Leading with Significance: How to Create a Magnetic, People-First Culture 
Joey Havens
Greenleaf Book Group Press (June 2023)

An organization’s culture can determine its fate, for better or worse.

Years ago, then chairman and CEO of Southwest Airlines — Herb Kelleher — was asked how and why his company was more profitable and had a greater cap value 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.” Then and now, companies annually ranked among those most highly admired and the best to work for are also annually ranked among those most profitable and have the greatest cap value in their industry segment. That is not a coincidence. However different they may be in most other respects, all of the high-impact companies have a “magnetic, people-first culture.” They create employee evangelists who in turn create customer evangelists.

In all organizations — whatever their size and nature may be — peak performers are magnets who attract other peak performers. Carefully consider these observations by Joey Havens: “The core message of this book could not possibly be more relevant to our current situation [i.e. ignoring or underappreciating the core issues of culture]. The pulse of this book is how you can build and experience a magnetic workplace. It’s a journey that dives into the core issues of creating a magnetic culture and pulls back the curtains to reveal the challenges and human emotions that become stumbling blocks for so many.”

He goes on to suggest that building a magnetic culture isn’t just a matter of introducing initiatives and programs and watching what happens. “There are powerful dynamics that not only drive such efforts but also ensure that acceptance. Complex, often uncomfortable human emotions and actions such as loving, caring, advocating, forgiving, and respecting need to be recognized for their roles in crafting a culture that’s both genuine and enduring. This type of journey mandates multiple levels of transparency, including the courage to be absolutely open and honest about the emotions that accompany it and that, for many of us, are difficult to talk about.”

These are among the general subjects and specific issues discussed in the book that are of greatest interest and value to me:

o Contrast Factors: Foolish Firm vs. Wise Firm (Page 32)
o Employee Realignment (39)
o The Building Blocks of the Wise Firm (50-54)
o Living the Flexibility (64-67)
o The Wise Engagement Meter (69-72)
o Transparency and “A Great Place to Work” (76-80)
o “A Magnetic Moment” (86-87)
o No Stand-Alone Initiative and No Silos ((91-95)

o The Belonging Task Force: Transparency (108-112)
o Inherent Strengths (114-120)
o Building Fun Traditions (126-130)
o How to Change a Mindset (134-136)
o Coaching Is a Game Changer (139-141)
o Seniority Is Out the Window (145-148)
o The Lowest Moment (152-156)
o Great Leadership Is Not a Single Leader (168-173)

The last passage supports a key point that is seldom as valued as it should be: All organizations require leading with significance at all levels and in all areas of the given enterprise, whatever a given person’s title may specify or even imply.

I commend Joey Havens on the quality of information, insights, and counsel that he provides in abundance. However, it remains for each reader to determine which material is most relevant and directly responsive to their organization’s current as well as imminent (albeit probable) circumstances. Today’s business world is more volatile, more uncertain, more complex, and more ambiguous than at any prior time that I recall. Marshall Goldsmith asserts that “what got you here won’t get you there.” My own opinion is that it won’t even allow you to remain here, however “here” and “there” may be defined.

Here are two concluding suggestions: Highlight key passages, and, keep a lined notebook near at hand while reading Leading with Significance in which you record your comments, questions, action steps (preferably with deadlines) and page references as well as your responses to questions or issues suggested by the material. These two simple tactics will facilitate, indeed expedite frequent reviews of key material later.