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Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers
How to develop an all-star staff, even if you don’t know the first thing about managing “Your employees are, like you and me, flawed and hopeful human beings whose success is at least partly dependent on your skill as a manager, human beings who will thrive with skillful and consistent attention and wither without it.” Erika Andersen has helped some of the best-managed companies in the world develop their employees. Now she explains how to stay ahead of the competition by investing in your people. You’ll discover • Listening is your most powerful asset. Use it to motivate and build commitment. • Everything you know about interviewing is wrong. Discover what you really need in a potential employee. • Successful companies hire for keeps. Get people feeling like part of the team from day one. Whether you’re a first-time manager or a senior executive, Andersen will help you create a dynamic workplace, where the efforts you make today will blossom into success for years to come.
316 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2006
63 people are currently reading
4352 people want to read
About the author
Erika Andersen
14 books49 followersErika Andersen is the founding partner of Proteus, a coaching, consulting, and training firm that focuses on leader readiness. For almost forty years, Erika has developed a reputation for creating approaches to learning and business-building that are tailored to her clients’ challenges, goals, and culture.
She and her colleagues at Proteus focus uniquely on helping leaders at all levels get ready and stay ready to meet whatever the future might bring. Much of her recent work
has focused on organizational visioning and strategy, executive coaching, and management and leadership development. In these capacities
she serves as consultant and adviser to the CEOs and/or top executives of a number of corporations, including Spotify, Facebook, Spectrum, Novartis, Revolt Media, and CBS Sports.
Erika shares her insights about creating and leading successful businesses by speaking to corporations, nonprofit groups, and associations. Her books and learning guides have been translated into Spanish, Turkish, German, French, Russian, and Chinese, and she has contributed to and been quoted in a variety of national publications, including the Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and the New York Times.
Erika is also a popular leadership contributor at Forbes.com. In addition to Change from the Inside Out, she is the author of Be Bad First— Get Good at Things FAST to Stay Ready for the Future; Leading So People Will Follow; Being Strategic: Plan for Success; Outthink Your
Competitors; Stay Ahead of Change; and Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers. Finally, Erika is the author and host of the Proteus Leader Show, a regular podcast that offers
quick, practical support for managers and leaders.
She and her colleagues at Proteus focus uniquely on helping leaders at all levels get ready and stay ready to meet whatever the future might bring. Much of her recent work
has focused on organizational visioning and strategy, executive coaching, and management and leadership development. In these capacities
she serves as consultant and adviser to the CEOs and/or top executives of a number of corporations, including Spotify, Facebook, Spectrum, Novartis, Revolt Media, and CBS Sports.
Erika shares her insights about creating and leading successful businesses by speaking to corporations, nonprofit groups, and associations. Her books and learning guides have been translated into Spanish, Turkish, German, French, Russian, and Chinese, and she has contributed to and been quoted in a variety of national publications, including the Harvard Business Review, Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and the New York Times.
Erika is also a popular leadership contributor at Forbes.com. In addition to Change from the Inside Out, she is the author of Be Bad First— Get Good at Things FAST to Stay Ready for the Future; Leading So People Will Follow; Being Strategic: Plan for Success; Outthink Your
Competitors; Stay Ahead of Change; and Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers. Finally, Erika is the author and host of the Proteus Leader Show, a regular podcast that offers
quick, practical support for managers and leaders.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
March 29, 2008
At the risk being completely self-aggrandizing: I wrote this book and think it's really quite good!
;-)
Erika
;-)
Erika
August 18, 2019
Useful tips plus a set of interesting notes to dig into. I can recommend this to anyone looking for what the main part of the title literally offers.
