Good Boss, Bad Boss: How to Be the Best. and Learn from the Worst

After the smashing succes of The No Asshole Rule, in which he tackled corporate bullying, Dr. Bob Sutton now asks: how does one become a great boss ... and what do you do if you work for a lousy one?

"This book is the personal coach that every boss deserves: warm, smart, and freakishly good at translating scientific reserach into practical tips that will help keep you at the top of your game." ―Chip & Dan Heath, authors of Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

If you are a boss who wants to do great work, what can you do about it? Good Boss, Bad Boss is devoted to answering that question. Stanford Professor Robert Sutton weaves together the best psychological and management research with compelling stories and cases to reveal the mindset and moves of the best (and worst) bosses. This book was inspired by the deluge of emails, research, phone calls, and conversations that Dr. Sutton experienced after publishing his blockbuster bestseller The No Asshole Rule. He realized that most of these stories and studies swirled around a central figure in every workplace: THE BOSS.

These heart-breaking, inspiring, and sometimes funny stories taught Sutton that most bosses—and their followers —wanted a lot more than just a jerk-free workplace. They aspired to become (or work for) an all-around great boss, somebody with the skill and grit to inspire superior work, commitment, and dignity among their charges.

As Dr. Sutton digs into the nitty-gritty of what the best (and worst) bosses do, a theme runs throughout Good Boss, Bad Boss—which brings together the diverse lessons and is a hallmark of great bosses: They work doggedly to "stay in tune" with how their followers (and superiors, peers, and customers too) react to what they say and do.

The best bosses are acutely aware that their success depends on having the self-awareness to control their moods and moves, to accurately interpret their impact on others, and to make adjustments on the fly that continuously spark effort, dignity, and pride among their people.

Now with a new chapter that focuses on what great bosses really do―Dr. Sutton adds revelatory thoughts about such legendary bosses as Ed Catmull, Steve Jobs, and A.G. Lafley, and how you can implement their techniques.

Robert Sutton is Professor of Management Science and Engineering at the Stanford Engineering School. The No Asshole Rule was a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller.