Bringing Out the Best in Others!: 3 Keys for Business Leaders, Educators, Coaches and Parents [Hardcover]

Thomas Connellan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 13, 2002

Did you know that two-thirds of all entrepreneurs are first borns? That 21 of the first 23 astronauts were first borns? That 45 percent of female world leaders between 1960 and 1999 were first borns? Using these three factors, business leaders increased productivity and improved profits, parents boosted their children's grade point averages, educators improved the performances of entires classes. Include Leader's Guide.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

How birth order affects personality is always a hot debate, and Connellan smartly turns the discussion into a business how-to book. The former research associate posits that standout achievers tend to be firstborn, because it's the firstborn child who enjoys the richest blend of positive expectations, extra responsibilities and frequent feedback from his or her parents. They're the ones who turn out to be "the president of the senior class, the all-star quarterback," he writes. Use those three factors to motivate your staffers-treat them all as "firstborns" with unlimited potential, essentially-and you'll boost their output by 10 to 20 percent. His supporting evidence is intriguing, if skimpy: 21 of the first 23 astronauts were firstborn, as were more than half of all U.S. presidents. Connellan (Inside the Magic Kingdom: Seven Keys to Disney's Success), packages his evidence as one long narrative story-a cute device that could have been fortified with the author's direct voice. With the lessons applicable to sales, teaching and even parenting, though, this book is a motivational morsel.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A common sense approach to performance enhancement. Read it and increase your probability of coaching success." -- Jack H. Llewellyn, Ph.D, Sports Psychologist/Consultant, Atlanta Braves

"Anyone interested in motivating people should read this book. It's Tom Connellan at his best!" -- Ken Blanchard, Co-author, The One Minute Manager ® and Wale Done! TM

"Bringing Out the Best in Others! shares learning and lessons for leaders at every level to energize their teams." -- J.W. Marriott, Jr., Chairman, Marriott International, Inc.

"Concrete information in an easy to read format. The quick lesson design is ideal..." -- Julie Scofield, Executive Director of Smaller Business Association of New England

"If you want to grow a successful business, this is a must read book for building a strong team." -- Dixon Doll, Managing General Partner of DCM Doll Capital Management

A must read for principals, teachers, and parents. The three keys bring about measurable results in just a short time. -- Mark A. Kern, New Palestine Elementary New Palestine, IN Indiana Elementary Principal of the Year

If you're connected with youth sports in any way, this book is a must read! -- Fred C. Engh, President & CEO of National Alliance for Youth Sports, West Palm Beach, FL

Solid content. Well written. Practical. What more could you ask for in a book? Read it today. -- Randy Burns, Senior Vice President of Advest, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Peak Performance (December 13, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188516758X
• ISBN-13: 978-1885167583
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #772,405 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Practical advice that really works, February 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Bringing Out the Best in Others!: 3 Keys for Business Leaders, Educators, Coaches and Parents (Hardcover)

I take these customer reviews seriously. They often make or break my decision to buy a book.

I've read this book. It's great! I wondered why it had such a modest overall rating. Then I saw that the reviewer from TN misunderstood the rating system and the reviewer from Toronto probably didn't even read the book.

Here's why I heartily recommend this book. In a nutshell, it works!

The book presents three simple keys to helping others be high performers - positive feedback, expectations, and accountability. They're based on years of solid research and explained in an engaging story that makes the reading easy and the lessons learned profound. If you think you already know about these keys, think again.

I consult to companies about leadership and managing difficult conversations. I also mentor two low-income high school students. And I'm a parent and grandparent. Bringing Out the Best in Others helped me see what I've been doing right - and wrong - in motivating the people in my life. A little more of this, a little less of that and voila! Spectacular results.

This is one little gem not to miss. I wish I'd had it many years ago. You will too.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comfortable, Convincing, Effective, March 23, 2003

By 

Roger E. Herman (Greensboro, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Bringing Out the Best in Others!: 3 Keys for Business Leaders, Educators, Coaches and Parents (Hardcover)

I like a book that grabs my attention and my curiosity right away, a book that keeps me engaged. The writing style, like sitting in on a conversation, hooked me in the first few pages. You'll find this book to be a deceivingly quick read, though you'll probably catch yourself a number of times-stopping, looking back over what you just read, and asking "what did he say?" Some of the lessons kind of sneak up on you.

The premise of Connellan's approach is that three factors influence success: Expectations, Responsibility, and Feedback. He relates those factors to improving human performance-in business, in school, in family relationships, in personal development. Some improvement is measurable; some is not, but you know the improvement is there.

In 15 chapters, the reader takes a journey through Connellan's three keys. After a couple of introductory chapters on why people fall short and how to create consistently high performance, each of the keys is explained, with how-to, by a consultant/counselor. His workshop participants listen, then put the theories to work. A chapter on each success story illustrates what can be done in a teaching mode that's inspirational at the same time.

I like the practicality of this book. You'll find plenty of good ideas, well-presented. The last few pages hold a surprise: a Leader's Tool Kit to put the book's lessons to work. While reemphasizing his three keys-confidence and expectations, accountability, and appropriate feedback, Connellan offers additional resources and suggestions.

This book will be valuable for educators, parents, coaches, and corporate executives at all level. It's small enough so it's not intimidating, but filled with a lot more value than you'd expect.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An outstanding tool for motivating others to be their best., February 22, 2004

By 

Matthew Theriault-Thompson (Indianapolis, IN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Bringing Out the Best in Others!: 3 Keys for Business Leaders, Educators, Coaches and Parents (Hardcover)

I've read too many "self-help" and "help-others" type books to list, and this one honestly rates among one of the most useful.
I work not only as a marketing director for my company, but also serve in leadership positions in numerous professional, civic, and non-profit organizations, and across the board, one of the greatest challenges is in helping others to perform at the level which you know they are capable. This easily read resource imparts some great information, both in theory and in practical application. I've already applied just a few of the concepts with much greater than expected results.
In life, there really are only two motivational factors: love and fear. With fear, you will only go so far. This book focuses on bringing out the best in others, not just for what they can do for you, but for what they will then be able to accomplish for themselves. I strongly recommend it.