Coming soon · Book Profile
12_ The Elements of Great Managing
Drawing on Gallup's massive employee-opinion database, the book identifies twelve measurable elements of work life that great managers cultivate to drive engagement, performance, and profitability.
A profile of this book is on the way.
What it’s about
What separates thriving teams from struggling ones is not strategy, technology, or even pay—it is the everyday behavior of front-line managers who satisfy twelve fundamental human needs at work. Built on more than ten million employee responses across 114 countries and matched against hard business metrics like productivity, turnover, safety, theft, and profit, '12: The Elements of Great Managing' translates rigorous research into vivid stories of real managers who turned around hotels, call centers, factories, hospitals, and stores. Weaving together neuroscience, evolutionary psychology, behavioral economics, and Gallup's proprietary findings, the book shows that humans were shaped by tribal life and respond to clear expectations, the right tools, the chance to use their strengths, recognition, care, development, a voice, mission, committed coworkers, friendship, feedback on progress, and growth. The payoff is concrete: engaged teams are more profitable, safer, more loyal, and more creative. The book is both a science-backed argument and a practical, humane guide for anyone responsible for getting the best from people.
The through-line
- Who it’s for
- A front-line manager or executive who wants to get the best performance from their team while improving employees' work lives.
- The problem
- Teams underperform—high turnover, low productivity, accidents, theft, and weak customer scores—despite good products and strategy. The manager feels uncertain how to motivate people, frustrated that effort and incentives aren't translating into engagement.
- The plan
- Measure engagement using the twelve validated elements.
- Diagnose which elements your team is weak on.
- Address each element through deliberate managerial action—clarity, tools, talent-matching, recognition, care, development, voice, mission, accountability, friendship, progress talks, and growth.
- Hold managers accountable for engagement over time.
- Treat pay fairly and transparently while relying on the twelve elements for motivation.
- The payoff
- Higher profitability, productivity, and customer loyalty. · Lower turnover, absenteeism, accidents, and theft. · Employees who are committed, creative, and proud to stay.
See our guide
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Additional reading
- The Organism · Kurt Goldstein
Maslow sources the term 'self-actualization' from Goldstein and builds upon his holistic view of the organism.
- Explorations in Personality · H. A. Murray, et al.
Cited as providing an 'excellent discussion' on the basic principle of centering motivation theory on goals rather than instigation or behavior.
- Social Interest · Alfred Adler
Maslow credits Adler and his followers for stressing the importance of the 'esteem needs,' which he felt were neglected by Freudian psychoanalysts.
- Wisdom of the Body · W. B. Cannon
Provides the foundational concept of 'homeostasis,' which Maslow uses as the starting point for his discussion of physiological needs.
- Multipliers · Liz Wiseman
Explores how leaders can either amplify ('multiply') or diminish ('diminish') the intelligence and capabilities of their teams, a key concept for creating a positive, low-anxiety environment.
- The Fearless Organization · Amy Edmondson
Provides the foundational research and practical steps for creating psychological safety, which the book identifies as crucial for reducing interpersonal anxiety and encouraging people to speak up.
- Mindset · Carol Dweck
Explains the difference between a 'growth mindset' and a 'fixed mindset,' which is presented as a key tool for helping employees manage perfectionism and see failures as learning opportunities.
- Crucial Conversations · Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, et al.
Recommended as a resource for employees to learn how to navigate difficult, high-stakes conversations, directly addressing the book's theme of moving from conflict avoidance to healthy debate.
- Better Allies · Karen Catlin
The author is quoted on specific, actionable steps for allyship, making her book a practical guide for implementing the principles in Chapter 7.
- Blindspot: Hidden Biases of Good People · Mahzarin R. Banaji and Anthony G. Greenwald
Explains the science of implicit bias, which is central to the book's argument that leaders need to be proactive allies because 'not being racist/sexist' isn't enough.