The Truth About Employee Engagement: A Fable About Addressing the Three Root Causes of Job Misery: 27

Lencioni, a consultant, speaker and bestselling author ("The Five Dysfunctions of a Team"), pinpoints the reasons behind and ways around what many consider a constant of the human condition: job dissatisfaction. According to Lencioni, job-fueled misery can ultimately seep into all aspects of life, leading to drug and alcohol abuse, violence and other problems, making this examination of job misery dynamics a worthy pursuit. Through the "simple" tale of a retired CEO-turned-pizzeria manager, Lencioni reveals the three corners of the employee unhappiness pyramid--immeasurability, anonymity and irrelevance--and how they contribute to dissatisfaction in all jobs and at all levels (including famously unfulfilled celebrities and athletes). The main culprit is the distancing of people from each other (anonymity), which means less exposure to the impact their work has (immeasurability), and thus a diminished sense of their own utility (irrelevance). While his major points could have been communicated more efficiently in a straightforward self-help fashion, his fictional case study proves an involving vessel for his model and strategies (applicable to managers and lower-level staff alike), and an appendix-like final chapter provides a helpfully stripped-down version. "(Aug.)" (Publishers "Weekly Annex" (Online), July 30, 2007)

"Lencioni knows how to spin a good yarn and he weaves in plenty of advice...this book is essential reading." ("British Airways Business Life," October 2007)

..".well-written fable...a must-read" ("Accounting Technician," October 2007)

..".filled with actionable advice...A must-read for managers and employees alike seeking to get the most out of their jobs." ("Securities & Investment Review," November 2007)

..".written in such a way that you'll find yourself wanting to know what happens to the characters" ("Personnel Today," March 2008)

""As with all lencioni's books, this one is filled with actionable advice you can put into effect immediately."" (PublicNet, September 24, 2008)

THE TRUTH ABOUT EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

When his employees were all seated, the new manager began. Deciding not to be clever or subtle, Brian got right to the point. "Show of hands. How many of you like your jobs?"

Nothing.

People just looked at one another as though Brian had asked the question in Russian.

"Okay, let me be clearer," he smiled. "How many people here get excited about coming to work? How many of you are in a good mood when you're driving here every day?"

Brian might as well have asked them if they liked being beaten with a stick. No one raised their hand. A few of them actually laughed out loud.

In this, his sixth and most anticipated fable, New York Times best-selling author Patrick Lencioni takes on his most universal and human topic to date: misery at work. In doing so, Lencioni presents a revolutionary yet simple model for making any job more rewarding and fulfilling.

Lencioni tells the unforgettable story of Brian Bailey, an abruptly retired executive searching for meaning in his career and his life. Through a series of twists and turns that take him from the executive suite of a well-respected company to the ski slopes of Lake Tahoe to the drive-thru window of a fast-food restaurant, Brian discovers the three universal causes of anguish and frustration at work, and the keys to overcoming them. Whether he's trying to convince an investment banker that job satisfaction matters, or motivating a pizza delivery driver to be friendlier to customers, Brian is forced to confront aspects of himself, and others, that make job misery a painful reality in so many organizations.

Whether you're an executive looking to establish a cultural competitive advantage, a manager trying to engage and motivate your people, or an employee searching for fulfillment in your work, The Truth About Employee Engagement will provide you with immediate relief and hope.