O Great One!: A Little Story About the Awesome Power of Recognition

by David C. Novak, Christa Bourg

Jeff took a deep breath to calm down. He was about to stand in front of the employees of the Happy Face Toy Company’s faltering Cleveland factory. As the new CEO, he’d been advised to close this factory as soon as possible, but he wanted to see it first. “How hard could this be?” he wondered, gathering the courage to ask them about their jobs.
 
He had no idea what he was in for. 

When was the last time you told your colleagues how much you value them? It sounds like a trivial thing in the middle of a busy work day. But as David Novak discovered during his years as a hard charging executive, there’s nothing trivial about recognition. It can make a life-or-death difference to any organization, when people see that someone important really notices and appreciates their contributions.
 
Rather than explain the power of recognition in a typical business book, Novak decided to write a fun story that draws on his real-world experiences at Pepsi and Yum! Brands, as well as his personal life.
 
The story opens when Jeff Johnson becomes the third-generation CEO of his family business, after the sudden death of his father. The Happy Face Toy Company had many hits in the 1950s and 60s, including Crazy Paste, but its results have been declining for more than a decade. The board has given Jeff just one year to turn the business around, or else they’ll have to sell it to the highest bidder.
 
As Jeff races to save his family’s legacy by getting the company back on track, he meets downtrodden factory workers and an uninspired executive team. Then a birthday gift from his own grandson gives Jeff an important insight into why Happy Face lost its old culture of innovation and excitement, along with its profitability.  Jeff comes up with an idea that seems crazy… But is it crazy enough to work? 
 
Whether you’re trying to lead a small department, a Fortune 500 company, a non-profit, or your own family, the lessons at the heart of O Great One! can help you make everyone around you happier and more effective.

Genres: Business, Leadership, Self Help, Nonfiction, Personal Development

240 pages, Hardcover

First published May 10, 2016

About the author

David Novak is the Co-Founder, retired Chairman and CEO of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE:YUM), one of the world’s largest restaurant companies with restaurants in more than 135 countries and territories. Under his 17-year leadership, Yum! Brands doubled in size to over 45,000 restaurants and grew from a 4 billion to a 32 billion dollar market cap.

David is the founder of David Novak Leadership, the parent organization to four nonprofits dedicated to developing leaders at every stage of life — from preschool to the C-suite and everywhere in between. He is also the host of the top-ranked business podcast, How Leaders Lead with David Novak.

David has been recognized as “CEO of the Year” by Chief Executive magazine, one of the world’s “30 Best CEOs” by Barron’s, one of the “Top People in Business” by FORTUNE and one of the “100 Best-Performing CEOs in the World” by Harvard Business Review.

Reviews

[Cathy Sites · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tad corny (ok, a lot of corn goes into this one) but the principle of making sure people know you are watching, that you really SEE them, and that you care is a good one. When you are being sincere, saying thank you in a meaningful way goes a long way.

[hemlet kiai · Rating 4 out of 5]

truly inspiring! recognition something we take for granted until someone is dead. the 10 guiding principles is great!

[Mollie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read for work, definitely some interesting nuggets but overall a very straightforward message. Very quick read.

[Pablo Soler · Rating 3 out of 5]

A tad corny granted the subject called for that however such an easy read will show in simple ways the power of making the people feel seen, that you care, When you are being sincere, saying thank you in a meaningful way goes a long way.

[Winai Nadee · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is the benefits of a doubt that make me finish reading this book. I've been worked for some organisations and found that recognition always has two sides of effects. This book surprisingly shows both examples. By getting through chapters in this book, it is proved that recognition is just a silver bullet with no impact at all. This silver bullet needs gunpowder and of course the right gunslinger who can quickly fire a shot directly to the right target.

[Eric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set as a fable, this easy to read book follows Jeff, an IT success who is appointed to take over the failing toy company his grandfather created. Jeff quickly learns that his employees possess low morale and disinterest which is ultimately impacting the company's ability to be successful. As a result Jeff implements a cultural change focusing on recognition, wins over his reluctant and questioning management team, and institutes a 10 point recognition plan.

Again, I enjoyed this book immensely, and found it quite simple to read, and was able to complete the book in less than 2 hours. The nice aspect of the story as a fictionalized tale, is that I believe that is has been easier to remember the 10 main points.

[J. Ewbank · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book by Novak is an excellent book on motivation by using the awesome power of recognition. Rather than discuss or sermonize on how recognition can change our relationships in business Novak tells a story about how recognition is changing a company. Reminds me of a book I read long ago but do not remember the title. It is amazing that the power of a story is able to convey the power of recognition. Recognition is not just for business but really can and should be a part of our daily lives in our families and whenever we are with others. Received it from Goodreads giveaway.

