Corporate Shells.
There are far more people working for corporations than there are people who work for themselves. In fact, over half of the workforce have jobs that place them under corporate management. There are many benefits to this trend, such as stability and security. However, the downside is that a lot of these employees feel disconnected from their work and don't fully invest in it. Corporate Shells is a book that takes a wholly different approach to management. The advice given in this book encourages employees to invest themselves fully in their work, even going so far as to refuse promotions and pay raises that would pull them away from the work they enjoy. This sort of commitment has a great chance at getting people engaged and invested in the work for which they are responsible. It could also lead to more productivity, lower absenteeism rates and higher levels of customer satisfaction.
The importance of engagement is stressed throughout the book with inspiring examples from numerous successful companies all over the world including Google, Cirque du Soleil, Zappos, LEGO and Pixar. The book's examples are all success stories of companies that have prospered because of their employees' dedication to the work they do. Most of the headlines that result from these companies' successes are due to their innovative products, but it's the work they put in and how they treat their employees that is actually most important.
As a business owner, you're probably already aware of the fact that there are many more people working for your company than working for you, and this book is a great reminder of why this is such a good thing. It can be difficult to get your employees motivated, but if you can get them invested in what they do, you'll be able to make some serious progress towards your goal: financial success.
The book starts off with the assurance that corporate management is a skill and isn't to be taken lightly. While this is certainly true, it is also powerful to realize that you, as the business owner, will still have final say in just about everything. Your employees will always have a seat at the table. You have control, but you need to allow your employees to own their part of the mission.
After learning this, the book shifts its focus towards building an employee-focused culture by inspiring your employees to do more than just go through the motions at work. They need to give it their all in order for your business growth to begin and for success to become a reality for those who put forth their best effort.
The book's approach to employee motivation centers around two factors: building on and encouraging existing talents, and eliminating any pre-existing feelings of apathy.
Building on talents is what will get your employees invested in their work and ultimately make them a strong asset to the company. It takes place very quickly in the middle of each chapter, where one or more examples are offered that demonstrate how you can better develop your employees' existing talents. Most people have some sort of natural talent within them, but it can be hard to learn that talent if you aren't actively developing it. A good example is Pixar's Steve Jobs who didn't bother teaching himself how to program his first computer until he was already a successful CEO at Apple.
Eliminating apathy is a little more difficult to accomplish, but that doesn't mean it's impossible. When an employee has been working for a long time without getting promoted or receiving any additional compensation, it becomes harder to get them motivated. According to the book, one way to avoid this problem is by avoiding traditional pay increases and promotions. Whenever possible, try to obtain side projects that can help with your employees' development and growth.
Another way you can help reduce apathy is by making the most of your employees' talents and setting specific goals for them. Then you really can see the results of their hard work because they'll be rewarded for their efforts in ways other than financially.
An important takeaway from the book is that your company's corporate shell doesn't really make any difference. You can work hard to create a fun and enjoyable corporate shell, or you can just stick to the basics. It all depends on what you want to do with your company. If you want it to be something fun and enjoyable for your employees, then work hard on building the best possible corporate shell. If you prefer the basics at first, that's fine too – just don't forget about building a strong corporate shell later in order to keep making progress and growing as a company.
What makes this one stand out is its ability to prepare managers for dealing with their employees as individuals and not just as employees of the business. When employees feel like they are a part of a team, they will work harder, be friendlier and actually create a fun and enjoyable corporate shell, which is exactly what you want. It may be difficult to deal with every single employee individually, but this book helps you learn how to make all your interactions with employees effective and enjoyable. The advice in the book is based on years of experience, so business owners will be able to rely on it as a resource for improving employee engagement.
The goals of any company are going to play an important role in how its employees perform at work while they strive toward those goals. This book helps business owners show their employees that the goals of the entire company are also their own personal goals. This helps to increase the sense of camaraderie and teamwork that any company needs to thrive. Employees who feel like they are part of something bigger than the work they do on a day-to-day basis are more likely to go above and beyond. They will be happier, more motivated and ultimately invested in what they do.
Once an employee can see how he or she is contributing to the goals of your company, they'll feel very strongly about their own personal investment in those goals. They will also become more committed to whatever it is that your business is doing, which in turn leads to better overall engagement with the business itself. The last thing you want is an employee to be disengaged. If a business owner can't get their employees engaged, it will become difficult for them to make progress with the sales, marketing and training that they need to get things done.
If your employees are not getting engaged with the goals of the company, you may be working in a field or industry that is difficult to grow and thrive in. This book helps companies move past those challenges so that they can focus on making progress towards those goals. The book offers specific tactics for determining what kind of company your company should be in accordance with its purpose, as well as shared tactics for turning your employees into full-fledged buds.
Conclusion
Tony Robbins has done it again. He has proven that he is one of the few people in the world that can make complex ideas simple, and relevant to everyday life. As business owners, we all have a dream of what we want our company to be and how it should operate. With his new book, "The Secret Code to Great Work," Tony Robbins helps business owners achieve their goals by showing them what they need to do on a daily basis to move forward in the right direction.
I read this book with my dad; it was a great read and full of practical tips and advice on growing a business.
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