Beyond Profits: People-First Leadership with Bob Chapman
Bob Chapman, CEO of the internationally renowned Barry-Wehmiller, a machinery industry company with over 12,000 employees in over 100 countries, 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.”
“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.
“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.”
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.