On the Fourth Sunday of Advent, we celebrate Love—both God’s boundless love for us and our love for one another. In October, while Tanner was at his Upward Flag Football practice, I picked up a copy of Joel Manby’s Love Works from the Friendswood Public Library. In the book, Manby provides in his words seven timeless principles for effective leaders.
Manby was a part of the General Motors start-up team for Saturn Corporation, responsible for launching Saturn’s innovative marketing and distribution strategy. After a few years with Saturn, Manby was promoted to CEO of Saab Automobile USA, and during his four-year tenure, Saab’s sales increased by 67%.
From 2003 through 2013, Manby then served as President and CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment (HFE). HFE’s mission is to “make memories worth repeating” with a culture shaped by its founder and purposefully crafted to be sustainable in the future.
Manby’s company appeared on the TV show “Undercover Boss” and confirmed the wise management philosophy the leaders at HFE nurtured for half a century: leading with love.
Manby explains, “We actually use love to define our leadership culture at HFE. Not love the emotion, but love the verb. We train our leaders to love one another, knowing if they create enthusiasm with their employees, the employees will in turn create an enthusiastic guest experience.”
Click here to learn why Love Works!