The Three Signs of a Miserable Job

A Fable for Managers (and their employees)

By: Patrick Lencioni

Narrated by: Dan Woren

Length: 4 hrs and 55 mins

Publisher's summary

In his sixth fable, best-selling author Patrick Lencioni takes on a topic that almost everyone can relate to: the causes of a miserable job.

Millions of workers, even those who have carefully chosen careers based on true passions and interests, dread going to work, suffering each day as they trudge to jobs that make them cynical, weary, and frustrated. It is a simple fact of business life that any job, from investment banker to dishwasher, can become miserable.

Through the story of a CEO turned pizzeria manager, Lencioni reveals the three elements that make work miserable: irrelevance, immeasurability, and anonymity. And he gives managers and their employees the keys to make any job more fulfilling.

As with all of Lencioni's books, this one is filled with actionable advice you can put into effect immediately. In addition to the fable, the book includes a detailed model examining the three signs of job misery and how they can be remedied. It covers the benefits of managing for job fulfillment within organizations, increased productivity, greater retention, and competitive advantage, and it offers examples of how managers can use the applications in the book to deal with specific jobs and situations.

©2007 Patrick Lencioni (P)2007 Random House, Inc. Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Insightful, simple look at all employee's needs

Patrick once again has written a very insightful and entertaining book regarding leadership. In this case, he concentrates on how management can change the culture, increase output and productivity, and improve employee commitment and retention. He identifies the important traits/needs of everyone, and provides some great tools and examples of how to utilize these in motivating and working with your employees. By applying these, it would appear that drastic improvements of employee morale can be attained. To think that it is just three factors: Irrelevance, Immeasurement and Anonymity, that destroy our framework for working effectively in our jobs is just brillant, but so simple. This book is an easy and must read for all that manage people.

Another gem

Would you listen to The Three Signs of a Miserable Job again? Why?

Yes - The fable format works for me, making the concepts memorable.

What other book might you compare The Three Signs of a Miserable Job to and why?

Anything else by Patrick Lencioni. Everything he writes has some gems. He simplifies complex issues and yet keeps focused on organizational health.

Any additional comments?

The three signs are anonymity, irrelevance and lack of measurement. In other words, to enjoy a job, we must feel a personal connection, know that our work has meaning and know how to measure it.

Author should do some research

I was assigned this book at work or else I would have abandoned it in the first few minutes. No research, no evidence, just a few ideas that happy employees may be more productive. Well, duh. The author doesn't seem to have much experience in the business world. But it does inspire me to think I too could pound out a business book in a weekend. I recommend that you just read one-page book summaries of this rather than spend nearly 5 hours to learn the 3 points.

Every person who is involved with others READ IT!

"If you or I are part of any kind of organization we would do well to know and deal with these 3 signs. This is for all of us at all levels of the organization from the CEO to the person who empties the trash at night.
1. We must be known as a person by someone
2. We must know how our work impacts the lives of others
3. We must know how we are doing and be able to assess that our selves

You WILL gain valuable insights to people from understanding what Patrick has written in this book. You can understand what we need as people for our own growth and to assist others too.
Tim"

Relevance

Not only did I learn new concepts, but it was also a confirmation of many of the things that I have done over the years without really understanding what I was doing. This model gives me the framework and structure to do more within my own company.

A must for Managers

If as a manager you don’t understand why you can’t retain people. Start here. It also shows in your engagement surveys

Impact

The author always comes with a life changing book. I will definitely practice the lessons on and off work.

Every manager should listen to this

No matter where you are in the ladder of management, investing into the lives of your employees should be at the top of your to-do list. By investing, I mean genuinely.

This book does a wonderful job of explaining how. Please listen, and get ready to take notes!

So needed

This book has so much wisdom in it. Training the soft skills can be hard. However, this book gave me ways in which to provide tools and methods to prevent misery in the job force.

Spot on

From a very young age I would always say “do you want to others as you would want them to do onto you”.
This book is spot on I would recommend it to anyone and employee or employer alike we all benefit.

Only those wanting to excel need apply

Another brilliantly written story which really sticks. I like the style of his fables. Realistic and easily applicable to our environments.