e greatest managers in the world seem to
have little in common. They differ in sex, age,
and race. They employ vastly different styles
and focus on different goals. Yet despite their dif
ferences, great managers share one common trait:
They do not hesitate to break virtually every rule
held sacred by conventional wisdom. They do not
believe that, with enough training, a person can
achieve anything he sets his mind to. They do not
try to help people overcome their weaknesses. They
consistently disregard the golden rule. And, yes, they
even play favorites. This amazing book explains why.
Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman of the
Gallup Organization present the remarkable find
ings of their massive in-depth study of great man
agers across a wide variety of situations. Some were
in leadership positions. Others were front-line
supervisors. Some were in Fortune 500 companies;
others were key players in small, entrepreneurial
companies. Whatever their situations, the managers
who ultimately became the focus of Gallup's
research were invariably those who excelled at
turning each employee's talent into performance.
In today's tight labor markets, companies com
pete to find and keep the best employees, using pay,
benefits, promotions, and training. But these wellintentioned
efforts often miss the mark. The front
line manager is the key to attracting and retaining
talented employees. No matter how generous its
pay or how renowned its training, the company that
lacks great front-line managers will suffer.
Buckingham and Coffman explain how the best
managers select an employee for talent rather than
for skills or experience; how they set expectations
for him or her—they define the right outcomes
rather than the right steps; how they motivate peo
ple—they build on each person's unique strengths
rather than trying to fix his weaknesses; and,
finally, how great managers develop people—they
find the right fit for each person, not the next rung
on the ladder. And perhaps most important, this
research—which initially generated thousands of
(continued on back flap)
"Outofhundreds of books aboutimproving organizational performance,
here isone that isbasedon extensive empirical evidence and a bookthat
focuses on specific actions managers can take to make their organiza
tions better today! In a world in which managing people provides the
differentiating advantage, First, Break All the Rules is a must-read."
—Jeffrey Pfeffer, Professor, Stanford Business School and author of
The Human Equation: Building Profits byPutting People First
"This bookchallenges basic beliefs of great management with powerful
evidence and a compelling argument. First, Break All the Rules is essen
tial reading."
—Bradbury H. Anderson, President and COO, Best Buy
"This is it! With compelling insight backed by powerful Gallup data,
Buckingham and Coffman have built the unshakable foundation of ef
fective management. For the first time, a clearpathway has been identi
fied for creating engaged employees and high-performance work units.
It has changed the way I approach developing managers. First, Break
All the Rules is a critical resource for every front-line supervisor, middle
manager, and institutional leader."
—Michael W. Morrison, Dean, University of Toyota
"First, Break All the Rules is nothing short of revolutionary in its con
cepts and ideas. It explains whyso many traditional notions and prac
tices are counterproductive in business today. Equally important, the
bookpresents a simpler, truer modelcomplete with specific actions that
have allowed our organization to achieve significant improvements in
productivity, employee engagement, customer satisfaction, and profit."
—Kevin Cuthbert, Vice President, Human Resources, Swissotel
"Finally, somethingdefinitive about what makes for a great workplace."
—Harriet Johnson Brackey, Miami Herald
"Withinthe last several years, systems and the Internet have assumed a
preeminent role in management thinking, to the detriment of the role
of people in the workplace. Buckingham and Coffman prove just how
crucial good people—and specifically great managers—are to the suc
cess of anyorganization."
—Bernie Marcus, former Chairman and CEO, Home Depot
"The rational, measurement-based approach, for which Gallup has so
long been famous, has increased the tangibility of our intangible assets,
as well as our ability to manage them. First, Break All the Rules shows
us how."
—David P. Norton, President, The Balanced Scorecard
Collaborative, Inc.; coauthor of The Balanced Scorecard
"As the authors put it, 'a great deal of the value of a company lies be
tween the ears of its employees.' The key to success is growing that
value by listening to and understanding what lies in their hearts—
Mssrs. Buckingham and Coffman have found a direct wayto measure
and make that critical connection. At Carlson Companies, their skills
are helping us become the trulycaring company that will succeedin the
marketplace of the future."
—Marilyn Carlson Nelson, Presidentand CEO, CarlsonCompanies