Executive #Bookshelf : Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best... and Learn from the Worst - Robert I. Sutton
Synopsis
If you are a boss who wants to do great work, what can you do about it? Good Boss, Bad Boss is devoted to answering that question. Stanford Professor Robert Sutton weaves together the best psychological and management research with compelling stories and cases to reveal the mindset and moves of the best (and worst) bosses.
This book was inspired by the deluge of emails, research, phone calls, and conversations that Dr. Sutton experienced after publishing his blockbuster bestseller The No Asshole Rule. He realized that most of these stories and studies swirled around a central figure in every workplace: THE BOSS. These heart-breaking, inspiring, and sometimes funny stories taught Sutton that most bosses - and their followers - wanted a lot more than just a jerk-free workplace. They aspired to become (or work for) an all-around great boss, somebody with the skill and grit to inspire superior work, commitment, and dignity among their charges.
As Dr. Sutton digs into the nitty-gritty of what the best (and worst) bosses do, a theme runs throughout Good Boss, Bad Boss - which brings together the diverse lessons and is a hallmark of great bosses: They work doggedly to "stay in tune" with how their followers (and superiors, peers, and customers too) react to what they say and do. The best bosses are acutely aware that their success depends on having the self-awareness to control their moods and moves, to accurately interpret their impact on others, and to make adjustments on the fly that continuously spark effort, dignity, and pride among their people.
Tom’s Take:
While many business books make me want to throw myself into a deep hole head first, Good Boss, Bad Boss provided the kind of structured, no-nonsense advice that I can appreciate. Though the case studies (good and bad) were sprinkled throughout, I found myself more drawn to descriptions of what made a good boss. Good bosses fight for their people, good bosses tame their inner-asshole, good bosses let their people know what to expect, good bosses make decisions, are all bits of advice found in Good Boss, Bad Boss. None of these things are new, but based on the research cited in the book, a great many bosses have no clue.