At what point in your life did you make up your mind you were going to become published authors?
When we found a story worth telling.
Was there anyone in your life that you can give credit to helping pave the way?
The millions of employees we’ve talked to who were looking for “something better.”
Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
It is two stories. The first is that of Jack Rooney, the feisty CEO of U.S. Cellular, who has defied all odds and executed his dream of running a company with thousands of employees who care about its success as much as he does; who share a common goal (almost unheard of in corporate America); and who are willing to sacrifice their own comforts and rewards to protect what they have built together.
What was the inspiration behind your book? Why did you feel a need to write it?
We wrote The Pursuit of Something Better out of the conviction that after four decades of looking, there really is a better way to achieve results than the traditional business model. Many have tried to find it, with little success. We occasionally sighted that rare organization or that unusual leader who understood that most of the employees in their organizations were alienated from their enterprises, and that there was tremendous untapped commitment and creativity being left on the table. We found just enough of them to keep us on the search.
Then we met Jack Rooney and had the wonderful opportunity to engage with him in a real change process. He understood that engaging his employees meant he had to deal with their hearts as well as their minds and bodies. The results he achieved in three organizations, but predominantly in U.S. Cellular, is an incredible story that should be known throughout the corporate world.
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