Everybody Matters: The Extraordinary Power of Caring for Your People Like Family (10th Anniversary & Expanded Edition)
Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia
Optimism Press/An Imprint of Penguin Random House (October 2025)
Why so many people don’t feel that they matter…and how to respond effectvely to that
This 10th Anniversary & Expanded Edition of a book first published in 2015. Bob Chapman and Raj Sisodia share their current thoughts about the importance of caring for workforce members as if they were members of one’s family. It is prefersble, of course, if all of the members of your family consistently produce results of high-impact and great value who also have impeccable character.
If not, here are some other perspectives worthy of consideration.
Years ago, Theodore Roosevelt observed, “People won’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Especially executives who have direct reports should always keep that observation in mind.
More recently, this was Herb Kelleher’s response when the then chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines was asked why his airline’s profits and cap value were greater than all of its competitors…combined.
“We take great care of our people, they take great care of our customers, and our customers take great care of our shareholders.”
Even more recently, extensive surveys of employees and customers reveal that — when asked what is of greatest importance to them — a substantial majority of respondents in both groups ranked “feeling appreciated” either first or second.
o Companies with high levels of employee well-being have a 27% higher profitability rate compared with those with low levels. (Gallup Research)
o Higher employee well-being correlates directly with increased productivity, customer satisfaction, and profitability. (London School of Economics)
o Organizations with robust well-being programs experience improved financial outcomes and lower employee turnover. (Case studies in a report from the Glocal Council for Happiness and Well-Being)
What would be the responses if every member of your workforce were asked to respond anonymously to these four questions formulated by Oxford University Said Business School professor Jean-Emmanuel DeGreve?
1. Do you feel happy most of the time?
2. Are you content with your work?
3. Do you find your work to be purposeful and worthwhile?
4. Are you experiencing negative stress at work?
What are your own responses?
If the personal growth and professional development of your organization’s workforce can be improved — and it almost certainly can — the abundance of information, insights, and (especially) the counsel that Chapman and Sisodia provide in Everybody Matters that has been gained from wide and deep real-world experience and can help to improve everyone’s growth and development substantially (including yours) and do so in a timely manner.