Former Harley-Davidson CEO Chronicles Co. Turnaround

In More Than a Motorcycle: The Leadership Journey at Harley-Davidson, authors Rich Teerlink and Lee Ozley chronicle the company's transformation from a command-and-control organization to one grounded in employee involvement. Teerlink, one-time CEO of Harley-Davidson, and Ozley, a consultant, worked closely together from 1987 to 1999 to make the company a financial success. To be published in September, the book offers three fundamental messages: People are a company's only sustainable advantage; there is no "quick fix" to effect lasting and beneficial organizational change; and that leadership is not a person, but a process, to which every employee must contribute. The authors propose a new concept of leadership that entails not demanding compliance, but earning commitment. They also provide practical, reality-based prescriptions for developing employee alignment and effectiveness; lifelong learning opportunities; structures that support participation; and effective approaches to rewards, recognition, and meaningful communication.