J. Robert Ewbank author "John Wesley, Natural Man, and the Isms" "Wesley's Wars" "To Whom It May Concern" and "Tell Me About the United Methodist Church"

[Wellington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forgetting to choose a book to bring to the my toddler's play date at the library, I just chose the most interesting book on the new book shelf and here I am < 16 hours later writing the review.

With a hero and a fairy tale of obstacles and characters to overcome, it's more of a fable than a book. It's agreeable fable that will leave a pleasant taste in your mouth, though won't give you much to chew on.

[caryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

People forget the power of recognition. It's not the only factor for success but it is a key one.
I've actually ordered a few copies to share with coalition members to determine how we can utilize recognition with our board.
It also perfectly aligns with the Social Development Strategy which we teach in the community. :)

[Gela · Rating 4 out of 5]

"First Reads Goodreads Win"

This book is awesome! It's very motivational and inspiring. I think all business owners should read this and it should replace, "The Seven habits of highly effective people" that government jobs love to push so damn much.

[Jane Abo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I only wish there was a way for every administrator in my school to make this mandatory reading.
I loved every moment of this inspiring story. It reinforces my beliefs and would work for anyone in so many levels.

I just finished it and started it again!

[Maribel · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a powerful book! I'm getting this for the leaders in my life!

[Alan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and powerful!!!

OGO is an awesome book! It's a quick and easy read which will make you feel good from start to finish. Anyone interested in business will be better for it!

[Paiman Chen · Rating 4 out of 5]

10 Guid­ing Prin­ci­ples” of Recog­ni­tion

To ben­e­fit your most out­stand­ing em­ploy­ees and your en­tire com­pany, put these 10 basic prin­ci­ples of recog­ni­tion to work at your or­ga­ni­za­tion:

“Peo­ple won’t care about you if you don’t care about them” – Demon­strate that your em­ploy­ees are im­por­tant and that you want them to suc­ceed.
“The best way to show peo­ple you care is to lis­ten to them” – You can’t cater to other peo­ple’s needs, wants and hopes if you don’t know their goals. So lis­ten. Each per­son has a spe­cial con­tri­bu­tion to make.
“A great idea can come from any­where” – The best ideas don’t al­ways pop up from the most ac­com­plished, ex­pe­ri­enced lead­ers. Peo­ple at sub­sidiary lev­els often sug­gest in­no­v­a­tive con­cepts be­cause they best un­der­stand the firm’s processes in their areas.
“Rec­og­nize great work and great ideas” – Recog­ni­tion en­cour­ages more su­pe­rior work and makes peo­ple ex­cited about de­vel­op­ing and sub­mit­ting high-quality ideas.
“Make recog­ni­tion a cat­a­lyst for re­sults” – Hon­or­ing pos­i­tive re­sults sparks fur­ther su­pe­rior ef­fort. Base recog­ni­tion on gen­uine, im­pres­sive re­sults. Rec­og­niz­ing peo­ple for any­thing less – for ex­am­ple, long terms of ser­vice – cheap­ens your recog­ni­tion of mean­ing­ful ac­com­plish­ments. But do throw par­ties to rec­og­nize em­ploy­ees with lengthy tenures.
“Make it fun” – “Take the busi­ness se­ri­ously, but not your­self.” Make your recog­ni­tion events en­joy­able for every­one. Your recog­ni­tion events should in­volve every­one and raise the over­all level of en­thu­si­asm. “Cre­ate shared ex­pe­ri­ences that are fun.”
“Make it per­sonal” – Plaques and cer­tifi­cates of achieve­ment are too im­per­sonal. They imply min­i­mum con­sid­er­a­tion about the per­son re­ceiv­ing the award. Make your token of recog­ni­tion orig­i­nal, mem­o­rable and per­fectly suited for the re­cip­i­ent.
“Recog­ni­tion is uni­ver­sal” – Every­one – no mat­ter his or her gen­der, eth­nic­ity, re­li­gion or age – loves to be rec­og­nized for a job well done.
“Giv­ing recog­ni­tion is a priv­i­lege” – Hon­or­ing oth­ers is a re­ward for them and for you.
“Say thank you every chance you get” – “The two most pow­er­ful words in the Eng­lish lan­guage are ‘thank’ and ‘you.’ They are easy to say and it doesn’t cost you a thing.”

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some good points in the book I could relate to, such as ensuring recognition isn't "the flavor of the month", and is indeed a long term strategy. Also the VP of sales claimed that his department was constantly looking for "that magic bullet", which would change things overnight-which (as one who has been in sales for 20+ years), know rarely works (and I have often tried). Underlying behaviors/attitudes are the only thing that can really increase sales. Finally, the other countries "not getting it", was realistic-such as India giving an award for seniority instead of achievement, and even more so, Australia setting a quota on recognition.

