The Invisible Employee: Using Carrots to See the Hidden Potential in Everyone » (Updated)

New York Times bestselling author Adrian Gostick is vice president of the O.C. Tanner company's training and publishing practice. He has been featured on NBC's Today show, and in the New York Times, the Economist, Newsweek and the Wall Street Journal. Read his blog at adriangostick.com.

Chester Elton is a global expert in workplace trends and senior vice president of O.C. Tanner, the world's leading employee recognition firm. A popular speaker and a consultant to Fortune 100 firms, he has appeared on 60 Minutes, CNN, CNBC, and ABC. Read his blog at chesterelton.com.

Learn more about growing a Carrot Culture at carrots.com

There is a crisis in business today: the invisible employee. Feeling threatened, ignored, and unappreciated, invisible employees fight back the only way they know how—by staying hidden in the corporate shadows, doing just enough to get by, grumbling about this and that, and passing these techniques along to new workers. After all, why bother shining when no one notices your achievements? Why bother trying when you could be let go in the next batch of layoffs?

A business fable packed with hard-won wisdom, The Invisible Employee follows a group of people who live and work together on a mysterious island. In this second edition—updated with new case studies and current survey results—managers learn how to combat one of the most common negative attitudes in business: that smart employees keep their heads down and never do more than is asked.

Bestselling authors Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton show how effective leaders change this mind-set by engaging their people in their cause—setting clear goals, encouraging productive behavior, and celebrating every success along the way. The end result is an organization of productive employees who feel noticed, valued, and appreciated. In other words, they feel visible.

In today's competitive environment, all of us are looking for the next big product, the next big capability or solution. But great managers are finding that recognizing people leads to a more engaged workforce and a more successful business. The Invisible Employee shows you how to bring out the hidden potential in your team and your business.

Acknowledgments.

Introduction.

Chapter One Invisible People.

Chapter Two Blink Outs.

Chapter Three The See-er.

Chapter Four Recognizing.

Chapter Five Visible Results.

Chapter Six Blink Backs.

Conclusion.

Succeed!

Notes.

Resources.

About the Authors.