All In: How the Best Managers Create a Culture of Belief and Drive Big Results

I recently changed jobs. I've gone to work for a small company that is in the midst of that painful stage of going from a "mom & pop" type business into a full fledged up-and-coming stalwart in our industry. Anyone who has ever been a part of this type of transition knows it can be painful at times and these companies often struggle with building their identity. As I have been tasked with building corporate structure and putting infrastructure in place, a huge and burning question I've had to ask is what type of culture do we wish to perpetuate and how do we get our people on board? So when I ran across the book, ALL IN: HOW THE BEST MANAGERS CREATE A CULTURE OF BELIEF AND DRIVE BIG RESULTS, by Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, this was a book that immediately shot to the top of my "must read" list.Planning a corporate culture is the easy part. I've already put together our company mission and vision statements and am working diligently on our new Standard Operating Procedures manual. At the corporate level it is clearly understood that if we are to survive, we must evolve as a company. We must change the way things are done to bring about consistency and continuity. We also realize we have a team of great employees put together that can take us to the next level, however reality gets in the way and warns us that not everyone is going to adapt easily to the changes we are about to implement, so getting employee buy-in is a major concern. That's where this book comes in.All In builds upon the principle that employees must be engaged, empowered and energized; the E+E+E principle. Sounds simple, right? What so many companies may not realize is how important each component truly is. I love this example the authors used to illustrate the point. A hamster running in a wheel is definitely engaged in what he is doing and as the wheel turns faster and faster, the hamster is also energized, but he is not empowered. He can't take a stroll through the woods because his wheel is confined to his cage, so even though he is working diligently, because he lacks empowerment, he will never get anywhere.To illustrate the many points of this book, the authors cite detailed research analysis and explain in detail the metrics used to compile the data. Then they profile one of more real world corporate examples to explain and drive the point home. For example, under the heading of "energized" the authors profile an Avis / Budget rental car center in Dallas / Ft Worth and the Cathy family empire of Chick-fil-A and what these companies have done and continue to do to keep their many employees energized.The book is divided into three parts. Part One, Culture Works: The One Thing That Differentiates Your Team and Drives Big Results, is an introduction to the methodology used and the introduction of the E+E+E principle. Part Two, The Seven-Step Road Map: How Every Manager Can Create a Culture That Works, is the heart and soul of the book. As the section title suggests, here the reader studies the seven-step program outlined for building a culture that produces results. Each of the seven steps is its own chapter and each chapter contains a step summary at the end for quick review. I'm not going to go into the seven steps. For that, you just need to read the book. Part Three, Culture Tools: Dealing With Challenges; Ideas to Maintain Success, delves into what to do when you arrive. Take a look at all of the once great corporate empires that quickly fell apart once the culture became corrupted. Think Enron.The book concludes with an Appendix and a Notes section for each chapter. I am going to tell you that for me, the book did drag a bit at times, but what I learned from the book was invaluable and after reading this, I do feel Engaged, Empowered and Energized to carry out the task of taking our company to the next level. If you find yourself in a situation where you need to help create a new culture, or get employees more involved with an existing culture, this book is for you.

Employee engagement is currently a hot topic in the business community today.Gostich and Elton, however, make a strong case that engagement alone is not enough. They argue employers also need employees to feel energized and enabled. (thus the three E's)I was originally attracted to the book by its cover reference to creating a culture of belief. Since organizational change is really nothing more than individual change and I believe addressing belief is a neglected area in discussion about the individual change process, I felt compelled to read this book. I was not disappointed.My book is heavily marked up with notes and underlining relative to the passages I want to address or quote in my writings and presentations. From the initial section on Culture Works, to the second section on the 7 Steps Roadmap managers can use to create a culture that works, to the third section on Culture Tools, this book delivers.If you are interested in organizational culture and how culture impacts both organizational and individual performance, this book should be on your must read list.

If you want to know more about culture change, this book is for you. All In is written by two of my favorite business authors. It is the best book I have read on culture change. And if you are in business you know how important is your company's culture and how difficult it is to change.I especially like the four approaches to this book: 1. The research that backs it up is solid 2. The stories of culture change from multiple industries and companies is awesome 3. The three Es (engaged, enabled, energized) is a great idea. Granted they are not new ideas but putting them all together in one chapter helps the reader to see their power 4. The seven-steps to culture change is an easy to follow guideline to making a culture change that can be used in any business or organization.I hope you enjoy and can use this book as much as I can.

I listened to the audio version on my to and from work since my commute is 1 hrs each way. The content was good however I thought the supportive stories the authors relayed made up a lot of the book. I am probably more of "just the facts" kinda guy. I will listen to the audio version again as I thought it did have a lot of great content.

.."why you must commit to your efforts at work"This book covers ground that many others have - BUT - it provides great insight and is structured and written by two people who bring out the very best examples and responses that you could hope for,Entertaining and valuable for the manager - "All In" is a great management tool for the supervisor wanting to "up his game"A good read and a valuable addition to any management seminar or book shelf.

The book continues the process of The Carrot Principle which is enlightening and informative. This series by Gostick and Elton are a must read for any organization that wants to take their business to the next level. My only knocks are it gets a little redundant and some of it is common decency/sense of what a manager should do.

Best management book I have read in a while!

Easy to read and full of practical advice for the manager looking to create a cohesive team. I believe the tenants are applicable to any industry - retail, manufacturing, service or wholesale. I am working to implement many of the ideas and philosophies in my office as we speak. Already seeing a difference in my staff. Highly recommend to any manager struggling with getting thier people to buy into the game plan.

This book is fun to read and delivers a powerful message. If you are a manager or leader in an organization you want to pay attention to your culture and make sure it is working for you. And beyond that the culture starts with us....leadership must 'embody' the behaviours we are seeking in our people. Well written and presented with practical steps to understanding and practising an authentic and effective culture.

Great book for fresh ideas or at least a new twist on old ideas and the implementation of them.

very well written