12 - The Elements of Great Managing

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April 12, 2011

12: The Elements of Great Managing


2006 The Gallup Organization, Washington, D.C. Adapted by permission of Gallup Press New York ISBN: 978-1-59562-998-2

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

Introduction
Engaged, talented employees are a companys greatest resource. Yet many mangers fail, through both neglect and ignorance, to bring out the best in their workforce. To determine the crucial components of great management, the Gallup Organization examined over one million employee and manager interviews. In 1999, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffmans book First, Break All the Rules divulged and explored 12 of the critical elements gleaned from Gallups research. Ten years later, Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter revisit those 12 elements in 12: The Elements of Great Managing, in which they incorporate the original Gallup findings with current research from 10 million employee and manager interviews spanning a variety of industries in 114 nations. because they tap into primal human needs, particularly the needs to contribute productively to society and to relate to other people. Each of the elements requires that managers invest in their workers on both professional and personal levels. When employees know that their managers value them holistically, they work harder, think more creatively, and cooperate more fully with both their immediate team and entire company. In short, the best managers understand that their employees are human and that they all have strengths, weaknesses, longings and fears. All 12 elements require that managers invest in their employees both professionally and personally, but six of them (elements 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, and 12) are connected more deeply with the employees professional development. Most humans strive to do their best by contributing meaningfully and productively; great managers must effectively utilize this desire to bring

Why the 12 Elements are Effective


The 12 elements discussed by the authors are effective

Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

out excellence in their employees and to benefit their company. The other six of the 12 (elements 4, 5, 6, 7, 10 and 11) are rooted more deeply in the employees relational connections in the workplace. Employees need to know that their managers recognize them as people and care about their lives. However, it is not just the managers one-on-one relationship with the employee that matters, but also the employees relationships with each other. Great managers foster deep relationships among their workers as well as with their workers.

Key Concepts
In 12: The Elements of Great Managing, authors Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter discuss the most important characteristics of a successful manager. The authors include advice such as: Managers, not top-level executives, are the most critical for motivating and guiding employees. Managers should harness the power of fundamental human needs, not attempt to fight or change them. To fulfill their employees need to contribute meaningfully, managers must ensure that their employees understand their roles, have the right materials, and are given opportunities to develop. To make their employees feel as though they belong, managers must demonstrate holistic care and cultivate a work environment of camaraderie and cooperation.

The First Element: Knowing Whats Expected


This element seems like one that every functioning company must have already mastered. However, only half of the employees in Gallups international database strongly agree that they understand their companys expectations. The complexity of the first element lies in the employees understanding of not only what is expected of them as individuals, but also how their individual efforts coordinate with their immediate workgroups to benefit the larger company. The trickiest aspect is helping employees understand the expectations well enough to adjust to changing circumstances. Teams of employees who understand their work expectations are greater than the sum of their parts. One of the best examples of precise work expectations within a group is a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier. Despite the likelihood of injury, accidents are so rare that social scientists regard deck sites as high reliability organizations, or HROs. These workers achieve this feat by assigning clear roles, wearing specific color-coded shirts to designate their role, and communicating constantly. Similarly, management professors studying teamwork in the NBA demonstrated that teams with the fewest number of new players performed significantly better. Even cardiac surgeons have greater success working within their own hospitals. An example from Gallups research exhibiting this first element is manager Nancy Sorrells work with Marriot hotels. When Sorrells first arrived at the Marriott outside of the Dallas/Fort Worth airport, it was $1.5 million behind budget and in 25th place for employee engagement. Sorrells soon realized that the employees were aimlessly performing set processes

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Information about this book and other business titles: www.gallup.com/press Related summaries in the BBS Library: 10 Steps to Successful Teams Renie McClay Carrots and Sticks Dont Work Build a Culture of Employee Engagement with the Principles of RESPECT Paul L. Marciano

Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

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12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

without understanding how they contributed to the ultimate goals of the hotel. She began placing all job requirements within the framework of clear hotel goals, and then expanded her employees roles. For example, the guest representative at the front desks job was not merely just to give room keys and charge credit cards but also to ensure that the needs of guests were met fully and satisfactorily. Nancy also recognized that part of her job was to take care of her employees, which she did by working diligently to improve employee designated areas. Eventually, Sorrells brought her hotel to sixth place for employee engagement and $500,000 ahead of budget.

