Bookworm: First, Break All the Rules

Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman explore what the world’s greatest managers do differently.

What's it about?

This book explains how we can manage people better – and so enhance employee satisfaction – drawing on real-life examples from “the world’s greatest managers”.

Essentially, authors Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman (an author and manager, respectively) believe that much of what we think we know about managing people is wrong.

Why should we believe them?

Their thinking is based on 20 years' worth of interviews with 80,000 managers. Two studies form the basis of the book: the opinions of more than a million employees on what makes a good workplace and the largest ever study on what distinguishes a good manager and a bad manager.

Who's it for?

Managers, of course – or anyone being managed – which is most of us in the workplace. Many of us go through our lives either complaining about our manager or being a manager and complaining about the people we manage, so, the subject is ripe for dissection. 

It's also relevant to anyone interested in protecting the bottom line: the authors argue that employee satisfaction lies at the heart of business success – and that managers determine the degree of employee satisfaction. Bad managers therefore lower employee satisfaction and undermine the performance of their business.

What does a good manager do, then? 

Buckingham and Coffman believe that the work of the manager should be centred on mediating, not leading.

A good manager looks out for the wellbeing of the people they manage, acting as the middleman between the business and the worker, trying to keep the interests of both at the forefront of their mind at all times.

For example, rather than trying to change people to fit specific jobs, they find roles that suit the gifts of the employees in question. A good manager nurtures the unique talents of each employee, while noting their particular weaknesses. 

So, we should be focusing intensely on each employee? 

Well, less on the individual than on what the employee can do. In interviews, managers ask open questions to allow prospective employees to express themselves and reveal their talents.

Great managers establish alternative career paths for employees, thereby keeping them in the best-fitting job position. They won’t control or micro-manage their people but, instead, will give them the freedom to achieve the results in their own way.  

That sounds warm and fuzzy

Yes, but allowing employees to be individuals doesn’t mean people are free to do whatever they wish; managers still need to define rules for employees to adhere to.

And while they develop (and learn from) excellent employees, and try to work around individuals 'non-talents', they are also tasked with letting employees go if they’re not performing as well as they need to be.

While a good manager will help someone rise to the challenges of their job requires, a great manager will recognise that someone isn’t suited to a role and set them free so that they are able to pursue a more appropriate job as soon as possible. 

What am I most likely to say after reading this book?  

“Tell me what you're good at.”

What am I least likely to say after reading this book?  

“Being a great manager is just so easy.”