This is a very exciting time.
Barry-Wehmiller’s unique culture of caring for those we have the privilege to lead and serve continues to garner attention and validate that business can be a powerful force for good in the world.
In addition to the continued success of our book, Everybody Matters, to the Harvard case study about BW that has become a best seller, to the growing invitations to share our message and learnings globally, it is clear that the world is ready for Truly Human Leadership.
And that has been very clear in the recent opportunities I have had to share our message; the interactions I have had at these events and the invitations I continue to receive to speak in person or virtually.
For example, last Friday I spoke in Charleston, SC, at a leadership conference for The Medical University of South
Carolina Health System (MUSC Health,) which consists of 14 hospitals throughout the state. More than 1,500 leaders were in attendance, who have more than 25,000 lives within their span of care! What an incredible opportunity to share our message of caring to those who care for others in an industry that has seen many challenges in recent years.
This past Monday, I spoke twice at Grand Canyon University. An early session was to 350 students and a later session was to 2,000 people to introduce the movie, “Beyond Zero,” and participate in a panel discussion after the viewing. “Beyond Zero” is about the journey of a company who realized they could operate with financial success while serving not just shareholders but stakeholders — in a way that is responsible to the planet. You can read more about the event and the movie here.
My message to the attendees was that we have is a society stuck in an economic model where success is money, power and position, and it’s self-destructing. Why was I introducing a movie on sustainability? What good does it do to have an Earth flourishing if humans aren’t flourishing on that Earth? We need to care about the Earth, and we need to care about the people on the Earth.
This coming weekend, I was invited to highlight our initiatives to integrate Truly Human Leadership in all levels of education during the United Nations PRME Transforming Education Summit. This discussion will not only highlight our work to bring caring leadership principles to education through initiatives with K-12 schools and Fordham and other universities, but also the launch of the Humanistic Leadership Academy to transform how leadership is taught in business schools.
Next week, a number of university professors and cohorts of the Humanistic Leadership Academy will again meet at our BW Papersystems location in Phillips, WI, to further that initiative and recruit more business schools to our cause.
In October, I will share the Barry-Wehmiller transformation story with 800+ business leaders at the premier event in China dedicated to “organizational transformation in the direction of next-level consciousness.” The Chinese publisher of Everybody Matters reports that it is selling very well, calling it “a beautiful and joyful gift for us.”
Also this fall, I will address a wide variety of audiences across geographic regions: McKinsey’s Global Industrial Leadership Summit business leaders, Monterrey (Mexico) Institute of Technology students, Vizient Healthcare CEOs, Brazil’s Virtuous Leadership Program members, Ivey Business School (Canada) business students, Big Huddle retail store leaders, and others.
Additionally, the Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities celebrated its 750th class! Since 2012, the non-profit my wife Cynthia and I started has helped 13,000 individuals heal their relationships and grow as leaders through the unique learning experiences offered in communities. Lately, the group has been especially focused on helping law enforcement first responders.
I was also recently featured in a profile by University of Michigan Ross School of Business that shared our message and story with students and alumni
And my recent column in the International Business Times on empathetic listening has been one of their most read articles of the year
I share all these exciting bits of news with you as words of encouragement. For one, it illustrates the hunger for a new way to lead. But also it shows that we have much to do.
I do believe that business can be the most powerful force for good if we embrace the responsibilities we have as leaders to care for those within our span of care. And I will continue to work to spread that message far and wide.
What about you? How are you working to change the world? Will you join us in sharing this message of hope and joy?