Business Chemistry: Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships - Hardcover

by Kim Christfort (Author), Suzanne Vickberg (Author)

A guide to putting cognitive diversity to work

Ever wonder what it is that makes two people click or clash? Or why some groups excel while others fumble? Or how you, as a leader, can make or break team potential?

Business Chemistry holds the answers. Based on extensive research and analytics, plus years of proven success in the field, the Business Chemistry framework provides a simple yet powerful way to identify meaningful differences between people's working styles. Who seeks possibilities and who seeks stability? Who values challenge and who values connection? Business Chemistry will help you grasp where others are coming from, appreciate the value they bring, and determine what they need in order to excel. It offers practical ways to be more effective as an individual and as a leader.

Imagine you had a more in-depth understanding of yourself and why you thrive in some work environments and flounder in others. Suppose you had a clearer view on what to do about it so that you could always perform at your best.

Imagine you had more insight into what makes people tick and what ticks them off, how some interactions unlock potential while others shut people down. Suppose you could gain people's trust, influence them, motivate them, and get the very most out of your work relationships.

Imagine you knew how to create a work environment where all types of people excel, even if they have conflicting perspectives, preferences and needs. Suppose you could activate the potential benefits of diversity on your teams and in your organizations, improving collaboration to achieve the group's collective potential.

Front Jacket

Have you ever struggled to communicate with someone who spoke a different language? Did you perhaps end up raising your voice, hoping to make yourself understood? Chances are it didn't help get your point across. It's the same with working styles. When faced with someone who's different, turning up the volume on what's most comfortable for you won't get you very far. Worse, if you're dealing with a whole team of people, the problems with that approach are amplified. Business Chemistry^(R) Practical Magic for Crafting Powerful Work Relationships offers a better way.

Drawing upon extensive research and thousands of interactions with executives in the Deloitte Greenhouse^(TM), Kim Christfort and Suzanne Vickberg show you how to create the kind of chemistry that fuels success by engaging with others on their own terms. They explore how to simultaneously meet the needs of distinct working styles in order to harness the power of diverse perspectives. And they share learnings from leaders and their teams across industries and all over the world who have put Business Chemistry to work for themselves. Now you can do the same.

A refreshing departure from the typical business read, Business Chemistry is full of colorful descriptions, evocative stories, intriguing data, and practical strategies. It offers concrete guidance on bringing out the best in people with varied strengths who excel in different contexts--Pioneers who value possibilities and spark energy and imagination, Guardians who value stability and bring order and rigor, Drivers who value challenge and generate momentum, and Integrators who value connection and draw teams together.

Whether your goal is to raise your own level of performance, enhance customer engagement, or become a more effective leader, this resource provides what you need to:

• Build empathy and stronger relationships by recognizing key differences in how people work and what they need to thrive, then flexing your own style accordingly
• Manage and motivate different types of people by learning what kinds of interactions and working conditions kill their potential, and what kinds unlock it
• Activate the power of diversity and lead teams to success by revamping norms and ways of working so all can perform at their best

By fostering a deep understanding of diverse working styles and perspectives, Business Chemistry serves as a practical guide for creating relationships, team environments, and organizational cultures that elevate the individual and collective performance of everyone.

Back Jacket

Praise for BUSINESS CHEMISTRY

"Proof that business and humor are a potent mix, Business Chemistry is an entertaining read with serious insights. It is the most useful tool I have seen to drive real and meaningful conversations about individual differences across contexts--from the classroom, to the board room, to the living room."
--Jennifer Aaker, author of The Dragonfly Effect and General Atlantic Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business

"Business Chemistry provides a straightforward and powerful approach to cultivating strengths and leveraging differences among team members. A refreshing blend of practical tips, entertaining anecdotes, and provocative questions, this is a must-read for any organization interested in building healthy, high-performing teams."
--Elizabeth Bryant, vice president of Southwest Airlines University

"I was surprised by how quickly this book shed light on the dynamics I've encountered throughout my career. Whether you're leading a strategic transformation, developing future leaders, or working to earn the trust of your board, understanding others' perspectives is critical. Business Chemistry provides a shortcut to understanding what people want and need to get the best out of themselves and their teams."
--Charles Holley, retired chief financial officer of Walmart

"The most effective leaders remain coachable throughout their careers. If you're seeking a leadership edge, start with Business Chemistry. Kim and Suzanne will give you tools to improve your connections with people from all walks of life, appropriately consider others' perspectives, and create team environments where individual differences become a collective strength. I haven't met a single leader, in the corporate or sports arena, who wouldn't benefit from understanding Business Chemistry."
--Byron Spruell, president of operations, National Basketball Association

Author Biography

KIM CHRISTFORT is the architect and global leader of Deloitte's Business Chemistry^(R), and national managing director of The Deloitte Greenhouse^(TM) Experience.

SUZANNE VICKBERG, PHD, is the applied insights lead for The Deloitte Greenhouse^(TM) Experience, a social-personality psychologist, and the lead researcher for Business Chemistry^(R).