September 27, 2019
Good book to have a look at! Especially last few chapters where it provides some practical ways of dealing with different types of employees
January 28, 2026
Growing Great Employees: Turning Ordinary People into Extraordinary Performers by Erika Andersen is a book a friend and coworker loaned me. It’s sort of a joke, sort of not. The management where we work sucks and she thought it would be funny to get this book (purchased used for a few dollars) and send it to the director with a note—read this!!! I had a minor surgical procedure last week and brought this book to read. I finished it because there’s not a lot to it if you skim the nonsense (all her gardening metaphors!). It’s not a bad book for managers to use; in fact I’d say there’s a lot of helpful advice—it's just the author thinks she is hilarious and she’s not.
GGE is written for management to find, develop and retain employees who are successful. This in turn makes management look good and the company prosper. I work at a nonprofit (I’m going to be vague here) and some of the advice she gives is out of my local management’s control. But most isn’t.
The author is a gardener. Probably a Master Gardener. (Yes, if you don’t know, that is a thing.) And I like gardening. But if you are not a gardener or don’t give a shovel full of manure about growing and planting, you may find the book difficult. All her chapter titles are plant-focused: “Preparing the Soil,” “Picking Your Plants,” “Staking and Weeding”...you get the idea. Andersen will also start every chapter with an imaginary discussion with a friend having garden difficulties. That gets old too and I began skimming the opening paragraphs of every chapter. The author also created several scenarios based on the skill she’s trying to explain. The imaginary characters and their conversations are funny/awkward. I think she writes romances in her spare time.
Andersen outlines how to “grow” excellent employees by knowing how to interview, who to interview (what characteristics/skills you are looking for), how to use active listening to train your employees, and how to encourage your employees to prosper and expand their skills. As an employee (and past supervisor), I think a lot of what she has to say makes sense and shows respect for employees as individuals—not merely cogs to build into the corporate machine.
The book is 20 years old, so that means some of her scenarios are dated. To demonstrate the concept of “creating core competencies” (matching the best employees to positions they are most likely to excel in), she created Jorge, a GM of a company called SENSIA. SENSIA is a rapidly growing company that makes (wait for it) portable DVD players. Wow, are they going to be bummed out in less than a decade. Despite that, the ideas she puts forth are good ones. Although her joke of having Jorge be a reader of a book called Growing Great Employees and wanting to try out its strategies is a bit much. Get over yourself, Erika Andersen. You’re not John Barth.
I don’t know if my coworker and excellent friend will (anonymously) give this to management where we both (miserably) work, and even if she does, I doubt they will read it. But for any other managers or supervisors out there who do give a rat’s ass, I recommend this (despite Jorge and his DVD business).
GGE is written for management to find, develop and retain employees who are successful. This in turn makes management look good and the company prosper. I work at a nonprofit (I’m going to be vague here) and some of the advice she gives is out of my local management’s control. But most isn’t.
The author is a gardener. Probably a Master Gardener. (Yes, if you don’t know, that is a thing.) And I like gardening. But if you are not a gardener or don’t give a shovel full of manure about growing and planting, you may find the book difficult. All her chapter titles are plant-focused: “Preparing the Soil,” “Picking Your Plants,” “Staking and Weeding”...you get the idea. Andersen will also start every chapter with an imaginary discussion with a friend having garden difficulties. That gets old too and I began skimming the opening paragraphs of every chapter. The author also created several scenarios based on the skill she’s trying to explain. The imaginary characters and their conversations are funny/awkward. I think she writes romances in her spare time.
Andersen outlines how to “grow” excellent employees by knowing how to interview, who to interview (what characteristics/skills you are looking for), how to use active listening to train your employees, and how to encourage your employees to prosper and expand their skills. As an employee (and past supervisor), I think a lot of what she has to say makes sense and shows respect for employees as individuals—not merely cogs to build into the corporate machine.
