Emotional managing, even for the emotionless

This is totally off-topic, but one of the managers I admire most is Chip Conley, founder of Joie de Vivre, one of America's largest boutique hotel chains. I've been lucky enough to get to know Chip and see his amazing ability to motivate people up close. As a relatively left-brained, emotionless geek, I sometimes find it hard to remember that I'm managing people, not robots. But in Chip's new book--Peak: How Great Companies Get Their Mojo from Maslow--he offers a neat, almost algorithmic, way to figure out what your employees (or customers, or investors) need to be happy. Here's my Amazon review:

How to bring the best out in people, October 27, 2007

By
Chris Anderson (Berkeley, CA United States) - See all my reviews

You don't have to have an emotional bone in your body to find useful advice in this book. Chip Conley built a great company and weathered the dot.com meltdown by putting people first, both his employees and his customers. Sounds tough, especially for left-brainers, but the Maslow pyramid gives a framework that even the most rational mind can work with. Treat employees fairly, recognize their accomplishments and give them something to believe in. It's as simple as that.

Conley has good advice for pleasing customers and investors, too, but I found his technique for bringing the best out of your employees most useful. Despite the fact that most of his employees don't have college degrees and half don't speak English as their first language, he's managed to both keep them and keep them happy. Those same techniques can work for any company. The point is that people are people everywhere and Maslow brilliantly realized what motivates all of us. Conley maps this to today's business environment with great examples and explanations.

Simply put, this book will make you a better manager. Get it!

Comments

[Priscilla Tasker]

Hello Chris,

I'm minimally familiar with Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, but I think the point here is that people in the workplace need to be emotionally intelligent in order to build a culture of satisfied workers. I say people because it's not just up to the manager; everyone is involved. The manager sets the example. You don't have to "have an emotional bone in your body," as you said, only a simple understanding of where other people's emotions come from and how to address them. Often, you can meet a person's needs simply by making yourself available to talk. Communication is the only way for people to ensure that their needs are understood and met. Your post on Conley's book interested me because I discussed emotional intelligence on my blog last month. It's an effective management skill.

[Josh Morgan]

I hadn't run across this one yet. Thanks for pointing it out. I'm a big fan of Chip's. I grew up in the hotel business and for awhile aspired to be the next Bill Kimpton. Chip took what Kimpton did a step further.

I met Chip a few years ago, and was so impressed that I went out and bought "Marketing that Matters."

Now I've got a new one to read.

[sam]

That's very good
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[kabin]

thanks...
Kabin
Konteyner

[gifts for her]

This is an awesome book .I have read the review of it.I was wondering such kind of stuff only.I would like to thank for such a great post here.I will purchase this book from amazon.Thanks again for greatly informative topic....