The Power of Open-book Management: Releasing the True Potential of People's Minds, Hearts and Hands

Praise for The Power of Open-Book Management "The Power of Open-Book Management is the essential guidebook for every organization that wants all its associates to understand how they make and lose money--and that should be every organization." --Jim Kouzes, coauthor of The Leadership Challenge and Credibility Chairman and CEO, TPG/Learning Systems "Enabling a large group of people in an organization to work together in a coordinated way requires that they share an image and understanding of the system of which they are a part. This book offers a clear and pragmatic approach for doing just that." --Jeff Clanon, Executive Director MIT Center for Organizational Learning "The Power of Open-Book Management provides an answer to the age-old question: 'How can I get all my employees to act and think like owners?' It is a must read for anyone interested in how we will work in the future." --Tom Corbo, CEO MANCO "The Power of Open-Book Management offers a groundbreaking look at the benefits of interweaving good management and leadership within organizations." --Larry Spears, Executive Director The Greenleaf Center for Servant-Leadership Editor, Reflections on Leadership "Before you open your books, open this one!" --Rob Zicaro, Employee-Owner Web Industries "Widespread use of open-book management as described in this book is absolutely essential." --Robert B. Rogers, Chairman and CEO The Kauffman Foundation Today's most exciting new approach to increased employee productivity and superior financial results is open-book management (OBM). The unique, yet revolutionary, concept in this approach is simple: Teach employees the financial basics of business ...trust them to make good decisions based on this knowledge ...treat them as responsible stakeholders in the venture ...and they will make significant contributions to their company's success. In fact, once equipped with OBM know-how, they themselves create a sustainable competitive advantage--a team of business-smart entrepreneurs. In The Power of Open-Book Management, managers will find a complete guide to understanding and implementing this compelling and innovative method of building, strengthening, and growing their organizations. Beginning with a thorough overview of open-book management, this engaging book describes the context from which OBM has emerged, why it is so urgently needed, and how it works. Featuring examples of companies like Sprint which have successfully implemented OBM, The Power of Open-Book Management presents a practical, step-by-step plan for bringing OBM into any organization, large or small. The authors cover all the essential areas: reward systems, involvement processes, communication, decision making, education, training, leadership, and accountability. Special resources in the final section of the book describe ways of sustaining OBM and making its benefits a permanent part of the company culture. Practical, comprehensive, and in many ways, inspirational, The Power of Open-Book Management gives executives, managers, and team leaders the tools for initiating a direct route to greater profitability and growth.

Table of Contents:
OPEN BOOK MANAGEMENT: WHAT IS IT? Open-Book Management: The Need and the Promise. Why Open the Books? The Sum of the Open-Book Parts Equals More than the Whole. The Four Systems in Practice. Leading the Open-Book Effort. OPEN-BOOK MANAGEMENT: GETTING IT STARTED. The Open-Book Platform. How Ready Are Ya? Building the Open-Book Team. Crafting the Plan: Mapping the Open-Book Path. Business Education: Designing Open-Book Training. You Don't Have to Be at the Top: Middle Managers Open the Books. KEEPING IT GOING. Open-Book Participative Planning. Information as the Company's Lifeblood: Intensive Huddling Works the Plan. Carrots and More: Bonuses, Fun Work, Recognition, and Ownership. Epilogue. Bibliography. Index.