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Summary: Within you and Without You!
Review: I finished reading this book a few days ago and have been mulling over what I have learned from it. I think that this must be one of the best management books that I have read mainly because it seems to me that what the authors are telling us is that being yourself and learning from what is around us is the best way to become a great manager and/or a great leader. The insight that the researchers provide from their extensive interviews is that the personality of the individual and that person;s individual traits are the most crucial factors in determining success, however one may wish to define it.The other main conclusion I draw from the book is that there are certain qualities which any individual must develop and enhance if their relationships with subordinates are to be rewarding and productive. If we view management in the narrow sense of achieving through others, it is clear that this can be done through either coercion, persuasion or, if you like, enlightened self-interest. Coercion leads to exit and diminishing returns while persuasion involves bargaining and does not inspire true loyalty yet sows the seeds of unfairness and non-compliance. Enlightened self-interest potentially leads to the most satisfactory results, of high output, individual rewards such as self-esteem, possibly promotion, but greatest of all, customer loyalty. In my humble opinion, the success of any business depends on it's people. This is more true today than ever before particularly if you view the employment relationship as one which is built upon knowledge. Whether that knowledge is of processes, or the creation of ideas or the implementation of ideas or whether it is embodied in the sense of the genuinely warm, interested, employee who provides excellent customer service, knowledge in the post-modern economy is a key determinant. Human beings are a wonderful species for their capacity to create and discover new knowledge!. Getting back to this book, to me the authors have latched on to a few fundamental truths about management which the best managers have discovered for themselves over the years. Coaching and developing employees to be themselves and to give of their best is the ultimate key to development. Allowing people to try and allowing them to make mistakes and learn from their mistakes must be one of the best ways of helping people to help themselves. Carl Menger discovered this fundamental insight as an integral part of economics over a century ago and indeed, the trial and error process is a basic building block of the market economy which is also a discovery process. There are many useful aspects to this book which are all very worthwhile in our search to be better managers or leaders. For me it has been crucial in turning my gaze inwards to answer these questions about myself before I look outwards to implement in my dealings with others. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in management and to teachers and in fact anyone looking for a self-help book.
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Summary: Great recommendations based on great research
Review: The research that went into this book is outstanding, and even more amazing are the outcomes of this reasearch. In a nutshell, great managers do some things very differently from average managers, and this book tells exactly what those things are. Are you a great manager? If so, then congratulations! Do you have things you need to improve... then I think that this book can really help you... it certainly has helped me and managers at my organization. Review by David Richards, ... OD Director for a Fortune 50 company.
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Summary: The best business book I have read.
Review: Clear and to the point. Interesting facts and easy to read.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Management Book
Review: I definitely rank this title among 5 best business books I have read. Its conclusions have two strengths: a/when implemented translate to a much improved business performance, b/are exceptionally well backed by a massive research. This is the essence of my particular out-take from "First, Break Every Rule": 1/Select a person for talent (not for well-roundedness, lack of weknesses). Talent is any recurring pattern of bahaviour that can be productively applied. You cannot teach talent, ergo your time is best alocated when you use and further develop your and your subordinates existing talents rather than spend it on trying to change weaknesses into strengths. Weaknesses can be only neutralized which is a must when they are a major obstacle to talents. 2/Having selected employees, set expectations for them (which are right outcomes and not right steps!), motivate them (when motivating pople focus on their strengths not weaknesses) and develop them (the talents already existing in them). 3/Your employee will perform best when 6 fundamental conditions are met by you as his/her direct superior: a/She knows what is expected of her at work (outcomes again).
b/She is properly equiped to do the job.
c/She is assigned in line with at least one of her best talents.
d/She has received praise in the last week (which, let us note, will not be difficult if conditions a/,b/ and c/ have been met by her manager)
e/She is convinced that her supervisor cares about her as a person.
f/She feels there is someone at work who encourages her development. You manage around people's weaknesses focusing on their strengths, you choose jobs that play to your strengths, you spend most time with your best employees - there is a consistent streak in this book that calls for giving attention to the positive rather than negative as the way to produce results. A sequel to this book is a logical next step. Finally, in the light of this reading a talent to identify talents seems to be the greatest of them all.
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Summary: this is the way managers should tread employees!!!
Review: I read this book for my economics class and I found it very interesting. This book describes the perfect way managers should tread employees by respecting them and it also tell how to manage a place so it will be a conformable and pleasant place for customers. If every manager uses all tips given in this book their place would increase in customers and profit.
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Summary: One of what I call 'mind-bending' books
Review: While the development and explanations of the Q12 are interesting, what has really stuck with me are
1] the concept of broad-banding i.e. compensation not being linked only to the grade of an employee but to the skill level, and 2] recruiting for talent. The book points out that a person can be trained for skills and knowledge but not talent, which is inherent. The appendix of talents is an eye opener and can be practically used for putting the right people (already in the organization) in the right job. However, recruiting for talent is easier said than done, and I would have liked a more detailed description of how to go about it.
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Summary: First, You should know what you are talking about
Review: I began reading this book with an open mind. I am an HR VP with over 20 years of experience at Fortune 500 organizations. This book tries to be iconoclastic and innovative for line management, however, any good manager should see through its marketing and catchy title. This book is based on the "strengths" concept which has no empirical data other than that done by those on the Gallup payroll. I strongly recommend sticking with more trusted and proven business advice from better publishers and authors with degrees in the field in which they are writing about.
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Summary: Good reinforcement for us all
Review: If you ever wondered whether not following the PC motions of management were the wrong approach, this book makes some sense of it.
Although at times the constant mention of the size of the Gallup poll taken, this book was very informative. It uses great examples, and covers a lot of material that is useful to a beginning manager. I would recommend this to anyone that has or is thinking about making a career move into management.
Rating: 
Summary: Good book with some flaws
Review: Overall, "Break all the rules" is a decent book. While I have believed that it is okay to follow what works, I also believe in independant "maverick" type thinking as well. In some ways, "Break all the rules" reminds me of the popular self help book, "Your Erroneus Zones." With business people that I consult with, I see a lot of "erroneus" beliefs being practiced only because it is the popular way to doing things.In another regard, I disagree with the authors in feeling that "anybody can't do anything." As a manager and business owner, I have always pushed my people to push beyond their limits and continue ongoing training.Another book that I recommend is Customers come Second, Employees comes first.
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Summary: Excellent Book to Keep on your Shelf
Review: This book does a great job of illustrating how important the manager is to a company and to employees. Without great managers, no company would be profitable. It is easy reading and a book that you will want to highlight and write all over. You will also want to read this book over and over again to instill the basics of being a great manager. This book does break all the rules and shows why managers in the past have not been successful and what it takes to be a manager that everyone wants to work under. A must read for anyone who is interested in being or currently a manager, executive, or leader. Excellent management book!!
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