charity around us.
You have a great purpose ahead of you, that of educating business leaders who will create the context in which many others will work and develop as people through their work. It is a great responsibility to prepare people with so much responsibility.
Many times they will not have clear recipes on how to interpret a problem or solve a situation. In general, managerial work involves a set of activities, such as foreseeing, organizing, coordinating and controlling the development and results of an organization's activity.
Faced with such a complex and variable reality, it is understandable that, when theorizing about the nature or analyzing the practice of managerial work, more or less diverse interpretations arise (cf., for example, G. Scalzo and S. García Álvarez, El Management como práctica: una aproximación a la naturaleza del trabajo directivo, in "Empresa y humanismo", XXI (2018) pp. 95-118).
That is why the education of a manager does not only require memorizing principles or collecting marketing, finance, strategy or accounting tools, but reaching a prudential understanding that is normally acquired only with a long and well-digested experience.
The responsibility of a manager requires the exercise of prudence, which is the virtue most appropriate to the work of governance. We can recall a well-known affirmation of St. Thomas Aquinas: "let the wise teach us, let the saints pray for us, let the prudent govern us". Through the case method sessions, your students learn to exercise prudence, to ask themselves the key questions, to go deeper into arguments, to understand others' points of view without prejudice, and to change their minds.
In its most general expression, prudent action requires sufficient knowledge of the past (the precedents of matters), attention to the circumstances delimiting the present matter, and foresight of future effects of possible decisions.
"Prudence, besides being the perfecting habit of this kind of activity (praxis), is the only intellectual virtue whose object is moral, i.e., it acts as a kind of bridge between both dimensions that allows to reconcile thought and action", (G. Scalzo and S. García Álvarez, cit. P. 112.). By exercising prudent leadership, participants in your programs will grow as individuals, morally and intellectually, and will be able to create environments in which others will grow, thus contributing to the betterment of society.
Other characteristics of a good managerial job, it seems to me, are openness and flexibility. Open-mindedness, to learn from experience and study. Openness to understand the changes that are required in new times. Openness to welcome and value suggestions or explanations from others, without rushing or admitting prejudices. Knowing how to listen. Openness not to arbitrarily cut initiatives, but to promote and channel them. Openness to grasp and accept opportunities for change; in particular, openness of mind to change one's mind: as St. Josemaría used to say, "we are not like the rivers that cannot be turned back.
Finally, openness of heart, to understand and love others. This openness leads us to accept others as they are, without judgment or prejudice, and at the same time we can challenge them to be better. It consists of being a bridge also for people who think differently. You can work very well with people of other faiths or without faith, and who follow lifestyles that you do not share, but people who usually always have a good background, on which you can build a friendship and a common project within the company.
As far as flexibility is concerned, it is obvious that it is opposed to rigidity, but it is not opposed to strength. It is the ability to accept and decide on necessary or desirable exceptions. In this context, I think it is also interesting to mention the importance of promoting the inner freedom of employees at all professional levels, giving the reason for what is commanded. The idea is that they want to do their job well in order to serve better. In the same vein, good management work avoids excessive control and excessive detail when ordering something. The micromanagement as a way of directing creates puppets, not mature people with their own criteria.
We should also mention the importance of knowing how to delegate, taking into account the circumstances of individuals and environments. I am reminded of what St. Josemaría wrote in a broader context: "The same means cannot be used with everyone. In this too, it is necessary to imitate the behavior of mothers: their justice is to treat unequal children unequally" (St. Josemaría, Letter 29-IX-1957, n. 25).
Some, the younger ones, need follow-up and feedback to gain as soon as possible the experience they need to do their job well. Others, more mature ones, need coaching through which they learn to make their own decisions. And there comes a time when they can work without any monitoring, because the manager can delegate to them with full confidence and without worries. But both need the trust, closeness and friendship of their managers.
The managerial activity usually requires to channel towards a common purpose elements and actions that are diverse in themselves. It is necessary, then, a sufficient capacity of synthesis, that maintaining the attention that distinguishes the diverse elements of the matter, manages to unite them in a common final dimension. Here enters what many call the purpose of the company, which includes paying attention to its many stakeholdersstakeholders- so that the managerial activity at the same time unifies the efforts of all.
The particular relevance of managerial work lies, as is obvious, in the fact that the effectiveness of other people's work, their personal growth through work, and the culture and tone of the company depend to a large extent on this work. Hence a peculiar aspect of managerial responsibility. The position of manager is not a privilege but a service and a responsibility, which consists of creating an effective context for the work of others. Therefore, a manager must foster the inner disposition that pushes one to resolutely undertake one's duties.
You educate these managers here not only through classes and teamwork, but also by creating a tone of a job well done - including many different aspects: well-tended gardens, clean blackboards, well-prepared classes with striking and clear closings - and of joy and human closeness, of caring for people.
In short, that tone of friendship in which everyone realizes that they really matter, that they are loved, explains the openness and joy that you see in your school and at alumni reunions.
Thank you very much.
Download the complete speech to share.
