Social Impact Authors: How & Why Author Chris Lautenslager of Get Looped Is Helping To Change Our World
Common Vision — The first step is to make sure that everyone in the organization shares a common perspective on the guiding principles and direction of where the organization is going and what it stands for.
As part of my series about “authors who are making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Chris Lautenslager.
Chris Lautenslager is the author of THE PROSPERITY LOOP and founder of Get Looped, LLC. He is a seasoned sales and business veteran with a Masters in Finance and Economics from Northwestern University. His forty-year career began on the floor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange where he built his first business. As a Senior Sales Executive with some of the world’s most prominent financial institutions, he learned the business practices that can propel or crush a company’s pathway towards success. He was able to apply those lessons as a Founder and Board Member of a business that became a publicly listed NASDAQ company.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Thank you for inviting me to participate. Unfortunately, my childhood was rather traumatic. My father had a short-fuse temper that would often lead to violence. My mom battled with alcoholism so our household was very erratic.
Then when I was 12 our grandmother moved in with us. She was my mom’s mom. She started to take care of all the household responsibilities She was our savior in many respects and we were so grateful. She demonstrated that homes could have love within them. We loved her with all our hearts. Looking back, it showed me the ripple effect people’s behavior can have on others — in both positive and negative ways.
When you were younger, was there a book that you read that inspired you to take action or changed your life? Can you share a story about that?
Interestingly, one of the ways that I coped with the sense of isolation in my childhood was to read constantly. I loved the superhero comic books — Superman, Batman, Fantastic Four, Wonder Woman, Spiderman, Flash, etc. I was drawn to the idea of “good” finding a way to overcome “evil”. And also, each of the characters faced personal challenges when trying to have some level of normality in their lives. It all resonated with me.
Can you describe how you aim to make a significant social impact with your book?
I wrote THE PROSPERITY LOOP for the leader who wants to build a socially conscious organization, community, or society without abandoning the reality of operating a profitable business. This approach is for leaders who want to acknowledge, thank, and reward the people who keep the wheels of the organization turning.
The six principles that I describe in THE PROSPERITY LOOP include:
Common Vision — The first step is to make sure that everyone in the organization shares a common perspective on the guiding principles and direction of where the organization is going and what it stands for.
Cooperation and Collaboration — I try to help leaders create a Prosperity Loop which for me means establishing an environment in which collaboration and cooperation become a natural by-product of daily operations.
Value Creation — Within the Prosperity Loop model, a company’s value and its values are of equal importance. I guide leaders through the process of aligning their values with the company vision — including establishing expectations for behavior, making time count, and rewarding success.
Circular Communication — Everyone ultimately has an imprint on everything that occurs in and influences organizational culture. The value of having circular communication is in being able to hear and learn from one another for the betterment of the whole.
Shared Rewards — People need to feel both involved and appreciated to strive toward a greater, more comprehensive sense of fulfillment. Otherwise, employees start feeling as though they are in a constant state of competition. There are multiple ways to structure financial compensation with the goal of maximizing community contributions. This includes bonuses, matched cash contributions, stock grants and discounted stock purchase plans, and low-interest, short-term loans.
Assessments and Adjustments — Traditionally, assessments are viewed as “what went wrong and how we will fix it.” Instead assessments and adjustments should include a focus on what went right, why it did, and how things can be made even better.
These Principles are designed to create a cultural shift in how businesses operate. Once our collective expectations are that we care as much about people as profit all of our lives will experience innumerable benefits.
What was the “ahamoment” or series of events that made you decide to bring your message to the greater world? Can you share a story about that?
For me, the Pandemic was a deeply life changing event. First, I want to say that I feel for those who have lost family, friends, businesses and/or suffered terrible hardships. All of that is very real and I think that when issues like Covid get politicized we lose context of how this has impacted so many of our friends and neighbors. This has been a very human, global experience.
I’m very fortunate in that Covid acted as a catalyst for me to take the time to consider my next chapter in life. It’s so easy to be busy, productive, and sometimes a bit overwhelmed. Covid literal stopped all the distractions in my life and allowed me to read, listen, learn, and dream again. It gave me the opportunity to consider how to prioritize the next chapter of my life.
