What do you think?
Rate this book
Freedom at Work: The Leadership Strategy for Transforming Your Life, Your Organization, and Our World
Discover the leadership strategy for unlocking your team’s greatness.
Whether it shows up as stress, top-down leadership styles, drama, or uncertainty, fear kills good decision-making, dampens morale, lowers employee engagement, and hurts bottom-line growth.
The good news is that there's an antidote: Freedom at Work.
In this groundbreaking book, Traci Fenton brings together decades of original research, based on her team’s work with hundreds of top companies around the world, such as The WD-40 Company, Mindvalley, DaVita, Menlo Innovations, Zappos, Widen, HCL Technologies, and more, revealing the proven pathway to leadership success.
This powerful leadership strategy will benefit any leader at any level in any type of organization, from entrepreneurs to mid-level managers to the C-suite.
Freedom at Work is based on three key pillars:
• Freedom-Centered Mindset: Break through limitations, make better decisions, and act with clarity and confidence
• Freedom-Centered Leadership: Lead yourself and others from a place of freedom rather than fear
• Freedom-Centered Design: Develop a world-class culture based on the 10 Principles of Organizational Democracy
Freedom at Work is a revolutionary guide that will help make any organization high-performing and highly profitable, while creating a culture people love. This book will help passionate leaders weave freedom and democracy into our global tapestry through the way they run their teams and organizations—ultimately transforming our world for the better.
***
“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
“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
“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
Whether it shows up as stress, top-down leadership styles, drama, or uncertainty, fear kills good decision-making, dampens morale, lowers employee engagement, and hurts bottom-line growth.
The good news is that there's an antidote: Freedom at Work.
In this groundbreaking book, Traci Fenton brings together decades of original research, based on her team’s work with hundreds of top companies around the world, such as The WD-40 Company, Mindvalley, DaVita, Menlo Innovations, Zappos, Widen, HCL Technologies, and more, revealing the proven pathway to leadership success.
This powerful leadership strategy will benefit any leader at any level in any type of organization, from entrepreneurs to mid-level managers to the C-suite.
Freedom at Work is based on three key pillars:
• Freedom-Centered Mindset: Break through limitations, make better decisions, and act with clarity and confidence
• Freedom-Centered Leadership: Lead yourself and others from a place of freedom rather than fear
• Freedom-Centered Design: Develop a world-class culture based on the 10 Principles of Organizational Democracy
Freedom at Work is a revolutionary guide that will help make any organization high-performing and highly profitable, while creating a culture people love. This book will help passionate leaders weave freedom and democracy into our global tapestry through the way they run their teams and organizations—ultimately transforming our world for the better.
***
“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
“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
“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
- GenresNonfiction
304 pages, Hardcover
Published March 1, 2022
9 people are currently reading
1320 people want to read
About the author
Traci Fenton
6 books5 followersTraci Fenton is the founder and CEO of WorldBlu, a global leadership company teaching top leaders and their organizations how to lead with the proven Freedom at Work™ leadership model.
She is also the author of the groundbreaking book, Freedom at Work: The Leadership Strategy for Transforming Your Life, Your Organization, and Our World.
Traci and her team have transformed organizations such as The WD-40 Company, Mindvalley, DaVita, DreamHost, GE Aviation, and Zappos using freedom and organizational democracy rather than fear and control.
Traci is a globally recognized keynote speaker, author, and transformational coach to CEOs and leaders worldwide. As a “Thinkers50 Radar” award winner, Traci was called “a game changer in transforming the culture of organizations.” She was also named a “World-Changing Woman in Conscious Business” by SOCAP Global, recognized in Inc. magazine as one of the “Top 50 Leadership Innovators,” and honored as a Marshall Goldsmith “Top 100 Coach.”
Traci frequently speaks worldwide to top leaders and their teams. She has spoken at numerous organizations such as Harvard, Yale, Yahoo!, and the US Naval Academy, and at events such as South by Southwest and TEDx. Her work has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, Inc., BusinessWeek, NPR, BBC, and media outlets around the world.
Traci holds a BA in Global Studies and Entrepreneurship from Principia College and an MA in International Development from American University in Washington, DC.
She is also the author of the groundbreaking book, Freedom at Work: The Leadership Strategy for Transforming Your Life, Your Organization, and Our World.
Traci and her team have transformed organizations such as The WD-40 Company, Mindvalley, DaVita, DreamHost, GE Aviation, and Zappos using freedom and organizational democracy rather than fear and control.
Traci is a globally recognized keynote speaker, author, and transformational coach to CEOs and leaders worldwide. As a “Thinkers50 Radar” award winner, Traci was called “a game changer in transforming the culture of organizations.” She was also named a “World-Changing Woman in Conscious Business” by SOCAP Global, recognized in Inc. magazine as one of the “Top 50 Leadership Innovators,” and honored as a Marshall Goldsmith “Top 100 Coach.”
Traci frequently speaks worldwide to top leaders and their teams. She has spoken at numerous organizations such as Harvard, Yale, Yahoo!, and the US Naval Academy, and at events such as South by Southwest and TEDx. Her work has been featured in Fortune, Forbes, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, Christian Science Monitor, New York Times, Inc., BusinessWeek, NPR, BBC, and media outlets around the world.