second element is closely related to job stress, both at work and at home. In fact, two-thirds of Americans lacking the proper tools are more likely to bring stress home, while only one-fourth of those who are wellsupplied do so. This element is illustrated by Enio Wettens experience managing a fiberglass production plant in Rio Claro, Brazil. Wettens plant was located in potentially dangerous conditions where the right materials and equipment were crucial. His first concern was always with the safety of his employees, placing it even above production. He listened carefully to his employees, and trusted them to know what tools they needed to do their work well. As a result, his employees were so committed to the plant that they frequently gave up personal time in times of crisis. Most impressively, in 1998 they gave up their Christmas Eve to restart the plant after a power outage.

The Second Element: Materials and Equipment

Humans are creatures of habit, and a major aspect of the second element is that employees need to have a reliable and familiar personal work space. Despite the rise of paperless, In the battle between company policy and human nature, wireless technologies, humans still human nature always wins. The evidence suggests people exhibit a desire for tangible tools and personal space. Many of these tools will fulfill their social needs, regardless of what is legislated. are crucial for performing jobs well, Companies do far better to harness the power of this kind of but just as important is the emotional social capital than to fight against it. security that comes with having ones own items. Employees who are given the right tools The Third Element: The Opportunity to to do their jobs are more productive and feel that the Do What I Do Best company is supportive of them and their work. The One of the most delicate and tricky aspects of managing is matching the right people to the right assignments. Although there is a pervasive notion in Western culture that anyone can be trained to do anyRodd Wagner is a principal of The Gallup Orgathing, research demonstrates that each human has a nization. At Gallup, Wagner interprets employee unique combination of strengths and weakness, and engagement and business performance data for that their vocations should capitalize on these comnumerous Fortune 500 companies. He holds an binations. While humans continue to be capable of M.B.A. from the University of Utah Graduate learning and growing throughout their lives, they School of Business. are also molded by their genes and formative experiences. Recognizing individual abilities does not James K. Harter, Ph.D. is chief scientist for The necessarily restrict work paths, as innate talents may Gallup Organizations international workplace be utilized in a variety of vocations. Even employees management practice. Some of his research with the same profession may achieve great results has been popularized in the business bestsellthrough different talents. ers First, Break All the Rules and How Full Is Your Bucket? Harter has worked for The Gallup OrgaIt is the managers responsibility to uncover and nization since 1985. strengthen employee talents. This takes time and personal investment from managers, but pays great

About the Authors

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12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

dividends. Workgroups in the top quartile of the third element have 10 to 15 percent higher profitability than those in the bottom quartile. Putting emphasis on improving strengths rather than fixing weaknesses is crucial as well. Groups led by managers who focus on strengths are nearly twice as likely to produce aboveaverage results than those led by managers oriented toward problem prevention. Companies that focus on strengths improve employee engagement by 33 percent per year, which leads to $5.4 million in productivity. Klaus Welte demonstrated the third element when he was assigned to lead a group to design a complex hip replacement navigation system. He set out to assemble a team whose members technical knowledge and innate talents complemented each other. In addition to their vocational excellence, Weltes team included individual teammates gifted in areas such as structured analysis, social connections and responsibility, organization and factual reality, and innovation. Working together, they crafted a groundbreaking new piece of medical technology.

stems from praise received not only pleases employees but trains them to repeat the behavior that earned them the praise. Quick-moving dopamine levels are also the reason that recognition and praise must come so frequently, or at least every seven days, for continued results. Elzbieta Gorska entered a daunting situation when she became the manager at a Polish warehouse of International Paper. Working in the basement of the facility, Gorskas employees felt that the rest of the facility looked down on them, both literally and figuratively, which created a sense of dissatisfaction and melancholy. In response, Gorska praised her workers in a team meeting, only to discover that her unexpected recognition and praise caused envy and began allegations of favoritism. Surprised and saddened, she determined to uncover more meaningful ways to recognize and praise her employees.

