Beyond Profits: People-First Leadership
Bob Chapman is a visionary who grew a small company through thick and thin to become a $3.6 billion powerhouse. But he knows that wouldn’t have been possible without the people surrounding him, and those people need to be cared for. He says, “Seventy-four percent of all illnesses are chronic. The biggest cause of chronic illnesses is stress. And the biggest cause of stress is work. We are destroying people.” That’s why Bob shares all his human-focused leadership insight in this episode of the Take Command podcast. “We can all say, ‘The government needs to do this, the new president needs to do that.’ But what are we doing to create the kind of world where our children, our friends, our family have a chance to be who they're intended to be?” Bob encourages all leaders to start measuring success by the way they touch the lives of people, from employees to customers to suppliers and more. Listen in as Bob and Joe discuss the history of Barry-Wehmiller, the importance of a foundational business plan, and why putting people first is the secret to success.
Take Command: A Leadership Podcast · Joe Hart
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Show Notes
About the Guest:
Say hello to Bob Chapman, CEO of the internationally renowned Barry-Wehmiller, a machinery industry company with over 12,000 employees in over 100 countries. Bob’s first title at the company was “Somebody He Could Trust”—meaning he was tasked with helping his father (the owner) make business decisions. But all did not go as planned. “I worked with my dad for six years, was put in the position of VP of finance, and I think it was October of ’75, he had a severe heart attack and died. The next day I was president of the company at age thirty, and the first people I met were the bankers, who immediately pulled our loans.”
Bob goes on to detail the many ups and downs of the company after his sudden rise to the top. He says he went from “phenomenal success to traumatic decline and then a phenomenal recovery.” And phenomenal it is. Today, Barry-Wehmiller is a $3.6 billion company. Bob attributes that to many factors, including his creative approaches, his tenacity in the face of crisis, and his focus on people as the main drivers of success.
What You Will Learn:
- Strategies into how common sense, creativity, and a positive attitude can replace book smarts and accolades
- Insights into why we need “leaders, coaches, and mentors,” not “managers, bosses, and supervisors.”
- Lessons in why it isn’t enough to get people on the same bus; the bus needs to be able to support the people getting on it
- Stories of the quick rise, epic fall, and monumental comeback of the Barry-Wehmiller Company
Join Joe Hart and Bob Chapman as they discuss weathering the ups and downs of business while always keeping people front and center. More than anything, Bob wants leaders to understand the importance and responsibility they have as business leaders to give employees a “grounded sense of hope,” meaning “they can decide to raise a child, buy a home, educate their kids, or save for their retirement. That is your fundamental responsibility.” Learn more about how to fulfill your responsibilities as a leader when you tune in to this insightful episode.
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