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The 80/20 Manager: Ten ways to become a great leader
Fifteen years ago Richard Koch introduced the world to the 80/20 Principle. Now he shows managers how to use the Principle to achieve exceptional results at work - without stress or long hours.
288 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
65 people are currently reading
363 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
February 8, 2015
A book that has re shaped how I approach my work and where I expend my time and talent. The insights of this book will stay with me well into the twilight of professional years. A valuable addition to the libraries of any leader, manager or just anyone wanting to know how to maximise return on any sort of investment, be it time, talent, personnel or profit lines.
February 16, 2021
Meh. Poate potrivită pentru anumiți manageri (știu eu câțiva care ar descoperi aici multe informație de ajutor pentru ei), dar destul de low pentru tinerii din ziua de azi care, deși poate nu cunosc in teorie tehnicile prezentate în carte aceasta, le aplică foarte bine în munca pe care o desfășoară, chit că-i de management, chit că nu.
December 14, 2021
Interesante!
January 27, 2023
Много полезна книга, но изискваща време да се разбере. От тези, в които можеш и трябва да прочиташ някои моменти по няколко пъти, за да можеш да вникнеш в тях и да ги приложиш в на практика.
Бих я препоръчал на всеки, който търси как да подобри всеки аспект от живота си и е склонен да направи големи промени в ежедневието си!
Бих я препоръчал на всеки, който търси как да подобри всеки аспект от живота си и е склонен да направи големи промени в ежедневието си!
February 27, 2024
"The 80/20 Manager: The Secret to Working Less and Achieving More" by Richard Koch offers a compelling insight into leveraging the Pareto Principle for managerial efficiency and effectiveness. Koch's exploration into the art of achieving more by doing less is not only enlightening but practically applicable in the dynamic business environment of today. Among the book's many valuable lessons, the emphasis on time freedom, task batching, strategic meeting minimisation, and disciplined email management stands out for their direct impact on productivity.
Koch argues convincingly for the importance of time freedom, advocating for managers to carve out uninterrupted periods for deep work, thereby enabling a focus on tasks that significantly move the needle. By batching tasks, Koch suggests a method to reduce the cognitive load and increase efficiency, a strategy that can be particularly beneficial in managing the diverse responsibilities inherent in a CFO's role.
The advice to avoid unnecessary meetings is another highlight, encouraging a culture of respect for time and a focus on outcome-oriented communication. This approach not only streamlines operations but also fosters an environment where strategic thinking takes precedence over administrative tasks.
The recommendation to check emails only twice per day is a game-changer, challenging the conventional always-on approach. This discipline can lead to significant gains in concentration and productivity, allowing senior management, such as CFOs, to dedicate more time to strategic planning and decision-making.
In conclusion, "The 80/20 Manager" is a must-read for those seeking to refine their management style towards greater efficiency and impact. Koch's strategies, particularly on time management and prioritisation, are invaluable for leaders aiming to enhance their focus on areas of the business that truly matter. The book serves not only as a guide to personal productivity but also as a blueprint for cultivating a high-performance culture within an organisation.
Koch argues convincingly for the importance of time freedom, advocating for managers to carve out uninterrupted periods for deep work, thereby enabling a focus on tasks that significantly move the needle. By batching tasks, Koch suggests a method to reduce the cognitive load and increase efficiency, a strategy that can be particularly beneficial in managing the diverse responsibilities inherent in a CFO's role.
The advice to avoid unnecessary meetings is another highlight, encouraging a culture of respect for time and a focus on outcome-oriented communication. This approach not only streamlines operations but also fosters an environment where strategic thinking takes precedence over administrative tasks.
The recommendation to check emails only twice per day is a game-changer, challenging the conventional always-on approach. This discipline can lead to significant gains in concentration and productivity, allowing senior management, such as CFOs, to dedicate more time to strategic planning and decision-making.
