Management Chicken Soup

Author: Matt Weinstein [USA]
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-10-01
Features: Want to completely transform the company atmosphere? Stop talking about "leadership" and "team rules"; dig out your sense of humor and bring some fun! Imagine ordering a steaming hot pizza for your colleague after they work overtime, or writing a "thank you note" to their family, thanking them for their understanding! While these things don’t happen often, the renowned American management consultant, "King of the Realm" at Pragmatic, Matt Weinstein, clearly tells us that for employees under excessive pressure and overworked, improving morale and productivity relies heavily on "rewards" and "gratitude." With his successful collaboration experiences with many well-known American companies, Weinstein brings readers a "management soup" plan that can break the monotony and bring unexpected joy, enabling us to build enthusiastic and high-performing teams. The book introduces many proven, effective management techniques that can make employees more satisfied and make you prouder of yourself.
Table of Contents
Praise for Management Soup
Introduction
The Pragmatic Story
The Healing Power of Laughter and Play
Making an Organization Fun
Internal Customer Service
The Philosophy of Fun at Work
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Four Principles of Fun at Work
Why Fun Companies Create High Output and Profit
The Four Principles of Fun at Work
Applying the Four Principles
Chapter 2: Small Gestures, Big Impact
The Movie Trip
The Samaritan Study
One a Week: 52 Ways to Have Fun at Work
Chapter 3: Creating a Fun Environment
1. Post Baby Photos
2. Set Up a Stress Relief Zone
3. Collect Combat Mementos
4. Listen to the "Notice Bell"
5. Pay for the Car Behind You
6. Do Something Unexpected
7. Change the Office
8. Visit a Toy Store
9. Make Physical Reactions
10. Dress Symbolically
11. Collect a Bag of Unique Office Decorations: Ugly Ties, Invisible Pets, Punching Bags, etc.
Chapter 4: Think Small: Go It Alone
12. Express Anonymous and Unexpected Gratitude
13. Play the Phone Keypad Numbers
14. Send Midnight Cookies
15. Organize a Paper Airplane Launch Contest
16. Borrow a Bouquet of Flowers
17. Make Business Trips Fun
18. Plan an Unexpected Picnic
19. Give Employees an Unexpected Day Off
20. Keep a High School Yearbook Within Reach
Chapter 5: Building Teams: Rewards and Recognition
21. The "Good Partner" Program
22. Establish a Peer-to-Peer Recognition and Reward System
23. Load with Pride
24. Become a Frequent Flyer
25. Scratch and Win
26. Thank Supporters
27. Improve Interpersonal Connections
28. Play Childhood Games
29. Leave the Starting Gate
The Wells Fargo "Good Partner" Program: The Full List of Rewards
Chapter 6: Think Big: Company-Wide Actions
30. Find Secret Friends
31. Expect the Unexpected
32. Organize an Ugly Tie/Ugly Shoes Contest
33. Launch the "Laugh All Day" Challenge
34. Design Casual Wear Day
35. Go on a Photography Trip
36. Set Up a Magic Hotline
37. Design Stress Support Gear
38. Organize Monthly Outings
39. Find Childhood Fun
40. Role-Play
Chapter 7: Ceremonies and Celebrations
41. Create Company Mascots
42. Distribute Inflatable Animals
43. Hold a Welcome Ceremony
44. Design an Employment Oath
45. Give Away Money
46. Give Holiday Gift Exchanges a Twist
47. Make Personalized Fortune Cookies
48. Toast to Success
49. Personalize Your Holiday Greetings
50. Perform Random Acts of Kindness
51. Share Extra Bonuses
52. Hold Your Own Travel Ceremony
Chapter 8: Fun in Tough Times
Breaking the Ice
The Boss’s Loneliness
The Pain of Management
The Next Level of the Group
Creating Support Systems
Miles is on a Plane Again
The Myth of the Team Hero
Afterword