First Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently

First Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently

First Break All the Rules, by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, is a compelling read, full of useful suggestions and ideas. It's a book that will make you think differently about the way you manage.
Here at the Happy Manager, we have placed significant emphasis on building from strengths, both personal and organisational. We've argued that happy managers build on strengths - their own, those of their colleagues, and those of the organisations in which they work. So, First Break All the Rules, with its emphasis on strength-based management, is one of our must-read recommendations.
Buckingham and Coffman used extensive research carried out by Gallup, and challenged much accepted management theory. Attempting to counter deeply entrenched ideas and practice, they questioned conventional wisdom, such as:

that each person has unlimited potential;
that managers should focus on helping individuals to overcome their weaknesses;
that we should treat others simply as we ourselves would like to be treated.

Instead, Buckingham and Coffman argued that the best managers do things differently. They:

Set expectations by defining outcomes rather than just the right steps;
Motivate people by building on their unique strengths rather than attempting to "fix" their weaknesses;
Develop people by finding the right fit for each person, rather than simply helping them to the next rung on the ladder.

Perhaps this is best summed up by some of the authors' final words:

"People don�t change that much. Don�t waste time trying to put in what was left out. Try to draw out what was left in. That is hard enough."

Some Suggestions to Get the Most Out of This Book.

We have no hesitation in recommending First Break All The Rules, just as we've been happy to refer to it in several places on our site. Our article: What Makes a Happy Company?, addresses two of Buckingham and Coffman's key questions:

"What does a strong, vibrant workplace look like?"

"What do great managers do?"

We also referenced their work in: Valuing a Good Manager? from which we concluded that:

Employees may join a company because of its reputation, but how long they stay, and how productive they are, is down to the relationship they have with their immediate manager. Managers make a critical difference in the workplace.

There's more information on the background to "First Break All The Rules" here

Interested in other books by Marcus Buckingham?

Marcus Buckingham has written numerous books, all thought provoking and worth reading. We've included a selection of these titles here:

Interested in Other Leadership Books?

Interested in other books on leadership and management? Then click on our Happy Manager Leadership bookshop in the left hand margin on this page. You'll find many of the books on offer with up to 30% off list price.

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