From Possibility to Reality

I imagine a world in which you could go up to any random person on the street at any time, tap them on the shoulder and say ‘Do you like your job?’ and they say, ‘No, I love my job.’ That’s the world that I imagine.

I imagine a group of people who get along and see the world as a place that we can all sort of contribute to and feel a part of and give to the person next to you. This is this crazy vision I have and I talk about it and I write about it and I’ll talk to anyone who will listen and have devoted basically my life to building this world.

I am profoundly moved because for the first time ever, I have met a company that is proof that this world is possible.

I can longer be called a crazy idealist because this company exists in reality and that is this company.

A visit to one of our manufacturing facilities a few years ago inspired bestselling author and speaker Simon Sinek to say these words. Regular readers of this blog know that Simon has become a close friend of the Barry-Wehmiller organization. That’s because we both imagine, and are working toward, that same world.

Since that first visit, Simon has regularly shared stories of Barry-Wehmiller’s culture and leadership vision. In his recently-released second book, Leaders Eat Last, he acknowledges that our Truly Human Leadership practices were a major inspiration in writing it. An entire chapter is devoted to Barry-Wehmiller with additional anecdotes and stories of our people strewn throughout. On Monday, Simon’s new TED Talk was released. It is humbling to see how much of our message is embodied in it.

Sixteen million people viewed Simon’s first TED Talk. As I write this post, his new one already has more than 270,000 views. I invite you to watch it and help spread the message by sharing it. And then commit to living the principles about which Simon speaks. Let’s bring the world we imagine from possibility to reality.

Watch's Simon's new TED Talk through the link above.