| Synopsis What's the quickest way to ruin a friendship? Do great friendships have
anything in common? Are close friendships in the workplace such a bad
thing?
These are just a few of the questions that #1 New York Times
bestselling author Tom Rath asked when he embarked on a massive study
about the impact of friendships. Along with several leading
researchers, Rath pored through the literature, conducted several
experiments, and analyzed more than 8 million interviews from The
Gallup Organization's worldwide database.
His team's discoveries produced Vital Friends,
a book that challenges long-held assumptions people have about their
relationships. And the team's landmark discovery - that people who have
a "best friend at work" are seven times as likely to be engaged in
their job - is sure to rattle the structure of organizations around the
world.
Drawing on research and case studies from topics as diverse as management, marriage, and architecture, Vital Friends
The book includes a unique ID code that provides
access to the Vital Friends Assessment and website. This groundbreaking
test reveals which friends play each of the eight vital friendship
roles in your work and life.
Tom Rath's fast-paced and inviting
storytelling takes a mountain of important research and makes it
remarkably accessible and applicable. By the time you finish reading Vital Friends, you'll see your coworkers, family, friends, and significant other in a whole new light.
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Week
Friendship may be coming into vogue as a topic (to wit, Joseph Epstein's new book Friendship: An Exposé), but Rath (coauthor of the bestselling How Full Is Your Bucket?)
takes a pragmatic rather than philosophical approach. He explores the
inherent value of friendships and says that the need for friends goes
beyond commonality or companionship; in particular, he devotes a
section to friendship at work, which, unlike many companies and
managers, Rath sees as a positive force. Rath's research shows that
employees who have a best friend in the office are more productive,
more likely to engage positively with customers, share new ideas and
stay longer in a job. Citing illuminating cases and surveys (many
conducted for the Gallup Organization), Rath shows that many people
succeed or fail based on the support and involvement of their best
friends. Rath posits eight vital roles friends play: some are champions
for each other; some collaborate; some connect people with others; and
some build each other up through encouragement and trust. Rath's
bullishness on friendship is based on solid research and couched in
intelligent prose.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The Washington Post
"A workplace without friends is an enemy."
USA Today
"Friendships
are good for business. Companies are coming to discover that, yet are
at a loss at what to do about it. . . . what Gallup has uncovered about
best friends stands out as novel."
TIME magazine
"Let
friendship ring. It might look like idle chatter, but when employees
find friends at work, they feel connected to their jobs. Having a best
friend at work is a strong predictor for being a happy and productive
employee."
About the Authors
Tom Rath is coauthor of the #1 New York Times and #1 BusinessWeek bestseller, How Full Is Your Bucket?
With more than 500,000 copies in print within its first year of
publication, his book has spent 15 months on the domestic bestseller
list. Now available in more than 10 languages, Rath's book has also
been an international bestseller.
After 12 years with The Gallup
Organization, Rath now leads Gallup's Workplace Research and Leadership
Consulting worldwide. He also serves on the board of VHL.org, an
organization dedicated to cancer research and patient support.
Rath
earned his bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of
Michigan. He is currently pursuing graduate degrees at Johns Hopkins
University and the University of Pennsylvania. He lives in Washington,
D.C.
Product Details Hardcover: 218 pages
Carton Size: 12 books
Publisher: Gallup Press; 1st Edition (August 1, 2006)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1595620079
ISBN-13: 978-1595620071
Product Dimensions: 8.62 x 6.5 x 0.98 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.02 pounds |
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