Title: Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know
Author: Geisler, Jill
Subjects: Executive ability; Supervision of employees;
Management; Quality of work life
Call Number: 658.409 G313W 2012
ISBN: 9781455507436
Number of Pages: 350 p
Book Description:
Management
guru Jill Geisler provides a practical, step-by-step guide to achieving happy
workplaces, based upon real-world experience, respected research, and lessons
that will transform managers and their teams. Work Happy is a workshop in a
book, designed to produce positive, immediate, and lasting results. The author
offers concrete steps for improving each element of management, including
collaboration, communication, conflict resolution, motivation, coaching, and
feedback. Fifteen chapters offer new insights into the workplace, so that
everyone on the team can be their best.
My Read:
To me,
management and leadership are about self growth and self development. And the
application of the two not only enriches a person at self-actualization it also
helps a person to create values for other people and touch people’s lives.
Ever since I got in touch books
about these two field, Work Happy is one of the few books that truly intrigues
me opening my eyes and mind. The way the author starts and ends the book is as
if an explosion of a nuclear bomb: the breadth and expansion of a great boss’s
impact and influence begin from the self, to the staff, then to the workplace.
It’s as if the radiation of a great boss’s influence and greatness would go on
and spread not only to the staff and the workplace but the impact would move on
to and benefit the next generations.
The Check
Yourself exercises at each chapter ask to the point questions allowing readers
to ponder upon and reflect what’s important about management and leadership.
For instance at the Check Yourself: Assess Your Impact exercise I like the
questions like: Do people come to you regularly and frequently with ideas or
projects they’re developing rather than wait for instructions or permission? Do
your employees tell you about people who’d be great potential employees? Do
your staff members talk to you in terms of the whole organization? Do you hear
your staff talking about values, and if so, do they speak of them as their own,
not yours? Why? Those questions are good signs that a good management is indeed
at practice.
Personally
I truly enjoy the part the author talked about “Motivation that Really Matters,
Boss.” In the book, it stated there are several internal drives that people
care about: competence, autonomy, purpose, and growth. They are from within,
inside of a person; they are intrinsic. The author stated: Great bosses don’t
motivate employees-they help employees motivate themselves. When employees have
internal drives they are: self-starters, eager to do quality work, interested
in solving problems, and passionate about their jobs, not just their paychecks.
Though I appreciate the points the author stated I think it’s a person’s
character and personality that play a crucial role at being a great employee,
or even a great person. It comes from within, inside, internally.
When a team
shares a purpose or value, the spirit of teamwork drives the team and the
teammates to success and greatness. Growth is up to a person’s will and
determination. And autonomy could be spread; it’s contagious. Happiness comes
from Sense of achievement. When a task is finished because a person feels it
has to be done and does it without being asked, the sense of accomplishment
would be automatically brought out. No need of someone to tell you a good job
done. It’s from within.
Work Happy
is a tool and reference for every manager, current or aspiring. The cases,
stories, and exercises the author shared with the readers are proving points at
a real workplace. At least that’s what I have witnessed at my workplace.
References:
Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best…and Learn from the Worst-Robert I.
Becoming a Manager: How New Managers Master the Challenges
of Leadership-Linda A. Hill
Primal Leadership: Realizing the Power of Emotional
Intelligence-Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, and Annie McKee
The Art of Framing: Mastering the Language of
Leadership-Gail T. Fairhurst and Robert A. Sarr
Why We do What We Do: Understanding Self-Motivation—Edward
L. Deci with Richard flaste
The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us-Daniel H. Pink
Intrinsic Motivation at Work: Building Energy and
Commitment-Kenneth w. Thomas
Organizational Culture and Leadership-Egdar H. Schein
The Heart of Change-Real-Life Stories of How People Change
Their Organizations-John Kotter and Dan S. Cohen
Executive EQ: Emotional Intelligence in Leadership and
Organizations-Robert K. Cooper and Ayman Sawaf
46 Frogs: Tales of a Serial Prankster-James M. Naughton
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