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Good Boss, Bad Boss:

How to Be the Best... and Learn from the Worst
Front Cover
45 Reviews
Grand Central Publishing, Sep 7, 2010 - Business & Economics
Now with a new chapter which focuses on what it is that great bosses really do. Dr. Sutton reveals new insights that he's learned since the writing of Good Boss, Bad Boss. Sutton adds revelatory thoughts about such legendary bosses as Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, A.G. Lafley, and many more, and how you can implement their techniques.
If you are a boss who wants to do great work, what can you do about it? Good Boss, Bad Boss is devoted to answering that question. Stanford Professor Robert Sutton weaves together the best psychological and management research with compelling stories and cases to reveal the mindset and moves of the best (and worst) bosses. This book was inspired by the deluge of emails, research, phone calls, and conversations that Dr. Sutton experienced after publishing his blockbuster bestseller The No Asshole Rule. He realized that most of these stories and studies swirled around a central figure in every workplace: THE BOSS. These heart-breaking, inspiring, and sometimes funny stories taught Sutton that most bosses - and their followers - wanted a lot more than just a jerk-free workplace. They aspired to become (or work for) an all-around great boss, somebody with the skill and grit to inspire superior work, commitment, and dignity among their charges.
As Dr. Sutton digs into the nitty-gritty of what the best (and worst) bosses do, a theme runs throughout Good Boss, Bad Boss - which brings together the diverse lessons and is a hallmark of great bosses: They work doggedly to "stay in tune" with how their followers (and superiors, peers, and customers too) react to what they say and do. The best bosses are acutely aware that their success depends on having the self-awareness to control their moods and moves, to accurately interpret their impact on others, and to make adjustments on the fly that continuously spark effort, dignity, and pride among their people.

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Review: Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best... and Learn from the Worst

User Review  - Andrew Frueh - Goodreads

Without a doubt, the best book I've read on management to date. The strength of the book is due in large part to Sutton's own honesty and humility - rare qualities in authors of this genre. Any ... Read full review

Review: Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best... and Learn from the Worst

User Review  - Wendy Hines - Goodreads

"I believe that managing is like holding a dove in your hand. If you hold it too tightly, you kill it, but if you hold it too loosely, you lose it." Tommy Lasorda Truer words never spoken. Good Boss ... Read full review

All 41 reviews »

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About the author (2010)

Robert I. Sutton is professor of management science and engineering at the Stanford University School of Engineering, where he is the former codirector of the Center for Work, Technology, and Organization. Sutton is the author of "The No Asshole Rule" and coauthor of "The Knowing-Doing Gap" and "Hard Facts, Dangerous Half-Truths, and Total Nonsense.

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