Six Ways to Know if This is the Right Company for Me

In the book First Break All the Rules, authors Buckingham and Coffman summarized 80,000 interviews done by the Gallop Organization into what successful leaders and managers do differently. They understand that any organization’s best asset is its talent. What I see as a critical facet of this book is how you can translate this information into success for yourself as a potential employee or business owner.

Gallop concluded that if an organization’s employees can answer “yes” to 12 key questions, the organization would attract, focus and keep the most talented people. Of those 12 questions, they reported that the most powerful ones are those six with a combination of the strongest links to the most business outcomes. So I say if you are looking for work or building a business, look for companies or build a culture where people can answer “yes” to these six key questions:

1. Do I know what is expected of me at work?
2. Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
3. Do I have the opportunity to do what I do best?
4. In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for good work?
5. Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
6. Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

Rule Break: If you are already employed and are unhappy, frame a discussion with your manager with the questions above, as managers understand how “no” answers to these questions affect business outcomes. Don’t tell your manager you need more employees in your department. Tell her that you can’t do what you do best which is produce more for the organization because you are doing something less productive than your skill set. Decreased productivity is always a red flag for managers.

And when you become a manager, if your employees can answer “yes” to these questions, you will be running a very productive operation. Which translates to greater success and more peace for you!