What people are saying about Unleashing Human Energy
"Your culture activates your people; your people drive your success. Alan and Don use a real-world manufacturing environment to teach us how to develop and use a positive employee-focused workplace culture to unleash employees’ energy, activate their engagement, and amplify their performance. They demonstrate how caring, connection, and communication can change even the toughest workplaces into high-performing successes. This is practical wisdom that will benefit every organization and should be the focus of business leaders everywhere."
— Jay Forte, MBA, CPC, ELI-MP, Executive Coach, Author, Consultant and President of The Forte Factor
“While the story Rust and Weinstein share is about the auto industry and GM in particular, it’s a far more universal story than that. It’s a story that shows the very real impact—on people, on productivity, and on profits—of creating a positive workplace culture. It’s a story that more leaders need to know.”
“This book is a firsthand account of how a single person can help build a culture—or, more specifically, a subculture—inside a larger organization and how that subculture can create world class performance inside that individual’s sphere of influence.”
"I believe that Unleashing Human Energy through Culture Change is an absolutely must-read book for managers at every level of the organization, and for anyone involved in serious organizational change. Don Rust and Alan Weinstein provide real-life examples of significant change in an industry that historically resists change and is hierarchal to a fault. Making real change is no easy task but using a philosophy of both thought and action that simply develops mutual faith, trust and respect among and between management and hourly employees really works. The book is clear and thought-provoking. You’ll wonder how Don got away with what he did and be amazed at the long-term impact it had on the employees and the corporation."
— Dennis Gallagher, Ph.D., President, Dennis Gallagher and Associates
“I wanted to thank Don and Alan for telling the story I had the opportunity to live! I was a mentee of Don’s in the early 80s and learned firsthand the leadership style necessary to change cultures so that people get engaged in change. From what I learned from my experience at the Tonawanda Forge and Engine plants, I was able to spend 30 years leading, teaching and coaching organizations and leaders in culture change. This book delivers a clear message. If you care about employees, listen to them, and engage them, they will care about customers, quality, and doing their best, regardless of industry or functional area. People who are valued and treated with respect will be energized, focused on mission and value, and feel involved and empowered.”
“This book describes Don Rust’s lifetime journey at GM and massive organizational successes at the Tonawanda Engine plant. How Don and his team were able to change the culture at the plant is instructive for every industry and every leader. His message is simple: treat your teams with trust and respect, engage them in the business, and they will lift your enterprise higher than you could ever expect.”
“It has been nothing short of amazing to watch a struggling manufacturing operation, and a small Chevrolet dealership, partnering to create two highly competitive and successful businesses. The role of culture change should never be underestimated in its ability to contribute to massive improvements in the quality of work life for the people that do the work. It is the unleashing of human energy that makes possible a drive for new and competitive endeavors in all kinds of businesses.”