Everybody Matters

October 1, 2015

Nice guys finish first? That's the lesson Chapman, CEO of Barry-Wehmiller, has been learning over the years, and what he and coauthor Sisodia (FW Olin Distinguished Professor of Global Business, Babson Coll.; coauthor, Conscious Capitalism) share here. The basic premise is that if employees are treated well, an organization will succeed. But the hitch is that companies can't achieve this with that outcome in mind--otherwise it would be self-serving and calculating and workers wouldn't buy into it. It has to be an end in itself--just because it's the right thing to do. Barry-Wehmiller, a capital goods manufacturer founded in 1885, lumbered along before Chapman's ideas began to crystallize into a cohesive philosophy and management model. Companies have to care about all their stakeholders--employees, customers, suppliers, and even bankers. Once those values are woven into the organizational fabric, employees will be empowered to achieve results that may have seemed impossible before. Obviously, companies must make solid strategic decisions, too, but the point is that good decisions go hand-in-hand with the principle that people come before profits. VERDICT Chapman is convincing in his appeal for a more human approach to management in all kinds of organizations. This inspirational read is recommended for all types of business collections.--Carol Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin, Whitewater Libs.

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