Today’s Book: First Break all the Rules – What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently By Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman

We have been talking about innovation, but how does one begin innovating? Simple! Start breaking rules!

To arrive at what revolutionary managers do, more than 80,000 managers from diverse organizations were interviewed. If you think you know enough about excellence and innovation, you might be in a for a surprise. Some of the real stories of great managers in this book are real eye openers.

For example, guess what some of the best housekeepers in hospitality industry do AFTER they are done cleaning a room? They lie down on the bed and look at the ceiling. Why? Because that is what most customers do when they reach their room. And, if from that view, if something is found amiss (like dust on fan), then that is dealt with to provide the perfect view to the customer.

A core of part of this book is on how to attract and retain such talent. Great talent does not mean the person is perfect. Nobody is perfect. How to deal with with imperfections in talented people? How to create an environment when talented people (with their flaws) can work together? All this is covered in the book.

Here are a few quotes from the book:

“Great managers play favorites and spend most of their time with their most productive people. Not because they discriminate, but because they deserve the attention and have so much to teach you.”

“Talent is the multiplier. The more energy and attention you invest in it, the greater the yield. The time you spend with your best is, quite simply, your most productive time.”

“People don’t change that much. Instead of trying to put in what God left out, try drawing out what God left in!”