Traci holds a BA in Global Studies and Entrepreneurship from Principia College and an MA in International Development from American University in Washington, DC.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
March 4, 2022
In a world where most people are reacting to fear, this book is really the blueprint you need to implement in your personal life and within your business. Freedom principles, having democracy in the workplace, is really what needs to happen so that the right companies can grow and make a difference that needs to be seen in the world. Congrats Traci, and if you’re thinking about buying this book… Do it!
February 14, 2022
I have been a believer in Traci Fenton's work for years - this book is very timely as there is more fear in organizations than ever before. Traci shares her 25 years of learning in this book with real executable examples. I was honored to endorse the book and get an early copy to read.
February 12, 2022
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.
February 4, 2022
I loved reading Freedom at Work! The proof is in the pudding: Traci shares more than 100 powerful examples from companies that have implemented the principles of democracy in their organisations, and their stories will sell you on this revolutionary shift over and over again. It’s a fascinating read, but more than that, it’s a concept backed by more than two decades of solid evidence. Traci and her team have helped transform hundreds of top companies by teaching leaders how to embrace organisational democracy—and she can help you, too. In this book, she gives you all you need to help your team and organisation rise to a new level!
February 4, 2022
If you read one book about organizational culture, make it Freedom at Work! It will inspire you and give you the tools you need in order to make important changes that genuinely benefit everyone.
Freedom at Work is not just talk – there are hundreds of examples and compelling stories that will keep you captivated and motivate you to action. Many books create a desire for change, but Freedom at Work will show you how it can be done. This book is the toolkit every leader needs.
Freedom at Work is not just talk – there are hundreds of examples and compelling stories that will keep you captivated and motivate you to action. Many books create a desire for change, but Freedom at Work will show you how it can be done. This book is the toolkit every leader needs.
February 20, 2022
This book was informative.
February 3, 2022
This is an excellent read! It's the reference book I've been waiting for and it couldn't have been written at a more important time in history. Freedom has the power to change the world. If you doubt that, watch what happens when people experience it for the first time: they thrive at a level they never thought possible. That’s what everyone in a leadership position should want—not only for their employees but for the world around us.
It would benefit anyone to become familiar with the 10 Principles of Organizational Democracy. From the parent volunteering at a child's organization to a CEO running a Fortune 500 (and everyone in between), we all need to learn how to lead with freedom, not fear.
It would benefit anyone to become familiar with the 10 Principles of Organizational Democracy. From the parent volunteering at a child's organization to a CEO running a Fortune 500 (and everyone in between), we all need to learn how to lead with freedom, not fear.
March 31, 2022
Looking to build, transform, and improve your leadership strategy for your next role? Interested how to embrace a thriving Freedom at Work™ leadership model to nurture a highly productive and enjoyable work culture/environment rather than one comprised of fear and control? Ready to initiate a growth transformation toward a world-class organization with teams that yield unparalleled growth, stability, and maximum business success?
Then let global award-winning and industry-recognized expert and author, Traci Fenton, shares her 10 years of observations and research with successful global CEOs help you to succeed! This must-read book can help in guiding your leadership strategy to build a desirable, thriving, and highly productive working environment. Inspirational stories of innovation and paradigm-shifting strategies help empower leaders and accelerate organizations. Grab copies now for you and your team!
Then let global award-winning and industry-recognized expert and author, Traci Fenton, shares her 10 years of observations and research with successful global CEOs help you to succeed! This must-read book can help in guiding your leadership strategy to build a desirable, thriving, and highly productive working environment. Inspirational stories of innovation and paradigm-shifting strategies help empower leaders and accelerate organizations. Grab copies now for you and your team!
April 28, 2022
As a business owner would you like more profit? How about more dedicated employees? Less employee turnover? As employee how would you like a workplace where you your opinion mattered? How about being able to demonstrate your creativity? And that what you do really matters? That is what Trace Fenton explains in what I believe is a business ground breaking book, Freedom at Work. This book is more than a philosophy, this book is a practical guide and toolkit to build a business using true democracy (and not the one in government). The model has been demonstrated statistically and practically as being far more profitable than other models. This book is a goldmine for businesses and organizations of any size profit or non-profit. Don't just read it...apply it! Extremely well written.
March 18, 2024
The language in the book is very valid, but it is written for a decade or two ago. It's based on moving away from a workplace culture of fear, into a culture of freedom, which to the author represents the opposite of fear. At the same time, the language is vague, and the examples given lack actionability.
April 3, 2022
It wasn't bad really, just i did felt at some point that it wasn't really what I was expecting on the book really, i sense it was more focused to team leaders and organization ceos than for employees really.
at the end I was a little bored with it, did have good advice here and there but not my best book read.
at the end I was a little bored with it, did have good advice here and there but not my best book read.
January 26, 2026
If you haven't read Stephen M. R. Covey's Trust & Inspire (or any of his books), read that before this one. Fenton provides some practical ways to implement the Trust philosophy and might be a good companion for someone who wants to really embrace it, but the Covey book is much better.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews