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The One Thing You Need To Know (Abridged): ...About Great Managing, Great Leading, and Sustained Individual Success Audiobook
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(3.03) - 493 listener ratings
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Following the success of the landmark bestsellers First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham offers a dramatically new way to understand the art of success.
With over 1.6 million copies of First, Break All the Rules (co-authored with Curt Coffman) and Now, Discover Your Strengths (co-authored with Donald O. Clifton) in print, Cambridge-educated Buckingham is considered one of the most respected business authorities on the subject of management and leadership in the world. With The One Thing You Need to Know, he gives readers an invaluable course in outstanding achievement -- a guide to capturing the essence of the three most fundamental areas of professional activity.
Great managing, leading, and career success -- Buckingham draws on a wealth of applicable examples to reveal that a controlling insight lies at the heart of the three. Lose sight of this "one thing" and even the best efforts will be diminished or compromised. Readers will be eager to discover the surprisingly different answers to each of these rich and complex subjects. Each could be explained endlessly to detail their many facets, but Buckingham's great gift is his ability to cut through the mass of often-conflicting agendas and zero in on what matters most, without ever oversimplifying. As he observes, success comes to those who remain mindful of the core insight, understand all of its ramifications, and orient their decisions around it. Buckingham backs his arguments with authoritative research from a wide variety of sources, including his own research data and in-depth interviews with individuals at every level of an organization, from CEO's to hotel maids and stockboys.
In every way a groundbreaking book, The One Thing You Need to Know offers crucial performance and career lessons for business people at all career stages.
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"I read this book for a work related book club. So glad I did! I never read this kind of stuff but this book was so enjoyable. I can't recommend it enough in regard to understanding leaders, managers and individuals in the work force, the roles we play and who is successful."
— Heather (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“Marcus Buckingham's insights about what matters most have been enormously helpful for our people. His grasp of the pivotal difference between great managing and great leadership, and how to act on that knowledge has proven an essential insight for key leaders at Best Buy.”
— Brad Anderson, vice chairman and CEO, Best Buy, Inc. -
Marcus Buckingham's insights about what matters most have been enormously helpful for our people. His grasp of the pivotal difference between great managing and great leadership, and how to act on that knowledge has proven an essential insight for key leaders at Best Buy." -- Brad Anderson, Vice Chairman and CEO, Best Buy Co., Inc.
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“Buckingham is a superb writer and speaker who can make complex ideas crystal clear, cut through to the core insight, and reveal its crucial importance. He has been an inspiration to all of us at Lexus.”
— Denny Clements, group vice president and general manager, Lexus USA -
“As I read The One Thing You Need to Know, for the first time I had the urge to compare someone— Marcus Buckingham—to Peter Drucker. Buckingham performs the most magical of acts: he speaks with surpassing common sense, yet reaches profoundly uncommon conclusions. This is a wise—and radical—book; a true gem worth savoring.”
— Tom Peters -
“Given the tremendous complexities of today's business environment and consumer expectations, Marcus Buckingham is able to deliver a clear path of understanding to the simple truths at the heart of managing and leading. The 'one thing' I find invaluable about this book is its unique, challenging examples about how to stay laser focused on operational excellence.”
— Robert L. Nardelli, chairman, president, and CEO, The Home Depot, Inc. -
“Marcus Buckingham has a keen sense of what it takes to excel, and he backs his insights with an impressive body of in-depth interviews and research. This is an important book for anybody who aspires to effective leadership, managing, or any kind of enduring individual achievement.”