The book is 20 years old, so that means some of her scenarios are dated. To demonstrate the concept of “creating core competencies” (matching the best employees to positions they are most likely to excel in), she created Jorge, a GM of a company called SENSIA. SENSIA is a rapidly growing company that makes (wait for it) portable DVD players. Wow, are they going to be bummed out in less than a decade. Despite that, the ideas she puts forth are good ones. Although her joke of having Jorge be a reader of a book called Growing Great Employees and wanting to try out its strategies is a bit much. Get over yourself, Erika Andersen. You’re not John Barth.
I don’t know if my coworker and excellent friend will (anonymously) give this to management where we both (miserably) work, and even if she does, I doubt they will read it. But for any other managers or supervisors out there who do give a rat’s ass, I recommend this (despite Jorge and his DVD business).
April 30, 2011
Perhaps I've read too many business book recently. The most important step in "Growing Great Employees" is to listen to them, really listen. I did like the fact that the way she organized the book you could read the first paragraph and skim the entire chapter and then read a chapter summary at the end, it made for a real quick read.
May 29, 2011
This is a fantastic practical management book. It does not provide theory but rather a clear guide for some of the biggest management challenges: hiring the right people, providing feedback, delegating, coaching and firing. It provides helpful frameworks, exercises and clear examples. I think the best results would come from reading this book quickly the first time and then referring back to it when facing a management challenge. I thought the gardening metaphor was going to get repetitive or annoying, but Erika is a strong writer and uses the metaphor well throughout the book. Major kudos for writing a practical management book that provides guidance for some of the most common, challenging management issues.
September 26, 2014
Great work
I wish I read this 12 years ago, once I was about to be promoted to manager position. This book covers all things a manager needs to know and deals with. And the book also suggests frameworks, principle to make it work effectively and positively.
I wish I read this 12 years ago, once I was about to be promoted to manager position. This book covers all things a manager needs to know and deals with. And the book also suggests frameworks, principle to make it work effectively and positively.
January 31, 2020
This book is one of the more practical leadership books I’ve read. I love the “try it yourself” sections. I’ve found myself already using her suggestions at work.
December 9, 2017
Если с места в карьер, то впечатления от книги следующие - однозначно читать всем, у кого есть люди в подчинении (явном или условном). Более того, навыки формирования обратной связи, делегирования, создания договоренностей очень полезны в любой совместной деятельности в принципе (семья, некоммерческий проект, развитие дружеских отношений). В книге есть простые и понятные решения по тому, как развивать сотрудников, как решать возникающие проблемы, как предупреждать эти проблемы. Очень полезными являются конкретные диалоги и примеры в контексте рабочих ситуаций. Иногда немного затянуто, но в целом очень практично и применимо. Есть ли что-то революционное в книге - то, что я не смог бы придумать самостоятельно? Скорее нет, чем да. Но! она дает множество фреймворков и за тебя создает структуру взаимодействия. Самостоятельно этого обычно не делаешь - не хватает времени, энергии, где-то уверенности. Просто прочитать книгу не достаточно, на мой взгляд, ее нужно обработать и превратить в инструментарий - рабочий «портфельчик», который ты достаешь в случае конкретных проблем. Лично я сделал это с помощью структурирующего майнд-мэпа. Думаю, что мы в Юниум сделаем большой тираж этой книги и будем помогать с ее помощью расти всем новым (и не только) руководителям
December 7, 2015
An excellent primer into the world of managing employees, Andersen employs an effective (if not occasionally tortured) metaphor of gardening to show, from start to finish, how a good manager leads and nurtures their team. I thought the frequent exercises were very helpful to get the reader off their theoretical duff and actually practicing some of the concepts explained and I particularly enjoyed the model Andersen employed, including the Learning Path.
As a trainer, I was interested in her discussion of the various social styles, as our department works with all the other members of the organization and thus we are called to be flexible in our style (which is certainly not an easy trait and requires some mastery, which Andersen addresses at the end of the book).
I think this book could be a great text for the novice as well as the veteran manager and I could see it being the type of work that managers who want to excel in their role will refer to throughout their career.
