by D Freemantle
Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2004
$24.95
Leadership is a hot topic in HR circles at the moment. Many studies have found that motivated employees are more productive than most, while managers play a pivotal role in motivation levels. With this in mind, UK management consultant David Freemantle has penned The Biz: Little things that make a big difference to team, motivation and leadership. At first glance, The Biz seems like one of those self-published books by a first-time author. The paper is cheap, layout and design are average and uninspiring, and the plentiful clipart pictures are clichéd.
In it, Freemantle outlines 50 ways – one a day for ten weeks – for managers to improve their own leadership skills and their employees’ teamwork and motivation. Chapters include ‘fire poor performers’(“never tolerate persistent substandard performance. It is better to fire people than for customers to fire your company”) and ‘minimise meetings’ (“to be available for team members, customers and suppliers, team leaders must minimise time spent in team meetings”).
Other chapters cover topics such as letting team members express themselves and reprimanding rarely and fighting to pay the best. Worth a browse if you’re ever feeling the need for motivation in this area.