— Richard M. Kovacevich, chairman, president, and CEO, Wells Fargo and Company
The One Thing You Need To Know Listener Reviews
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James Webster, 3/19/2023
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" The one thing you need to know is...it is all about people and relationships. That is the basics of the book. The author tells you this many different ways and times - a little boring, may be better as a book on tape. "
— Raushawna, 2/13/2014 -
" Not very well-written, and full of trite quotes from sports legends. A much better and more useful read for those in management/leadership positions, as opposed to individual employees not charged with managing others. "
— Kate, 2/11/2014 -
" The author makes an excellent case that great managing, great leading, and sustained individual success come from focusing on your strengths rather than trying to improve your weaknesses. "
— Michael, 2/3/2014 -
" A little repetitious with his other work, particularly on the management side. But a fine read for reinforcing and I enjoyed the leadership content. "
— Kristin, 2/2/2014 -
" I wish this was required reading for all managers. "
— Becky, 1/30/2014 -
" At the top of my list on leadership "
— Elizabeth, 1/10/2014 -
" Enlightening -- examining the qualities that make an effective leader is something that every young professional should do. "
— Mariama, 12/15/2013 -
" Absolutely fantastic. Especially the last third about individual success. "
— Erik, 12/10/2013 -
" Good first chapter on marriage (which was quite unexpected) ... Rest of the chapters were also pretty good (much like his previous books). Good for reminding us to have clarity and focus. "
— Chris, 11/2/2013 -
" Like most business books, a little longer than it needed to be but great support for the difference between managing and leading. Lots of real world examples that made sense. "
— Loren, 10/24/2013 -
" A neat book. Engaging and personable. "
— Nicole, 9/27/2013 -
" A should-read book on management for knowledge workers, managers, executives, and entrepreneurs. "
— Lori, 3/11/2013 -
" The most important thing I gleaned from this book was Buckingham's definition of a manager and definition of a leader. I had never seen it explained this way, and I really liked it. "
— Barbara, 1/3/2013 -
" Good book but if you have read Buckingham's other books there is not a lot of new material. "
— Scott, 12/29/2012 -
" Focuses in on "the one thing" for managers, leaders, and individuals to attain success. The book ends with an argument for building your strengths by not doing the things that weaken you. Feeds right into Go Put Your Strengths to Work: 6 Powerful Steps to Achieve Outstanding Performance. #bookaday "
— Shaeley, 11/19/2012 -
" From the same author as First, Break All The Rules, this book has some great insights on the art of managing and what needs to be focused on when managing people. "
— Seth, 10/9/2012 -
" Another good business book that had aspect that should be applied to every bit of life, not just business. Very easy to read. I'm blessed to be a twenty percenter! "
— Shelly, 9/14/2012 -
" Cute children's book!! Would be great to read in the beginning of the year. Very simple and to the point. "
— Kathy, 11/7/2011 -
" Along the lines of the 'hedgehog concept.' "
— Sue, 7/19/2011 -
" Exactly what it says. Not great, not terrible. A fair number of interesting points that provoke thought and consideration, even if one disagrees. "
— Rob, 10/23/2010 -
" Good insights into managing / leadership. Some stuff I'd heard before. "
— Mike, 10/1/2010 -
" You should always build great relathionships with your business partners. Simple! "
— Cisco, 9/5/2010 -
" From the same author as First, Break All The Rules, this book has some great insights on the art of managing and what needs to be focused on when managing people. "
— Seth, 7/5/2010 -
" Good insights into managing / leadership. Some stuff I'd heard before. "
— Mike, 3/27/2009 -
" The one thing you need to know is...it is all about people and relationships. That is the basics of the book. The author tells you this many different ways and times - a little boring, may be better as a book on tape. "
— Raushawna, 3/3/2009 -
" The author makes an excellent case that great managing, great leading, and sustained individual success come from focusing on your strengths rather than trying to improve your weaknesses. "
— Michael, 2/27/2009 -
" Enlightening -- examining the qualities that make an effective leader is something that every young professional should do. "
— Mariama, 2/22/2009 -
" As with most business/self-help books, this could be condensed to at least half of its length. There's some good ideas in here, some fresh, some not so much. It's a little heavy on the anecdotes and a little light on the supporting studies, which is why I really rate it as a 3 star. "
— Mike, 1/5/2009 -
" Along the lines of the 'hedgehog concept.' "
— Sue, 12/27/2008
About Marcus Buckingham
Marcus Buckingham spent seventeen years at Gallup, where he conducted research into the world’s best leaders, managers, and workplaces. The Gallup research later became the basis for the bestselling books First, Break All the Rules and Now, Discover Your Strengths, both of which he coauthored. Buckingham has been the subject of in-depth profiles in the New York Times, Fortune, Businessweek, and Fast Company. In 2007 he founded the Marcus Buckingham Company to create strengths-based management training solutions for organizations worldwide, and now spreads the strengths message in keynote addresses to over 250,000 people around the globe each year. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and children.