Customer Rating:
Summary: Interesting but shallow
Comment: Something of a reference book without the detail. There is some great content to be found within its pages, but, for me at least, there was not enough substance.
Certainly the book covered a lot of ground, and I suspect, will generate business for Gallup, but as a stand alone publication, I found it somewhat lacking.
The Gallup organisation is well known for its authoritative, well researched material and this book certainly showcases their strengths but only scratches the surface of many important topics.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Research-driven insights from a variety of perspectives
Comment:
Credit Geoffrey Brewer and Barb Sanford with a superb judgment when selecting articles that first appeared in the Gallup Management Journal from 2001 until 2007. As they explain in the Introduction, "In its essence, the GMJ's purpose is to give leaders actionable insights into managing the human side of their businesses - their employees and customers. It continues to be our hope that those insights help make your business more productive and profitable."

Brewer and Sanford note that "every GMJ article, whether it's written by one of Gallup's leading experts or scientists, or by an executive from a successful global company, or by Gallup's very own CEO, must have three elements for us to publish it: a strong point of view, real-life stories that bring that viewpoint to life, and deep and solid research that supports it. There isn't a viewpoint or perspective in this volume that isn't backed by decades of Gallup management research, or at the very least, research that's been approved by Gallup." Indeed, rigorous and extensive research also provided the key insights shared in several recent bestselling books written by current or former Gallupers (Gallopers?) such as Marcus Buckingham, Donald Clifton, Curt Coffman, and Tom Rath.

The individual essays are carefully organized with five categories: Employee, Customer, Brand, Leadership, and Performance. I encourage those who read this brief commentary to check out the Table of Contents. It correctly indicates not only the articles' authors and specific titles but also the wide range of viewpoints and perspectives that they wanted to have properly represented. Probably because many of my recent consulting assignments have involved interviews of major thought leaders, I especially appreciated the inclusion of "GMJ Q&A" exchanges with James Harter, Rodd Wagner and Harter, Jennifer Robison, Daniel Kahneman (2), Simon Cooper, Roy Spence, Bruce Avolio, and Vinton Cerf (2).

Here is a selection of brief excerpts that suggest the thrust and flavor of the various articles.

On the manager's duty: "The events of September 11 forced America to reexamine what it seeks to defend: religious freedom, free markets, representative government, `domestic tranquility,' and life itself. Managers are not bystanders to the drama, responsible only to their boss and the bottom line. They have powerful stewardships over the democratic way of life. The inherent principles if management stem from the direct connections between political liberties and economic freedom." Rodd Wagner, Page 24)

On the importance of customer engagement: "For most of us, [ATMs] have become a routine part of the way we bank; we find them efficient and convenient...But as satisfied as you may be with the service that ATMs provide, when is the last time you recommended a particular machine to one of your friends or colleagues? Or recommended your bank, for that matter? ATM users can be perfectly satisfied but not engaged." (Benson Smith, Page 98)

On brand loyalty: There are four basic components. "CONFIDENCE reflects the belief that the company can be trust, always and everywhere, to keep the promises it makes. INTEGRITY reflects the belief that the company will always treat its customer fairly and can always be counted on to stand behind its products and resolve any problems that mist occur. PRIDE reflects the degree to which consumers feel appreciated by the company and proud of their personal association with the brand. PASSION reflects the belief that the brand is essentially irreplaceable and represents a seemingly perfect fit with the customer's personal needs." (William J. McEwen, Page 146)

On coaching: "A great executive coach isn't a `Dr. Feelgood.' Rather, he or she delivers incisive analysis and brutally honest, detached advice and feedback. Effective coaches - the kind that really want to help leaders and businesses grow - use an array of tools and objective assessments to inform their advice. They operate close to the edge of executive tolerance, knowing how far and to what extent to push for change. And their measure their success not by how good they make executives feel, but by how far each leader moves the numbers." (Barry Conchie, Pages 195-196)

On competency programs: "The key is to leverage talents as the multiplier. Organizations with great competency programs not only allow each person to find his or her own route to reaching a desired competency - they encourage employees to start with their natural talents. This makes the journey more enjoyable for the individual, and opens the door for exponential progress. Simply put, the most effective way to make a competency program work is to set measurable outcomes, then let people's talents lead the way. (Tom Rath, Page 245)

Contributors to The Best of the Gallup Management Journal (2001-2007) cite a number of sources that offer additional information about the given subject. Those that share my high regard for this volume are also urged to check out the list of "Harvard Business Review on..." titles published by Harvard Business School Press.

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