Creating Value By Putting Humans First with Mike Vacanti

Mike Vacanti returns to the Love In Action podcast this week after the successful launch of his new book Believership: The Superpower Beyond Leadership.  In his previous executive roles, Mike has managed mergers and acquisitions and integrated companies with hundreds of millions of dollars of revenue and thousands of people on global teams. Today he is an in-demand speaker and consultant, and the founder of the Humans First Club, the worldwide movement to make humans first in the workplace and in our communities. Mike chats with Marcel Schwantes about his book as well as the work the Humans First Club is doing around the world.Marcel calls love the new competitive advantage. He defines love as action that is packed with positive energy, intent, purpose and connection. This love empowers people to be and do their very best so that businesses thrive and profit. [1:08]We succeed even in the tough times because we believe in each other. [6:43]Mike defines ‘believership’ as a belief in everyone moving together in the best direction. It’s when you can attach yourself to the vision by choice rather than command, and do your best work. [7:31]“Believership is the superpower beyond leadership,” Mike says, because when we get past the traditional thinking of what makes a leader, we find that all human beings have their own innate superpowers. When we combine them it becomes something much more powerful than one person’s talent. [9:35]Marcel quotes Mike: “We need to shift from extracting value to creating value.” Creating value is helping people understand how they continually progress to be their best selves. Extracting value is when leaders take what they need from workers and demand more without giving more in return. The transaction becomes one-sided. [11:17]Marcel and Mike discuss what needs to be fixed in HR, and why. [19:15]70% of people are disengaged at work. The first step towards employee engagement, according to Believership, is for leaders to listen to and address the experience people are actually having at work. [29:37]Companies who succeed over the next decade will be those who focus on human relationships. Mike argues that we need to fix how we select leaders. Change, like a river, will flow more rapidly than ever before so leaders need to be navigators rather than commanders. “We need to learn how to have people find self-leadership, to willfully attach themselves and commit and navigate those waters together,” Mike says. “Leadership is actually what people will believe in and attach themselves and commit to, rather than how well they'll follow the command that's given them.” [35:14]True transformation is a consecutive series of tweaks that add up to new habits over time. [38:44]“Sometimes best practice gets in the way of best possibility.” [43:47]Marcel asks about the Humans First Club. Mike shares how the club began and how it has spread around the world. It’s now in its second year and expanding so fast that he is rethinking how to multiply it so more people can take part. [49:00]Participants testify that the Humans First Club events have been life-changing for them. Mike loves seeing people re-imagine the possibilities of what work could be like if we bring our real selves. [52:46]There will be Humans First Club events every month in cities around the world, including a 2-day leadership retreat in England. Mike is listening to the demand and letting the club expand and go in the direction that it’s supposed to go naturally. [57:36]Mike’s theme for 2020 is to live inside out. Marcel invites listeners to comment on Mike’s LinkedIn post about this idea. [1:01:26]Mike advises you to invest in relationships that fill your tank because you deserve it. [1:06:15]