Leadership development programs that integrate personal and professional development are gaining traction, a topic I explore in ”The Soul of Leadership: An Executive Education,” in the January issue of Yoga Chicago about my experience as a student in an executive education program led by the dean of spirituality, Deepak Chopra, M.D., at Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.

Viewed through the long lens of  history,  leadership is a transformational experience represented by the hero’s journey.   

One of the most enduring archetypes throughout human history, mythical and modern heroes —  morally tortured Arjuna, wily Odysseus, the innocents Luke Skywalker and Harry Potter -  face down their inner demons through a series of trials to find their identity, to understand their purpose and to take their place in society. 

Today, the corner office has replaced the battlefield as the stage for the hero’s journey. This classical view of leadership as the hero’s journey toward self-knowledge and spiritual self-reliance is shaping the perspective of an entire generation of business executives.