Gorska greatly exemplified the fourth element when she held individual meetings with her workers to solicit their feedback, which enabled her to praise her workers in a private way that did When employees feel they are learning and growing, they work not evoke jealousy. She learned to offer praise for specific examples harder and more efficiently. of good work, and she recognized important days, such as birthdays. Her employees slowly began to respond to her The Fourth Element: Recognition encouragement, and Gorskas team moved from the and Praise most disengaged quartile in Gallup to the top quarGiving recognition and praise is easy and free, yet tile. most employees feel that their work goes unrecogThe Fifth Element: Someone at Work nized and unappreciated. Employee dissatisfaction in this area is hurting companies across industries Cares About Me as a Person and cultures. Gallup data demonstrates that utilizing Humans are relational creatures with an intrinsic need the fourth element can lead to 10 to 20 percent differto matter to those around them. Religious leaders and ences in productivity and revenue, which could mean anthropologists alike testify to the human need for felthousands of customers to large companies. Even lowship. In the past, humans worked together in the the difference from one-third to one-half of employsame close-knit communities for their entire lives to ees feeling recognized leads to six and a half percent simply survive. Since everyone was interdependent, improved employee productivity and two percent lack of cooperation was unimaginable. In the technoimproved customer engagement. These results are logical and mobile era, individuals communities may the same regardless of industry or culture. change frequently, allowing them to inhabit several Recent brain research helps to explain why recognition and praise are so crucial. Positive verbal feedback has been shown to activate the brain regions that are excited by reward. The increase of dopamine that distinct communities at once in different aspects of their lives. Still, the desire to matter to both supervisors and co-workers remains. Numerous social experiments demonstrate that when
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Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

people know each other as people, they invest more in mutual work. Companies reap the benefits of this investment through increased employee enthusiasm, trustworthiness, and retention. One of the most significant predictors of employee honesty is whether they feel personally cared about at work. In high-turnover companies, workgroups in the lowest quartile of the fifth element average 22 percent higher turnover than top-quartile counterparts. In low-turnover companies, the difference is 37 percent. When Larry Walters took leadership of a poorly ranking Qwest call center in Idaho, the employees were apathetic and planning to quit. However, in less than one year, Walters team shot to first place due to the fifth element: his sincere care for his employees as people. Walters demonstrated deep interest in their personal lives, encouraged pride in the group effort by posting their daily work results, and entertained his employees with silly costumes and surprise meals. Along with leading sales, Walters helped change his employees attitudes from indifferent to scoring their workplace above Gallups 70th percentile.

employees who lack mentors have real engagement with their employer. One of the greatest difficulties with the sixth element is that the pairings must be organic in order for them to be effective. Programmatized pairings often do not work, especially if the two people involved have different vocations, . The mentor/mentee relationship is important not only because of the sharing of skills and knowledge, but because through counseling, validation, and friendship, the mentees also feel that they matter and belong at work. While there is no data that indicates that the need for a mentor lessens with time and experience, most companies put most of their efforts into young and/or new employees. Peter Wamsteeker of Cargill was celebrated for his mentoring skills and his influential utilization of the sixth element. He credited his success to training and finding the right niche for his employees by learning every detail he could about them, particularly what makes [them] tick. His teams Gallup results put them into the top ten percent for the sixth element, and the top 20 percent overall. Wamsteeker in turn gave recognition back to his own mentor from his first high school job since he both challenged and encouraged Wamsteeker to achieve success.

