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Topgrading (How To Hire, Coach and Keep A Players) (精装)
by Brad Smart
| Category:
People development, Star performers, Corporate success, Human Resources |
| Market price: ¥ 330.00
MSL price:
¥ 298.00
[ Shop incentives ]
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| Stock:
Pre-order item, lead time 3-7 weeks upon payment [ COD term does not apply to pre-order items ] |
MSL rating:
 Good for Gifts |
| MSL Pointer Review:
A best-practices manual for developing outstanding personnel pool, the book is based on more than 4,000 interviews and case studies conducted by Smart at major corporations like General Electric. |
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AllReviews |
1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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Donald Mitchell (MSL quote), USA
<2007-09-08 00:00>
Computers and equipment are wonderful tools, but people make the difference. Many companies are too little focused on hiring the best. Research consistently shows that the best 25 percent in any population produce over 80 percent of the economic results. Yet the cost to hire and keep them is much less than the benefit. TOPGRADING is built around that insight. TOPGRADING makes it clear just how valuable it is to hire and work with the best. The mistakes you will avoid make the investment very valuable. Early in our company's history, we did a statistical analysis of how many candidates we had to seriously consider before we could assume that we had seen an outstanding one. It was over 140. Now, most people would stop long before then and will usually hire someone who is not a top performer. TOPGRADING helps with this problem by providing you with a process that reduces that number a lot, but still ensures that you will be able to hire the best. I was very impressed with this book. I think it is one of the few books that goes beyond the current best practice to establish a new and higher standard in any field. It is certainly the only one I have seen that sets a higher standard in hiring. You would be very foolish if you did not read and apply the messages of this book. Some few geniuses may be able to hire the best using intuition, but for the rest of us there's TOPGRADING. When the history of many companies is written in the future, a key turning point will be the day that TOPGRADING was first applied. I wish that I had had this book available 22 years ago when I established my consulting firm! I have recently discussed this book with a number of business executives, and they each found the book to be as valuable as I did. Banish stalled thinking about hiring, and use this process. If you are not years ahead of the competition, the lack of this process could be a major contributing cause. Think about it. |
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Alan (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-23 00:00>
This book is an important work for me. As an entrepeneur, the book contained the information that I needed. A major part of the achievement puzzle.
For those who read this review, the three pieces of knowledge I deemed most valueable are as follows:
1. Hire the top 10% of the people out there who are willilng to work for the wage offered. This book helps pinpoint characteristics of people most suitable thru a long interview section in the back of the book. I think its pretty darn accurate.
2. A players. B players. C & D players. Some B players cannot be converted to A. Some B are only B. C players cannot be converted to a B player. D players are D players pernamently. Certain personal characteristics of thinking indicate if you are A, B,C or D. Great Stuff! After reading this book I fell out of love with all the people around me, and proceeded to top grade my company. I strongly disagree with who ever the perplexed indivdual was who wrote in the customer review that this book - not to waste your money. Well, this book helped me waste my money all the way to the bank!
3. In general you should employ fewer people, and pay them more, to do more.
Read the interview guide. I never considered spending 5 hours with a person to really dig deep and elicit characteristics with leading questions. I always thought an hour interview would be a long one. The book can be a yawner at parts but it gets going after the first few chapters. Great Book! The book has value. |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-23 00:00>
Smart comes off like a pretty hard nosed SOB in the first half of this book. He doesn't seem to talk much about how to correct problems other than firing people. The second half has a great couple of chapters on coaching for excellence which were inspiring to me. I'd like a full book just on this topic from Smart, his matter-of-fact approach is refreshing.
