In short, he loved well.
"Everyone is someone’s precious child."
- Bob Chapman, CEO and Chairman of Barry-Wehmiller
This belief and perspective comes from one of the most inspiring leadership stories I have heard. I first met Bob Chapman at the Conscious Leadership Forum in 1440 Mulitversity, Santa Cruz California. Barry-Wehmiller is an industrial manufacturing conglomerate headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri founded in 1885. Chapman inherited it in 1975, and took the company from $20 million in revenue to $3 billion in revenue by focusing on a leadership strategy that’s core focus is to send people home feeling fulfilled.
How did he do this? By caring for his employees and treating everyone like they matter and are someone’s precious child.
In short, he loved well.
While watching a friend’s daughter walk down the wedding aisle, Chapman received the life-changing realization that everyone is someone's precious child. He then asked himself, “What would happen if I started to look at everyone that way?” From then on, Chapman began to see his employees not as engineers, accountants, or production workers just performing a function for the organization’s success, but rather as someone’s special child who is continually growing into all they can be. With this shift in perspective, he began to naturally care for them in a way that brought out gifts and talents they didn’t even know they had. As a result, employees experienced greater fulfillment in their lives at work and the company’s talent and performance improved. This increase directly impacted revenue in a massive way, not to mention employee divorce rates dropped, and their overall well-being went up.
When I think about caring for someone else’s child, I am reminded of how much more naturally I act with empathy, compassion, patience, simplicity, and love. I am clear they have been trusted in my care and I am the one leading. Meaning, I am the one who is completely present, listening, and responding to the environment around me to keep them safe and to create an experience that brings joy and connection and leaves them going home feeling filled up.
Today’s Invitation - is to meet the people in your life with the truth that they are someone’s special child, and let yourself experience how you might care and connect with them a little differently. How might you let love lead the interaction a little more?
Article
‘Your Employees Are Somebody’s Precious Child’ - Forbes
This is a great article and interview in Forbes Magazine with Bob Chapman where he shares in more depth the little bit I shared above.
Book
Everybody Matters by Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia
This book is an inspiring guide to making love and caring the foundation of business.
Journal Prompts
Where am I caring and loving the people I lead and/or work with well?
What is one small way I could love and care for the people I lead and/or work with even more?
Where do I find it hard to care for and love the people I work with or lead? If I see them as someone’s precious child, how might I connect with them differently?