Everybody Matters

The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family

By: Bob Chapman, Raj Sisodia

Narrated by: Steven Menasche

Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins

Publisher's summary

Starting in 1997, Bob Chapman and Barry-Wehmiller pioneered a dramatically different approach to leadership that creates off-the-charts morale, loyalty, creativity, and business performance. The company utterly rejects the idea that employees are simply functions to be moved around, "managed" with carrots and sticks, or discarded at will. Instead Barry-Wehmiller manifests the reality that every single person matters, just like in a family. That's not a cliché on a mission statement; it's the bedrock of the company's success.

During tough times a family pulls together, makes sacrifices together, and endures short-term pain together. If a parent loses his or her job, a family doesn't lay off one of the kids. That's the approach Barry-Wehmiller took when the Great Recession caused revenue to plunge for more than a year. Instead of mass layoffs, they found creative and caring ways to cut costs, such as asking team members to take a month of unpaid leave. As a result Barry-Wehmiller emerged from the downturn with higher employee morale than ever before.

It's natural to be skeptical when you first hear about this approach. Every time Barry-Wehmiller acquires a company that relied on traditional management practices, the new team members are skeptical, too. But they soon learn what it's like to work at an exceptional workplace where the goal is for everyone to feel trusted and cared for - and where it's expected that they will justify that trust by caring for each other and putting the common good first.

Chapman and coauthor Raj Sisodia show how any organization can reject the traumatic consequences of rolling layoffs, dehumanizing rules, and hypercompetitive cultures. Once you stop treating people like functions or costs, disengaged workers begin to share their gifts and talents toward a shared future. Uninspired workers stop feeling that their jobs have no meaning. Frustrated workers stop taking their bad days out on their spouses and kids. And everyone stops counting the minutes until it's time to go home.

This audiobook chronicles Chapman's journey to find his true calling, going behind the scenes as his team tackles real-world challenges with caring, empathy, and inspiration. It also provides clear steps to transform your own workplace, whether you lead two people or 200,000. While the Barry-Wehmiller way isn't easy, it is simple. As the authors put it:

"Everyone wants to do better. Trust them. Leaders are everywhere. Find them. People achieve good things, big and small, every day. Celebrate them. Some people wish things were different. Listen to them. Everybody matters. Show them."

©2015 Bob Chapmam, Raj Sisodia (P)2016 Gildan Media LLC

Critic reviews

" Everybody Matters simply blew me away. This is THE book that practically every corporate CEO in North America has been breathlessly waiting for...even if they don't yet know it!" (Bob Burg, coauthor of The Go-Giver)

"Bob Chapman, CEO of the $1.7 billion manufacturing company Barry-Wehmiller, is on a mission to change the way businesses treat their employees." ( Inc. Magazine)

Good business book but not unique

This is a good book on how to lead and care about everyone in your business and was likey a radical differentiator when Barry Wehmiller started operating this way in the 1980s.

If you read widely on the topic of organizational management, leadership, and resonance, then it is likely that none of the material here is unique or profound. If this is your first book on the topic, then go for it. If it is your one hundredth book, you can skip it.

what really matters are undervalued people.

great real life examples of what really matters at the human level. leveraging your human assets.

The title says it all.

Every employee does matter. Their thoughts and experiences all add value. The most important part of any organization is it’s employees.

Everybody Matters will can the World

Bob Chapman’s approach to human beings and our human condition unfortunately is unique but so very powerful. The principles and practices described in Everybody Matters could literally change our world without a single government program or tax dollar. Thanks.

Transformational Management

What a different world we would live in if more businesses adopted the caring and values driven approach employed by Barry-Wehmiller. This story clearly demonstrates that caring for employee wellbeing can drive to a healthy bottom line.

Wow

This book presented business and management in a way that is missing in our business schools. As I prepare to graduate and move back into the working world, I will be better equipped for truer success because of this book.

Fantastic

This was a truly amazing book. It was deeply inspiring, insightful and eye opening. This should be a mandatory read for all leaders and all business. Everybody Matters, what a wonderful thing.

Leadership Must-Have

Great read! This book should be in every leader’s/manager’s toolkit! This book gets to the essence of what true leadership is all about.

Culture equals values plus behavior

An outstanding and uplifting read on the power of knowing why you do whatnot do. Great ideas on how to lead in the modern world with the focus being on people and how to inspire them. I highly recommend this book.

I love this book

I really love this book. I own the book and have read it twice and now I have listened.