The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace

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 Fried... Read more

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. A Soundview Executive Book Summaries Best Business Books of 2015. 'What a gem! Enough that it's 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. I had countless 'aha!'s about how we effectively get things done, as I read it. Bravo, Ron Friedman.' 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 'In The Best Place to Work , Ron Friedman examines the factors that take a company from ordinary to extraordinary. The stories in this book - which range from cruise ship casinos to hostage negotiations - are fascinating in their own right, but they also pack powerful, research-based lessons for better leadership in the workplace. Friedman's findings are often sur prisingly 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 , author of Give and Take 'A must-read for managers, decision makers, and emerging leaders.' Library Journal (starred review) 'This is an energetic, conversational look at what really makes an office environment tick.' Publishers Weekly Less