Jack Covert Selects: 12: The Elements of Great Managing

12: The Elements of Great Managing by Rodd Wagner & James K. Harter, PH.D., Gallup Press, 200 Pages, $25.95 Hardcover, January 2007, ISBN 159562998X Here are a few ways to get me to review your book: 1). Get Richard Florida—Rise of the Creative Class—to give you a blurb for the back of your book; 2). Position your book as the follow-up to First, Break All the Rules; 3) Have Gallup Press publish your book. Of course, you can do all these things and still write a piece of junk. Lucky for us, this book is brilliant. (And they are correct: it is the absolute logical follow-up to First, Break All the Rules, one of the best books ever.) The name of the book is derived from the 12 elements revealed in that famous book and that emerged from Gallup's research as those that best predict employee and workgroup performance. The 12 came from over 10 million employee and manager interviews. They are: 1. I know what is expected of me at work 2. I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right. 3. At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day. 4. In the last seven days, I have received recognition or praise for doing good work. 5. My superior, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person. 6. There is someone at work who encourages my development. 7. At work, my opinions seem to count. 8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important. 9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work. 10. I have a best friend at work. 11. In the past six months, someone at work has talked to me about my progress. 12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow. Copyright 1993 - 1998 The Gallup Organization, Washington, D.C. All rights reserved. Now I have been in business for more than a few years and I would have a very hard time arguing with any of these points. As you read through them, did they resonate with you? I thought so. What the authors then do is make a chapter out of each of the elements with outstanding examples to support their premise. These examples are what make the book so enjoyable to read. You learn about making fiberglass...and staffing at Best Buy. I cannot stress enough how important this book will be to managers of every ilk.