17 Rules Successful Companies Use to Attract and Keep Top Talent: Why Engaged Employees Are Your Greatest Sustainable Advantage »

David Russo is Principal and CEO of Eno River Associates, Inc., a consulting practice that helps executives build high-performing organizations by developing win-win relationships with the workforce. Mr. Russo has consulted with many global companies and organizations, including American Express, Johnson & Johnson, Minitab, Inc., American Eagle Outfitters, and the CIA. Before his retirement in 1999, he was the senior human resources executive for SAS Institute, the world’s largest privately held software company, known as a perennial Fortune “Best Place to Work” for its quality work environment and focus on its people.

Powerful Best Practices for Employee Retention, Alignment, and Engagement

17 Rules for Developing and Keeping Devoted Employees

• How to foster commitment, respect, trust, honesty, fun—and, above all, performance
• New case studies from retail, healthcare, high-tech, low-tech, and beyond
• By David Russo, one of the world’s leading experts in workforce optimization

This book is about developing outstanding employees and getting them to stay. It’s about building a workforce that’s truly engaged, committed, aligned with strategy, and capable of incredible performance. Simply put, it’s about optimizing the #1 factor associated with outsmarting, outhustling, and outexecuting your competition: your people.

You’ll learn exactly what great companies do differently when it comes to managing their people. And you’ll learn how to apply those lessons in virtually every aspect of your organization: from resourcing and compensation to leadership development, culture, and beyond.

Want people who care, engage, work hard, support your strategies, and deliver results? Start right here.

Why people choose to work for you, and why they stay

It’s not about money—not even now

Don’t just demand alignment: nurture it

Create powerful opportunities for employees to link with vision, values, and mission

Applaud effort, but reward contribution

Recognize the crucial difference between behavior and outcomes

Introduction 1

Rule #1: Understand Why Employees Come and Why They Stay 9

Rule #2: Play “Win-Win” with Your Employees (and Allow Them to Be All They Can Be for Self and Company) 21

Rule #3: Cultivate Leadership, Not Management, and Know the Difference! 33

Rule #4: Provide Ample and Appropriate Resources 41

Rule #5: Demand Contribution; Be Worthy of Receiving It 49

Rule #6: Applaud Effort; Reward Contribution 61

Rule #7: Cheerlead; The “Magic” of M&Ms 71

Rule #8: Build a Workplace on a Foundation of Respect 81

Rule #9: Cultivate the Risk-Trust Dynamic 91

Rule #10: Make Room for Fun in the Workplace (Nurture Lightheartedness/Levity)  101

Rule #11: Create Opportunities for Employee “Alignment” with Vision, Values, and Mission    109

Rule #12: Understand Human Capital 119

Rule #13: Treat Employees as “Volunteers” 129

Rule #14: Know Your Culture 139

Rule #15: Understand the Nature of Change and Prepare Your Employees to Embrace It 153

Rule #16: Cultivate Organizational Ethics; Demand and Reward Ethical Behavior 165

Rule #17: The Last and Overarching Rule: Tell the Truth! (and a Few Action Items to Grow On) 177

Index 189