Why Managing Sucks and How to Fix It: A Results-Only Guide to Taking Control of Work, Not People

“One of the biggest ideas in talent in the last decade.”

—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

PRAISE FOR WHY MANAGING SUCKS . . .

“The Results-Only Work Environment is one of the biggest ideas in talent in the last decade. Ressler and Thompson make a convincing case that ROWE is more than a nudge in the direction of more flexibility and autonomy—it’s a radical shift in the way we think about work, responsibility, and success. So if you’re thinking about taking the plunge—and you should be—this book will make you more enthusiastic about your choice and equip you with the tools you need to bring their revolutionary idea to life.”

—Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and A Whole New Mind

“The case for ROWE—signed, sealed, and delivered right here in this book. Case study after case study in every sector, industry, and job. No excuses. Leaders, wake up.”

—Amanda Hite, cofounder and chief change agent, BTC Revolutions

“In the twenty-first century, management has to be reinvented, root and branch. In this provocative and essential book, Cali and Jody tell you how to get started.”

—Gary Hamel, author of What Matters Now

“Ressler and Thompson deliver again—this time, with a pointed message to managers about what it really takes to inspire employees. This is a must-read book for all leaders to get a leg up on engaging, recognizing, and rewarding staff!”

—Razor Suleman, founder and CEO of Achievers

“An inspiring and practical blueprint for leaders who know in their gut that we need to completely remodel how we think about and manage work and want to know how. Every manager should get two copies—one for herself and one for her own boss!”

—Kristin Maschka, author of This Is Not How I Thought It Would Be: Remodeling Motherhood to Get the Lives We Want Today

“For managers who have wanted to do what’s right instead of play by the old, tired rules, this book is for you. “

—Pamela Slim, author of Escape from Cubicle Nation

“Let’s change the workplace and our lives together starting now. This book shows you how.”

—Jessica Miller-Merrill, CEO of Xceptional HR and author of Tweet This! Twitter for Business

Is your talent energized, focused and ready to deliver the results necessary to drive your business? Or do they spend the day flinching at their bosses’ attempts to micromanage the minutes of their day? If your organization sounds more like the latter, it’s time to transform your workplace.

Focusing only on results can differentiate your business from the competition. A Results-Only Work Environment (ROWE) positively impacts the bottom line while simultaneously improving the employee experience. Why Managing Sucks and How to Fix It shows how the transition to a ROWE can make you or your organization more entrepreneurial, more connected with the broader trends in your industry, and more willing to take smart risks. Companies that embrace a Results-Only Work Environment enjoy staggering increases in engagement. ROWE teams report an average increase of 35 percent in productivity by eliminating waste from systems and processes and a 90 percent decrease in voluntary turnover rates.

This book explains how to set measurable, outcome-based expectations and focus on the endpoint as opposed to managing the process that gets you there. With eyes set on getting rid of distractions, pointless meetings, and unnecessary updates, this book offers easy-to-implement, everyday strategiesto help you experience huge increases in productivity (without adding resources) and dramatic drops in turnover. You’ll learn:

• Quick tips for restructuring customer service, technology, and work flow
• How to reframe thinking away from counting on general availability (Where’s Bob?) to creating clear expectations (Does Bob know exactly what’s expected of him?)
• How to reduce the number of meetings while increasing their quality
• How to effectively move into an unlimited vacation scenario, do away with the billable hours/time-based billing setup, and infuse new life into your health and wellness programs

Smash tired assumptions about what work has to be. The transition to a ROWE creates a bold, cultural transformation that permeates the attitudes and operating style of your entire workplace, leveling the playing field and giving your workers complete autonomy to manage their measurable results―using adult common sense.