What will I learn about: why putting your employees first—rather than the customer—actually leads to higher client satisfaction and loyalty?

Discover why putting your employees first—rather than the customer—actually leads to higher client satisfaction and loyalty.

What will I learn about: Learn how replacing rigid company rules with trust and employee autonomy, such as eliminating standard working hours, creates a highly engaged workforce?

Learn how replacing rigid company rules with trust and employee autonomy, such as eliminating standard working hours, creates a highly engaged workforce.

What will I learn about: the importance of having your entire team participate in the hiring process to ensure new recruits fit the culture and maintain group harmony?

Understand the importance of having your entire team participate in the hiring process to ensure new recruits fit the culture and maintain group harmony.

What will I learn about: why offering a cash bonus for disengaged employees to quit is a smart strategy to eliminate toxic attitudes and protect productivity?

Find out why offering a cash bonus for disengaged employees to quit is a smart strategy to eliminate toxic attitudes and protect productivity.

What will I learn about: the shift to modern management by empowering knowledge workers to self-organize around dynamic projects rather than rigid job descriptions?

Master the shift to modern management by empowering knowledge workers to self-organize around dynamic projects rather than rigid job descriptions.

Under New Management

How Leading Organizations Are Upending Business as Usual

David Burkus

★ 4.3 / 5(31 ratings)

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Categories:

Management & Leadership

If You're Curious About These Questions...

You should listen to this audiobook

💡Did you know that standard management practices like annual performance reviews might actually be sabotaging your team's success?
💡Have you ever wondered why putting your employees *before* your customers is the secret to building a more profitable business?
💡What if you could boost productivity and innovation by doing the unthinkable—like banning internal emails or getting rid of your vacation policy?

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Key Takeaways from Under New Management

✓Discover why putting your employees first—rather than the customer—actually leads to higher client satisfaction and loyalty.
✓Learn how replacing rigid company rules with trust and employee autonomy, such as eliminating standard working hours, creates a highly engaged workforce.
✓Understand the importance of having your entire team participate in the hiring process to ensure new recruits fit the culture and maintain group harmony.
✓Find out why offering a cash bonus for disengaged employees to quit is a smart strategy to eliminate toxic attitudes and protect productivity.
✓Master the shift to modern management by empowering knowledge workers to self-organize around dynamic projects rather than rigid job descriptions.

Learning Tools

Reinforce what you learned from Under New Management

Mind Map

Under New Management

The Shift to Knowledge Work+

Prioritizing Employees+

Hiring and Retention+

Organizational Flexibility+

Workspace and Communication+

Fostering External Networks+

Feedback and Transparency+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 8

According to the book, what is the most effective way to ensure you have happy and loyal customers?

A. Focus primarily on the customer and implement strict customer service rules.
B. Prioritize your employees' happiness and job satisfaction, which naturally translates to better customer service.
C. Constantly monitor employee-customer interactions to ensure quality control.
D. Lower prices to offset any negative experiences customers might have with staff.

Question 2 of 8

How does the book suggest companies handle disengaged employees who pull the company down?

A. Place them on a strict, micro-managed performance improvement plan.
B. Move them to a different department so they can start fresh.
C. Offer them a cash bonus to quit their jobs.
D. Ignore their behavior until they decide to leave on their own.

Question 3 of 8

When hiring a new employee, which approach is recommended to ensure they are a good fit?

A. Have the whole team participate in the hiring process, such as working with the candidate for a trial period.
B. Rely solely on the candidate's past successes and stellar individual qualifications.
C. Limit the hiring decision to one or two senior managers to speed up the process.
D. Hire candidates exclusively from competing companies to bring in insider knowledge.

Question 4 of 8

Why are rigid organizational structures and fixed job descriptions considered obsolete for modern 'knowledge workers'?

A. Knowledge workers prefer to work in isolation and do not need management.
B. Modern labor laws strictly prohibit fixed job descriptions for mental labor.
C. Knowledge work is unpredictable and highly creative, requiring employees to organize flexibly around changing projects.
D. Fixed job descriptions make it too easy for competing companies to poach top talent.

Question 5 of 8

What is the recommended approach to designing a company workspace?

A. Build an exclusively open-plan office to maximize communication and transparency.
B. Provide a mix of open and closed spaces so employees can choose their environment based on the task.
C. Assign everyone a permanent, closed office to eliminate distractions entirely.
D. Eliminate physical offices and mandate that all employees work remotely.

Question 6 of 8

Why did Atos SE decide to limit the in-house use of email?

A. To save money on server maintenance and IT support.
B. To prevent former employees from stealing trade secrets.
C. To force employees to communicate with clients face-to-face.
D. To reduce constant distractions and allow employees to focus on their work.

Question 7 of 8

According to the comparison between Silicon Valley and Boston's Route 128, why are non-compete clauses bad for business?

A. They prevent the free flow of knowledge and ideas between companies, ultimately stifling regional innovation.
B. They force companies to pay artificially high salaries to retain their current employees.
C. They encourage employees to start their own rival companies instead of joining existing ones.
D. They are illegal in most tech hubs, leading to costly lawsuits.

Question 8 of 8

What does the book suggest regarding employee performance rankings and wages?

A. Use annual performance rankings to determine pay, but keep all salaries strictly confidential.
B. Avoid formal feedback entirely to prevent workplace anxiety, and pay everyone the same wage.
C. Replace annual rankings with personal, timely feedback, and make wages transparent to prevent envy.
D. Rank employees publicly every month to foster a highly competitive and driven environment.