Synopses & Reviews
For readers of Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and Freakonomics, a captivating and surprising journey through the science of workplace excellence.
Why do successful companies reward failure? What can casinos teach us about building a happy workplace? How do you design an office that enhances both attention to detail and creativity?
In The Best Place to Work, award-winning psychologist Ron Friedman, Ph.D., uses the latest research from the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and management to reveal what really makes us successful at work. Combining powerful stories with cutting-edge findings, Friedman shows leaders at every level how they can use scientifically proven techniques to promote smarter thinking, greater innovation, and stronger performance.
Among the many surprising insights, Friedman explains how learning to think like a hostage negotiator can help you defuse a workplace argument, why placing a fish bowl near your desk can elevate your thinking, and how incorporating strategic distractions into your schedule can help you make smarter decisions. Along the way, the book introduces the inventor who created the cubicle, the president who brought down the worlds most dangerous criminal, and the teenager who single-handedly transformed professional tennisvivid stories that offer unexpected revelations on achieving workplace excellence.
Brimming with counterintuitive insights and actionable recommendations, The Best Place to Work offers employees and executives alike game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organizationregardless of its size, budget, or ambitionsinto an extraordinary workplace.
Review
“What a gem! Enough that its a thorough, practical manual for optimizing relationships and work environments, based on new and solid research in human behavior—but it's a surprising, witty, well-written, and wonderfully engaging read.”
--David Allen, author of Getting Things Done
“We've lost our way. In this stunning book, Ron Friedman helps us get back on track, exploring not only what work is for, but how we can leap forward and become more human, more alive and more effective.”
--Seth Godin, author of The Icarus Deception
“In The Best Place to Work, Ron Friedman examines the factors that take a company from ordinary to extraordinary. The stories in this book . . . pack powerful, research-based lessons for better leadership in the workplace. Friedmans findings are often surprisingly counterintuitive, yet always convincing.”
--Daniel H. Pink, author of Drive and To Sell Is Human
“The Best Place to Work is an engaging journey through the latest science of improving the quality of life in organizations. Psychologist Ron Friedman examines how to unleash creativity, boost motivation, and offer rewards and recognition that bring people together rather than driving them apart.”
--Adam Grant, Wharton professor and author of Give and Take
“A contemporary classic. Dr. Friedmans new book offers a highly original guide to creating exceptional workplaces based on cross-field academic research and superb examples from real companies. You wont find these insights elsewhere.” —Marshall Goldsmith, author of What Got You Here Wont Get You There
“An eye-opening, highly-readable, and practical guide to improving the way we work.”
--Professor Richard Wiseman, author of 59 Seconds: Think a Little Change a Lot
“In The Best Place to Work, Ron Friedman brings together decades of psychological research into a package that offers organizations concrete advice to improve the well-being of workers and the quality of work. Much of the advice is eye-opening. Im sure the results of taking the advice will be too.”
--Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice and Practical Wisdom
“This fascinating book shows how to create workspaces that foster creativity, collaboration, and high productivity.”
--Keith Sawyer, Morgan Distinguished Professor in Educational Innovations, University of NC at Chapel Hill, and author of Zig Zag: The Surprising Path to Greater Creativity
“Friedmans book fills you with optimism about the future of work. If enough managers pay attention to the science he is promoting, then a lot of people are going to roll out of bed on Mondays truly eager to get to the other side of their commutes.”
--David McRaney, author of You Are Not So Smart
“In The Best Place to Work, Ron Friedman tells you everything—and I mean everything—you need to know to bring out the best in your employees. This powerful (and entertaining!) book is a guide to understanding how subtle, often unconscious influences in the workplace affect happiness, creativity, productivity, and loyalty—and how you can use these insights to create real and lasting impact on your team and in your organization. Everyone should be reading this book.”
--Heidi Grant Halvorson, Ph.D., associate director of Columbia Business Schools Motivation Science Center and author of 9 Things Successful People Do Differently
“In this entertaining book, Ron Friedman offers a practical game plan for building a workplace that thrives.”
--Todd Henry, author of Die Empty and The Accidental Creative
“Theres an astonishing gap between what science knows about human behavior and what companies think they know. In this fascinating book, Ron Friedman outlines the science behind thriving at work and offers practical advice for managers who are committed to making a real difference in the workplace.”