The Sixth Element: Someone at Work Encourages My Development

People learn most effectively from mentors. As the old saying The notion of a personal guide is an ancient idea that perpetugoes, Monkey see, monkey do. ally reemerges in forms such as the relationships between masIn the early 1990s, scientists were baffled by what they observed in ter craftsman and apprentice, doctoral candidate and thesis monkeys. A scientist would per- supervisor, or resident physician and intern. form a simple action for a monkey to watch and imitate, yet the monkeys brains regisThe Seventh Element: My Opinions tered as if they themselves had performed the action. Seem to Count Further research revealed that humans have much The seventh element explicitly requires managers to more complex mirror neurons that function in simitreat their employees as people, not machines. Manlar ways, causing humans to do in their brains what agers that listen to the opinions of their employees they observe others doing physically. do a great service for their companies. Sadly, this has The sixth element depends upon deep personal not been customary in most workplaces. In fact, Fredinvestment by managers and is crucial for employee erick Winslow Taylor was made famous for creating engagement. For managers to effectively encourage Taylorism, an approach denigrating the abilities their employees development, they must understand of employees, particularly their ability to think, and their employees backgrounds, personalities, and regarding them as machines. skills. Without this, managers have a hard time impleIncorporating the opinions of employees offers numermenting the other eleven elements effectively; even ous benefits to employers. Employees are the most with the other elements in place, only one percent of familiar with their own jobs, and often have excellent
Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

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12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

One of the best ways to understand vocational meaning is to divide worker perspectives into three categories. The least engaged employees view their work as merely a job, a way to pay the bills and to facilitate their personal lives. The middle group sees their job as part of a career, where they will steadily climb the ladder to success. The most engaged workers regard their work as a calling, where the work is not Anthropologists see people today as descendants of the most only an end in itself, but it also cooperative humans living across time. In the rugged past, acquires an almost sacred nature. people who didnt work together didnt just have a bad day at While not every employee needs to have grand meaning attached to workthey died. their work, companies with more Susan Jewell turned around the Diagnostic Imaging employees in the second and third groups fare much center at the Hospital for Sick Children by taking the better than with those in mostly the first group. seventh element to heart and listening to her employDue to their deep belief in the meaning of their work, ees. There was great friction between the technicians Mike Boldrick and his team greatly exemplify the and the nurses, exacerbated by the intensity of caring eighth element. They worked through bad weather, for ill children. However, by bringing both groups faulty technology, 100 hour weeks, late product delivtogether and forcing everyone to listen to each others eries, an impromptu presidential visit and even dead concerns, Jewell and her team streamlined their profish to open the outdoor retailer Cabelas tenth store in cesses. They eventually succeeded in dropping MRI Wheeling, West Virginia. The employees were hired wait times from 41 weeks to four weeks and CT waits and grouped based on their passions: hunters were from 27 weeks to three days, and in addition develassigned to the hunting section, fishers to the fishing oped a genuine team of friends. section, and so on. For many of the Cabela employees, their fervor for the outdoors was tied to significant The Eighth Element: A Connection With relationships and cherished memories, and they were the Mission of the Company eager for others to appreciate the outdoors the way The power of the eighth element rests in the innate they did. Cabela employees were ranked in the top need for humans to know that their contributions ten percent of workgroups in Gallups eighth element. are meaningful. The desire to find meaning in work, and the frustration that comes with its lacking, affects everyone from entry-level newcomers to highlevel executives. Top executives can influence how employees feel about the eighth element more than any other. While the greater meaning of some fields is more apparent, a sense of job purpose often has more to do with the work environment than the industry. Although there is some natural decrease, the sense of meaning from executives at the top trickles down to managers, which then trickles down to employees. This is not enough to convince employees that the general business is worthwhile; managers must also persuade their teams that their particular work meaningfully contributes to the general worthiness of the

ideas. Moreover, they are more likely to commit to their own plans than those handed out with an iron fist. In manufacturing plants, teams in the top quartile on the seventh element had half as many accidents as those in the bottom quartile. Improving the seventh element for one in three employees rather than one in five employees had such an impact on productivity and customer satisfaction that the workgroups averaged a six percent gain in profitability.

larger company.

The Ninth Element: Coworkers Committed to Doing Quality Work


As relational creatures, humans produce better results when their teammates are also producing good results. Part of this is due to the human herd mentality, and part is due to the human willingness to invest more deeply when others are also investing. While there are some people who are hard-workers and some who are slothful regardless of their peers, most rise or fall to the level of those around them. Companies which are strong on the ninth element have employees who are safer, better with customers, more committed and more productive. At an Australian bank, differences
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Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

