11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
informative, inspirational, September 24, 2001
This review is from: Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You, Do What Needs to Be Done: Every Employee's Guide to Making Work More Rewarding (Hardcover)
Bob Nelson has done it again! This popular, best-selling author of such books as "1001 Ways to Reward Employees" and "1001Ways to Take Initiative at Work" has created another valuable tool for the corporate world.
This book is not written for management, though it would be wise for managers to read it.
The readers will be employees, who will absorb a meaningful message about their role in the work environment. It's a vital message that most employees never hear. The audience that will benefit most is new employees. In fact, it would be a good reading for high school and college seniors about to embark on their careers.
The core of Nelson's message is that employees have responsibilities and opportunities far beyond what's delineated in their job description. Each and every worker should use his/her own best judgment and effort to do what needs to be done for the organization to be successful. The book presents this concept as the "Ultimate Expectation"-a message every employee needs to hear, but one that few employers explicitly state.
Employers are eager to have people on their team who take initiative, to take independent action to do what needs to be done for the organization to succeed. Why is this kind of worker so scarce? Because management has not conveyed to its employees that they are expected to take initiative; they don't have to wait to be told what to do. This message will resonate well with today's younger employees . . . if they're given permission or encouraged. Managers who don't know how to express or reinforce this concept now have a tool with this book.
After an introduction to the concept and an explanation of the "Ultimate Expectation," Nelson presents Simple Strategies and Techniques." To give you a sense for the straightforward content of this book, here are some of the topics under the headings Think, Act, and Persevere. Under Think: Make Your Job More Difficult, Ask Silly Questions, and Don't Be a Complainer. Under Prepare, topics include Collect Your Own Data, Develop Options and a Plan of Action, and Shoot Holes in Your Own Plan.
Under Act, topics include Speak Up to Have Influence, Volunteer for Difficult Assignments, and Be a Person Who Makes Things Happen. The section on Persevere includes Persist When Obstacles Arise, and Learn to Enjoy Those Things That Others Hate to Do.
The next section of the book addresses what holds us back from high achievement: fear, frustration, and failure. Fear includes "I might make a mistake" and "I'm afraid of being fired." Frustration includes "I don't have the authority" and "I don't have the support." "I took initiative once and made a mistake" and "Someone keeps blocking my efforts" comprise part of the Failure section. A concluding chapter encourages readers to realize their potential.
The book is deceivingly small, with wide margins and extra space between lines. The open format is wisely less intimidating for the reader, making the book easy to use. That's a good selling point for this kind of a volume, which is useless if it isn't read. Buy this book now for your employees. Include it in the materials given to new hires in the orientation process. Grab the advantage over your competition by using this book to stimulate initiative and high performance. It pays!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Handbook For Initiative, October 23, 2001
This review is from: Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You, Do What Needs to Be Done: Every Employee's Guide to Making Work More Rewarding (Hardcover)
As we recruit new employees, or challenge ourselves, we seek a very special trait -- initiative. How do we discover those, who will think for themselves? How can each of us become more proactive and less reactive? Up until now, initiative was the result of passion, dedication and courage. Now, we have a handbook -- "Don't Just Do What I Tell You! Do What Needs To Be Done."
In the spirit of "The One Minute Manager" and "Who Moved My Cheese" this book is short and simple - an easy afternoon read. It delivers quality perspectives on how to empower individuals and entire workforces. The layout is in logical chapters or sections, like "Do Something Different Now" and "Realize Your Potential". Contained in each chapter are simple concepts on how to demonstrate more initiative with examples of how individuals succeeded by being more proactive. The results are credible and interesting stories in support of a of one objective, otherwise known as the 'Ultimate Expectation', "Always Do What Needs To Be Done Without Waiting To Be Asked." True, some of the concepts are pure commons sense. For the most part this handbook creates new structure around an important value. It demonstrates that we are not born with initiative. We must acquire it through experience and through this excellent handbook. Take the intitiative and read this book.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
11 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Encouraging a good employee to be a great employee, January 22, 2002
By A Customer
This review is from: Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You, Do What Needs to Be Done: Every Employee's Guide to Making Work More Rewarding (Hardcover)
Bob Nelson doesn't pull any punches, and he says what every employer has always wanted to say, but couldn't quite find the right words. I am purchasing a copy of this book for each of my departments. It will be required reading for all employees. It drives me crazy when an employee is asked to do something and the first thing out of his/her mouth is, "but I don't know how." Fine, you don't know how, but you are an intelligent human being whom I hired, and you can learn. I love the person who doesn't have a clue, but takes on the task, thinks things through, asks questions, and gets the job done. Stagnation is boring, and it's not long before it starts to stink. This books gives employees great ideas to keep from being anything but stagnate. If they work for me, they know actions speak louder than words, and the right actions will take them places. Employers, be sure to read the book. As a companion, read "First, Break All the Rules" by Marcus Buckingham and Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. With these books, you will have the tools to make your organization soar.
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
