■ The Big Idea
THE BEST MANAGERS REJECT CONVENTIONAL WISDOM. THIS BOOK DESCRIBES THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND HOW THEY KEEP TALENTED EMPLOYEES.

■ Background
In 25 years, the Gallup Organization interviewed over 80,000 managers from different companies. This mammoth research project grew from two basic questions:

- What do the most talented, productive employees need from the workplace?
- How do you attract, find, focus, and keep talented employees?

■ Key Ideas
? Good managers recognize employees as they are ? as individuals. They do not treat everyone the same. They also don’t try to “fix” people and their weaknesses. Our focus is on managers who excel at turning talent into performance.
Michael’s Words of Wisdom
From Michael, a restaurant manager, in an excerpt from an interview with Gallup: “Make very few promises to your people, and keep all of them.”
? “A manager has to remember he is on stage everyday. His people are watching him. Everything he does or says affects their performance.”