Paperback, 304 pages
English language
Published Dec. 18, 2007 by Portfolio Trade.
"If life were fair, employees would be perfect. They would do exactly what we asked them to do, exactly when we asked them to do it – except, of course, for the fantastic ideas they would cook up on their own…Back to reality. Your employees are, like you and me, flawed and hopeful human beings whose success is at least partly dependent on your skill as a manager, human beings who will thrive with skillful and consistent attention and wither without it."In business today we're told that management development is a thing of the past. Staying limber, preparing to change hats at a moment's notice, and keeping your finger on the pulse of the "new" – that's what we're told is critical.At this moment when companies and managers aren't focusing on the long haul, Erika Andersen says just the opposite. If you want to compete with the market leaders, grow …
"If life were fair, employees would be perfect. They would do exactly what we asked them to do, exactly when we asked them to do it – except, of course, for the fantastic ideas they would cook up on their own…Back to reality. Your employees are, like you and me, flawed and hopeful human beings whose success is at least partly dependent on your skill as a manager, human beings who will thrive with skillful and consistent attention and wither without it."In business today we're told that management development is a thing of the past. Staying limber, preparing to change hats at a moment's notice, and keeping your finger on the pulse of the "new" – that's what we're told is critical.At this moment when companies and managers aren't focusing on the long haul, Erika Andersen says just the opposite. If you want to compete with the market leaders, grow your business, and succeed in your field, you need support: an all-star staff that epitomizes your company's mission and has the skills to implement it.How do you achieve this? Grow great employees.For twenty-five years Erika Andersen has been helping some of the best-managed companies in the world develop their employees. In Growing Great Employees you'll learn how they stay ahead of the competition by investing in their people. You'll discover that:• Listening is your most powerful asset. Use it to motivate and build commitment.• Everything you know about interviewing is wrong. Find out how to discover what you really need in a potential employee and how to find it.• Successful companies hire for keeps. Get people feeling like part of the team from day one.• Great leaders surround themselves with the best. Recognize who has potential and develop them into tomorrow's leaders.Whether you're a manager or a senior executive, Growing Great Employees is your guide to creating a dynamic workplace where the efforts you make with your employees today will blossom into success for years to come.
The metaphor of comparing employees to plants in a garden feels a bit stretched at time, but it does make the concepts easier to recall. Overall worth reading, but I didn't come across any concepts that felt revolutionary.
