Truly Human Leadership with Mr Bob Chapman

    In S5 E 16 I am delighted to welcome Mr Bob Chapman to the podcast. Mr Chapman "The People's CEO" is Chairman and CEO  of St. Louis, MO-based Barry-Wehmiller, a $3.6B global capital equipment and engineering solutions company with more than 12,000 team members. Mr Chapman became the senior executive of Barry- Wehmiller in 1975 at age 30 when the 90-year-old business had $20 million in revenue, outdated technology and a very weak financial position. As you will hear in this conversation despite the obstacles, Chapman applied a unique blend of strategy and culture over the next 45+ years in leading Barry-Wehmiller through more than 130 successful acquisitions.  Over the past two decades, a series of realizations led him away from traditional management practices to Truly Human Leadership--a people-centric approach where his team members feel valued, cared for and integral to the company’s purpose. At Barry-Wehmiller, they have a unique measure of success: by the way they touch the lives of people.
       Chapman’s experiences and the transformation he championed were the inspiration behind his 2015 WSJ bestseller Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family. The book is co- authored by Raj Sisodia, founder and co-author of Conscious Capitalism. . In 2016, Harvard Business School released a case study featuring Barry-Wehmiller’s unique approach to business, which is now taught at 70+ business schools around the world.
      In 2013, Bob and his wife Cynthia launched a nonprofit, Chapman Foundation for Caring Communities, to bring the company’s groundbreaking Listen Like a Leader training to communities. And, in 2015, the Chapman & Co. Leadership Institute was founded to bring Barry-Wehmiller’s trademark culture transformation and leadership training to for-profit organizations.
      I am joined here by special guest co-host Dr Chris Edmond ( S 5 E7) and together we have the opportunity to explore the leadership, strategy and culture which define the Chapman and Barry-Wehmiller organisational approach today. Mr Chapman himself credits his success in the face of adversity over the years to the combination of the core tenets of common sense, creativity and a positive attitude.  His story, journey and work are testament to what is possible at the intersection of great business strategy and profound care for people.  He wants everyone to see that caring for people and giving them meaning, purpose and fulfilment through their work is not in disharmony with creating value.  If the key mission and work of this podcast is to mine for the pockets of excellent leadership and practice so that we can all learn and evolve, then we have certainly struck gold again here. Thank you Mr Bob Chapman for generously sharing your time, expertise and wisdom .

Links/ References:
To Read
https://www.barrywehmiller.com/outreach/book
To Listen
https://www.barrywehmiller.com/blog
To Learn and Support
https://www.chapmancommunities.org/our-story/
https://www.ccoleadership.com

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Disclaimer: The content in this podcast is not intended to constitute or be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health care professional. Moreover views expressed here are our own and do not necessarily reflect those of our employers or other official organisations.