Without sharing specific names, can you tell us a story about a particular individual who was impacted or helped by your cause?
I have a client who is the CEO of a small tech start-up in Los Angeles. While he has an entrepreneurial spirit, he has never created or managed a company with employees, clients, product development, investors, and all the challenges and responsibilities associated with that role. He still doesn’t see himself as a CEO. His self-vision is that he’s a talented, professional musician who was frustrated with the lack of connection that existed between himself and his fans. This is something that many other musicians also feel. So he decided to do something about it, He didn’t start out with the idea of building a company, but that’s where it has led.
As an original investor in his firm I had some insight into some of his challenges as a CEO. I offered to be a “friendly listener,” someone he could talk with who would not judge him. Not surprisingly, his biggest challenges were around managing people. He had bought into his own story that he’s supposed to be the boss and that he was responsible for making all the right choices about what everyone else was supposed to be doing. In summary, he felt isolated. He was experiencing imposter syndrome and he didn’t have the trust of his team
Utilizing the principles of the Prosperity Loop, we were able to create a less stressful, collaborative approach to his work. Helping his young mantake some personal risks and develop as a true partner with his team was both exciting and extremely satisfying for me. It further confirmed that I could be of service to others.
Are there three things the community/society/politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?
That’s such an interesting question, since I believe that the root of the problem I want to help address is expecting others (community, society or politicians) to solve problems. An overarching mindset seems to have developed in the workplace and society where many people expect “someone else” or “others” to be responsible for solving problems.
One of the foundational principles of the Prosperity Loop is the value created and ongoing positive ripple effect that occurs when collaboratively working with others to solve problems.
Therefore, I’d like to encourage each of us to:
1) Be aware of your own value to make a difference
2) Actively engage in cooperating and collaborating with others
3) Provide recognition and/or rewards for achieving positive results
How do you define “Leadership”? Can you explain what you mean or give an example?
Leadership is about helping others to achieve their goals. The people who have had the greatest impact on me are those who have taken the time to listen, teach, guide and support me in reaching certain goals or overcoming challenges.
An example early in my life was when I was in high school. I was a pretty good athlete except in some specific sports. In this case it was softball and in Chicago that meant 16” softball. I just couldn’t catch that darn ball, it seemed to jump out of my hands whenever I tried. So I stopped trying.
One summer several of my friends created a softball team and asked me to join. I wanted to be part of the team, but I didn’t want to be embarrassed so I declined. Later that day, my friend Tom took me aside and asked why I had declined. I sheepishly admitted that I couldn’t catch the ball. Rather than laugh or tell all the guys that I was a klutz, after all this was in high school, he invited me to meet him at the park the next day and he would help me learn. Over the next several weeks he taught me how and practiced with me until I learned and had confidence that I could catch a 16” softball. I ended up having a great summer on the team with my friends. I also learned that by taking the time to help someone in need, Tom had created a lasting positive memory and a friend-for-life. Tom is a true leader.
What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why. Please share a story or example for each.
1) People are more important than money.
2) Your family should be the greatest focus of your life.
3) Friendships create lasting happiness
4) Heartache and disappointment fade, unless you elect to foster them. Let them go.
5) Embrace now
I think these are self-explanatory. For greater details on how and why these concepts are important to me, I encourage you to read my book THE PROSPERITY LOOP.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Do onto others as you would have them do onto you”. First, let me say that I don’t mean this as a religious edict. The concept of embracing a common bond between all of us has a long history and touches all of humanity.
I originally thought this quote was about the value of living life as a quid pro que. However, once I understood and internalized the love associated with caring for others was when I experienced a foundational change in the joy and richness in my life.
Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. 🙂
My father. He died shortly after I had gone to college, and I never had a chance to know him. I was so afraid of his angry, unpredictable behavior that I kept apart from him as much as possible. Now I recognize that he was haunted by his own demons. I’d like to see if I could have helped him be relieved of those demons or at least understand them better
Regarding a person I would like to meet who is alive today, I’d like to spend time with Oprah Winfrey. Her life story is incredible and what she has done to help others is inspirational. I believe I could learn quite a bit from that experience.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Please go to my website at www.get-looped.com
This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!
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