I spent bits and pieces of my holiday weekend diving into How Goodness Pays, the latest book by Paul Batz and Paul Hillen from Good Leadership Press. I have been very excited to dig into this book, and this topic. What is the relationship between goodness in business and its ability to create results? I know that I believe the two are connected, but what does the data say? Does goodness really make a difference?
The book begins with this simple definition. “Goodness in business is when people thrive together in a culture of encouragement, accountability, and positive teamwork. Goodness is an others-focused approach that creates and sustains business momentum, even in uncertain or difficult business environments.”
Sounds nice, right?
This is the workplace we all strive to create and dream to be part of, but do encouragement, accountability, and positive teamwork make a difference, or are they just today’s buzzwords?
How Goodness Pays was written based on years of research, including in-depth interviews with 15 executive leaders who were identified for their exemplary business results and leadership goodness, as well as quantitative research across 900 representative business leaders across the United States. In both cases, the groups crossed industries, company sizes, geography, and gender. The research uncovers the data around goodness, but the most basic finding is simply this, “Goodness in business leadership positively impacts financial performance.”
One of the most exciting parts of this research involves the GPS Score, a reliable predictor of how likely goodness will pay in any organization. This one-question tool is something any leader can use to assess the likelihood of achieving positive financial results. Here it is:
“Using a 1-10 scale: How would you rate your direct leader on proactively promoting goodness in his/her decision-making within your organization?”
Similar to the Net Promoter Score (NPS) developed by Bain & Company, the GPS question is an easy tool to use in assessing leadership goodness within any organization. The basis of GPS is this – the higher your Goodness Pays Score, the higher the probability of consistently positive financial results.
How Goodness Pays breaks individuals into two distinct categories, the Goodness Accelerators and the Goodness Drainers. Organizations with an average score between 9-10 are generally led by Accelerators who embrace teamwork, empathy, and sincerity in their work, and their score is a good predictor of increasing or maintaining financial expectations. Organizations led by Drainers who are self-focused and toxic score between 1-6, and generally see decreasing or unpredictable financial performance.
The reality is this. The research in How Goodness Pays bears out the fact that goodness is powerful in our businesses. It’s not just the fluffy, soft stuff, but it is at the core of creating amazing cultures, powerful teams, and positive financial results over time. The impact of goodness is obvious – the numbers back it up. I have spent hours and hours of time over the past five years with Paul Batz and Good Leadership and have heard this over and over. I’ve always known it to be true, but this book puts data behind the concept and makes it impossible to ignore.
The Takeaway
How Goodness Pays released just a few weeks ago and is a gamechanger. It will either empower you to double down on the goodness in your workplace if you already believe in it, or it will convince you that this is something you need to start focusing on. Either way, goodness is the key to creating the results you’re looking for.
Learn more and order your copy today at: goodleadership.com/how-goodness-pays-book/