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Review
"…with so many factors at play – gender, age, personality differences, management experience – what truly matters most in employee-management relationships?"

What People Want by Terry Bacon explores the question of what employees really want from their supervisors. Base on research with over 500 individuals from a variety of industries, Bacon reveals insights into what motivates individual behavior and how to use this information to build successful employee-supervisor relationships.

The book is well written, easy to read and contains real-life examples. However, most notable are the practical tips and suggestions Bacon offers to assist supervisors in dealing with individual needs and avoiding the negative consequences which can come from ignoring such needs. Not only does Bacon focus on the individual, he provides clear links to impact –both positive and negative – of individual differences and needs on the bottom line.

An excellent book for anyone struggling with understanding the new generation of workers and how to balance the needs of the young worker with those of the older management.

Summary of Main Points
Based on his original research, Bacon focuses on what he identified as the seven most important needs individuals have in terms of relationships with others:

1. Feeling that others trust me.

Ex: "People want to feel that they can be honest with others and that others will be honest with them."

2. Feeling challenge; feeling as if I am growing.

Ex: "For most people, a satisfying career consists of a series of challenging roles and responsibilities."

3. Feeling good about myself.

Ex: "Self-esteem can come from a constellation of qualities and accomplishments: appearance, intelligence, talents, autonomy, integrity, awards, titles, positions, job responsibilities, membership in special groups, acceptance or recognition by important others, and so on."

4. Feeling competent and skilled.

Ex: "People want to be expert at something, however modest that something might be."

5. Feeling appreciated for who I am and what I do.

Ex: "Even beyond simple recognition … people want to feel pride in who they are and be genuinely"

6. Feeling excited about what I am doing.

Ex: "In virtually every part of our lives we search for excitement for the simple reason that it’s more fun than the alternative."

7. Feeling involved in activities that matter to me.

Ex: "People want to feel that their time on earth is relevant; that they are contributing to something they believe in."

In addition, Bacon also shares nine strategies for supervisors to help them to "enjoy the journey no matter how rough the waves become":

1. Keep your perspective.

Ex: "Perhaps the most important thing to do when you are burdened with pressures and challenges is to keep things in perspective. Every time you need to react to a situation or make a decision, especially a tough one where there are no clear answers, pause for a moment and think about the context."

2. Find a collaborative partner.

Ex: "The management life is sometimes stressful and lonely. One of the ways to make it more fun is to have a confidante or collaborative partner with whom you can talk about the challenges, frustrations and triumphs."

3. Know what you thrive on.

Ex: "…to make the management journey enjoyable you have to know what you thrive on and find ways to intersperse that with the difficult and more challenging parts of the job."

4. Take time-outs.

Ex: "Whatever your source of relaxation or satisfaction, the key is to get away momentarily and do something completely different and maybe completely for yourself."

5. Find the opportunity at the heart of every problem.

Ex: "…like many clichés this one carries not only a gem of truth but a virtual gold mine. The finest managers … are optimistic and resilient. No matter what problems they face, they invariably find ways to turn adversity into opportunity."

6. Search for joy in leading others.

Ex: "…if you can grow people and then stand back and watch them thrive, then you have one of the fundamental attributes of an outstanding leader/manager."

7. Accept that sometimes your best people will leave.

Ex: "One of the ironies of outstanding management and leadership is that, by your excellence, you create your own problems. By leading, challenging, growing, and coaching your people, particularly your most talented people, you turn them into highly qualified, experienced, and capable people who will seek better opportunities if your organization can’t continue to fine more challenging and rewarding roles for them."

8. Accept that not everyone is a good fit.

Ex: "…you do no favors for people if you keep them on when they are clearly not a good fit. It’s best to cut your losses early and do what is ultimately more humane for them and better for your company."

9. Celebrate from time to time.

Ex: "…the way to enjoy the journey is to celebrate from time to time. Celebrate you success and milestones."

Call To Action
Reading this book leads one to several immediate steps which will help move you closer to the goals of effective supervision:

* Understand that different people/groups have different needs.

* Get to know the people you work with. Who are they? What is their background? Where do they derive their joy/satisfaction?

* Ask people you work with what you can do to help make their work more fulfilling

* Step back every now and then and reflect on the context in which a situation is occurring.

* Find someone in your work life who can listen, empathize, play devil’s advocate, challenge, advise you, and otherwise be there when you need some breathing space.

* Find ways to do what you enjoy at least once a day.

* Sometimes, if for no other reason then your own mental health, get away for a while – even if only for a few minutes.

* Enjoy the journey!