That said, the book, which tried to fit the One Minute Manager or Fish genre of simple fictional stories teaching life lessons, didn't really leave me with much of a positive impression. The book was longer than either of those books-and the book seemed to look condescendingly upon the underlings-as "recognition-I never thought of that!" Plus in the real world, egos come into play--why wasn't I recognized? I work harder then ____, or worse-gossip-of course he she was recognized, he/she is also sleeping with the boss.

[Tanen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I genuinely enjoyed this book! And it’s a business/leadership book! It was well paced, cleanly written, and actually fun to read. I worried based on the blurb that it would be treacly or patronizing but it was neither. There was plenty of practicality along with the more lofty guiding principles and along with the overarching message it was really interesting to get some c-suite leadership perspective. Seeing how the CEO thought about each of his people was really interesting. I did think it was a little problematic that at first he thought the two women on his team would be the hardest to persuade (especially since this was a somewhat fictionalized account) but appreciated the cultural sensitivity shown in later chapters. Overall I’d recommend this book and will honestly be trying to apply the main principles to my management practices.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

A terrific story about the power of recognition. It flows quickly through the story, hitting on the important points without any fluff. I thought the conversations the main character has with others, and his thoughts, feelings, and struggles while coming up with, rolling out, and championing his new idea felt very realistic. The book, in a real clear and human way, shows important recognition is. Much better than an article or a textbook that simply tells you.

[Jeremy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book drives home one point and one point alone: The underlying message that in any organisation, project or group, it is all about the people, and they need to know they are valued.

Sounds like a relatively simplistic idea; it's not. To design an organisation around this is harder than one could imagine. I like how the story brings this entire execution alive; with equal part drama and realism.

[Chad Schultz · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's ok
Recognition and gratitude are essential in the workplace, and underutilized by almost every manager.
But making a short business fable to illustrate this, instead of using real-world science and case studies strikes me oddly, as does a grandparent insisting the kids refer to him as "O Great One."
Still, any reminder to people, especially managers, to give praise and recognition is welcome.

[Cynthia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A business book that reads like a children's story. Its a fast read with powerful implications for your business and team when you really understand the value of recognition and what it does for those around you when their imput and work is valued! It challenges me to see how I can recognize more people around me for what they are contributing to the team.

[Tyra · Rating 2 out of 5]

What should have been a fast, easy read about the power of recognition turned into a grueling, slow-paced, are we ever going to finish this book due to the pace set by managment and postponed meetings about it.

Our company is implementing many of the strategies and people truly do like to be recognized when they do something right.

[Puttipong Thumperawat · Rating 5 out of 5]

แทนที่จะเป็นหนังสือ how-to ทั่วไป ผู้เขียนเลือกที่จะเล่าเป็นละครที่มีสถานการณ์ต่างๆ และวิธีการที่ตัวเอกใช้ในการแก้ปัญหาตามหลักการ 10 ข้อของหนังสือเล่มนี้ เพื่อให้ผู้อ่านสามารถเข้าใจวิธีการนำไปใช้ได้อย่างถูกต้องและเหมาะสม

ใครที่กำลังหาแนวทางในการพัฒนาองค์กร หนังสือเล่มนี้น่าจะช่วยชี้แนวทางได้ไม่มากก็น้อยครับ

[Shelby Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whole lot of corny :) But also great content and quick read on how you can make sure you are recognizing those who deserve it and how this can help develop you into a better leader. I read this as part of the OGoLead leadership class I am working through and found beautiful little nuggets of items I can implement in my own leadership style at work.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I generally like these business lessons told through the lens of a story but this one felt stale somehow. I can’t point specifically to a why this would be the case but it was (for me). However I do recognize the importance of recognition in the workplace and in life in general. It was a quick read and a good reminder that we should recognize others whenever we can.

[Jen Bruggeman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great ideas can come from anywhere.
Leaders must be willing to accept they are wrong and don't know everything.
Say "thank you" as often as possible.
Recognize accomplishments and acts that further the organization's cause.

[Karen Breda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great motivational book that every manager should read. The importance of being recognized is never stated enough. My daughter is currently in the journalism school gifted with this author's name. I believe they practice what he preaches.

[Brian Rashap · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been practicing the idea of showing genuine appreciation for my organization of 300 people.. the book provided the inspiration for my direct staff of 18 senior managers and individual contributors to go do wonderful things for their employees. A must read for any leader.

[Judey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy to read and well told- I liked this much better than other business fables (Who Moved My Cheese- I'm looking at you!)
Shows the power of sincere recognition of efforts, not just focusing on results, to move relationships and companies forward.

[Trisha Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesomeness! Inspiring! The power of Recognition!

I liked how the author used this story to show how recognition is universal. Bringing to life examples of the goods and bads...definitely a worthwhile read.

[Rick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a powerful concept and yet so under utilized in business today. Having had the opportunity to see Mr Novak speak, I feel that he walks the walk as well. We could all stand to put into practice his 10 principles of recognition. Take the short time to read it you won't be disappointed.