Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It: The Results-Only Revolution

I've seen a number of reviews that say, in a nutshell, "The book doesn't tell me HOW to do this". This book was not meant to tell you how -- it was meant to get you thinking, talking, sharing and collaborating with your co-workers and management to take action in your workplace. The authors are giving you ideas; it is up to you to get the dialog flowing with co-workers and management. ROWE is not something that happens overnight, it is something that develops. ROWE is a perfect example of "bottom-up" change; time has shown again and again some of the worst, most ineffective change, comes from the top-down. Having said all that, after reading the book (and visiting their blog) I ended up ordering 8 additional copies of the book. I'm lending them to co-workers, and even upper management, for them to read. I'm not influencing them whatsoever, but simply state they are free to read the book and form their own opinions. Guess what? So far, the ideas and discussions are flowing non-stop! A good deal of us work in jobs where we put in "face time". We all know people who got promoted because of face time and not because of results. We are entering a period where the global economy and the fast pace of change in the world are not going to let companies get by with this. Why? Because the new generation of workers (Gen X and Gen Y) aren't going to put up with it. They will simply leave for greener grounds. As a company, you can either be scared of what is happening and do nothing and go out of business, or you can adapt to the change and not only survive -- but THRIVE. ROWE is one of those changes. It won't be easy, and some of the "good ol' boys" will no doubt be the first ones out of the door -- but in the end it will make your company better, and your employees dedicated and productive like you wouldn't believe. As an employee, you can see how good things can be. You can see why you don't need to BEG for an hour off to see your kid's soccer game. You don't have to feel guilty for staying home with your spouse and having a relaxing day off. You don't have to make up excuses for being 1 minute late and getting talked-to by the boss, despite the fact you added more to the bottom line than anyone else. In short -- ROWE rewards the employee for producing and it rewards the company for giving their employees the freedom to work! This book will walk you through examples from Best Buy; introduce you to actual people who are enjoying the environment; and tell you about the good and bade side of ROWE -- yes, some people will be terminated, because, quite frankly, they shouldn't be in the company to begin with. It's a wonderful book that will open your mind to what can happen when you trust your employees. I have high hopes it becomes the new "Employee Manual" of the 21st century.

In college you are given the tools to succeed and the ultimate freedom to decide how, when, where to achieve those goals. Yes, you can party all week but you will pay the consequences in poor grades and wasted tuition. Study hard and you will be rewarded. It's pretty basic and it works. What's amazing is that after four or more years of college education most of us leave the University to enter a cubicle only to be treated like children. These low expectations set the bar for results. I work for a great company that is very results oriented, however results-oriented and results-only are radically different things. This book helped me see that and it helped me identify the areas the I can improve my team's focus. There is still a lot of sludge where I work, and I now have the tools and the language to be able to address these issues in my workplace. I know people that work at Best Buy headquarters and I can tell you that this isn't a utopian fantasy - this is reality. My friends work extremely hard and still have stressful weeks and impending deadlines, but they own their lives in a way that so many of us don't. How will companies compete for top talent if they do not change outdated non-ROWE culture? This will be the ultimate power of ROWE. The best and the brightest will choose to go where they are respected and trusted, and to work for people who pay them for their work, not for their time at a desk.

Best Buy's journey to a Results-Only Work Environment is a provactive real-life story that shatters our assumptions about how work gets done (assumptions that might have made sense for an industrial-age workplace, BUT not today's knowledge-based economy). Ressler and Thompson make the case with humor by showing us how ingrained and outdated some of our work notions are and they provide powerful stories from Best Buy employees about how their lives, both professionally and personally, improved dramatically under ROWE. But that's not where the story ends. Not only did employees' lives improve, but so did Best Buy's bottom line (through increased productivity and retention). At the end of the day ROWE is not a corporate program or package, but an effort to challenge our notions through "Eradicating Sludge" (as Ressler and Thompson fondly call it). Many companies have taken small-steps to address the challenges of the 21st century workplace (experiments with telecommuting, flexible work hours, etc.). This is the story of a quantum leap to where the workplace needs to be. A place where all businesses will ultimately be when our old notions of work are shattered. Best Buy shows that companies that lead this transition have lots to gain!

Cali & Jody have defined and refined the utilization of a ROWE (Results Only Work Environment) and have hit the proverbial bulls-eye. There is no doubt about this book being right on target. Within its pages you will find how ROWE can be implemented to get RESULTS. Real results, for real companies. Cali & Jody were able to launch ROWE for Best Buy and had tremendous success. Imagine what it could do for your company? I've instituted several of their suggestions and have found a huge positive impact on our bottom line; in-line with our increased production and better results. Everyone is happier when they are achieving goals and results, and not just being acknowledged for "being there" -- and getting an hourly pay. Even if you are just an employee, take up the challenge and present the virtues of ROWE to your employer and help your company to go beyond the ordinary. Read this book, keep it handy for quick reference, and launch a ROWE initiative for your company as soon as possible!

I can not recommend this book highly enough. Cali and Jody have a done a wonderful job of sharing with us what the "work environment" should and can be. I had the good fortune of starting my own consulting/training at 25. My three partners and I grew the company to 180 employees. Like in Cali and Jody's Results Only Work Environment (ROWE), a key was TRUST. My partners and I trusted each other, we trusted our employees, and our employees trusted us and each other. Everyone worked hard, had fun, and, for the most part, thrived professionally and personally. We were a family. At the beginning of the book I thought a ROWE sounded wonderful, could work in small entrepreneurial organizations, but I was skeptical a ROWE could develop in larger organizations. As I progressed though the book my skepticism diminished. Cali and Jody clearly state their case; * the importance of RESULTS over time worked * the power of INDIVIDUAL CONTROL * the impact of negative comments, aka SLUDGE * the 13 GUIDEPOSTS that make a ROWE * stories and insights from Best Buy employees working in a ROWE. You owe it to yourself, your coworkers, company and family to read this book. I suggest you read it with a "why not" attitude. You may want to read it quickly, think about it for a week or two assimilating the benefits of a ROWE and then read it again when the concept seems less radical. As Jody and Cali point out, a ROWE can't be mandated from the top down, it comes from the bottom up and grows organically throughout an organization. You could be the Jody and Cali in your organization.