How Doug Conant Turned a Failing Company into the Fortune 500's Most Engaged Workforce

How Doug Conant Turned a Failing Company into the Fortune 500's Most Engaged Workforce

Author: Jim Harshaw, Jr. February 16, 2026 Duration: 44:51

#524 How Doug Conant Turned a Failing Company into the Fortune 500's Most Engaged Workforce


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Action Plan: https://jimharshawjr.com/ACTION

Free Clarity Call: https://jimharshawjr.com/APPLY


“You can’t talk your way out of something you behaved your way into.” That line changed a Fortune 500 company, and it should change how you lead your team.


When a Fortune 500 company is literally ringed in razor wire, you don’t pep-talk your way out— you do the hard, specific work of rebuilding trust.


In this “Success for the Athletic-Minded Man” episode, I sit down with Doug Conant, the CEO who walked into Campbell Soup with plunging sales, a disengaged workforce, and a headquarters in one of America’s most dangerous cities, and left it with the highest employee engagement score in the Fortune 500. 


Doug’s a student-athlete-turned-CEO who learned early that discipline matters. He played tennis at Northwestern, coached there, survived the LBO chaos at Nabisco, and then dug in at Campbell. 


He tells the story straight, how Gallup called Campbell the worst engagement case they’d seen, how Doug’s first day included firing the CFO, and how he and his team rebuilt an organization by showing up with consistency, respect, and tough-minded compassion. 


We unpack practical moves: measurable engagement targets, replacing leaders who can’t buy in, the “living, loving, learning, leaving a legacy” playbook Doug used, and the daily habits: the morning reflection, the commute rituals, the weekly appreciation, that let him be present for both the company and his family. 


If you run a business or a team and want concrete, repeatable methods for turning disengaged people into relentless team members, this episode is your field guide. Don’t miss it!


After you listen, if you’re thinking, “How do I use this in my day-to-day?”, Doug just launched STEPS (Success Through Empowering Professional Support), a leadership course built specifically for administrative professionals, taught by Doug himself. Use my code Harshaw10 for a discount.


If you don’t have time to listen to the entire episode or if you hear something that you like but don’t have time to write it down, be sure to grab your free copy of the Action Plan from this episode— as well as get access to action plans from EVERY episode— at http://www.JimHarshawJr.com/Action.  


There's a particular drive that comes from a background in sports, a mindset forged in competition and discipline that doesn't just switch off when you leave the field. Success for the Athletic-Minded Man taps directly into that energy, translating the core principles of athletic performance into tools for everyday life. Host Jim Harshaw, Jr. understands that the same clarity needed to execute a game plan, the focus required in a critical moment, and the consistency of daily practice are the exact traits that define winning in business, relationships, and personal health. This isn't about finding more hours in the day; it's about applying a strategic, trained approach to all of it. Each episode feels like a conversation with a coach who's been in your shoes, addressing the real tension between ambitious career goals, being a present father and partner, and maintaining physical fitness without letting any single priority suffer. You'll hear practical discussions on management, self-improvement, and the mental frameworks that help you stop shortchanging the areas that matter most. The podcast moves beyond theory, offering actionable insights for men who aim to build a life of sustained achievement, where success is measured across the board, not just on a scoreboard.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Success for the Athletic-Minded Man
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