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Great Managers Don’t Follow the Playbook

Conventional management wisdom often fails in the real world. In First, Break All the Rules, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, drawing from extensive Gallup research, reveal that the best managers defy standard practices and instead focus on individual strengths and employee uniqueness.

Great management isn’t about control. It’s about unlocking potential. The book outlines what top-performing managers do differently and provides a framework for creating engaged, high-output teams.

Top 10 Key Lessons from First, Break All the Rules

1. People Don’t Quit Companies They Quit Managers

The most significant factor in employee retention is the quality of their immediate manager, not the brand or mission.

2. Focus on Strengths, Not Fixing Weaknesses

Top managers double down on what their team members naturally do best. Trying to “fix” weaknesses often leads to mediocrity.

3. Treat Each Employee as Unique

Cookie-cutter approaches don’t work. Great managers tailor coaching and feedback to each individual’s needs and talents.

4. Hire for Talent, Train for Skill

You can’t teach attitude or personality traits. Skills can be trained innate talents cannot.

5. Define Clear Outcomes, Not Steps

Don’t micromanage how work gets done. Empower your team by clarifying the destination, not dictating the path.

6. Great Managers Create Clarity and Accountability

They set crystal-clear expectations and follow up regularly. Clarity builds trust and drives performance.

7. Frequent Feedback Is Essential

Annual reviews are too late. Ongoing conversations are how performance improves and engagement grows.

8. The Right Fit Beats Tenure or Experience

A person’s natural role fit matters more than how long they’ve been doing it. Top performance comes from alignment.

9. Invest in Manager Development

Strong leadership isn’t innate. Organizations that train and coach managers see compounding returns.

10. A Strengths-Based Culture Outperforms All Others

When everyone is doing what they’re best at, productivity, morale, and profitability all rise.