StandOut 2.0

PREFACE

Birthday Wishes—Toward a Stronger Future

It’s Sunday, a rainy Sunday in Los Angeles, and, as it happens, my birthday—a good day to stop and look back. Fifteen years ago, in First, Break All the Rules, my colleagues at Gallup and I presented the world with a deceptively simple discovery—that although the world’s best managers have different styles, personalities, and methods, they all share one insight: to get the most out of people, you must build on their strengths and manage around their weaknesses. This might seem like common sense to you, but it caused quite a stir because, at the time, all management thinking and practice was based on the conviction that, to help people grow, you must first fix them. Pinpoint their weaknesses, label ...