in the ninth element created a 14 percent difference in profitability amongst its branch offices. For managers to effectively utilize the ninth element, they must remember four basic principles. First, most people show up wanting and intending to cooperate fully. Second, there will always be some members who will freeload. Third, the human drive for fairness is such that productive teammates will punish the slackers, even at their own, or the groups, expense. Fourth, idlers do improve with punishment, and hard-working coworkers will be encouraged by the fairness. Eric Taverna and his managerial team at Best Buy were disappointed to receive good, but not great, responses to employee engagement surveys, and were particularly low on the seventh and the ninth elements. One of the especially sore points was that due to the high demands and lack of standardization in closing the store, some of the employees were investing much more time and effort than others. Taverna developed a three-fold system to address the issues; he started by getting all of his managers on the same page, then dismissed slothful employees, and implemented a team close. The next set of results gathered by Gallup landed the store in the top ten percent and revealed impressive increases for the seventh and ninth elements. Additionally, the store did well against its budget and lowered One of the most its turnover rate.

corporate discouragement, and companies are better off tapping into this social energy than fighting it. Research repeatedly demonstrates that friends feel a deeper sense of belonging and commitment and are more dedicated to group goals and working harder to achieve them. Also, disagreements are resolved more easily. Due to their sense of mutual support, workgroups of friends have lower turnover, lower accident rates, and less shrink. Executing the tenth element is probably the most difficult for managers since they cannot be everyones friend. The best approach for managers is to create situations in which employees can befriend each other and support employee friendships. For example, when Dr. Suresh Nagesh became the head of the engineering department at Daimler Chrysler in India, he encountered six individuals who seemed to interact with each other as little as possible. Due to subpar performance and unmet deadlines, the center was under inquiry from executives. Dr. Nagesh transformed the group from individuals into a team of friends by improving communication, moving desks together, and taking the group on a white-water rafting trip. As a result, the group frequently put in extended hours together and achieved a 180-degree turnaround in customer satisfaction.

The Tenth Element: A Best Friend at Work

effective ways of improving recognition of employees is to discover the forms of feedback that mean the most to them.
The Eleventh Element: Talking About Progress
Employees need frequent feedback from their managers. While most companies are committed to formal performance evaluations, they are often unhelpful to the employees. Yet effective evaluations are important to a companys success. Workgroups in the top quartile for the eleventh element have 10 to 15 percent higher productivity and 20 to 40 percent fewer accidents than those in the bottom quartile. Performance evaluations should be individually tailored to the personality, situation, potential, and needs of each employee. Research repeatedly reveals that no feedback system is one-size-fits-all. PersonPage 7

The tenth element is the most controversial of the 12. The fear of socialization at the expense of quality work is strong, and the definition of a best friend can be vague. However, employees who confidently agree that they have a true depth of relational connection and mutual support at work are not necessarily placing work friends above everyone else. Rather, they are asserting that they matter to their colleagues and their colleagues matter to them. Those who disagree with the statement are lonely and isolated, and are often looking for another job. Although the Gallup Organization considered removing the statement from their research, the ties between a best friend and positive performance are far too strong. The natural need for humans to belong trumps

Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

alities of employees vary, and good managers must be sensitive to how each employee will receive and utilize their feedback. The nature of the employees work matters as well. Employees with promotion jobs, which require looking for new opportunities, improve if they receive positive feedback. Employees with prevention jobs, which demand stopping negative outcomes, improve if they receive negative feedback. Feedback should also be more frequent than the typical formal evaluations, and may occur informally in the gaps. Philippe Lescornez, who won Masterfoods Line Manager Excellence award for Europe, has proven the success of the eleventh element by tailoring feedback and suitable progress opportunities to his workers. One of his salesmen lived a nation away from Lescornez and the rest of the team, so Lescornez fostered that distance and freedom by encouraging that salesman to become the expert on his region. Another employee was in danger of stagnation in a job she knew well, so Lescornez asked her to create a manual for new workers. Since he praised his employees often, Lescornez was able to give awkward council as well, including suggesting to one sales promoter that she become more friendly and approachable and to another that she back up her relational connections with clients with preparation and concrete facts. Over the course of his 18 years at Masterfoods, 60 percent of his sales team had been promoted.

same job. Managers who are committed to helping their employees learn and grow must understand their employees aspirations and strengths, a feat that requires that managers check in with their workers frequently. In addition, managers must know the larger company well enough to make helpful recommendations for their workers. If the managers excel in helping their employees shine, they must be prepared to promote or hire others when their employees are promoted themselves. Practically speaking, one of the most effective ways to challenge employees is to set out quantifiable stretch goals. Rather than providing abstract encouragement such as do your best, setting numerical objectives for both intellectual and physical tasks allows undisputed achievement, which is more motivational.

