Why the Bottom Line ISN'T!: How to Build Value Through People and Organization [Hardcover]

Offers a broad view of leadership and shareholder value based on multiple business disciplines

In Why the Bottom Line Isn′t! authors Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood argue that sustainable shareholder value comes increasingly from assets not accounted for on an organization′s balance sheet. These assets include a company′s reputation, its ability to attract talent, and its ability to react quickly to new opportunities in the marketplace. Why the Bottom Line Isn′t! harnesses research from a number of disciplines including human resources, finance, and leadership to establish a hierarchy of such intangibles. The authors extrapolate from these intangibles to establish leadership tools that will help create sustainable shareholder value. The book offers a broad, expansive perspective on leadership while eschewing convoluted theory for concrete practice.

Dave Ulrich, Ph.D., (DOU@UMICH.EDU) has been listed by BusinessWeek as the top "guru" in management education. He has co–authored 10 books and over 100 articles, serves on the Board of Directors of Herman Miller, and has consulted with over half of the Fortune 200 companies. He is currently on professional leave as Professor at the University of Michigan to serve as Mission President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–day Saints in Montreal.

Norm Smallwood (nsmallwood@rbl.net) is co–founder of Results–Based Leadership (www.rbl.net), which provides education and consulting services based on this book as well as the ideas in Results–Based Leadership: How Leaders Build the Business and Improve the Bottom Line, which he co–authored with Ulrich. He has led leadership development, business strategy, organization capability, change management, and HR projects for a wide variety of clients spanning multiple industries.

Why the Bottom Line Isn’t! began when the authors asked a simple question: How can two companies in the same industry with similar earnings have vastly different market values? In answering that question, authors Dave Ulrich and Norm Smallwood demystify theories of intangible value and show that the bottom line is about much more than just earnings–it’s about building long–term value through assets not accounted for on a company’s financial statements, such as leadership, brand, corporate culture, and ability to attract talent. The authors use real–world examples from various industries to show how intangibles drive market value; even more, they provide the tools to make it happen in your company.

Based on research drawn from a number of disciplines, including human resources, finance, IT, and leadership, this book offers ideas and actions that leaders at any level, in any function, can use to protect and increase their organization’s overall value. Each chapter presents an intangible asset as a concept, then provides examples and tools that help leaders deliver and communicate the value of each to shareholders, investors, regulators, customers, and employees.

Today’s successful leaders must understand the new role that intangibles play in company valuations and see their own roles from a larger perspective if they are to join the new breed of leaders–those who can consistently build value within the company. Why the Bottom Line Isn’t! will show you how to take that next step and start improving your organization now.

But business leaders aren’t the only people who can benefit from the tools and techniques included in this book. These ideas can be easily translated to all types of organizations–from churches, to schools, to government agencies. No matter what kind of organization you operate, remarkable things happen when you build value through intangible assets. Employees will be more committed, customers and investors more satisfied, confident, and numerous. For those who want to impact the long–term value of their organizations, Why the Bottom Line Isn’t! is a clear and solid guide.

Advance Praise for Why the Bottom Line Isn’t!

"Dave and Norm tackle a tough objective–putting together a comprehensive approach to the ‘soft side’ of business, to build long–term market value–and succeed with a captivating mix of ideas, analysis, and real–world examples. They offer real insight into what works, what doesn’t work, and why."
–Rick Wagoner, CEO, General Motors

"This wonderful book makes clear what great leaders have known for years–that a company’s capabilities are heavily influenced by factors that are sometimes seen as intangible. But Ulrich and Smallwood’s greatest contribution is demonstrating that intangible doesn’t mean undefined. They provide a clear map of how leaders can build their own organization’s impact and capabilities. This is not just a book for HR professionals, but for all leaders in any industry who are trying to improve overall performance."
–Paul McKinnon, Senior Vice President of Human Resources, Dell

"Why the Bottom Line Isn’t is the essential book for leaders of the future, who accept that building intangibles is a leadership imperative that permeates the entire organization and is equally applicable in the public, private, and social sectors. The concepts and tools in this book are a timely gift to leaders who are ready to see the whole picture."
–Frances Hesselbein, Chairman, The Leader to Leader Institute

"The burst of the tech bubble swept intangibles with it. This book renews confidence in the intangibles phenomenon, and charts a new direction for research and application."
–Baruch Lev, Philip Bardes Professor of Accounting and Finance at the Stern School of Business, New York University, and Director of the Vincent C. Ross Institute for Accounting Research

"It’s refreshing to see that business success does not in fact begin and end at the bottom line. This book helps us better understand the multiplicity of factors that drive business vitality and value growth, but make no mistake–it’s as practical as it is insightful. In very clear terms, Ulrich and Smallwood provide business advice that can easily be applied to effect change."
–Don Hall, CEO, Hallmark

DAVE ULRICH, PhD (dou@umich.edu) has been listed by BusinessWeek as the top "guru" in management education. He has coauthored ten books and over 100 articles, serves on the Board of Directors of Herman Miller, and has consulted with over half of the Fortune 200. He is currently on professional leave as professor at the University of Michigan to serve as Mission President for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–Day Saints in Montreal.
NORM SMALLWOOD (nsmallwood@rbl.net) is cofounder of Results–Based Leadership (www.rbl.net), which provides education and consulting services based on this book as well as the ideas in Results–Based Leadership: How Leaders Build the Business and Improve the Bottom Line, which he coauthored with Ulrich. He has led leadership development, business strategy, organization capability, change management, and HR projects for a wide variety of clients spanning multiple industries.