The Unbeatable Impact of Truly Committed Managers
June 21, 2010
"There is more mythology, misdirection, superstition, and generalized academic babble about leadership than any other business subject," says management consultant Slap in this must-read for anyone who cares about organizational success. Slap shares the techniques he's used over several decades to transform the performance of some of the world's leading companies, quickly cutting to the chase with irreverence as he emphasizes drawing deep loyalty and vital energy from every rank in the workforce and allowing "each manager to work according to their individual values." Drawing on his successful engagements at such companies as Microsoft and software company, SAS, which has a culture so compelling and attractive that last year "they had 23 job vacancies and received 23,760 applications," he illustrates his points powerfully and persuasively. If Slap's discussion grows repetitive and drags on a few chapters too many, the strong kickoff and exploration of individual values makes for a provocative read sure to appeal to managers who want to connect with their employees in a fresh, meaningful, and lasting way.
Starred review from September 1, 2010
The notion that values matterin the workplace as well as at homeis certainly not new to the ranks of management gurus and corporate leaders. What is novel in consultant Slaps first book is his passion for the subject, which bleeds from every page, and his easy-to-use framework for identifying and promoting values throughout the business world. Setting the stage, first, involves explaining the business case for values: why everyone must live his or her personal values in the workplace and which companies adhere to that philosophy. In sidebars, Slap tells the stories of EMC, HP, Rhino Records, SAS, Quad/Graphics, and others that showcase the bottom-line impact of managerial emotional commitment. Next, then, are the value exercises: the list and definition of 50 values and the winnowing to 10, 5, and, finally, 3. As to be expected, the author leads us to organizational implementation, focusing on the selling of values to staff and, ultimately, to the C-suite. In a passion-infused narrative, Slap gives every manager the tools to change. Now, if it will only stick!(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)