"The founder of Menlo Innovations and author of the business culture cult classic Joy, Inc offers an inspirational guide to leaders seeking joy in the challenge of leading others. Rich Sheridan's Joy, Inc. told the story of how his tiny software company in Ann Arbor, Michigan achieved success and renown by embracing offbeat culture and human-centered values. In Chief Joy Officer, he turns his attention from culture to leadership, and draws on his experience running Menlo and consulting elsewhere to offer a wise, provocative guide on how anyone can build leadership capacity for joy within their own organization. Chief Joy Officer offers sage, hard-won advice to any manager or leader who yearns to make more of an impact on the lives of others, including: *Self-understanding is the cornerstone for every virtue of leadership: authenticity, trust, humility, and optimism. *Good leaders make more leaders: Learn to judge your performance not on whether people are doing what they're told, but whether they're developing independent leadership capacity. *Influencing up is just as important is influencing down: how to encourage different thinking in those above you in your organizations. Filled with colorful anecdotes from Sheridan's personal journey and wisdom from many leadership mentors, Chief Joy Officer offers an approachable, down-to-earth philosophy and practice that will help even the most disillusioned of middle managers bring a renewed sense of purpose to their work building others"--

"Rich Sheridan's JOY, INC told the story of how his tiny software company in Ann Arbor, Michigan achieved success and renown by embracing offbeat culture and human-centered values. In CHIEF JOY OFFICER, he turns his attention from culture to leadership, and draws on his experience running Menlo and consulting elsewhere to offer a wise, provocative guide on how anyone can build leadership capacity for joy within their own organization. Filled with colorful anecdotes from Sheridan's personal journey and wisdom from many leadership mentors, CHIEF JOY OFFICER offers an approachable, down-to-earth philosophy and practice that will help even the most disillusioned of middle managers bring a renewed sense of purpose to their work building others"--

Sheridan shows how anyone can build leadership capacity for joy within their own organization. He offers hard-won advice to any manager or leader who yearns to make more of an impact on the lives of others, and shows that judging your performance as a leader should depend not on whether people are doing what they're told, but whether they're developing independent leadership capacity. This approachable, down-to-earth philosophy and practice will help even the most disillusioned of middle managers bring a renewed sense of purpose to their work building others. -- adapted from publisher info

Foreword / by Tom Peters -- Introduction: Joy is personal -- What are joyful leaders? Authentic ; Humble ; Loving ; Optimistic ; Visionary ; Grounded in reality ; Servant leaders -- Building a culture of joyful leadership. Start with purpose ; Value leaders, not bosses ; Pursue systems, not bureaucracy ; Care for the team ; Learn together ; Become storytellers ; Bigger than ourselves -- Epilogue: The positive organization