First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently: From Gallup

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Speaking of the data, I also really enjoyed that seemingly subjective, qualitative data was somehow quantified and measured just like quantitative data.

I generally like books that go against conventional wisdom, and this book is quite different than the other management books I've read in the years. The results break conventional wisdom and the book has been aptly titled "First Break All the Rules" as it shakes the very foundation of man management.Everyone will always have imperfections, but their strengths can be balanced if given the proper attention.

The conventional wisdom is that promotions are just part of the system, and are often seen as inevitable. For instance, they will try to determine whether poor performance is caused by lack of teachable skills or knowledge. In fact, a successful business – one which can sustain growth – can be based only on consistently good performance, which has much more to do with how things are managed within the business. In most cases, no matter what it is, if you measure it and reward it, people will try to excel at it.Because great managers focus on performance, they immediately address any performance that’s not meeting their expectations. As a manager, recognize that someone's talents are usually enduring and extremely difficult to change, so make sure you select for talent and cast each person to the right match based on talents. Maybe one day I'll feel comfortable enough managing people to no longer need it, but I expect to keep this book close to my desk as a reference for a while. Now we were all told as children that we get the best bang for the buck by improving our weak areas. It's worth a read, but I feel like I have to have a degree in psychology (or psychiatry for that matter) to be a great manager.