More Than a Company: Leading in a Values-Based Ecosystem

LEAD FROM VALUES. Gallup surveys report that nearly 20 percent of US workers perform below their capabilities—resulting in approximately $300 billion of lost productivity and opportunity annually. Studies show that when people are intrinsically motivated and engaged in a healthy environment, innovation and productivity thrive—yet many business leaders stick with “command and control” organizational structures, using extrinsic reward frameworks that fail to inspire others. How can we do better? We believe the solution starts with values-based individuals dedicated to improving the lives of those they serve. Leaders with a core sense of purpose who draw others to that mission. Leaders who put people first. By rebuilding your business’s ecosystem around shared values—like the RICHIR values explored in this book (Respect, Integrity, Courage, Honesty, Initiative, and Responsibility)—you can create a working environment that will inspire your employees to reach their full potential and create the alignment necessary to build and sustain a high-performing culture that will jump-start growth and raise revenue.

Table of Contents:
INTRODUCTION Values—An Individual Understanding Building an Ecosystem Respect Integrity Courage Honesty Initiative Responsibility Implementing Values-Based Leadership Motivating for the Long Term ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ABOUT THE AUTHOR

About the Author :
RON SCHEESE, As president and CEO of Andesa Services, Inc., Ron Scheese is responsible for guiding Andesa toward its strategic goals. Ron’s life and business journey led him to understand the importance of a purpose-driven and people-first culture in building and operating a successful business. He is motivated to help and encourage people to find and maximize their purpose in order to make a positive impact on the world. He is a CPA with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Albright College, where he serves as the chair of the college’s board of trustees.

Review :
Ron Scheese has captured the essence of a values-based leadership culture. His road map shows how leadership shapes values, values drive culture, culture fosters teamwork, and this ecosystem ultimately drives performance. The idea of creating an enthusiastic environment where there is high performance and high fulfillment really inspires a talented workforce to do their best work. More Than a Company is a must read for anyone wanting to learn the recipe for long term leadership success!—Jason Young, Former Leadership Development and Customer Service Trainer, Southwest Airlines; Founder LeadSmart, Inc., and Culturetopia, LLC; Author, The Culturetopia Effect and Servicetopia Andesa is a unique company with a great team built around a solid set of values. Ron Scheese captures the essence of what it means to lead and inspire a team to place the company’s values at the center of what they do every day. This is an uplifting example of transformational leadership.—Charles “Rip” Tilden, Partner, Makarios Consulting; Coauthor, Leading on Purpose; Board Chair, Andesa Services Ron Scheese masterfully sets the stage for values-based leadership in any organization, and specifically in employee-owned companies. Ron developed his framework at the forefront of the business as a CEO. It’s real, engaging, and transformative. You feel like a fly on the wall watching over the shoulders how Ron leads his team and the whole organization.—Dave Osh, CEO, Varlinx The subtitle of Ron Scheese’s book, Leading in a Values-Based Ecosystem, makes a bold claim, and this book does not let the reader down. Through sharing his own journey as a leader, Ron engages the reader in understanding the importance of actively developing a company’s ecosystem around values, focusing on people rather than profit. This approach creates as much, if not more, value for the company than a profit-based approach. A must-read book for anyone in a leadership role or aspiring to such a role, either in the for-profit or not-for-profit world.—Jacquelyn S. Fetrow, President and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Albright College Ron Scheese’s notion of an ecosystem reflects how the Alliance and its fraternal benefit societies unite for the greater good. More Than a Company is a helpful reminder that sharing values among your business partners is important.—Allison Koppel, CAE, Chief Executive Officer, American Fraternal Alliance This is not your typical “how-to” business book. Scheese shares his leadership journey at Andesa Services, an employee-owned company, and provides real world examples of how a values-driven company creates a powerful ecosystem of relationships among both employees and customers to build a successful, enduring business. —Wendy York, Dean, Wilbur O. and Ann Powers College of Business, Clemson University; Board member, Andesa Services Ron Scheese is the kind of leader who knows the difference between employee engagement and employee satisfaction and understands why the first is more important than the second. Read this book, and you’ll see how he was able to diagnose a critical problem Andesa faced in 2016 and launch a program that re-energized the entire company, leading to sharp increases in revenue, income, employee retention, and assessed value. We need more leaders like him. —Bo Burlingham, Author Small Giants; Coauthor, The Great Game of Business Ron Scheese is exceptionally gifted both as a leader and as a human being. He has dealt with every situation imaginable with compassion, wisdom, and appropriate firmness. As CEO of Andesa Services, he is held by the Board, its employees, and its clients to the highest standards imaginable. The reader will profit very much from reading his story in this book. —John E. Walker, Founder, Andesa Services The preoccupation of any effective leader should be the establishment and development of an internal culture—one that is healthy and vibrant. I’ve had the privilege of working with many of the most effective leaders in the world as a teacher and student of leadership. In my experience, there are few examples of effective leadership more compelling than the work of John Walker and Ron Scheese at Andesa. In More Than a Company, Ron offers real world insights and stories about the importance of values in driving the relationships which benefit the entire ecosystem. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in leadership. —Kevin Graham Ford, Chief Catalyst, Leighton Ford Ministries; Coauthor, The Secret Sauce: Creating a Winning Culture and The Leadership Triangle