Hi all! This is a continuation to my last post, “Delivering Happiness – Part 1“. It is a small book review of the book with the same title, by Inghilleri and Solomon. Again, I will try to keep this short and concise, listing only a few other points that stood out from the book.
Delivering Happiness
A Path to Profits, Passion and Purpose
by Tony Hsieh (CEO of Zappos.com, Inc.)
Purpose – for Company and Employee
When a company highlights financial profit as the one and only goal of the company, it is starting on a downward road. The authors talk about a company being a community, how everyone is a friend or even a “family relative” in a sense. Warm companionship and common excitement amongst employees is born and nurtured when they have a united purpose amongst them, greater than simply making a profit. Adding to society, leaving a positive impact on the world, making people (whether they are your customers or not) happier – all these and much more should be an ultimate goal behind what a company does.
The book talks about the importance of a company purpose and how Zappos regularly surveys their employees to see how they relate to the company purpose. Company culture is the best way for the leaders to share their visions and unite the company family towards that common purpose.
Core Values
Company culture can be formally defined as a set of values. By explaining, reiterating and constantly implementing these values, a company will strengthen their culture and, consequently, move closer to its purpose and goals. Zappos initially had 37 values, but then narrowed that down to 10. Every department of the company knew those values and actively lived/worked by them.
This same concept of “values” was introduced in another customer service book I was reading… “Be Our Guest” by the Disney Institute and Theodore Kinni. Stay tuned to hear my thoughts about this book soon!
Of course, the book talks about many more topics, but these are what stood out to me the most. Looking back on my (short) adult life, I see I have been juggling multiple part-time jobs and never really fully immersed myself in any of those work environments. I have never considered purpose or values too much, as I knew I would be moving on sooner or later.
But one of the reason I am reaching out to Automattic is because of just that. Splitting myself in multiple places, putting on different facades for each workplace just to make it through the few hours I work there, but never really investing in the work I do, has sort of weared me out. I want one place I can fit in and enjoy. One workplace where I don’t have to cover or compromise my own values for the sake of the company’s. And over the last few months or studying and following Automattic, I know this is the place for me!