Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know

On Christmas Eve, I noticed something interesting on Amazon.com.  Sales of "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" had jumped up markedly.  (By the way, why was an author checking Amazon on a holiday?  Ask anyone who's written a book.  Checking the stats becomes a hobby!)  I presumed the rise in sales was simply a function of holiday shopping. But then a "Google Alert" provided another clue.  (Authors also set "Google Alerts" to let them know when their books are mentioned on the web.) The alert said that KQED radio was re-playing my August interview with Michael Krasny on his "Forum" show. Now that explains a lot.  Krasny is a well-respected interviewer with an almost encyclopedic knowledge of topics of all types.  Our conversation, though an hour in length, seemed to fly by.  And at the end of that August day, the book was in great demand on Amazon.  So I know the power of his voice! That interview was replayed on Christmas Eve Day.  One listener tweeted: "Heard rerun of @JillGeisler on @KQEDForum this morning... her book may be even better than the No Asshole Rule. Kept thinking 'yeah, that.' "   (He was referring to a popular book by Stanford Business School professor Bob Sutton -- a high standard, indeed!)   I sent the gentleman a thank you reply and he informed me he planned to use a holiday gift card to download "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" on Christmas Day. That made my day! What is it about the interview and the book that inspires people to add it to their bookshelves and e-readers?  Listen for yourself:  Here's a link to the KQED Forum program on WORK HAPPY.    

Do you like the sign?  It's a real town in Wisconsin and I couldn't resist grabbing a shot of "Bosstown" as we drove through it this past summer.  It gave me pause, as I imagined  a community composed of nothing but managers.  What would the culture be like?  Who'd be in charge?  Would it be the most efficient place on the planet or the most egotistical? Some employees feel they come to work every day in "Bosstown" at its worst -- where only managers and their marching orders matter.  Where "you're lucky to have a job" is the approach to motivation.  Where staffers don't really know where they stand because feedback is in such short supply.  So they work in fear. They keep their heads down, offer little in the way of ideas for improvement, do their assigned work and go home.  They don't cheer for their organization's success or talk the place up to others.  It's a job -- until a better one might come along.  In short, they're not engaged. Recently,  the management website "Switch and Shift" published a collection of essays on employee engagement.  I was invited to be one of the guest writers.  I wrote about what I call "The Threshold Test" -- something each of us takes as we come to work.  Here's a version of that essay as it now appears on Poynter.org -- with lessons on how to make certain your employees don't think they live in "Bosstown" -- but rather, in a place that values them and what they bring to the workplace.  A place where they feel a connection -- an engagement. Just click here to read the advice.  

It's been wonderful to hear from many readers of "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" in the months since its release.  I've heard from managers in an amazing array of fields, from accounting to medicine to internet technology to clergy to government service and education.  Their messages have been deeply touching. Robyn C.  posted on the "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" Facebook page:

Your book changed my work life.

There are other messages, as well.  Jennifer B. wrote:

Jill, I wish I could download everything you know about being a great boss and leader directly into my brain. Thankfully, I have your book, which is the next best thing. I'm learning - and hopefully applying - so much!

From Bonnie S.:

Jill your book is excellent. I have read numerous management and leadership books. There are many very good books on the topic. However, your book highlights many different aspects of management in a concise and thought provoking fashion. I recommend it for anyone currently in a management position and certainly for those who have aspirations to be a manager as well. Thanks so much for sharing your expertise!!

Jeffrey R. wrote:

Awesome ... got my book today.  The podcast help changed my management style, views and transformed me into a better manager

He's referring to the "What Great Bosses Know"podcasts that I've shared on iTunes U since 2010.  It was the success of those podcasts (over 8 million downloads as of this writing) that demonstrated a demand for a book. Ashley B. wrote:

I discovered your book through a random plug in a magazine. I am VERY much in agreement with this mindset as a "boss", and will encourage all the managers who report to me to read it! Thank you for more tips & tricks to help me build on what I already believe in.

A truly inspiring message came to me in an email this past fall, from Cindy, who works in Human Resources in California:

As the Thanksgiving holiday is upon us, I wanted to express my thanks to you for a witty, concise, insightful and, well, endearing leadership book booster shot.  The humor is real.  The points are clear.  The analytical concepts nudge the reader into a sense of “hmm…I can see that situation, that happened to me, no wonder why, now I understand….”  I eagerly recommended your book to our CFO who also enjoyed the read.  Your book has taken the substance of management and leadership training and presented the material in a solid, fresh and lively way.  Thank you for the booster shot to aspire to be a better boss.

Cindy's words lead me thank everyone, this holiday season, who has invested in the lessons of "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" -- so they can become better leaders.  The editor of my Poynter.org columns, Julie Moos, told me as I wrote the book that we have the power to transform workplaces.  That's my aspiration, and I can tell that it is shared by many managers, too. Today, as we reflect on the joys and challenges in work and life, I wish you all peace and joy in the New Year.

