Book News: September 25th, 2008

By Patrick M. Lencioni

This book is about job satisfaction and performance and almost anyone can relate to the causes of a miserable job. Millions of employees, even those who have carefully chosen careers based on true passions and interests, dread going to work, suffering each day as they trudge to jobs that make them cynical, weary, and frustrated. It is a simple fact of life that any job, from the top to the bottom levels in an organization, can become miserable.

Through the story of a CEO turned pizzeria manager, Lencioni reveals the three elements that make work miserable: irrelevance; immeasurability; and anonymity. He gives managers and their employees the keys to make any job more fulfilling.

As with all of Lencioni’s books, this one is filled with actionable advice you can put into effect immediately. In addition to the fable, the book includes a detailed model examining the three signs of job misery and how they can be remedied. It covers the benefits of managing for job fulfillment within organizations: increased productivity and greater retention. He offers examples of how managers can use the applications in the book to deal with specific jobs and situations.

Published by Jossey-Bass. ISBN: 978-0-7879-9531-7. 11.99 pounds.