As a trainer, I was interested in her discussion of the various social styles, as our department works with all the other members of the organization and thus we are called to be flexible in our style (which is certainly not an easy trait and requires some mastery, which Andersen addresses at the end of the book).
I think this book could be a great text for the novice as well as the veteran manager and I could see it being the type of work that managers who want to excel in their role will refer to throughout their career.
February 18, 2012
This book will not be for everyone. The author steps through things in a very logical, ordered process and leaves lot of room for you to apply the concepts to your own life with "exercises". I found the writing style clear and engaging. Some will probably find it pedantic and repetitive.
Which is their loss because this book is chock full of really good advice. From hiring to firing, making agreements to the dreaded delegation, coaching and more, this book lays out straighforward plans for helping grow your employees and create a highly productive team.
Which is their loss because this book is chock full of really good advice. From hiring to firing, making agreements to the dreaded delegation, coaching and more, this book lays out straighforward plans for helping grow your employees and create a highly productive team.
February 3, 2019
Full of practical frameworks you can apply immediately
It was refreshing to read this book and not be exposed to the same management advice that most other books have.
The specific frameworks accompanied with documented conversations make this book incredibly effective.
It was refreshing to read this book and not be exposed to the same management advice that most other books have.
The specific frameworks accompanied with documented conversations make this book incredibly effective.
November 17, 2020
Manage your employees at your company like you manage your plants in your garden! Well, not exactly, but it is indeed a fascinating metaphor that is mentioned throughout the book.
"Growing Great Employees" by Erika Andersen is a unique management book that uses references to gardening as a guide to managing employees in your company. The author gives several simplified tips on management, most of which are backed up by her personal experiences in managing people as examples. She also provides 'Try It Out' sections within each chapter, where she encourages the reader to write notes and ideas for action based on the discussions in the respective chapter.
Readers will notice lots of emphasis put on the idea of coaching. The book is constructed around the idea of getting to know the employees enough first so that you, as a manager, can coach them and help them grow in a good work environment, like how plants grow in well-tended gardens. There are even parts of the book that discuss the dreaded scenario of dismissing troublesome employees, which can be thought of as getting rid of bad plants that take up unnecessary space in a garden.
Bear in mind that this book is aimed at individuals who are already managing employees. If you are a freelancer or not yet a manager of employees, you probably would be better off using the managerial tips in the book with others in your life instead. Still, the book is a good resource if you are aiming to become a manager or if you are training to be one.
Overall, "Growing Great Employees" is a creative management book that readers will enjoy if they want to read something that is quite different from the bunch of typical serious management books out there. Recommended to managers and business book readers.
"Growing Great Employees" by Erika Andersen is a unique management book that uses references to gardening as a guide to managing employees in your company. The author gives several simplified tips on management, most of which are backed up by her personal experiences in managing people as examples. She also provides 'Try It Out' sections within each chapter, where she encourages the reader to write notes and ideas for action based on the discussions in the respective chapter.
Readers will notice lots of emphasis put on the idea of coaching. The book is constructed around the idea of getting to know the employees enough first so that you, as a manager, can coach them and help them grow in a good work environment, like how plants grow in well-tended gardens. There are even parts of the book that discuss the dreaded scenario of dismissing troublesome employees, which can be thought of as getting rid of bad plants that take up unnecessary space in a garden.
Bear in mind that this book is aimed at individuals who are already managing employees. If you are a freelancer or not yet a manager of employees, you probably would be better off using the managerial tips in the book with others in your life instead. Still, the book is a good resource if you are aiming to become a manager or if you are training to be one.
Overall, "Growing Great Employees" is a creative management book that readers will enjoy if they want to read something that is quite different from the bunch of typical serious management books out there. Recommended to managers and business book readers.
January 16, 2020
Amazing guide, very basic but easy concepts to understand.
September 18, 2020
Some really good chapters but most of the other book is not worth reading.
