First, Break All the Rules by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman: What It Teaches, Who It’s For, Who Should Skip It
3 min read
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What the world’s greatest managers do differently, from Gallup’s study of eighty thousand of them.
What the book argues
Great managers do not follow conventional wisdom. They select for talent rather than experience, define outcomes rather than steps, focus on strengths rather than fixing weaknesses, and find the right fit rather than promoting up a ladder. The twelve questions that measure a strong workplace became Gallup’s famous engagement survey.
Three ideas you can use this week
- People do not change that much; select for talent and stop trying to put in what was left out.
- Define the right outcomes and let people find their own route.
- Spend the most time with your best people, not your most troubled.
Who it is for
New and mid-level managers who want research-backed principles rather than slogans.
How to turn it into a routine
Ask your team the twelve questions anonymously and act on the lowest score.
Who should skip it
Twenty-five years old, somewhat repetitive, and the examples are corporate.
Verdict
Still one of the best management books available. The twelve questions alone are worth it.
Click hereto see it→Click to see First, Break All the Rules
If you liked the sound of this
Legacy by James Kerr
What the All Blacks can teach us about the business of life: fifteen lessons in leadership from the most successful team in sport.
Team of Teams by General Stanley McChrystal
How a rigid command structure learned to move like a network, and what that means for any organization.
Tools that put the book to work
Reading is the easy part. Three simple tools that turn the idea into a daily routine:
Dry Erase Markers Fine Tip
A dead marker kills momentum in a room. Keep good ones.
One-on-One Meeting Notebook
Every meeting ends with owners and dates, or it was a conversation. Leaders write it down.
USB Desk Microphone
If people cannot hear you clearly, they stop listening. Sound is credibility.
Links are affiliate links; the price to you is identical. Nothing here is medical, financial or professional advice. Filed under Leadership & Influence.
More picks, with pictures
Three tools and three books that fit the same goal. Each has its own full review here, including who should skip it.
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Images are our own review cards, not product photos.
Launch list
Be there on day one.
One email when the book opens on Kickstarter. Nothing else. Already reading the book? Your Cheat Sheet is at wisdomdeck.com/free.
Coming soon on 
The book itself — 40 laws in ten parts, 320 pages, each ending with The Work — is funded first on Kickstarter.