The employees of B&Q in Bangor Wales ranked in Gallups top one percent of workgroups for the twelfth element and employee engagement, due especially to their manager Simon Gaiers devotion to helping them learn and grow. Colleen Saul, who was thrust into heading a new department without training, began her career with a rocky start. Yet with Gaiers help, Saul overcame the initial doubts of herself and others to land her dream job at the head office in buying. To fill her vacant position at the store, Gaier encouraged the shy Adam Williams and watched him blossom into a remarkable superIt is very clear that great managers have an instinctive aware- visor. Much of Gaiers success ness that what they are doing is contributing more than profit. stemmed from his own personal investments; in fact, Williams Great managers achieve sustained profitability because they assessed that Gaier personally make a connection to something beyond profit. viewed his employees failures as his own.

The Twelfth Element: Opportunities to Learn and Grow

As Dr. Seuss famously captured in his book Oh, the Places Youll Go!, humans have a strong desire to learn and develop. Allowing employees to stagnate has repercussions for companies; workgroups in the top quartile of the twelfth element show nine percent better customer engagement and ten percent better profitability than those in the bottom quartile. It is much easier for children to continually progress than it is for adults, particularly when they remain in the

An Element Unto Itself: The Problem of Pay


Interestingly, financial compensation, particularly in societies where most employees can afford basic sustenance, does not factor into any of the 12 elements. Payment seems to have little impact on employee engagement since it can be divisive and can interfere with professional teamwork and relational connections. Generous compensation in conjunction with the 12 elements demonstrates appreciation, but the numPage 8

Business Book Summaries April 12, 2011 Copyright 2011 EBSCO Publishing Inc. All Rights Reserved

12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

bers are less important than the recognition. The 12 elements are rooted much more deeply in the human needs to contribute and to belong.

The First Element: Knowing Whats Expected The Second Element: Materials and Equipment The Third Element: The Opportunity to Do What I Do Best The Fourth Element: Recognition and Praise The Fifth Element: Someone at Work Cares About Me as a Person The Sixth Element: Someone at Work Encourages My Development The Seventh Element: My Opinions Seem to Count The Eighth Element: A Connection With the Mission of the Company The Ninth Element: Coworkers Committed to Doing Quality Work The Tenth Element: A Best Friend at Work The Eleventh Element: Talking About Progress

The Heart of Great Managing


Like their employees, great managers also need great managers. The 12 elements are not just applicable to the needs of employees, but also what their managers need from their own supervisors. Managers must be engaged and feel that their company values them on both professional and personal levels. The essence of great managing is regarding employees as people. Great managers recognize that they have power over human lives, yet they view their employees more as family or friends than as money generators. The delightful irony is that managers who are most invested in their employees also perform best financially, thus creating an environment in which everyone wins.

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The Twelfth Element: Opportunities to Learn and Grow An Element Unto Itself: The Problem of Pay What Great Managers Need A Final Note: The Heart of Great Managing Source Notes

Features of the Book


Reading Time: 4 hours, 203 pages In 12: The Elements of Great Managing, authors Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter re-examine the Gallup Organizations 12 elements of great management in light of vast new data, numerous examples of the elements in practice, and current research. The core of great management relies on engaging employees at the level of their human needs, thus allowing them to contribute meaningfully and to belong. While such deep investment takes time and dedication on the part of the managers, it offers great benefits to the company. Managers and those responsible for leadership of employees in all industries would benefit most from reading this book. For each of the 12 elements, there is a real-life example of a manager who exemplifies that element. It then delves into the theory, current research, and practical advice for each manager.

Contents
Introduction: The Value of Employee Engagement
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12: The Elements of Great Managing

Rodd Wagner and James K. Harter, Ph.D.

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