The measuring stick -- The wisdom of great managers -- The first key : select for talent -- The second key : define the right outcomes -- The third key : focus on strengths -- The fourth key : find the right fit -- Turning the keys : a practical guide -- Gathering force -- Appendix A. The Gallup path to business performance : what is the path to sustained increase in shareholder value? -- Appendix B. What the great managers said : what did great managers say to the three questions quoted in chapter 2? -- Appendix C. A selection of talents : which talents are found most frequently across all roles? -- Appendix D. Finding the Q12 items : how did Gallup find the Q12 items? -- Appendix E. The meta-analysis : what are the details of the meta-analysis?.

They actually have vastly different styles and backgrounds. Yet despite their differences, great managers share one common trait: They don't hesitate to break virtually every rule held sacred by conventional wisdom. They don't believe that, with enough training, a person can achieve anything he sets his mind to. They don't try to help people overcome their weaknesses. And, yes, they even play favorites. In this longtime management bestseller, Gallup presents the remarkable findings of its massive in-depth study of great managers. Some were in leadership positions. Others were front-line supervisors. Some were in Fortune 500 companies; others were key players in small, entrepreneurial firms. Whatever their circumstances, the managers who ultimately became the focus of Gallup's research were those who excelled at turning each individual employee's talent into high performance. Gallup has found that the front-line manager is the key to attracting and retaining talented employees. This book explains how the best managers select an employee for talent rather than for skills or experience, set expectations, build on each person's unique strengths rather than trying to fix his or her weaknesses, and get the best performance out of their teams. And perhaps most important, Gallup's research produced the 12 simple statements that distinguish the strongest departments of a company from all the rest. First, Break All the Rules is the first book to present this essential measuring stick and to prove the link between employee opinions and productivity, profit, customer satisfaction and the rate of turnover. First, Break All the Rules presents vital performance and career lessons for managers at every level - and best of all, shows you how to apply them to your own situation.