Peak Performance: Aligning the Hearts and Minds of Your Employees - Hardcover

Katzenbach, Jon R.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0875849369 ISBN 13: 9780875849362

Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press, 2000

Synopsis

Drawing on an in-depth study of carefully selected enterprises, Jon Katzenbach found distinct patterns in how companies engage their employees to capitalize on emotional energy and consistently achieve higher levels of performance than their competition. At the heart of Peak Performance lies Katzenbach's identification of five balanced motivational paths: 1) the mission, values, and pride path, 2) the process and metrics path, 3) the entrepreneurial spirit path, 4) the individual achievement path, and 5) the recognition and celebration path. He contends that these paths create a framework of options for managers about where and how to generate emotional energy and how to channel that energy for higher performance. Essential to each path is leadership's commitment to strike a balance between enterprise performance and worker fulfillment. Through its detailed case studies, Peak Performance highlights the various sources of emotional energy unique to each organization and the discipline companies need to follow their chosen paths. The book concludes with guidelines for managers seeking to achieve better performance from their own workforces and gain the resulting competitive edge.

About this title

Review:

There was a time, not too long ago, when employees were encouraged to check their emotions at the corporate door. The workplace was considered a strictly professional environment, in which personal emotions had no place. Management theorists finally woke up to the realization that this practice didn't, in the long run, actually benefit the company. In Peak Performance, Jon Katzenbach expands on this realization. He asserts that today's companies will get the best work from their employees and beat the competition only when they actively seek out, cultivate, and sustain the energy generated by their employees' emotional commitment to work.

Though many companies pay lip service to the notion of employee fulfillment, most do not actually focus critical attention on this vital component of corporate success. Those that do, Katzenbach contends, consistently attain higher levels of workforce performance than their competitors. While these companies share some characteristics in their employee management ideals, they do not follow identical methods of achieving and sustaining the emotional commitment of their employees. In the course of conducting extensive research into the high-performing workforces of more than 20 companies, Katzenbach has identified five distinct paths that, he believes, achieve a balance between enterprise performance and employee fulfillment: Mission, Values, and Pride; Process and Metrics; Entrepreneurial Spirit; Individual Achievement; and Recognition and Celebration.

To define the leadership philosophy and illustrate the defining characteristics of each path, Katzenbach uses case studies and extensive interviews with the employees of such enterprises as The Home Depot, Southwest Airlines, the U.S. Marine Corps, Avon, the Silicon Valley underwriter Hambrecht & Quist, McKinsey & Co., and Marriott International. He explores the different ways of aligning the workforce energy that is generated and demonstrates the necessity of enforcing disciplined behavior. The result is a book of evidence for company leaders interested in getting the best and the most from their workforce; it is not an altruistic plug in support of the happy worker but rather a pragmatic exposition of the best conditions for achieving peak performance. --S. Ketchum

From the Back Cover:

"If your challenge is to harness the energy and spirit of your workforce to deliver sustainable performance, read this book. Jon Katzenbach tells it all."
-John S. Reed, Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Citigroup

"Peak Performance explores how to unlock the power of people in ways that will propel your organization forward. It came at just the right time for me, a newly appointed CEO in a turnaround, and reinforced my belief in what matters most: people."
-Christina Gold, CEO, Excel Communications, Inc.

"Katzenbach makes a compelling case for the importance of emotionally committed employees in achieving superior business performance. Original and a pleasure to read, Peak Performance has something of value for every business leader."
-L. A. Noto, Vice Chairman, Exxon Mobil Corporation

"An insightful and enjoyable book. Katzenbach captures the essence of what it takes to achieve peak performance. The five paths, illustrated by rich and informative examples, enable readers to draw lessons for their own companies."
-Peter A. Bassi, President, Tricon Restaurants International

"Forget those cookie-cutter management advisers who have the same solution for every problem. Katzenbach helps you find the right approach to energize your organization. His strategy makes sense, and it works."
-John W. Rowe, M.D., President and CEO, Mount Sinai NYU Health

"A must read for all service industry employers. Katzenbach does a wonderful job of examining the souls of the leaders of some of America's most successful corporations. The differences in core values and management styles make for an interesting, introspective study."
-Brian Gamache, President of the Resort and Luxury Divisions, Wyndham International

About this edition

• Publisher: Harvard Business Review Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0875849369
• ISBN 13: 9780875849362
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304