17 Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent: Why Engaged Employees Are Your Greatest Sustainable Advantage

by David Russo

Overview

Want people who care, engage, work hard, support your strategies, and deliver results? Start right here. Through more than a dozen case studies, top workforce optimization consultant David Russo identifies exactly what great organizations do differently when it comes to managing their people. He distills these differences into 17 rules, covering everything from resourcing and compensation to leadership development, risk-taking to change management. You'll learn exactly how to apply these rules in your organization, whether you're large or small, high-tech or low-tech, profit-making or non-profit. Using Russo's techniques, companies can build genuine esprit de corps, virtually guaranteeing that the efforts, minds, and hearts of their employees are focused on the corporate mission, and challenged with producing outstanding results and competitive advantage. What's more, this book's techniques help companies attract and retain the kinds of talent best suited to their unique work environments, promoting long-term success, not just short-term "quick fixes."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780137003082
Publisher:	Pearson Education
Publication date:	12/30/2009
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	208
File size:	427 KB
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

David Russo is Principal and CEO of Eno River Associates, Inc., a consulting practice that helps executives build high-performing organizations by developing win-win relationships with the workforce. Mr. Russo has consulted with many global companies and organizations, including American Express, Johnson & Johnson, Minitab, Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, and the CIA. Before his retirement in 1999, he was the senior human resources executive for SAS Institute, the world’s largest privately held software company, known as a perennial Fortune “Best Place to Work” for its quality work environment and focus on its people.

Table of Contents

Introduction    1

Rule #1: Understand Why Employees Come and Why They Stay    9

Rule #2: Play “Win-Win” with Your Employees (and Allow Them to Be All They Can Be for Self and Company)    21

Rule #3: Cultivate Leadership, Not Management, and Know the Difference!    33

Rule #4: Provide Ample and Appropriate Resources    41

Rule #5: Demand Contribution; Be Worthy of Receiving It    49

Rule #6: Applaud Effort; Reward Contribution    61

Rule #7: Cheerlead; The “Magic” of M&Ms    71

Rule #8: Build a Workplace on a Foundation of Respect    81

Rule #9: Cultivate the Risk-Trust Dynamic    91

Rule #10: Make Room for Fun in the Workplace (Nurture Lightheartedness/Levity)     101

Rule #11: Create Opportunities for Employee “Alignment” with Vision, Values, and Mission    109

Rule #12: Understand Human Capital    119

Rule #13: Treat Employees as “Volunteers”    129

Rule #14: Know Your Culture    139

Rule #15: Understand the Nature of Change and Prepare Your Employees to Embrace It    153

Rule #16: Cultivate Organizational Ethics; Demand and Reward Ethical Behavior    165

Rule #17: The Last and Overarching Rule: Tell the Truth! (and a Few Action Items to Grow On)    177

Index    189

Editorial Reviews

Praise for 17 Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent

“This book is packed with lessons for every manager who aspires to attract and motivate talented people and build a great organization. Russo is able to ground the best conceptual ideas in the wisdom of his own deep experience and share it all in an easy-going conversational style.”

–M. Diane Burton, Associate Professor of Management, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

“David Russo has spent a lifetime observing employees and organizations. His down-to-earth admonitions may at first blush seem obvious; however, they are pearls of wisdom. Leaders of big and small organizations would do well to heed his counsel and treat their people as if they were volunteers–as if every employee can indeed make a difference.”

–Thomas J. DeLong, Harvard Business School, Philip J. Stomberg Professor of Management Practice and co-author of When Professionals Have to Lead: A New Model for High Performance (Harvard Business School Press, 2007)

“Passionate and dedicated workplaces of talented employees are within every leader’s reach. David’s been there. He knows. And he gives it to you straight. Apply his trademark, candid advice that you’ll find in this book, and you will start seeing significant positive, profitable shifts in your company culture almost immediately. So listen up!”

–Martha I. Finney, President and CEO, Engagement Journeys, LLC and author of The Truth About Getting the Best From People

“David Russo is a thoughtful and reflective practitioner. His book, 17 Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent, should be read by toplevelexecutives, as well as human resources managers, if they want to know whatactually works with respect to the attraction and retention of talent. The practicalexample Russo provides, which comes from his knowledge and experience, makesthis an extremely useful publication.”

–Fred K. Foulkes, Professor of Organizational Behavior, Director, Human Resources Policy Institute, Boston University, School of Management

“This book is interesting, provocative, and deeply true. Russo’s advice points the way for leaders to build and sustain high performance organizations. Beautifully free of jargon and silver bullets, Russo wisely focuses on common sense and consistent execution.”

–Cade Massey, Professor of Organizational Behavior, Yale University, School of Management

“Russo packages a career of experience and insight into a set of rules that will save managers much heartache and a constant ‘comfort’ guide as they face a new people issue for the first time.”

–Dallas Salisbury, President & CEO, Employee Benefit Research Institute

From the Publisher