Read
March 6, 2021*skimmed*
I hated the garden metaphor. Did not find the material to be groundbreaking in any way.
I hated the garden metaphor. Did not find the material to be groundbreaking in any way.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2022
Very practical tips and tricks to deal with employees. Every starting manager should read this and with that the management level already would rise drastically.
June 26, 2022
Very practical and insightful book for managers. It offers step for common issues while leading a team and how to deal with it. Manager should read this.
May 11, 2023
Very practical and easy to digest.
September 10, 2020
If you are a manager, aspire to be a manager, have a manager, can spell manager, can read... then read this book. I thought, being a guy that doesn't care about gardening, that this book would be a drag. I was wrong. Great practical tips on better management.
May 23, 2008
It's a self-improvement style business book ... can you really ever give such a book more than three stars? Yet you may get something useful from it, an a-ha, a shift in perspective (or, if on a more profound topic than this or from a more profound writer than Erika Andersen) a complete paradigmatic twisting 1/2 pike ... but it's never a great "book." I guess what I'm getting at is that these types of books are judged very pragmatically. Do you manage people? Do you feel like there are skills involved in that, things that you actually need to formalize and practice? Do you feel like relationship oriented stuff in the workplace interferes with your ability to get right traction ... either too much friction or to much slippage? Then read it ... it'll take four hours to read and absorb and then as many hours to actually practice as you care to devote.
January 27, 2014
First, Andersen grinds your face into the people-management-as-gardening metaphor on every single page. It's tedious, but also illustrative, so I'll cut some slack here.
Although I understand this was a comprehensive book on management, I would've been personally interested in less on hiring and more on managing people. However, considering the information provided on hiring is really good, this is a quibble.
Probably not destined to be my personal management bible, but a helpful read nonetheless.
Although I understand this was a comprehensive book on management, I would've been personally interested in less on hiring and more on managing people. However, considering the information provided on hiring is really good, this is a quibble.
Probably not destined to be my personal management bible, but a helpful read nonetheless.
August 4, 2014
Desde Leader Summaries recomendamos la lectura del libro Desarrollar empleados extraordinarios, de Erika Andersen.
Las personas interesadas en las siguientes temáticas lo encontrarán práctico y útil: recursos humanos, atraer, motivar y retener a los empleados.
En el siguiente enlace tienes el resumen del libro Desarrollar empleados extraordinarios, 6 habilidades imprescindibles para dirigir personas en las organizaciones: Desarrollar empleados extraordinarios
Las personas interesadas en las siguientes temáticas lo encontrarán práctico y útil: recursos humanos, atraer, motivar y retener a los empleados.
En el siguiente enlace tienes el resumen del libro Desarrollar empleados extraordinarios, 6 habilidades imprescindibles para dirigir personas en las organizaciones: Desarrollar empleados extraordinarios
August 7, 2015
Great resource with simple common sense ideas about employee guidance and growth. It is an enjoyable read with information that is applicable at all levels of development. I learned some good ideas that I can apply to myself as an employee communicating to my boss my needs, so that was an added value as well.
January 14, 2013
Lleno de herramientas practicas de management que de verdad se pueden usar en el dia a dia en la oficina. Estas herramientas son excelentes y estan descritas usando plantillas y guias paso a paso que las hacen usables inmediatamente.
June 29, 2015
Much like plants in a beautiful garden, employees require the right care and skill from their managers in order for them to flourish. If you can consciously and skillfully tend to them, you will witness positive growth and productivity spread throughout your company.
October 19, 2022
I am not someone, who reads management books, typically. This one has some interesting tidbits for me. That being said, I am not sure how to evaluate it, since I haven't read extensively in this area.
May 15, 2008
Definitely some excellent insights into differing work personalities and developing your employees. At times a little to process oriented, but I imagine some will find that quite useful.
April 14, 2011
This was my pick for my class. Fairly elementary, but I did like the gardening references.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews