The Heart of Business: Leadership Principles for the Next Era of Capitalism

Joly, former CEO of Best Buy, debuts with a striking call to action for managers of companies large and small to “make business and the world better places.” Joly was at the helm of Best Buy from 2012 to 2020, a time when “Amazon was supposed to kill” the company. Using lessons he learned during his successful turnaround of the then-ailing electronics retailer, Joly posits that most businesses focus on profits at the cost of all else (a fault he admits he had while a McKinsey consultant in the 1980s). Instead, he demonstrates how he learned that engaging people in a shared mission was a more powerful way to lead. He proves that investing in dreams and empowering great customer service pays off in what Joly calls “human magic,” and to accomplish that, he exhorts leaders to follow five “be” rules: be purposeful, be clear about whom they serve, be conscious of what their true role is, be driven by values, and be authentic. Thoughtful questions conclude each chapter, encouraging leaders to examine their own beliefs, and there’s no shortage of heartfelt, personal anecdotes. This smart, practical guide is a perfect resource for any business leader. Agent: Raphael Sagalyn, ICM/Sagalyn. (May)