In conclusion, "The 80/20 Manager" is a must-read for those seeking to refine their management style towards greater efficiency and impact. Koch's strategies, particularly on time management and prioritisation, are invaluable for leaders aiming to enhance their focus on areas of the business that truly matter. The book serves not only as a guide to personal productivity but also as a blueprint for cultivating a high-performance culture within an organisation.
July 23, 2023
The central premise of this book (which is revealed from the start) is that the majority of results arise mostly from a small amount of effort/decisions/inputs. The Principle (capital P), as put forward by the author and presented as a universal truth, is explained through a whole lot of selective statistics (cognitive bias anyone?), which is largely unnecessary (and tedious), as the Principle already makes a lot of sense, at least from a business point of view. It is ironic, however, that the author chooses to present this in such a repetitive, long-winded an unfocused manner. Half-way through the book, I almost gave up on the whole thing, half believing that it was the hidden intention of the author that as soon as the reader grasped the central concept, they should abandon the book, as the objective would then be reached with the minimum amount of effort.
The author uses a lot of (sometimes self-contradicting) examples, mostly taken from his own career, the portrayal of which reveals his privileged white male point of view. This is also evident in his examples and reasoning, which renders a lot of the arguments in his book quite hollow to anyone from a different background. In full seriousness (one must assume), he proposes that the solution to managing the many tedious administrative tasks in the day to day work life is to delegate such tasks to your personal secretary (problem solved!).
He also glorifies other privileged male managers who seem to have come from similar backgrounds, not remarking at all that perhaps their backgrounds and personal contact networks may have been a contributing factor to their success, in addition to their personal virtues.
A few of the chapters were geniunely useful, but I suspect the same insights may be gained elsewhere.
The author uses a lot of (sometimes self-contradicting) examples, mostly taken from his own career, the portrayal of which reveals his privileged white male point of view. This is also evident in his examples and reasoning, which renders a lot of the arguments in his book quite hollow to anyone from a different background. In full seriousness (one must assume), he proposes that the solution to managing the many tedious administrative tasks in the day to day work life is to delegate such tasks to your personal secretary (problem solved!).
He also glorifies other privileged male managers who seem to have come from similar backgrounds, not remarking at all that perhaps their backgrounds and personal contact networks may have been a contributing factor to their success, in addition to their personal virtues.
A few of the chapters were geniunely useful, but I suspect the same insights may be gained elsewhere.
May 20, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✩ (3.5)
Este mes leí El líder 80/20 de Richard Koch y me dejó reflexionando profundamente sobre cómo enfocamos nuestra energía como líderes.
La primera mitad me atrapó: ideas claras, preguntas provocadoras y un principio sencillo pero poderoso: “haz menos, logra más”.
Mis puntos favoritos:
El principio 80/20 aplicado a liderazgo: enfócate en lo que realmente genera impacto.
Frases subrayables como:
“El esfuerzo solo vale si va en la dirección correcta” o “El éxito es para quienes se atreven a ignorar lo innecesario.”
El capítulo del líder conector fue el que más me resonó. Me vi ahí: alguien que enlaza talentos, visiones y equipos para lograr resultados sostenibles.
Lo que no me convenció tanto:
A partir del 60%, el libro se vuelve repetitivo.
Sus conceptos aplican muy bien en empresas de servicios o entornos ágiles, pero no tanto en procesos productivos o de manufactura donde el margen de error no permite tanta flexibilidad.
¿Lo recomiendo?
Sí, especialmente si estás buscando simplificar, priorizar y liderar con más intención. Es un gran recordatorio de que el verdadero liderazgo no está en hacer más, sino en elegir mejor.
Este mes leí El líder 80/20 de Richard Koch y me dejó reflexionando profundamente sobre cómo enfocamos nuestra energía como líderes.
La primera mitad me atrapó: ideas claras, preguntas provocadoras y un principio sencillo pero poderoso: “haz menos, logra más”.
Mis puntos favoritos:
El principio 80/20 aplicado a liderazgo: enfócate en lo que realmente genera impacto.
