Companies Are People, Too: Discover, Develop, and Grow Your Organization's True Personality (Hardcover)

by Sandy Fekete (Author), LeeAnna Keith (Contributor) "Do you know what makes your company tick?..." (more)
Key Phrases: decisions using logic, quest for meaningful work, company persona, Home Depot, Time Warner, The Gap (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
Praise for COMPANIES ARE PEOPLE, TOO

"In most cases, the CEO’s perception of a company’s personality is drastically different than what the rest of the organization perceives. In the dynamic read, Companies Are People, Too, you’ll discover how to identify the true personality of your company. With this realization you will optimize opportunities and become irresistible to your customers and prospective employees by simply being yourself–on purpose."
–Hal F. Rosenbluth, Chairman and CEO, Rosenbluth International

"Experts say that it’s better to know something about your spouse than everything about marriage. In Companies Are People, Too, Sandra Fekete proves that it is also better to know the essence of your company than all about business. Her insights are presented clearly, providing readers with the enlightenment they’ll need to manage, function in, or market their own business. This is a breakthrough book. I recommend it highly."
–Jay Conrad Levinson, author, the Guerrilla Marketing series of books

"Sandy Fekete’s breakthrough book will be a significant benefit to executives looking to maximize the power of their corporate brands and to build a more reflective and constructive relationship with employees–ultimately improving the bottom line. This book will help those executives who understand this important value proposition."
–James R. Gregory, CEO, CoreBrand, LLC, coauthor
Marketing Corporate Image

"Companies trying to build their brands often don’t know what they stand for–what is the customer experience their brand promises? Companies Are People, Too, with the perfect balance between theory and practice, gives readers the tools to identify the personality behind their brand promise, and then live that personality."
–F. Joseph LePla and Lynn M. Parker, coauthors
Integrated Branding and Brand-Driven

"Finally, a book based on solid theory that brings companies to life. This exciting new view of organizational personality provides a refreshing approach that allows leaders to set aside their personal preferences and lead large-scale change, culture transitions, and strategic planning according to their companies’ innate preferences."
–Henry L. Thompson, PhD, President and CEO
High Performing Systems

From the Inside Flap
"Sandra Fekete’s book will boost your company’s bottom line with her insightful step-by-step approach to divine and refine the personality of your organization."
–Robert Spector, author, The Nordstrom Way and Amazon.com: Get Big Fast

Every company has its own preferred way of doing business, and leaders must recognize and work within those parameters to achieve success. Companies Are People, Too is a revolutionary program that helps you as a business leader get to know the core personality of your company in order to take your performance to a higher level. Equipped with a sense of who your company is, you can ease organizational change, attract and retain employees, articulate company-wide values, and send consistent messages.

Companies Are People, Too contains an 84-item questionnaire designed to assess the innate strengths, growth opportunities, character, and values of your company. It also offers a prescriptive plan for allowing your company to thrive according to its own set of values and preferences. What you learn about your company will help you strengthen your brand, differentiate yourself from the competition, and fix problematic areas.

Research suggests that eight in ten CEOs hold a far different perception of their company’s character than their employees and customers do. In fact, those at the top of the corporate ladder rarely see the full picture, which is why this diagnostic program is so useful in showing business leaders a true portrait of their company.

The book is presented in three sections that accomplish three tasks. The "Discover" section introduces the theories on which the system is based and presents the questionnaire you’ll use. The "Articulate" section guides you through the process of creating your company’s persona, and defining its core vision, mission, and values. Lastly, the "Live" section provides examples and ideas to help you make decisions and enact changes that fit with your company’s unique personality. Companies Are People, Too is a simple, effective business tool that aligns an organization with its core personality for spectacular results.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 346 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1st edition (April 11, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471236101
• ISBN-13: 978-0471236108
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,200,058 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Practical Guide to Building Emotional Intelligence, December 14, 2003

By	Ken Hultman "kingcrimson1234" (Chambersburg, PA USA) - See all my reviews

In his very influential book, "Emotional Intelligence," Daniel Goleman said that self-awareness is the core emotional competency, but how do you build self-awareness and how do you translate it into action? In "Companies Are People, Too," Sandra Fekete provides us with a clear and highly practical approach to answering those questions.

Most of us think of organizations as "things," not people, but organizations are comprised of people who build its culture, the shared beliefs, values, and norms that define its purpose and operating style. In addition, most of us think of "self-awareness" as applying to individuals; we don't think of organizations as becoming self-aware, but Fekete explains that organizations need to do precisely that if they plan to be successful and fulfill their mission.

The book uses the 16 types identified by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to help an organization build awareness of its unique personality. This is an excellent choice because many people in organizations are familiar with the MBTI and regard it as an effective tool. I happen to like the MBTI, and have used it in executive coaching and team building, but Fekete has taken the approach far beyond these applications by showing how an organization can use what it learns about its personality to shape all facets of its operation, from strategic planning to building brand identity. I especially like the suggestions given for how an organization can leverage its strengths, and identify and overcome its weaknesses. This extremely well written and timely book is must reading for leaders, and for consultants and others working with organizations to build their future.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Save Millions and spend a few dollars on this Book!, July 29, 2003

By	Bobby Menon (Chennai, East Coast of India.) - See all my reviews

I am someone who has spent about 20 years working in several organizations with different management flavors, in different gegraphies and I have always wondered why some companies thrive and the others simply survive, if not worse.

Companies are People, Too (CAP2) is an amazing "Finger on the Pulse" that any organization MUST undertake in order to Thrive.

CAP2 - both as in inward looking excercise (introspection) and an forward /upward looking (growth, long term plans) excercise that companies with an eye on the bottom line, value add to customers and shareholders must undertake.

CAP2 is not the usual "run of the mill" I've been there, seen it, did it and here is my account kinda book that seemingly fills up the cases of most bookstores. CAP2 is a factual documentary - almost a Bible for Managers / Owners / Aspiring Entrepreneurs and just about anyone who wants his or her or their business to thrive. CAP2 is the bottom line of Management Truth Seekers and I believe it should be included as a mandatory part of good management school curriculum.

CAP2 comes cheap for the richness that it contains within. CAP2 is the harvest of a great deal of thought, observation, uncanny instinct and utlimately Divine Wisdom.

CAP2 is for those that are born to suceed, who will themselves to suceed.

CAP2 is and will be a hall mark book, a once in a lifetime effort. Sandra Fekete needs to be honored, congratulated and thanked for such a wonderful and timely contribution for people who strive to make better organizations.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This one is a keeper!, June 3, 2003

By	Barbara (WA USA) - See all my reviews

This book offers an in-depth description of how personality traits can be used to help understand a company's culture, using the well-known Myers-Briggs system.
What makes this book so interesting is that it provides a system for understanding company personalities and corporate culture in a new way - yet it uses a system that many of us are already familiar with (the MBTI). It's very easy to understand even without understanding the MBTI.
The book contains a sample questionnaire, then covers each of the 16 types in much more detail. For each of the 16 company personality types, the book gives a Snapshot, Characteristic Strengths, Characteristic Weaknesses, Work Environment, Values, Communication Style, Sources of Energy, Signs of Stress, Behavior during Conflict, Approaches to Managing Change, Ideal Clients, Core Values and a Case Study company.
As if that wasn't enough, it goes on to look at leadership styles, again with a sample questionaire and detailed step-by-step instructions on how to use the results be a more effective leader.
The book has a great deal of good information packaged in a way that is useful and well-organized. The information is practical, easy to follow and able to be applied immediately.