Whole Foods CEO Pens Book on ‘Conscious Leadership’
Whole Foods Market co-founder and CEO John Mackey has co-written a new book, "Conscious Leadership: Elevating Humanity Through Business" (Portfolio/Penguin Random House; $27). The book’s release coincides with the 40th anniversary of the first Whole Foods store opening.
"Conscious Leadership" is a follow-up to Mackey’s 2013 best seller, "Conscious Capitalism: Liberating the Heroic Spirit of Business." The nonprofit organization of the same name currently has 25,000 members across the United States.
In the new book, Mackey and co-writers Steve McIntosh and Carter Phipps wrote that for businesses to operate in a more conscious manner, they need more conscious leaders. Mackey shared his own leadership journey and laid out a roadmap for innovative, values-driven leadership, not only in companies, but also in governments, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and the military.
"'Conscious Capitalism' was the start of a movement," noted Mackey. "'Conscious Leadership' is about how leaders can evolve and take action. It’s about calling on business leaders to look for ways to better not just themselves, but all stakeholders that are a part of their organization. When leaders become more conscious, the organizations they lead become more conscious, creating an ever-widening circle of purpose-driven cultures and communities."
The co-authors provided nine distinguishing characteristics and behaviors uniting conscious leaders through vision, mindset, and culture, with an emphasis on such values as putting purpose first, leading with love, finding win-win-win solutions, thinking long-term, and committing to continually learning and growing.
Copies of the books will be available at Whole Foods stores, on Amazon.com and at booksellers across the country, with profits going to the Whole Planet, Whole Kids and Whole Cities foundations.
Based in Austin, Texas, Whole Foods has more than 500 stores in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom and is No. 24 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. The company is a wholly owned subsidiary of Seattle-based Amazon, which is No. 2 on PG’s list.