Frases subrayables como:
“El esfuerzo solo vale si va en la dirección correcta” o “El éxito es para quienes se atreven a ignorar lo innecesario.”
El capítulo del líder conector fue el que más me resonó. Me vi ahí: alguien que enlaza talentos, visiones y equipos para lograr resultados sostenibles.
Lo que no me convenció tanto:
A partir del 60%, el libro se vuelve repetitivo.
Sus conceptos aplican muy bien en empresas de servicios o entornos ágiles, pero no tanto en procesos productivos o de manufactura donde el margen de error no permite tanta flexibilidad.
¿Lo recomiendo?
Sí, especialmente si estás buscando simplificar, priorizar y liderar con más intención. Es un gran recordatorio de que el verdadero liderazgo no está en hacer más, sino en elegir mejor.
April 15, 2023
Many companies give the highest priority to the urgent customer requests and to solving a “crisis” in a project. So it is not easy to stay inspired as a manager and keep the team inspired as well. That is why this book is here, it presents 10 ways to be able solve this puzzle.
Personally, I found three helpful chapters (the mentoring manager, the manager seeking meaning, and the simplifying manager). I do recommend reading this book, and I write below a quote from it to give you the vibe of what you’re going to read.
“You will often find that even the smartest and most creative people hide their light under the corporate bushel. If someone’s creative side is to flourish, they need to work in an honest, friendly, open environment.”
Personally, I found three helpful chapters (the mentoring manager, the manager seeking meaning, and the simplifying manager). I do recommend reading this book, and I write below a quote from it to give you the vibe of what you’re going to read.
“You will often find that even the smartest and most creative people hide their light under the corporate bushel. If someone’s creative side is to flourish, they need to work in an honest, friendly, open environment.”
August 1, 2021
This book was a great reminder for us to put the 80/20 principle in practice in order to achieve outstanding results. It explains the 80/20 theory very clearly: if we just put in 20% of our effort into doing a task, 80% of the results will already be obtained. It also elaborates on how we can apply this principle in our lives, from focusing on businesses’ key customers to extending our social network. That teaches us how to stop ourselves from overworking and guides us to a successful career and an accomplished life as a whole.
May 21, 2017
The principles discussed in the book are not ground-breaking, however, the way it is structured makes it easy to read and if you want jump from chapter to chapter. In trying to convey his idea the author uses real-life examples from his personal experience as management consultant. At times, the book becomes boring to read due to the too extensive examples, which don't really add much to the bottomline ideas.
All in all a good read, if read smartly :)
All in all a good read, if read smartly :)
February 17, 2019
I've been a big fan of Richard Koch's work ever since reading his original classic "The 80/20 Principle" which I only came to read because of Tim Ferris's "The 4-hour work week".
This book provides a good overview of the principle and then lays out some topics or tools that speak to the Principle in helping one become a better manager/leader.
This book provides a good overview of the principle and then lays out some topics or tools that speak to the Principle in helping one become a better manager/leader.
November 13, 2021
I picked up this book in hopes that it will teach me how to define or find the sources of success. How to tell that 20% of things from the rest. But the book has just confirmed that it is indeed a very important skill and then went into the long discussion of manager types. Maybe I was reading it wrong, but meh.
January 10, 2025
Whilst nothing in this book was terribly surprising I always find value in having the simple realities of life reiterated in a way I can connect with to refocus my efforts. I feel this book did that, making simple and effective methods accessible.
For anyone in a slump in their management career or wanting to improve the way they do things my view is this is a good place to start.
For anyone in a slump in their management career or wanting to improve the way they do things my view is this is a good place to start.
February 20, 2018
Not my style.
January 23, 2021
Very practical.
May 2, 2021
Un libro que muestra la clave de enfocarse en lo importante y urgente
February 2, 2022
It's not a bad book, but most of the ways have nothing to do with 80/20 at all. It starts off well, but the further into the book the more it strays away from its purpose.
