Rodd Wagner - Widgets: The 12 New Rules for Managing Your Employees as if Theyre Real People

Advance Praise for Widgets

Widgets is required reading for every leader and manager to shake off habits rooted in the past.

N EW Y ORK T IMES B ESTSELLING A UTHOR C URT C OFFMAN C OAUTHOR OF F IRST , B REAK A LL THE R ULES

This book serves as a powerful countervailing force to the increasing momentum toward widgetizing everyone and everything in the supposed interest of productivity. Given the increasing proportion of leaders inclined toward robo-management, Widgets should be required reading for anyone even thinking about managing real people.

A NNETTE T EMPLETON, FORMER GLOBAL CHIEF OF PRINCIPALS , G ALLUP , I NC .

Rodd is fascinated by peoplewhat motivates them, how they think, how they learn, how they act. Hes also a great storyteller. He combines both in this book, and his spot-on observations are applicable in the corporate world, the military, and at home. Great read. Fast read. Invaluable read.

R EAR A DMIRAL D ENNIS J. M OYNIHAN , U.S. N AVY (R ET .)

I love how Rodd distilled a significant body of research into ideas that are so insightful, ideas that resonate viscerally to both the leader and the led. I think thats whats most compelling about Widgets . The New Rules are timely and inspiring. They replace old views on engagement with a contemporary focus on reciprocity. What struck me most is how strongly the data supports the resilience and commitment of people to customers and to doing something meaningfuldespite how poorly companies and leaders are engaging them todayand how eager people are to do great things for leaders that create the right culture.

J EFF M C C AULLEY, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER , S MITHS M EDICAL

A highly readable, research-grounded, and relevant approach to employee engagement by one of the most respected thinkers on the subject. This is a frame-breaking book that puts people first and opens an important new chapter in management and leadership. A fascinating, thought-provoking, must-read book.

K EN B ARTLETT , P H .D., PROFESSOR OF HUMAN RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT , U NIVERSITY OF M INNESOTA

If a highly engaged workforce serves as a moat that protects an organization from competitive threats, Rodd Wagner reminds us that a moat without water is nothing more than a ditch.

R OBB W EBB, CHIEF HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICER , H YATT H OTELS

Rodd Wagner listened to the voice of the employee and faithfully defined what they need to give their best efforts. His focus on reciprocity as the key motivator is right on target. His challenge to leaders who have talked the talk, but not walked the walk, is passionate and insightful. Widgets is an important book.

L EIGH B RANHAM, AUTHOR OF T HE 7 H IDDEN R EASONS E MPLOYEES L EAVE , COAUTHOR OF R E -E NGAGE

As an executive in charge of a companys culture, I find this book a must-read. More important, its imperative we put it into practice. Widgets is Rodds best work.

J ESS E LMQUIST, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT , L IFE T IME

How to best motivate employees and teams is the eternal question we face as leaders, because motivated employees make the difference between companies that perform well and those that struggle. Its clear the rules for bilateral loyalty have changed, and both employees and managers need to know how to adapt to the new environment. Rodd addresses those changes head-on. Widgets is a crucial book for executives to determine how they will lead in the coming decade.

P AM S TEGORA A XBERG, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT , O PTUM

Too many of todays well-intentioned approaches end up depersonalizing workplaces and customer service. Rodds book is a bold step toward restoring humanity in the equation of what drives business success.

T OM R IEGER, BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF B REAKING THE F EAR B ARRIER

Widgets is a captivating book with important and actionable insights into the psychological and behavioral drivers of employee engagement. A must-read for executives and anyone else who seeks to engage, motivate, and positively affect employees and people in general.

D R . R AN K IVETZ

T HE P HILIP H. G EIER P ROFESSOR

AT C OLUMBIA U NIVERSITY B USINESS S CHOOL

Copyright 2015 by Rodd Wagner. All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the United States Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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The New Rules of Engagement SM and the New Rules index SM are registered service marks of BI WORLDWIDE. The New Rules index and its associated metrics detailed in the Appendix are copyright protected by BI WORLDWIDE, 2014, and are used here with permission of the company. They cannot be reproduced without permission.

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