Buy this book if you are an up and coming manager in search of ways to really make yourself an even stronger contributor (by having only the best work for you). |
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A reader (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-23 00:00>
This book represents the mentality we should all be in if we want to succeed as leaders. All too often we settle for someone to "fill the position" rather than using effective tools to interview and hire the best employees. Mr. Smart provides us with a new perspective on how we should approach hiring people to work for us, this includes CEO's. The cost of mis-hires is staggering. Look around your own workplace and see if you can separate the A players from the C players. One thing stands out in my mind, C players don't hire A players. So if you have C player management you will have to settle with mediocrity until something drastic happens - topgrading! |
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Roman (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-23 00:00>
Dr. Smart has provided the definitive guide on how to acquire and retain elite talent. His approach is not only logical and well researched, but also highly practical. Dr. Smart does not simply develop a thesis and encourage the reader to figure out how to make it work for his or her company. Instead, this book provides all of the tools necessary for successful implementation of the "Topgrading" strategies. |
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Larry (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-23 00:00>
Not only have I read both releases of this book, but my colleagues and I have been practicing Topgrading at my company for some time now. By using Dr. Smart's process, we have had significant success in hiring A players and have reaped the rewards of having these high powered recruits on our staff. This is a "must read" for those leaders that want to significantly improve the quality of their workforce. |
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Vincent (MSL quote), USA
<2007-10-23 00:00>
Although I had a lot of training in GE, this book really helped me further in understanding the logic behind grading employees.
It is so easy to underestimate or to ignore the importance of top grading. This book opened my eyes again and got me really started. Not only in top grading, but also looking at my personal carrier. A must read for everyone who want to start or grow (within) a successful business. |
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Ted Waitt (MSL quote), Chairman of the Board, Gateway
<2007-10-23 00:00>
Topgrading is making us a stronger company everyday. Its tenets align perfectly with Gateway's unending commitment to improving our ability to serve our customers' needs. |
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Bill Conaty (MSL quote), Human Resources, General Electric Company
<2007-10-23 00:00>
Topgrading will become a continuous process of raising the bar in the identification of top and bottom players to enhance overall organizational vitality. |
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Bill Humbert (MSL quote), USA
<2007-11-08 00:00>
I have been a professional recruiter for over 21 years. Topgrading is the best book that I have read on the topic of selecting impact performers. This book is a valuable read for both hiring managers and candidates. The appendix is worth the price of the book by itself.
I have recommended this book to my clients on my recruiting contracts because many have never been taught how to conduct a structured interview. Consequently, they tend to ask one set of questions to one candidate and another set of questions to another candidate for the same job. How will they be able to compare the two candidates? Brad Smart gives them a nice track to run on.
My only major difficulty with the book is the amount of time between the initial interview and the final interview a month later. In my experience as a professional recruiter, that is too long between interviews. In recruitment, time is your enemy. There are too many companies who are searching for A Players. You could lose an A Player easily within a month to another, more efficient company. As our economy moves from the Baby Boomers as the primary workforce to the Gen X'ers, we are about to experience a shortage of workers. If you wait too long to extend an offer, the Recruiterguy will get them!
On the other hand, Brad's reference checking information is so valuable that I have been teaching my clients to use it. I agree with him that it is important for the hiring manager to conduct the reference checks. It's simple psychology. If I call the manager of a candidate and identify myself as a recruiter, the former manager will give me some information about the candidate. However, their perception is that I am not their peer (unless they know me from a previous relationship). However, if the hiring manager calls the former manager, they are peers and the information given and received will be much more valuable.
The 50 manager competencies listed in the appendix are great tools for developing a structured interview and Job Description. They are also valuable for candidates who need to prepare for interviews by giving examples of their competencies.
Is Topgrading perfect for every interviewing situation? There probably isn't a perfect book. However, this one is easy to read. Take the valuable information that he offers on the interviewing process, the reference checks, and coaching (and protecting) A Players and you will be way ahead of most hiring managers.
If you are a candidate searching for your next job, Topgrading is a must read for you. He asks some tough questions. Some people may be offended. However, I agree with his points. Use the sample competencies in the appendix to strengthen your interviewing skills. |
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1 Total 1 pages 10 items |
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