This week U2 releases its 14th studio album, “Songs of Experience.” The band has had a phenomenal run since it came together in the mid-1970s. U2 is composed of four band members: lead singer Bono, lead guitar player “Edge,” bass guitar player Adam Clayton and drummer Larry Mullen, Jr. The band members have known each other since they were teenagers in Dublin, Ireland. In its early days it was not unusual for the band to be booed and laughed at. The wonder is that U2 has gone on to receive a remarkable 22 Grammy awards, more than any band in history, and has the highest revenue-generating concert tour.
I had the pleasure of contributing an article on Costco’s Connection Culture to the November 2017 issue of ATD’s TD Magazine. If you aren’t a subscriber to the magazine, you can listen to the audio recording of the article to learn more about how culture fuels Costco’s success.
I’ll be speaking about Costco’s Connection Culture at ATD’s International Conference and Exposition in San Diego May 6-9, 2018 and giving a keynote speech about Connection Culture at Talent Next in West Palm Beach on November 8, 2017. I hope to meet with you at one or both of these events!
| Date: |
November 1, 2017 |
| Appearance: |
Article on Costco in ATD’s TD Magazine |
| Outlet: |
TD Magazine |
| Format: |
Magazine |
In my last article, I shared two TED Talks on connection. In Susan Pinker’s TED Talk, she referenced the research of Julianne Holt-Lunstad which found that “social integration” provided a 91% increase in the odds of survival for individuals. But what is social integration and how can you encourage it in your own life?
Many thanks to CausePlanet founder Denise McMahan for inviting me to participate in her podcast on the importance of culture in nonprofit organizations. Listen to our conversation and learn more about the benefits of connection.
| Appearance: |
CausePlanet Podcast: Avoid Burnout by Getting Your People Connected |
| Outlet: |
CausePlanet |
| Format: |
Podcast |
I recently had the opportunity to speak with Jim Blasingame, host of the The Small Business Advocate radio program, about the factors that have made Costco a great place to work. Listen to our conversation.
| Date: |
August 22, 2017 |
| Appearance: |
Interview with Jim Blasingame: What is Costco’s Secret to Being a Great Place to Work? |
| Outlet: |
The Small Business Advocate |
| Format: |
Radio |
Costco Wholesale moved in front of Google to earn the title of America’s best large employer this year. To determine America’s best employer each year, Statista and Forbes survey 30,000 workers at U.S. organizations, asking them questions about their work experience. Costco has consistently appeared in the top three. Clearly, Costco is doing something right.
It was an inspiring day today as I learned about Costco’s connection culture, gave a keynote speech to company managers, and met company co-founder Jim Sinegal.
Alan Mulally Endorses “Connection Culture”
Many thanks to Alan Mulally, retired CEO of Boeing Commercial Airplanes and The Ford Motor Company, for his kind endorsement of our book “Connection Culture.”
“Connection Culture really captures the why and how to mobilize an organization to work together toward a compelling vision. The insights about the unique contributions of the leader and the leadership team are especially useful.” – Alan Mulally
Learn more about the book.
I’m thrilled to be giving the keynote speech at Costco’s Annual International Managers Meeting. Approximately 1,300 Costco leaders will learn what makes a Connection Culture so powerful and how they can be intentional about preserving their organization’s unique culture.
| Date: |
August 2, 2017 |
| Event: |
Keynote Speech at Costco's Annual International Managers Meeting |
| Public: |
Private |
To consider me for your speaking event, click here.
It’s encouraging to see more leaders identify connection as a primary factor contributing to their organization’s sustained success. Fortune magazine recently recognized Theo Epstein, President, Baseball Operations for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball and the Cubs organization, as #1 on its world’s greatest leaders list. Last year the Cubs won the World Series and broke the franchise’s 108-year World Series title drought, the longest in professional sports.
