Dennis W. Bakke, co-founder and CEO emeritus of the AES Corporation, a worldwide energy company with 40,000 employees in 31 countries, leads his company with radical business values and practices that work. Bakke details his unorthodox philosophies and their implementation in Joy at Work: A Revolutionary Approach to Fun on the Job.
Bakke believes a values-driven, decentralized workplace where all workers feel important will be a joyful workplace. When employees are encouraged to make meaningful decisions and take responsibility for their actions, they can experience true joy at work. Bakke argues that the best decision-making occurs when leaders see their role as serving other employees and delegate most of their decision-making power to the lowest practicable level. And since each person is unique, fairness means treating everyone differently. Additionally, Bakke believes that the purpose of business is not to maximize the bottom line, but to steward resources in an economically responsible way. He offers candid, profound and thought-provoking ideas on life, management and corporate culture in this important read for anyone who can see potential in moving away from business as usual.
