Notable Links from Interview
- Chuck’s website
- 7 Geese – for team real-time whiteboards
- Slack – for internal team collaboration
- 15Five – for measuring employee engagement
Introduction
Companies embracing the Participation Age are growing nearly 10 times faster than companies that aren’t. One of the key reasons is the trend away from the traditional way of managing employees and creating meaning at work. The Participation Age also deals with the transformation from employees only doing what they are told, to having a vested stake in the growth of the business. Some of the world’s largest and fastest growing companies are adopting this framework and truly seeing success with it.
In this interview we speak with Chuck Blakeman, a renowned authority in helping companies understand and transform their companies into the Participation Age. Chuck will share more specifically what else makes up the Participation Age, how digital media is playing a large role in the process, and what you can start doing now to take advantage of the benefits that companies are experiencing to help grow their businesses exponentially.
Meet Chuck
Chuck Blakeman is a best-selling business author and world-renowned business advisor who has built eight businesses in seven industries on four continents, and now uses his leadership experience to advise others. His company, Crankset Group, provides outcome-based mentoring and peer advisory for business leaders worldwide in the U.S., Europe, Africa, and Asia.
Chuck sold one of his businesses to the largest consumer fulfillment company in America and led three other $10- $100 million companies through repositioning in the Marketing Support Services industry. He presently leads the Crankset Group and a for-profit business based in Africa, focused on developing local economies to solve poverty.
Mr. Blakeman is a results leader, and has decades of sales, marketing and operations experience leading companies in marketing, import/export, fulfillment, call centers, website development, printing and direct mail processing.
Some of Mr. Blakeman’s customers have included Microsoft, Apple, Eli Lilly, TAP Pharmaceuticals, Sun Microsystems, Tyco Healthcare, Johns Manville and many more Fortune 5000s and smaller businesses.
He is a convention speaker, writer, and non-profit board member. His first book, Making Money is Killing Your Business, was named #1 Business Book of the Year by the National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB), the largest business owner association in America. His newest book, Why Employees are ALWAYS a Bad Idea, has already been named a Top Ten Business Book of the Year and is required reading at the University of Georgia’s MBA Program.
Recent speaking appearances include Kenya, DR Congo, Ireland, New Zealand, and across the US. 100+ times a year. Recent print and online appearances include Inc. Magazine (regular contributor), Success Magazine, Entrepreneur Magazine, CNNMoney.com, NYTimes.com. He was recently cited in Dr. Stephen Covey’s recent book, The 3rd Alternative.
You can learn more about Chuck by visiting http://chuckblakeman.com.
