"This might very well be the best management book you will ever read!" --from the Foreword by Ken Blanchard, co-author of The One Minute ManagerCaterpillar, Inc.'s Track-Type Tractors Division was in deep trouble. It was losing lots of money, and working there was extremely undesirable. But Jim Despain and his colleagues rebuilt the division based on values of respect, empowerment, civility, and openness. This is the story of how one street-smart boy without a college education became a seasoned leader. Truly a modern-day Horatio Alger story. His honesty and ability to rise from the ashes of his mistakes are inspirational. His respect for the common worker and personal search for dignity and self-worth lead him to a new kind of leadership. And his transformation of a struggling organization provides a powerful blueprint for transforming your own. Jim Despain and his colleagues unleashed a torrent of innovation that transformed a seriously unprofitable division into one of the company's most important profit centers. It wasn't easy; it wasn't all sweetness and light. Ask the many managers he reassigned in a single day. But for the 3,000 men and women of today's Track-Type Tractors Division of Caterpillar Inc., it was the dawn of a new era, in which good people find joy and nobility in their work, new freedom to be creative-and astonishing power to succeed. * Shared values: your #1 differentiatorThe simple reality: nothing inspires commitment like honesty and integrity* Leadership based on trust, not power Transform the managers, and the organization will follow* Walking the walkIf you don't mean it, don't even bother* The right behavior gets the right resultsFocus on people, and the numbers follow* Real lessons you can start using todayBringing values-based management home-and making it stickHow a Tractor Company Changed Its Tracks"This might very well be the best management book you ever read. I know it will help you unleash the power and potential of your human organization."--Ken Blanchard, co-author, The One Minute Manager"They say people can't change, but this book will convince you it's not true. I saw the Values Process described in this book change Jim and his team from autocratic managers to real leaders. And I saw their business improve far beyond anyone's expectations. This book proves what we know in our hearts-that trusting and respecting people makes good business sense."--Gerald L. Shaheen, Group President, Caterpillar Inc.An extraordinary story of corporate and personal transformation.*Leading with integrity: why the right way to lead is also the most effective*Values-based management: one of the toughest things you'll ever do *Walking the walk: going beyond mere "vision statements"*What values-based leadership looks like: 100 behaviors that workAnd Dignity for All is about becoming a leader with integrity: one who leads by example and builds an organization around a vision and values that others are proud to share. As Ken Blanchard observes in his enthusiastic foreword, this is two books in one. It's the story of Jim Despain's remarkable personal journey from floorsweeper at Caterpillar to corporate vice president, and from self-serving, "command-and-control" boss to inspirational leader. And it's also a complete blueprint for translating simple ideas like respect, empowerment, civility, and open dialogue into a corporate culture that works. Sounds like mush? It isn't. Despain used these techniques to transform a struggling manufacturing division into a thriving enterprise with exemplary labor-management relations and stellar numbers. With his guidance, you can make equally profound and lasting changes in your own organization. More Endorsements"I highly recommend Jim Despain's book, ...And Dignity for All, to anyone who aspires to reach his or her dreams. It is an excellent story that clearly outlines how important it is to take risks, face your fears, and overcome any obstacles to reach success. This book allows readers to reflect on how they can transform their lives into something they never thought could be imaginable."Through my personal experience as a former high school teacher and as a leader in the United States Congress, I have learned to recognize the qualities of a great leader. While serving in these capacities, I have come to understand the truth behind the saying, 'leaders aren't born, they are made.' This message is conveyed throughout the book as Jim Despain tells a story about his transformational journey through life that helped him develop into a charismatic and effective leader. It is a story about how he worked his way up the ranks in a high-profile company named Caterpillar, always with steady focus and with fierce determination that allowed him to overcome any challenge that came his way. Furthermore, it shows how Jim Despain inspired his workforce to put aside their differences and trust one another in order to pursue a more efficient, positive working environment.

Author Biography

JIM DESPAIN rose from hourly worker at Caterpillar to Vice President and General Manager of Track-Type Tractors Division in East Peoria, Illinois-one of the company's largest manufacturing facilities. As its leader, he transformed the division's bottom line, cutting its breakeven point in half, while at the same time dramatically improving its historically difficult labor relations. Despain is currently a trustee at Eureka College. JANE BODMAN CONVERSE was the communications player on Jim's culture-change team, responsible for messages and media to support the transformation at Caterpillar. She is President of Converse Inc., Peoria, Illinois, and has more than 30 years experience in organizational consulting, communications, and marketing.