Freedom at Work

“Ideals like freedom, self-determination, and democracy are too often shelved when we show up to work, where for some reason we too willingly accept a culture of surveillance and even fear. In this powerful and engaging book, Traci Fenton lays out how we can actually bring the ideals of democracy to our workplaces—and why everyone from CEOs to workers to communities stand to benefit.”

—Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of When, Drive, and To Sell Is Human

“Centuries from now, when business school historians are seeking the source of truth for the undeniable renaissance in business thinking that occurred early in the 21st century, thinking that led to the flourishing of ideas, people, and profits in corporations around the world, they will find author Traci Fenton. Traci will be known as the indomitable soul and spirit fostering, over her lifetime, a movement towards freedom, democracy, and yes, even joy, in the context of work. Those historians will discover that every one of the vanguard businesses of the 21st century had well-worn copies of Freedom at Work: The Leadership Strategy for Transforming Your Life, Your Organization, and Our World on the shelves of their corporate libraries and the desks of their people. You, the enlightened leader, who has been searching for such inspiration and results, will have put this book there.”

—Richard Sheridan, CEO and Chief Storyteller at Menlo Innovations and author of Joy, Inc. and Chief Joy Officer

“If you’re not leading with freedom, you’re leading with fear. That’s the most striking message in Freedom at Work. We believe in the principles of Freedom at Work. Putting them into practice has helped us maintain our employee engagement of 93% and both grow our revenue and deliver value to our stakeholders.”

—Garry Ridge, CEO and chairman of WD-40 Company and coauthor of Helping People Win at Work

“The brilliant Traci Fenton taps into a concept that is missing today—not only in workplaces, but often in our daily lives: freedom. Embracing freedom in the workplace won’t just benefit your organization at every level, it will promote an important precedent that lets all individuals shine.”

—Jamie Naughton Henriod, Former Chief of Staff, Zappos

“Freedom-Centered Leadership shouldn’t be a novel concept, but it’s unfortunately far from the norm. This book is a step toward changing that, one organization at a time, and it couldn’t have come at a more crucial moment in our history. This book is as timely and practical as it is conceptually profound.”

—Kent Thiry, former CEO and chairman of DaVita

“Imagine a workplace where people were trusted in their work and given the freedom to make their own decisions. In this groundbreaking book, the fabulous Traci Fenton explores organizations at the cutting edge of freedom in the workplace. It is a book that could transform your workplace.”

—Henry Stewart, Chief Happiness Officer, Happy, and author of The Happy Manifesto

“Traci Fenton has had the courage of being firm on freedom, even before it was popular, and I am very happy she penned Freedom at Work to document her journey. She’s been a positive influence for me and many, many people and with this book she’ll inspire even more. Freedom and democracy never made it past the front door of businesses but the time has come to breach that barrier. This is a must-read, a guide to a healthier and sustainable future.”

—Matt Perez, cofounder of Nearsoft and author of Radical Companies

“Democracy at work does not mean ‘one person, one vote.’ It means that those in an organization have a significant say in how they work, when they work, and the conditions in which they work. This releases enormous energy and generates engagement. It makes the workplace better and more productive. Traci is a pioneer in this field and her book is full of examples that can be idea starters for any company.”

—Srikumar Rao, TED speaker and CEO of The Rao Institute

“Rarely do we ever see the power of a person fully alive, and even more rare is an organization pushing the boundaries of human potential. Freedom-centred leadership is the key to unlocking the power in an organisation and Freedom at Work is the guidebook to success. Traci’s insight has been inspiring leaders for decades and this book will brighten the eyes of those around them. We have implemented Freedom at Work principles when building our company which has enabled us to attract brilliant people and grow our value.”

—Mark Dowds, founder and CEO of Responsible

“Freedom at Work proves that smart and soulful ways to run an enterprise are not competing demands, they are complementary energies towards sustainable success. Traci Fenton gracefully tells the stories, crafts the models, and shares the practices that matter. This is the future of work.”

—Perry Timms, founder and Chief Energy Officer of PTHR, author of Transformational HR, and included in the 2017 HR Magazine “HR Most Influential List”

“Traci Fenton makes a powerful argument, backed by research and common sense, that the workplace status quo needs to change—now. It is bad for workers, managers, society, or even the bottom line. Bringing freedom and democracy into the workplace is both long overdue and more practical than you think. Thankfully, Ms. Fenton also lays down a clear path—applicable in any workplace—of how to start the journey and stay the course.”

—Rodney North, host of the Why Worker Co-ops podcast and former vice chair of Equal Exchange

“In Freedom at Work, WorldBlu founder and author Traci Fenton carefully marshals direct evidence, personal experience, and scholarship to build an irrefutable case for organizational democracy. She lays out a meticulous case, informed by history, philosophy, and a raft of compelling stories. Her jury of readers will be hard-pressed to not find in favor of Freedom at Work.”

—Doug Kirkpatrick, founder and CEO of D'Artagnan Advisors and author of The No-Limits Enterprise

“For too long, workplaces have frustrated, constrained, and limited their most precious resource. Traci Fenton, a Thinkers50 Radar thinker, makes a compelling and practical case for a workplace revolution, one which puts people center stage and unleashes their potential, a revolution which sets them free and reinvents their organizations along the way.”

—Stuart Crainer, cofounder of Thinkers50