--David Burkus, author of The Myths of Creativity: The Truth About How Innovative Companies and People Generate Great Ideas
“What a great relief to read a business book that is not just about how to be a better leader but about what makes work more fun, exciting, and productive. A most valuable and entertaining read full of powerful insights that should be read by every manager and employee.”
--Edgar H. Schein, Professor Emeritus at the Sloan School of Management, MIT; author of Organizational Culture and Leadership, 4th Edition; and coauthor, with John Van Maanen, of Career Anchors, 4th Edition
“An excellent example of great science writing for practical application in the real world. If you want to make the workplace better, this book is the best place to start.”
--Dean Keith Simonton, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of Psychology, University of California-Davis
“The Best Place to Work flows seamlessly and is filled with practical, accessible ways of seeing not only oneself in depth, but also the complex mosaics of workplace environments with pitfalls and opportunities galore.”
--Stuart Brown, M.D., author of Play: How It Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul
“Ron Friedman bridges the gap between cutting-edge science and the reality of the modern workplace in a way that is clear, sensible, and effective.”
--Harry Reis, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of Rochester and former president of the Society for Personality and Social Psychology
“This is an energetic, conversational look at what really makes an office environment tick.”
--Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
A captivating look at how companies can foster office culture that fuels creativity, productivity, and a sense of belonging and community among employees. A must-read for the future of work.
Ron Friedman examines how to unleash creativity, boost motivation, and offer rewards and recognition that bring people together rather than driving them apart."
-Adam Grant, bestselling author of Think Again
Why do successful companies reward failure?
What can casinos teach us about building a happy workplace?
How do you design an office that enhances both attention to detail and creativity?
In The Best Place to Work, award-winning psychologist Ron Friedman, Ph.D. uses the latest research from the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and management to reveal what really makes us successful at work. Combining powerful stories with cutting edge findings, Friedman shows leaders at every level how they can use scientifically-proven techniques to promote smarter thinking, greater innovation, and stronger performance.
Among the many surprising insights, Friedman explains how learning to think like a hostage negotiator can help you diffuse a workplace argument, why placing a fish bowl near your desk can elevate your thinking, and how incorporating strategic distractions into your schedule can help you reach smarter decisions. Along the way, the book introduces the inventor who created the cubicle, the president who brought down the world's most dangerous criminal, and the teenager who single-handedly transformed professional tennis--vivid stories that offer unexpected revelations on achieving workplace excellence.
Brimming with counterintuitive insights and actionable recommendations, The Best Place to Work offers employees and executives alike game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization--regardless of its size, budgets, or ambitions--into an extraordinary workplace.
Synopsis
Now in paperback: A groundbreaking, practical guide for fueling workplace happiness, creativity, and success based on the latest research from the behavioral sciences. For readers of Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and Stephen Dubner, a captivating and surprising journey through the science of workplace excellence.
Why do successful companies reward failure? What can casinos teach us about building a happy workplace? How do you design an office that enhances both attention to detail and creativity?
In The Best Place to Work, award-winning psychologist Ron Friedman, Ph.D., uses the latest research from the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and management to reveal what really makes us successful at work. Combining powerful stories with cutting-edge findings, Friedman shows leaders at every level how they can promote smarter thinking, greater innovation, and stronger performance.
Among the many surprising insights, Friedman explains how learning to think like a hostage negotiator can help you defuse a workplace argument, why placing a fish bowl near your desk can elevate your thinking, and how incorporating strategic distractions into your schedule can help you make smarter decisions. The book introduces the inventor who created the cubicle, the president who brought down the world's most dangerous criminal, and the teenager who single-handedly transformed professional tennis--vivid stories that offer unexpected revelations on achieving workplace excellence.
The Best Place to Work offers employees and executives alike game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization--regardless of its size, budget, or ambitions--into an extraordinary workplace.
About the Author
Ron Friedman, Ph.D., is an award-winning psychologist and founder of ignite80, a consulting firm that helps smart leaders build extraordinary workplaces.
An expert on human motivation, Friedman has served on the faculty of the University of Rochester, Nazareth College, and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Popular accounts of his research have appeared on NPR and in major newspapers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, Vancouver Post, The Globe and Mail, and The Guardian, as well as magazines such as Mens Health, Shape, and Allure.
He contributes to the blogs of Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, Forbes, and Psychology Today. To learn more about his work, visit ignite80.com and connect with him on Twitter @RonFriedman.