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shericrandall's review against another edition
3.0
Good information, but very repetitive! Could've been written in about 20 pages
dupe's review against another edition
2.0
This book has a good thesis, but is another in the long line of business books that could have been 1/5 the length. That is, it didn’t need to be a book.
It’s also lack nuance. Not all poor performing employees and liars, criers, and slackers. This book over simplifies with half-baked anecdotes and strips nuance from the employee-manager relationship.
All that is to say, the premise of making sure you aren’t punishing your high-achievers because of the shortcoming of low-achievers is good.
It’s also lack nuance. Not all poor performing employees and liars, criers, and slackers. This book over simplifies with half-baked anecdotes and strips nuance from the employee-manager relationship.
All that is to say, the premise of making sure you aren’t punishing your high-achievers because of the shortcoming of low-achievers is good.
shighley's review against another edition
5.0
This book will help me think differently about dealing with people. I plan to put some type of monkey on my desk as a reminder! I've had the privilege of hearing Whitaker speak, and I just gave his book What Great Principals Do Differently to a friend who became a principal for the first time.
This book is very blunt and direct, so it's very easy to "get the point"! Take this sentence, the first in the Epilogue: "There's a never-ending supply of lazy, uncaring, and poorly performing workers who will happily shift their monkeys to anyone and everyone they can." Yet, a basic theme throughout the book is "Treat Everyone Well". All too many of the situations Whitaker describes hit home; at times, my school is a real jungle! This book can help guide the way administrators deal with staff, and teachers deal with students. However, I do think some things are different in dealing with students, but the idea of giving everyone a chance to improve, communicating high expectations, and not creating a plethora of rules, issuing threats, etc would work well in a school setting.
Some of my favorite points:
-don't even talk about excuses and blame
-"sidle up": don't provide a dividing line for those who like confrontation
-talk as if you expect things to be done, and on time
-address a whole group with praise, and also individuals in private. On the other hand, don't issue blanket blame statements, as those who cause problems will figure they're not the only ones.
-protect your good people; isolate them from envy, and don't give them all of the hard tasks because you know they will do them; allow them to pass on volunteering
-give autonomy to your best producers (as teachers are getting less and less autonomy) and ask for their advice (what a novel approach in these days!)
-reward efforts rather than results (hear this, testing proponents?)
-most people ARE good
-it's okay to give preferential treatment to some, as long as others see that they have a chance to improve and build capacity as well.
I wonder about the irksome lady in church and the athletic foundation man mentioned. Have they read the book? What do they think?
I like the quotes that are given, rather than a general suggestion of what to say. Now, how do I get this in the hands of people who could really benefit from its ideas? Am I shifting a monkey to do that?
This book is very blunt and direct, so it's very easy to "get the point"! Take this sentence, the first in the Epilogue: "There's a never-ending supply of lazy, uncaring, and poorly performing workers who will happily shift their monkeys to anyone and everyone they can." Yet, a basic theme throughout the book is "Treat Everyone Well". All too many of the situations Whitaker describes hit home; at times, my school is a real jungle! This book can help guide the way administrators deal with staff, and teachers deal with students. However, I do think some things are different in dealing with students, but the idea of giving everyone a chance to improve, communicating high expectations, and not creating a plethora of rules, issuing threats, etc would work well in a school setting.
Some of my favorite points:
-don't even talk about excuses and blame
-"sidle up": don't provide a dividing line for those who like confrontation
-talk as if you expect things to be done, and on time
-address a whole group with praise, and also individuals in private. On the other hand, don't issue blanket blame statements, as those who cause problems will figure they're not the only ones.
-protect your good people; isolate them from envy, and don't give them all of the hard tasks because you know they will do them; allow them to pass on volunteering
-give autonomy to your best producers (as teachers are getting less and less autonomy) and ask for their advice (what a novel approach in these days!)
-reward efforts rather than results (hear this, testing proponents?)
-most people ARE good
-it's okay to give preferential treatment to some, as long as others see that they have a chance to improve and build capacity as well.
I wonder about the irksome lady in church and the athletic foundation man mentioned. Have they read the book? What do they think?
I like the quotes that are given, rather than a general suggestion of what to say. Now, how do I get this in the hands of people who could really benefit from its ideas? Am I shifting a monkey to do that?
mashockn's review against another edition
4.0
LOVE! No more guilt for me. No more picking up what other's are supposed to do. Great ideas, easy to read. Another hit for Whittaker.
sullandvan's review against another edition
4.0
I learned some new tricks
The book offered some practical tips for my new position in management. I recommend it. Why five more words Amazon?
The book offered some practical tips for my new position in management. I recommend it. Why five more words Amazon?
sighants's review against another edition
3.0
Read this book for work, as did the entire administrative team. Not overwhelmed. Not many new ideas, if you've read books like this in the past. Be a good person, but don't carry others.
oursuburbanfarm's review against another edition
4.0
This was a very quick read, but a great inspirational read for any leader in the workplace. It really helped me to think about how I interact with my co-workers. I wish all administrators would read it!
katescarlson's review against another edition
4.0
This book showed me ways in which I take on the responsibilities (aka monkeys) of others in both my personal and professional lives. It gives concrete methods to keep this from happening and shifting those monkeys to the backs of their "rightful owners." It was also helpful in helping me to identify ways to help my students keep their own monkeys instead of me taking on their responsibilities for them.
ktdelagardelle's review against another edition
2.0
Some good ideas but they are repeated over and over and over, even for such a slim volume.
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