Love Works - Review

 I just finished Love Works by Joel Manby.  I started it shortly after Christmas and have referenced it it an earlier post on this blog.  Manby's background as a GM executive and then CEO of Saab North America followed by becoming CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment, the largest family-owned theme park corporation in the U.S. definitely gives credibility to this book.  Not to mention his Havard Business School degree.

It is interesting that while the background in GM and the automobile industry obviously strengthened his management skills, it wasn't until he moved to Herschend Family Entertainment that the principles behind Love Works actually became central to his leadership style.  Inside the cover there are literally eight pages of recommendations by impressive people for Joel and this book.  Similarly, the back cover contains even more praise for Love Works.

The sub-title of the book is:  Seven Timeless Principles for Effective Leaders.  Those principles are:

1. Patient: Have Self-Control in Difficult Situations
2. Kind: Show Encourageme3nt and Enthusiasm
3. Trusting: Place Confidence in Someone
4. Unselfish: Think of Yourself Less
5. Truthful: Define Reality Corporately and individually
6. Forgiving: Release the Grip of the Grudge
7. Dedicated: Stick to Your Values in All Circumstances.

The book is easy to read and certainly there is nothing to fault in these principles which are based solidly on Christian principles.  I found a few quotes which spoke to me personally and I'm sure that anyone reading this book would find the same.  Here are a few examples:

"Love isn't a feeling, but an action, an action by which leaders and entire organizations can experience almost unimaginable success and personal fulfillment." p. 22
"Making someone's day better is contagious and increases the energy, effectiveness, and productivity in any organization." p. 55
"Kindness is about intentionally creating and maintaining the right environment in your organization so that frontline employees can deliver an enthusiastic guest experience." p. 60
"I've come to believe that the definition of CEO needs to be expanded.  It also stands for 'chief encouragement officer.'" p. 66
"Trusting the people we work with is crucial to building a climate of positive morale and successful performance. . . . the bottom line is that successful leaders understand and activate trust on a daily basis." p.70
"We think we want efficient organizations, but what we really want is effective organizations." p. 81
"I believe that giving is critical as a leader, regardless of your personal beliefs." p. 93
"For leaders to thrive, they must define the truth of the organization's real role in the marketplace and identify its weaknesses and strengths." p. 112
"Most people don't leave because of poor performance; they leave because the don't feel valued." p.118
"Malacy McCourt quote: 'Resentment is like taking poison and waiting for the other person to die.'" p. 146
"Leading with love is a higher testament to one's leadership acumen than simply taking the well-trodden path toward fear-based, power-hungry management." p. 170
"Never lose an opportunity to bring sunshine into the life of another." p. 176

If you have a strong Christian background, you are probably already doing these things in your life and leadership, so this might serve as a reminder or an encourager.  If you are a nominal Christian, you should find solid support for moving these principles from the sideline in your life to center stage.  If you are not a Christian, particularly if you do not follow any faith creed, this is probably going to sound soft.  Thankfully Joel has included many examples of how these principles have positively impacted the company's bottom line which should help connect the dots.

This is a fairly easy read and I recommend it, especially if you're serious about creating a culture which recognizes the value of employee and customer in a way that produces remarkable returns.