QRCA Views

64 QRCA VIEWS WINTER 2 014 www.qrca.org I heard about All In: How the Best Managers Create a Culture of Belief and Drive Big Results by Adrian Gostik and Chester Elton while I was leading a workshop for a client on presenting results to their sales force. A member of the exec- utive team at the workshop spoke about the book, how it had influenced his per- ceptions of his sales managers, and that it is a must read. After reading All In, I am not disap- pointed. Gostik and Elton begin by talk- ing about culture in corporations, and how creating culture is not taught in business schools but is what will set an organization apart from the competition and drive results. "Culture is the differ- ence; it is the glue that binds us togeth- er," Gostik and Elton write. They explain their process, "The Seven Step Road Map," a blueprint of how managers can develop a robust culture in their compa- nies or teams, and how that improved culture will dramatically change profit- ability, employee engagement, and pro- ductivity. Throughout the book, the authors discuss the Seven Steps that have the most powerful effect on driving productivity and engagement in an orga- nization. One of the many interesting quotes offered in the book is from a clinical psy- chologist with whom the authors spoke during their research: "Understand our brains are wired to feel right, not neces- sarily be right… That's where you need to start." The authors spend a chapter pre- senting "The Belief Factor," and discuss in depth many of the leaders they inter- viewed (Olympic champion Michael Phelps and Starbucks CEO Howard Shultz, to name a couple). Throughout this book, the authors tell in-depth stories to make the points of each chapter. It is clear the two authors conducted a vast amount of background research to formulate their theories with- in this book. Not only are the stories well told, but they also support the specific lessons in each chapter. From our perspective as researchers, it is encouraging to see that one of the Seven Steps is "Create a Customer Focus." The authors make it clear that the most profitable cultures create a robust cus- tomer focus and are active in creating customer feedback, listening for both the positive and negative feedback from their customers. The other topics in the Seven Steps are "Develop Agility," "Share Everything," "Partner with Your Talent," "Root for Each Other," and "Establish Clear Accountability." Throughout each step in the process, the authors do an excellent job of telling stories from their research to make their point. The last story in the book relates how Christopher Columbus used the princi- ples of the Seven Step Road Map to sell the Spanish King and Queen on the idea of conquering the New World. They dis- missed his proposal as a risky venture and his demands too outrageous. The Spanish courtiers convinced the King and Queen to change their minds and helped Columbus move toward his des- tiny. Christopher Columbus changed the world of the Middle Ages by convincing people to believe in him and the vision he saw for the future. This book warrants a read by anyone managing employees or by any researcher conducting employee research for clients. The research that went into All In is thorough, and the stories told throughout the book make strong arguments for each topic under discussion. n BOOK REVIEWS n ALL IN: How the Best Managers Create a Culture of Belief and Drive Big Results Adrian Gostik and Chester Elton Free Press, 2012 Reviewed by George Sloan Customer Strategy International n Los Angeles, CA n gdsloan@yourcustomer.com

• Cover