It's the time of the year that we look back on what we've accomplished and look ahead to setting goals for the future.  With that in mind, I developed a column for Poynter.org to help you.  I've been asked by so many people to help them focus on which of many leadership skills they should focus on in these times of change and challenge.  And since change will now be a constant part of our lives, this list should be helpful (perhaps with some tweaks) a year from now, when it's once again time to take account of our achievements. Here's hoping you'll have a great year ahead -- and that these ten skills will play a role in your leadership success.  To read the column, just click on this link.

Want to boost your team's performance?   Spend a great day at Poynter for our Great Bosses Boot Camp: Performance Management.  My colleague Butch Ward and I will help you learn the secrets to providing the kind of feedback -- both positive and negative -- that employees say is lacking in most workplaces today. Your day at Poynter will be one of the most interactive, fun and practical learning experiences of your management career.  You'll learn skills you will be able to put to work immediately. You can register for this program online.  Here's a link to information and registration. See you in November!  

My latest column on Poynter.org blows the cover on something many people don't know: Their bosses keep secrets from them.  In fact, great bosses keep very specific secrets from employees. They do it not to be mysterious or misleading. They do it to help people.  So, what are those secrets? I made a list of ten of them for my latest "What Great Bosses Know" column on Poynter.org.  I wrote it in recognition of a holiday I didn't even know existed: National Boss Day  -- which the calendar (and greeting card companies) say is October 16. Here's a link to the column. Perhaps, after reading it, you'll take a moment to thank a great boss, on October 16 -- or any day of the year.

Gwen Moran, a columnist for Entrepreneur.com, recently contacted me to talk about "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" and the lessons it holds for improving workplaces.  From that interview, she developed a useful list of tips for managers who want to improve quality and productivity, by making the workplace better for employees.  I like the way she synthesized some of the many pages of advice from the book into three key ingredients to a happy workplace:

1. A supervisor who cares
2. Sincere and specific praise and feedback
3. A supportive and fair workplace culture

Here's a link to Moran's full column, "Three Secrets to Happy Employees" and my advice for developing those key ingredients.  Of course, to really know how to make it happen, I think you just have to read the book.  Keep leading, friends.        

Dan Schawbel specializes in management research and consulting on the important topic of Gen Y in today's workplaces -- including in management.  He's the author of "Me 2.0: 4 Steps to Building Your Future."  Dan interviewed me via email for his column on Forbes.com.  He posed some thoughtful questions, focused on the challenges of managing in today's economy, the benefits of social media in management, and tips for young managers.  Since I teach about each of these topics, I was delighted and honored to reply. The interview  began with the question:  What does it take to be a happy manager in a bad economy?  Click on this link for the answer and the rest my conversation with Dan. And here's a bonus link to Dan Schawbel's blog on personal branding.    

I sometimes hear from people who tell me I drive to work with them, or join them on their daily jogs. These are people who have downloaded the free "What Great Bosses Know" podcasts from iTunes U.  I began posting these short lessons for managers in January of 2010. Now, the library has grown to 120 different topics.  According to Apple, the "What Great Bosses Know" podcasts have had some 8 million downloads, which really amazes me.   It was the popularity of the podcasts that led me to write the book, "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW", so I could further develop the teaching, and provide quizzes, self-diagnostics and deeper content and context.  If you look at the book's Facebook page, you will see comments from people who started their "great bosses" journey by listening to the podcasts.  They then moved on to the book.  Many of these are managers who are really committed to growing their leadership and management skills, often working in organizations that haven't provided training for them.  Others have found the podcasts and the book to be a great addition to their training -- a kind of vitamin that keeps them healthy!  They also tell me they can hear my voice when they read the book.  That always makes me smile.   This is the logo you'll see on iTunes U when you look for the podcasts. If you'd like to download "What Great Bosses Know" podcast library, it's pretty easy. Just click on this link and it will take you to directly there. I'd love your feedback.  Feel free to post it here or get a conversation started on Facebook.

Listeners across Canada tuned in to the the CBC's popular show, "Cross Country Checkup" to hear host Suhana Meharchand and I discuss best and worst bosses.  I provided advice to people with challenging bosses and discussed how today's managers can become much more effective.  One key we discussed is the matter of trust -- and how great bosses build that trust with employees.  When that exists, staffers are more open to trying new things, feel more motivated and don't want to let the boss down. If you'd like to listen to the program, here's a link that will take you to the CBC site, where you can tune in now or download  the show for future listening. I know there must have been quite an audience the day of the broadcast, because "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" jumped into the Top 100 books on Amazon's Canada site, amazon.ca, shortly after the program!  It also hit the top of the business/motivational management chart. Thanks, neighbors!