## Metadata - Author: [[Rodd Wagner]], [[James Harter]] - Full Title: 12 – The Elements of Great Managing - Topics: [[Management (Index)]], [[Business development]] - Category: #books ## Summary ### About the book * Based on Gallup's 10 million employee and manager interviews between 1999 and 2006, spanning 114 countries. * Underlying question: How do managers inspire top performance in employees? * Authors identify 12 elements, and dedicate one chapter of the book to describe each * [Gallup](http://www.gallup.com/press/176450/elements-great-managing.aspx) book page with further materials ### 1. Let everyone know what is expected of them * Job clarity * Common problems: Overlapping responsibilities, lack of ownership and accountability, general role confusion * Knowing what's expected is more than a job description. It's a detailed understanding of how what one person is supposed to do fits in with what everyone else is supposed to do. * Every employee should be able to make a credible connection between their job and the mission and profits of the business. * Let everyone know where your organization needs to be heading in the future. * How what they do will fit in with what others are contributing. * How the organization’s expectations will change in response to changes in external conditions and circumstances * Knowledge in any organization takes two forms: * Explicit knowledge – which is knowledge of the basics involved in running the business. Every company in the industry will know these general rules and requirements. * Tacit knowledge – which is a keen awareness of the other person’s style and what they are likely to do in any given situation. This is learned by hands-on experience rather than by reading manuals or listening to lectures. ### 2. Ensure people have all the tools they need * Two goals: Directly increase the employee’s productivity, and give them the impression that the company backs them up with the equipment they want. * Up-to-date and accurate information. * Support and training resources. * The right equipment which runs reliably and with a minimum of down-time or servicing. * An adequate level of supplies of all the raw materials needed. * The ability to approach head office to secure the authority or money needed to fix any problems which are happening at ground level. ### 3. Let people actually do what they do best * The goal: “At work, I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day.” * More and more studies are suggesting the right combination of personality traits, talents and abilities underpin success than any amount of formal education or even previous experience. * Make it clear that how the person achieves the goal really does not matter all that much. Let each person use their own unique skills and aptitudes to get the job done in their own style. ### 4. Give recognition and praise for jobs done well * At least every seven days you should find something positive to compliment your people on. * Reinforce positive and productive behavior by giving genuine praise where it’s due. When this is done consistently well, a culture of achievement just naturally emerges and grows. * Employees who feel unappreciated are more likely to quit. * When people get praised, they tend to work harder in the future. * Cultures of recognition are rare: evolutionary negativity bias. To offset this natural “negativity bias”, you need to make a conscious effort to give more recognition and praise. ### 5. Care about employees on a personal level * The goal: “My supervisor, or someone at work, seems to care about me as a person.” * Set some inspiring goals and then post progress results towards that goal on the walls where everyone can see what’s happening. This builds a culture of involvement rather than saying only the inner circle should know what’s going on. * Have an open-door policy which is well signaled and communicated. Make it clear anyone can approach you at any time to discuss their concerns openly and candidly. * Do some fun and zany stuff to send the signal it’s alright to be yourself and have some fun while at work. All of these sorts of things have the effect of humanizing you and making you much more approachable. * When great things happen, hold some genuine celebrations and invite everyone along. Have some events people will still rave about years after the fact. * Do whatever it takes to get to know your people and to convince them you want to see them succeed. Let everyone know you believe they can accomplish great things and that we’re all in this together. ### 6. Foster and encourage personal development * The goal: “There is someone at work who encourages my development.” * Guidance through personal interaction * Mentor those who work with you, and help them get ahead. * Mentors derive satisfaction from seeing the people they work with excel. ### 7. Make everyone’s opinions count * People take greater personal ownership of what’s being achieved when they have a say in what’s going on. * When employees know the idea has come from their own ranks rather than the management, they are often more committed to executing successfully. * When an employee suggests some new idea, you most often get a practical idea which is specific to the needs and requirements of where they work day-in and day-out. ### 8. Help everyone feel their job is important * The goal: “The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important.” * Let people know how their jobs fit into the grand scheme of things. * Develop a corporate mission statement which incorporates some high ideals and noble concepts. * Undertake some stiff challenges and get people enthusiastic about achieving what everyone else considers to be impossible. ### 9. Associate with others who do quality work * The goal: “My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work.“ * People who are putting in 100-percent effort into their work often resent having to carry those who are less committed. Make sure everyone contributes. * When everyone shares the same work ethic and feels a keen sense of responsibility to each other, impressive things happen. * Try to ensure everyone within the organisation is contributing to the best of their abilities. * When someone is performing below their abilities, put them on formal notice, and let them know they need to do more. * Your organisation’s overall standard of performance is set by whoever is doing the least amount of work. ### 10. Encourage strong and vibrant friendships * The goal: “A deep sense of affiliation with the colleagues that drives an employee to do positive things for the business they otherwise would not do.” * People are more productive when they have a best friend who works alongside them. Create circumstances where friendships can grow. ### 11. Evaluate performance in person regularly * People like to know where they stand on a regular basis. * A good performance review should be like holding up a mirror to an employee. * A blend of positive and negative elements which both compliments for the progress made thus far while laying out a roadmap for the way to move forward. * Part motivation and part spotlight shining on present weaknesses. ### 12. Provide opportunities to learn and grow * Regularly challenge employees to meet goals which can only be achieved with higher levels of performance. ### Three key factors that affect all 12 elements 1. Compensation or pay packages 1. Higher pay does not guarantee greater engagement. 2. Good and bad employees are equally likely to think they deserve a raise. 3. Some incentives can backfire, decreasing employee motivation. 4. Pay is more about status than about paying the bills. 2. Senior executives that look after managers 3. Managers doing the right thing for their employees