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First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently (Hardcover)

by Marcus Buckingham (Author), Curt Coffman (Author)

Textbook Details
* Hardcover: 255 pages
* Publisher: Simon & Schuster; 1 edition (May 5, 1999)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0684852861
* ISBN-13: 978-0684852867
* Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
* Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
* Rating:

Textbook Description
The greatest managers in the world seem to have little in common. They differ in sex, age, and race. They employ vastly different styles and focus on different goals. Yet despite their differences, great managers share one common trait: They do not hesitate to break virtually every rule held sacred by conventional wisdom. They do not believe that, with enough training, a person can achieve anything he sets his mind to. They do not try to help people overcome their weaknesses. They consistently disregard the golden rule. And, yes, they even play favorites. This amazing book explains why.

Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of the Gallup Organization present the remarkable findings of their massive in-depth study of great managers across a wide variety of situations. Some were in leadership positions. Others were front-line supervisors. Some were in Fortune 500 companies; others were key players in small, entrepreneurial companies. Whatever their situations, the managers who ultimately became the focus of Gallup’s research were invariably those who excelled at turning each employee’s talent into performance.

In today’s tight labor markets, companies compete to find and keep the best employees, using pay, benefits, promotions, and training. But these well-intentioned efforts often miss the mark. The front-line manager is the key to attracting and retaining talented employees. No matter how generous its pay or how renowned its training, the company that lacks great front-line managers will suffer. Buckingham and Coffman explain how the best managers select an employee for talent rather than for skills or experience; how they set expectations for him or her — they define the right outcomes rather than the right steps; how they motivate people — they build on each person’s unique strengths rather than trying to fix his weaknesses; and, finally, how great managers develop people — they find the right fit for each person, not the next rung on the ladder. And perhaps most important, this research — which initially generated thousands of different survey questions on the subject of employee opinion — finally produced the twelve simple questions that work to distinguish the strongest departments of a company from all the rest. This book is the first to present this essential measuring stick and to prove the link between employee opinions and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction, and the rate of turnover.

There are vital performance and career lessons here for managers at every level, and, best of all, the book shows you how to apply them to your own situation.

First, Break All the Rules Review
I found this book valuable as it was based on research with over 80,000 managers, not just one person’s personal experience. As a manager, the 12 questions that define a great place to work helped me step back and identify what type of environment I am creating for my employees — or failing to create. Reading the book has led to some very open discussions with my direct reports on those issues. I especially liked the six questions for a review that turn a brief look at past performance into a discussion about what the person needs to do to move forward. I included those questions in my reviews this year. In our department’s people development, we often focused primarily on where people need to improve. The authors gave a different perspective on leveraging strengths and managing around weaker areas. I also liked the definition of “manager” vs. “leader”. Too often management skills are seen as inferior to leadership, yet this book showed that they are separate skill sets. I’ve got a ways to go with both skill sets, but now have somewhat of a blueprint for how to move forward. This book has helped me look at what I am doing to impact the quality of our work environment.

Management books are everywhere. They espouse a great many theories. Often they explain what has worked well for one corporation, industry, or professional field. The books share the secrets of success as understood by that shining example. The data consists of their productivity indicators. But what may work well for one, may not work for another. The book First, Break All the Rules by Buckingham and Coffman has the data. It is a research-based analysis of over 80,000 managers in over 400 companies. Their conclusions are the result of their data analysis rather than the other way around. The essence of the book consists of 12 questions that have a high degree of statistical reliability in predicting organizational productivity and success. Buckingham and Coffman then go on to offer four keys to receiving a high score from employees. The keys break with conventional thinking and rules of operation: talent is more important than qualifications; outcomes are more important than process; treat every employee differently; and throw out the career ladder.
I highly recommend this book. It has substantially changed my management style.

I found this an immensely readable book, despite the fact its a “business book”. Easy to skim, every chapter seemed bursting with information and ideas I can use. Most valuable for me: The 12 most important questions to ask to measure the strength of a workplace, linked to four business outcomes: productivity, profitability, employee retention and customer satisfaction. This book is about measuring Human Capital. AND it provides the numerical, statistical proof that people work for a company, but they LEAVE their manager. People don’t change, but great leaders learn to use what’s there. Four core activities of Leader Catalyst: Select a person, set expectations, motivate the person, and develop the person. Great information on Performance Management, Hiring, Motivating and Developing. Template quality stuff. I give it an A+, great book. Pay attention, CEOs: Even if you don’t have every senior manager read it, this book has tons of material you can mine for discussion and learning throughout the organization. And make sure your Chief People Officer and CFO read this.

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