March 8, 2024
I am a salesman and as a manager this book helps me a lot. Real gem; changed my life a lot.
February 11, 2017
It's a great book to remind you what is essential in the office after all. Responding tons of emails every day doesn't make you to feel excitement, nor will it fulfill you with satisfaction. But what will give you the sense of achievement then? The book is able to give many answers to that question and I believe it's worth to find out what might they be.
January 22, 2015
O livro entrega menos do que o título na capa promete. Ler o livro-base "O princípio 80/20" talvez seja mais proveitoso.
Pode ser útil como material didático em treinamentos para gerentes, principalmente aqueles que não fazem auto-gestão de suas carreiras, que não se dedicam à leitura sobre o tema.
Leitura indispensável não para gerentes, mas para quem deseja se tornar um ou para quem deseja conhecer melhor o perfil do seu chefe.
Pontos fortes do livro: abordagem curiosa sobre "o gerente com tempo de sobra" e polêmica sobre "o gerente preguiçoso".
Pontos fracos: explicação do princípio 80/20 por comparação em ramos específicos da indústria e do comércio impedindo a generalização e a planilha de "pre-avaliação" do gerente 80/20, onde é praticamente impossível iniciar na melhor qualificação graças a perguntas onde a resposta invariavelmente terá pontuação ruim.
Pode ser útil como material didático em treinamentos para gerentes, principalmente aqueles que não fazem auto-gestão de suas carreiras, que não se dedicam à leitura sobre o tema.
Leitura indispensável não para gerentes, mas para quem deseja se tornar um ou para quem deseja conhecer melhor o perfil do seu chefe.
Pontos fortes do livro: abordagem curiosa sobre "o gerente com tempo de sobra" e polêmica sobre "o gerente preguiçoso".
Pontos fracos: explicação do princípio 80/20 por comparação em ramos específicos da indústria e do comércio impedindo a generalização e a planilha de "pre-avaliação" do gerente 80/20, onde é praticamente impossível iniciar na melhor qualificação graças a perguntas onde a resposta invariavelmente terá pontuação ruim.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2016
Written primarily for managers, the insights that Koch posit can also be translated into other areas. Koch uses the 80/20 principle, roughly that while few things matter, those that do matter enormously (e.g. 80% of outputs come from 20% of inputs, 80% of profits come from 20% of customers). Not a mathematical formula, the idea that a few small changes can have disproportionate outcome are applied in 10 different ways. While this book may have greater application to those currently in management positions, I look forward to trying to apply some of the techniques in an attempt to have greater outcomes in life.
October 21, 2014
Titolo italiano fuorviante, il titolo originale è "The 80/20 Manager".
E infatti di questo si parla, del principio 80/20 applicato al management e delle dieci tipologie di manager di successo.
Seppur raramente si trovi riscontro in consigli pratici e si parli spesso della necessità di una buona dose di fortuna, ho trovato questo libro molto ricco di idee e riflessioni su quello che probabilmente sarà il metodo di lavoro del futuro: un buon bagaglio di conoscenza per la crescita personale in ambito lavorativo.
E infatti di questo si parla, del principio 80/20 applicato al management e delle dieci tipologie di manager di successo.
Seppur raramente si trovi riscontro in consigli pratici e si parli spesso della necessità di una buona dose di fortuna, ho trovato questo libro molto ricco di idee e riflessioni su quello che probabilmente sarà il metodo di lavoro del futuro: un buon bagaglio di conoscenza per la crescita personale in ambito lavorativo.
July 7, 2023
Easy to read, definitely a few chapters/ ways that peaked my interest immediately. Some of the ways detailed are easy to apply in everyday life, definitely a book to go back to.
February 25, 2018
Excellent read for managers and leaders. It offers practical insights to achieve more with less efforts, by focusing key managerial attributes and reshaping traditional day-to-day management.
It’s definitely one of my all-time favourite management books.
It’s definitely one of my all-time favourite management books.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews