it's not just the financial bottom line

In Real Estate one  might say that it’s location location, location, but when it comes to business, Randy Ross says it perhaps should be relationship, relationship, relationship. The bottom line of a business may be all about the financial success, and so the title of this book plays on the word ‘economics’, and thus we have Relationomics: Business Powered by Relationships (Baker Books, 2019). 

                People want to feel valued, most of us recognize that fact, and so this book gives some practical advice for showing value. Perhaps you’ve heard something along the lines of ‘take care of your people and your people will take care of you.’ Ross offers some good ideas on how to do just this.  But in a surprising twist, it’s not all about rewarding the employees, although that can certainly be appropriate at times; much of this book centers on what the CEO/Manager/Boss/Supervisor can do to personally improve his or her leadership skills so that people want to do their best for that boss.

                A major premise is that it’s up to the leader to create, develop, foster a culture where success can happen naturally. In this remarkable type of culture people 1) Believe the best in one another, 2) want the best for one another, and 3) expect the best from one another (p63). The rest of the book seems to build on these ideas.

                A favorite part of this book for me was part 2, Stay in the Fray: Humility. It seems to address some of the issues that leaders and followers at all levels struggle with. Down to earth, no nonsense advice with little room for doubt about how important the author thinks humility is.

                I’ve read a lot of leadership books, and didn’t find anything new here, but the simple straight-forward writing style made for an enjoyable read.

                I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review