Editorial Review:
IT'S A 300 BILLION-DOLLAR PROBLEM NATIONWIDE. HOW MUCH IS IT COSTING YOU AND YOUR ORGANIZATION?Research by the Gallup Organization suggests that fewer than three out of ten Americans are engaged in their jobs. Imagine the wasted human potential! In economic terms, disengaged workers cost our economy $250-$300 billion every year--and that's a conservative estimate. Motivational speeches and incentive programs can produce a short burst of enthusiasm or a spike in productivity. But a flameout almost always follows, then a return to the sorry status quo. What makes organizations thrive over the long term? What makes people perform to the best of their abilities--not just for a burst of productivity, but over the course of a career? As Michael Lee Stallard shows, it all comes down to creating an environment where people feel connected to one another, to their work, and to the larger mission of the organization. Michael Lee Stallard shows the three keys that can empower a leader to transform even a lethargic, disconnected organization into an impassioned, innovative, and thriving workplace. Practical and inspiring, Fired Up or Burned Out just might launch the revolution that corporate America needs. Starting with you.
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Customer Reviews
Average Customer Rating: 
I got burned out by this book 2008-08-05
Being part of a creative industry (advertising), I was expecting a lot from this book. Content-wise, it delivers. Featuring solid advices on how to nurture your and other people's creativity, explaining connections on different types of people. I gained a lot of insights and helpful tips especially when dealing with my co-workers. However, my main beef is, it's a little too dry for my taste. Perhaps it's really meant to be a manual for HR managers or bosses who are not really in the creative industry but want to inject creativity in their department. With that in mind, it works. But if it's meant for those already in creative industries like advertising, fashion, publications, web start ups, I think the book has to be re-written or re-designed to suit those industries. I still can't get over the Powerpoint-like visuals used to illustrate an idea.
Don't miss this book!  2008-08-04
Rarely does a management book get to the heart of teamwork as well as Mike Stallard's Fired Up or Burned Out. Mike interviews today's leaders in business and maps out a strategy to make your business more successful. My favorite section of the book is the "Twenty Great Leaders over Twenty Days." Here Mike tells great anecdotal stories of business leaders who reached success by motivating and connecting with staff. The book is a treasure trove of solutions to many of today's business issues. Don't miss this book!
More common sense but not ground-breaking  2008-07-17
"Fired Up and Burned Out" is a well-written and easy to read motivational book. I've read several over many years and they usually are. As I would consider myself to be a "seasoned" manager, I found that reading this book I actually practiced many of the principles expoused in this book with my former staff in my corporate days. My purpose in reading the book was for my own benefit as a now self-employed real estate appraiser, the book didn't really relate to a self-proprietor. As a lot of dynamics in my profession and the current state of the housing/lending industry are out my control, my intention was to get a different spin on things. Sad to say, this book didn't do it for me. Not to say that I would not recommend this book to novice and current managers currently climbing the corporate ladder at present. There are some constuctive thoughts and ideas in the book that many will find helpful.
Great book on the "intangibles" at work 2008-07-09
Stallard has written a compelling case for managers to consider both the hard side and the soft side of business. In this book he makes a convincing case plus provides useful tips for building a world class community at work. Highly recommended.
You're Fired... Up 2008-06-14
The Summary
According to Gallup fewer than 3 out of 10 Americans are engaged in their jobs. Gallup goes as far as to calculate the cost associated to this waste of human potential - $300 Billion! `Fired Up or Burned Out' (FUBO) lays out a framework to tackle this dilemma. It is written by the founders of E Pluribus Partners - a Think Tank dedicated to helping organizations increase their customer and employee engagement.
The Audience
This book is primarily aimed at managers that want to increase the engagement of their employees. Michael Lee Stallard has written a very motivating and practical book that should be required reading. To some this should only be a reminder of best practices, but to others it might be an eye-opener. Unfortunately, like most things in life, the managers in most need of this book will be the ones that won't recognize it's potential.
The Details
The two extremes of jobs are: 1) where employees are wildly fired up and passionate about what they do, and 2) where employees are frustrated, bored, uninspired and burned out. Most jobs fall somewhere in the middle of this spectrum. Most people enter a new job fired up and excited about their prospects, but over time this normally fades and leads to frustrations. How do managers create an environment where they can keep employees fired up and excited?
The approach described in this book is based on the results of a multi-year study of leaders from various organizations: some wildly successful and others less inspirational. Stallard draws from diverse fields; neuroscience, systems theory, sociology, organizational behavior etc.; to develop a solid framework to bring out the best in employees.
He discovered the secret to firing up employees in an unexpected place, a cancer treatment center, where the staff were truly excited about their jobs. He didn't realize it at the time, but it lead to the understanding that `connection' and `relationships' are the central elements to a culture where people thrive.
The book is broken into 4 parts:
- Part 1 - What fires Us Up? -- The background around why connection and relationships are important.
- Part 2 - The 3 keys to connecting with your team and lighting their fires: Vision - Value - Voice -- How to create a connection culture and fire up your teams.
- Part 3 - The fire starts with you. Become a person of character and connection to ignite the team around you -- How to become a connector.
- Part 4 - Learn from twenty great leaders over twenty days - Motivating stories of great leaders to learn from.
The Take-Aways
This is an inspirational book! It is fast and fun to read. I have to admit I read this book very quickly and didn't follow the 20 days leadership story plan - I just couldn't wait and read it all in one sitting. As a manager, I am constantly searching to find ways to fire up my teams. Over the years I have lead highly motivated teams and some that have started out strong but faded. I have always wanted to know what I could do differently to create the passionate teams again. This book crystallized a lot of ideas I had stumbled upon myself and pulled them together into a practical framework.
I highly recommend this book to managers, and even employees. Awareness of these principles can create a culture that fosters creativity, innovation and passion. Pick up this book, read it and then pass it on to everyone in your team, including your boss (if you have one!). Spread the fire!
Kes Sampanthar
Inventor of ThinkCube
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