The Meaning Revolution

The Power of Transcendent Leadership

By: Fred Kofman, Reid Hoffman - foreword

Narrated by: Fred Kofman, Arthur Morey

Length: 13 hrs and 8 mins

Publisher's summary

Advisor of Leadership at Google and former vice president of leadership at LinkedIn claims that the biggest driver of motivation is the chance to serve a larger purpose beyond our careers and ourselves, rather than salary, benefits, bonuses or other material incentives; companies that are able to successfully focus their people, their teams and their culture around meaning outperform their competition.

Fred Kofman's approach to leadership has little to do with the standard practices taught in business school and traditional books. Bringing together economics and business theroy, communications and conflict resolution, family counseling and mindfulness mediation, Kofman argues in The Meaning Revolution that our most deep-seated, unspoken and universal anxiety stems from our fear that our life is being wasted - that the end of life will overtake us when our song is still unsung. Material incentives - salary and benefits - account for perhaps 15% of employees' motivation at work. The other 85% is driven by a need to belong, a feeling that what we do day in and day out makes a difference, that how we spend our time on earth serves a larger purpose beyond just ourselves.

Kofman claims that transcendental leaders, whereever they are in the hierarchy, are able to put aside their self-interests, and help others to feel connected with others on a team or in an organization on a great mission, and part of an ennobling purpose. He argues that every organization involved in work that is nonviolent and non-addictive has what he calls an "immortality project" at its core. And the challenge for leaders is to identify and expand on that core, to inspire all stakeholders to take part.

©2018 Fred Kofman (P)2018 Random House Audio

A dyslexics nightmare, heavily accented reader

I'm severely dyslexic, audiobooks and being able to listen at high speeds are an absolute savior. The author narrates his own book and has a heavy Latin accent which creates a much higher barrier for aural understanding especially at higher speeds. This is a huge disappointment for me. I appreciate the author providing the voice for his own audiobook, but it's the opposite of the cognitive aide I was hoping for.

Would recommend if you fit the management niche

Great book if you want to grow your management skills, if that is you, it is a must read.

Please remove false narrative on baby elephants

The content was fairly good, although much of the content will be recognized from other leadership reading materials. Fred has a good delivery and accessible presentation style.

The author needs to do a tiny bit of research into the horrifying training of baby elephants and remove this example from his reading. Baby elephants are not merely trained by tying a rope around their ankle so that the "get used to it". They are taken from the mothers, put in a "crush box", and tortured for days or even weeks. During this time they are torn at with bull hooks, shot at with slingshots, poked, stabbed, and all sorts of torment until they are ultimately broken. At the end, they often don't even recognize their own mother. For those of you traveling to India/Cambodia/Thailand, please, please do not ride elephants. These wise and amazing creatures live a life of torment while in their captors' "care". Recommended watching - Love and Bananas

I understand that this is a single story in a corporate book, but this is being widely read by an audience who will very likely travel to these countries and try to reenact the journeys of the author.

Please, please, please change this in the next edition.

validating

the points made are pretty straightforward, but it's nice to have them validated by someone with so much experience in implementing them

A must read for the leaders of 21st Century

The author skillfully builds on the concepts he previously presented in his other great book, Conscious Business. Kofman is an intellectual and a masterful storyteller with real world experience. He provides spiritual and practical guidance on how to get great results, not as a goal but as a by-product of winning hearts and engaging collective efforts for a shared purpose.

Otra genialIdad de Fred

La revolucion del sentido es la base fundamental de La Empresa Consciente. Los problemas "duros" que sufren las personas dentro da las organizaciones, como la desinformacion, falta de alineamiento y desconexcion tienen soluciones "suaves". Sin duda una lectura obligada para cualquier lider que quiera trascender en su exterior e interior.

Meaningful

Food for thought.
Makes you stop and think about the things you want to accomplish.
Makes you realize what is important.
Thanks for sharing

must read and listen book

So important and practical, I hope all people listen to it, not just existing leaders but anyone that wants to be a valuable and successful part of society

Totally recommended for future leaders

If you into looking to hear an interesting story and learn not only “a few tricks”, but actually a system of how to lead and cooperate, take this book.
If you still have concerns - check Fred’s channel on Youtube, and then return and take this book :)

This book is a must for all managers wherever they are

Fred describe the core of the 21st employees - management relationships with humility and unfolds the main key idea of success