When looking for a book to read in March, the ADMIN team stumbled around a bit. However, when we saw the title of this book, it immediately grabbed us and made us dive in. In business, there are a lot of rules that can be pushed on people to find success or propelled at managers who want to lead better. Now, we are not here to say that all rules are bad, but we are interested in what happens when people break these rules and try something different.
In the book, author, Marcus Buskinghamm and the Gallup Organization dive into a specific study of managers – all who come from different walks of life, but all who are willing to break the rules. Whether they believe that not everyone can be successful no matter how hard they try or if they tend to play favorites, these leaders are not doing business by-the-book. With that being said, there was one trait they all had in common: they all understood that management started with both talent and a strong character and everything else (skills, experience, etc..) was at the bottom of the must-have list.
The study completed by Gallup shows that having great managers on the front-line of the business is what allows a company to gain and then retain productive employees. We aren’t talking executives here. We are talking about managers who are on the ground with employees and have a daily interaction with staff. It makes sense: majority of employees who leave a job, leave because of poor management. This information might leave you with a follow up question: How do I get good managers in the door? Gallup’s study uses this book to dive into a comprehensive 12-question approach that lands them on something they call “The Four Keys.” They are: Selecting the right talent, Defining the right outcomes, Focusing on strengths, and Finding the right fit.
Of course we want to take a deeper look into each of these keys, but we don’t want to leave you with any spoilers. So, be sure to check out First, Break All the Rules and let us know what you think! We promise you that you will not only be leaving with a whole new outlook on management, but you will also be taking away a slew of ideas that can impact your own leadership style.
