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| Author: Marcus Buckingham
Publisher: Free Press
Category: Book
List Price: $29.95
Buy New: $21.27
You Save: $8.68 (29%)
Rating:  46 reviews
Sales Rank: 17324
Media: Hardcover
Edition: 1
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.2
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1
ISBN: 0743261658
Dewey Decimal Number: 658.409
EAN: 9780743261654
Publication Date: March 7, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
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| Customer Reviews:
 Succinct, readable, and enlightening May 19, 2006
15 out of 15 found this review helpful
I thought that *First, Break All the Rules* was brilliant, and this book builds well on the line of thought that Buckingham and his collaborator started there. Plus it's succinct, well-written, and generally a pleasure to read -- which you can't say about a lot of business books!
Some points that particularly struck me were these.
1. The distinction between "management" and "leadership" skills, which are far too often confused: if someone shows leadership potential, their managers assume that the best place for them to exercise it is in a supervisory position. But a visionary leader isn't necessarily a "people person"; so they become frustrated, their direct reports aren't getting the management they need to best express their strengths, and far too much time and energy is wasted in trying to re-form the leader into someone he/she isn't instead of capitalizing on what he/she IS.
2. Why it's hard to learn skills/behaviors that don't build on your strengths (I think he gives just enough neurological information to be convincing and not overwhelming). Of course everyone has to learn *some* things that don't come naturally to them; but if someone with leadership qualities has mastered basic social and interpersonal skills, why try to make them into a mother hen when they could be making a greater contribution as a soaring eagle?
3. Many people have trouble with the One Thing he recommends for everyone: Work, they say, is not supposed to be Fun, and you can't blithely blow off the parts you don't like. However:
(a) Using your strengths to their fullest extent is not always "fun." Challenging, inspiring, and offering the greatest potential for success, yes; but often frustrating, and a whole lot of hard work too. But feeling that you've tapped into your strengths can give you the energy to blow past obstacles that, if you were also fighting your natural tendencies, would seem insurmountable.
(b) If you feel that your job forces you to constantly battle your weaknesses rather than building on your strengths, you're in the wrong job. This often happens when someone is promoted: e.g., the charismatic classroom teacher who becomes a principal, or the brilliant laboratory scientist who's made an administrator. The best thing you can do -- not only for yourself but for the people who have to work with you -- is push to be restored to the position where you can be most effective.
(c) Consider becoming a Free Agent. I was always excellent at my actual job (technical writing), while office politics and climbing the management ladder were highly uncongenial to me -- but, in most companies, that's the only way I could improve my pay/status. I became an independent contractor, work through an agency that handles billing/invoicing et al. (which I'm not good at either), and am paid well for doing what I do best -- and I highly recommend it.
One final comment: I've recently read a couple of graduation addresses, by Steve Jobs and Billy Joel respectively, that urged students to follow their hearts and do what they love, because that's the only route to satisfaction in work and in life. "Easy for them to say," you might grumble; but, although both gentlemen had a modicum of luck in their lives, they're both prime examples of choosing work that capitalizes on their strengths AND working very, very hard to succeed in it -- and succeed they certainly did. Think about it.
Great examples, few platitudes March 8, 2005
14 out of 17 found this review helpful
It's difficult to evaluate a book like this so shortly after reading it, since it doesn't give you time to actually apply the insights the author is pushing. However, it's clear that Buckingham has written another excellent management guide, one that cuts through the frivolity to provide actual answers.
What I liked about this one is that it doesn't use generalities, or vague concepts that are open to various interpretations. As usual, Buckingham gets right to the heart of the matter, in terms that will help managers (and others) apply the lessons he presents.
I'm always skeptical of these types of management books, as there are so many that are poorly written and completely useless. This is neither of those - instead, it's a useful, practical guide that should help many people both in an out of the workplace.
insightful, practically applicable, but wordy December 29, 2005
12 out of 12 found this review helpful
Marcus Buckingham discusses the one thing that distinguishes great managers, leaders, and sustained individual successes. His hypothesis based on extensive Gallup data is that there *is* one such thing for most aspects of life.
Most management books focus on aspects that if absent would result in management failure. These include hiring well, setting clear objectives, providing accurate feedback, etc. If present, these aspects may make for a good manager, not necessarily a great manager. Per Marcus' analysis, the aspect that truly separates great managers is their need to nurture growth amongst their employees, and their sensitivity to seemingly incremental growth in their employees. This tunes the manager to deeply understand the strengths and weaknesses of each direct report and craft an environment where each person plays to his / her strength. An analogy is chess where each player has different moves and they need to be orchestrated into an overall whole that moves the team towards its objectives.
Similarly, the one thing underlying successful marriages is the spouses' portraying the reality as reality plus - slightly warmer than the actual reality.
The one thing underlying successful leaders is the need to find the principle / theme that applies and appeals to the masses.
The one thing you need to know for individual sustained success is to continuously identify things that you don't like doing and stop doing them. As folks become successful, their scope expands to include work that they may not be as passionate about. Several ways of working with this reality are suggested including modifying your role, seeking partners with complementary skills, seeking a new job, etc.
The author was not succinct - hence, the four stars.
 The one thing you need to know.. April 17, 2005
10 out of 30 found this review helpful
dont waste your money on this.
Just a collection of boring anecdotes.
Its Not One Thing November 21, 2005
10 out of 22 found this review helpful
In one word disappointing. The author fails to deliver on his promise as laid out in the title of the book. Fortunately one comes to this realization that the author does not appreciate the meaning conveyed in the title early in the first chapter. His long winded entry to the question provides the reader with definitive proof that nothing outlined in the title of the book is going to happen. From a conceptual perspective his criteria further substantiate that the author is abusing the word used in the title. Multiple, contingent criteria are by definition not singular. The author has been a consultant at Gallup too long to appreciate that his set-up violates the premise of the book's title.
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