The one thing you need to know

Thriving in today’s everchanging marketplace requires a new skill. It is not so much the drive, not the IQ type of intelligence, not necessarily even innovation, but FOCUS [pronounced in Austria FUK:US] - the kind of focus that both; filters out the trash in our lives and concentrates on the really essential.

After reading the awesome book by Marcus Buckingham: “First, break all the rules” many times, I recently finished another book by him: “The one thing you need to know.” This book consists of cool stories which are all building the logic towards into what is the real “one thing you need to know“.

The first story is oddly not about what you would perhaps expect it to be; it is about what it takes to have a happy marriage. I don’t want to spoil the impact for you and will reveal just the conclusion of a happy marriage to be with

Find the most generous explanation for each other’s behavior and believe it.

So quite alike what they say in the “Secret”. Believe it and be it! So, when a couple succeeds in doing this, they will also succeed with a long and happy marriage :-). I am testing this conclusion with my wife (we have a total of ~12 years together) and we do agree that it makes all the sense

Leadership

In Buckinghams book the one thing you need to know about leading is this:

Capitalize on the universal. Great leaders rally people to a better future.

I especially like the second sentance. Great leaders rally people to a better future. For me it means, that as leaders we should provide meaning to our employees (and to ourselves naturally). So, discovering what is really universal to us and capitalizing on it. The staff really needs clarity on

1) Who do we serve? —so what do we exist for?

2) What is our core strength? —together and as individuals

3) What is our core score? —what are we best at?
4) What actions can we take today? —to take us where we want to go…

Management

The one thing you need to know about managing according to Buckingham is this:

Great managers discover what is unique about each person and capitalize on it.

I love it! But frist of all we should make that discovery on ourselves! Only then do we understand what it takes and can help others discover their strengths and uniquenesses… and capitalize on it. When you are the boss, you should know some unique characteristics of your stuff, especially these ones:

1) Strengths
2) Weaknesses
3) Triggers
4) Style of learning

I fully agree. If you know these and are using them and applying them and rallying them towards achieving the companys vision and mission, I bet you are well of.

Individual Success

Towards the end Buckingham states; whether you are a leader or a manager, you still are an individual person and need to find your own path to sustained individual success. It is this thread that finally leads Buckingham to the one thing you need to know:

Discover what you don’t like doing and stop doing it.

This is the core point of the whole book. Disappointed? You dont have to be, take it to your advice and read the book. It is really good. Think about it, how many people just spend time doing something that we dont like doing? When you look at businesses, shops, hotels, barber shops, whatever, you will find everywhere people that dont like what the are doing. But they are doing it anyway…To summarize, only focusing on your strengths is not enough. You will also need to find out your weaknesses (what you don’t like doing) and figure out a way to avoid doing it. The challenge is probably in the details. It will, in many cases, be harder to do than it seems. But when you think about it, it does make sense.

All in all, this book is easy-reading for anyone interested in his/her core strengths and potential and putting it to dance. I hope this short review encourages you to read the book…

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this book.