COMMENTS

This book is based upon two large research studies undertaken by the Gallup Organizations over the past twenty-five years.  Over a million employees were interviewed to determine “What the most talented employees need from their workplace?”

 

10 OF THE BEST IDEAS

1. The most powerful discovery from the research was that “Talented employees need great managers.”  Talented employees may join a company because of it’s charismatic leaders, it’s generous benefits, and it’s world-class training programs, but how long that employee stays and how productive he is while he is there is determined by his relationship with his immediate supervisor.
   
   

2. The second question addressed in the research was “How do the world’s greatest managers find, focus, and keep talented employees.”  In other words, what do great managers have in common?  The answer goes against conventional wisdom.

Great managers:

1. Do not believe that a person can achieve anything he sets his mind to.

2. Do not try to help a person overcome his weaknesses.

3. Consistently disregard the Golden Rule.

4. Play favorites.

3. The twelve things talented employees need in a workplace:

1. Do I know what is expected of me?

2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

3. At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?

4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work?

5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

7. At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8. Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel like my work is important?

9. Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?

10. Do I have a best friend at work?

11. In the last six months, have I talked with someone about my progress?

12. At work, have I had opportunities to learn and grow?

4. People leave managers, not companies. So much money has been thrown at the challenge of keeping good people in the form of better pay, better perks, and better training – when, in the end, turnover is mostly a manager issue.  If you have a turnover problem, look first to your managers.

5. The most important responsibilities of a manager are:

1. Selecting a person – great managers select on talent not simply experience, intelligence or determination.

2. Setting expectations – great managers define the right outcome, not the right steps.

3. Motivating the person – great managers focus on strengths, not on weaknesses.

6. Talent is more important than experience, brainpower, or will-power.
   
   

7. You cannot teach talent.  You cannot teach someone to form strong opinions, to feel the emotions of others, to revel in confrontation, or to pick-up the subtle differences in how best to manage each person.
   
   

8. You must select on talent.
   
   

9. Great managers believe not all employees have the same potential.
   
   

10. Great managers believe people don’t change that much.

 

"As an 11-year member of CEBI we gain much wisdom from these meetings; true bearings to steer our course by, especially over the last 3 years." Jack Murphy President The Murphy Company