The Carrot Principle: How the Best Managers Use Recognition to Engage Their People, Retain Talent, and Accelerate Performance [Updated & Revised]

Stick Management is out. Carrot management is in! The Carrot Principle offers proven strategies to help recognize and motivate your valued employees.

Since its original publication in 2007, the New York Times bestseller The Carrot Principle has received rave reviews in The Wall Street Journal, Fortune, and The New York Times, and has helped a host of managers to energize their teams, and companies to dramatically boost their business results. The book was even adopted by the prestigious FranklinCovey International training and consulting group for its leadership training. This updated edition couldn't come at a better time, as the economic downturn requires us all to come up with creative and cost-effective ways to stimulate growth and productivity.

Revealing the groundbreaking results of one of the most in-depth management studies ever undertaken, The Carrot Principle shows definitively that the central characteristic of the most successful managers is that they provide their employees with frequent and effective recognition. With independent results from HealthStream Research, and analysis by bestselling leadership experts Adrian Gostick and Chester Elton, this breakthrough study of 200,000 people over ten years found dramatically greater business results when managers offered constructive praise and meaningful rewards in ways that powerfully motivated employees to excel. These managers lead with carrots, not sticks, and in doing so achieve higher:

-Productivity
-Engagement
-Retention

In a new chapter, Gostick and Elton report on the results of an extensive study, conducted by leading research authority Towers Perrin, that confirms the extraordinary effectiveness of the Carrot Principle approach all around the globe.

Drawing on case studies from leading companies including Disney, DHL, KPMG, and Pepsi Bottling Group, Gostick and Elton show how the key to recognition done right is combining it with four other core traits of effective leadership. Gostick and Elton walk readers through exactly how to use the simple but powerful methods they have discovered all great managers use to provide their employees with this effective recognition, which can be learned easily and will produce immediate results.

Great recognition can be done in a matter of moments—and it doesn't take budget-busting amounts of money. Following these simple steps will make you a high-performance leader and take your team to a new level of achievement.

Adrian Gostick is the New York Times bestselling coauthor of The Best Team Wins, The Carrot Principle, and All In, which are sold in more than fifty countries around the world. He is a founder of the global training firm The Culture Works, with a focus in culture, teamwork, and employee motivation. Learn more at TheCultureWorks.com or CarrotGuys.com.

Chester Elton is coauthor of The Best Team Wins, The Carrot Principle, and All In, a popular lecturer, and an influential voice in global workplace trends. He is a founder of The Culture Works and advises the leadership teams of numerous Fortune 500 firms on cultural and teamwork issues. Learn more at TheCultureWorks.com or CarrotGuys.com.

ISBN: 9781439149171
Format: Hardback
Pages: 256
Publisher: Free Press
Published: April 07, 2009

"Gostick and Elton are the undisputed thought leaders in employee motivation and recognition. In The Carrot Principle, they not only provide the statistical proof that recognition will drive business results, but show how great organizations are using these tools to inspire performance." -- John Mullen, Global Chief Executive Officer, DHL Express "The Carrot Principle is a must-read for those who look to accelerate the performance of their organization with an engaged workforce. Gostick and Elton are right on the mark that the power of recognition is the key to winning with your people and your customers." -- Ron Nelson, Chairman & CEO, Avis Budget Group, Inc. "To succeed in today's ultracompetitive workplace, it is imperative that you have highly motivated people. The Carrot Principle provides managers with an exceptional tool to recognize people for their contributions to your success while outlining a process to perpetuate a culture of recognition throughout your entire organization." -- Corey A. Griffin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, The Boston Company Asset Management LLC (A Mellon Financial Company) "The Carrot Principle not only shows you why, but also how to use recognition and appreciation. This book, as part of your overall operating strategy, will help in obtaining and maintaining a highly motivated workforce that will drive your business toward success." -- Harry Paul, coauthor of Fish! A Remarkable Way to Boost Morale and Improve Results and Revved! An Incredible Way to Rev Up Your Workplace and Achieve Amazing Results "The Carrot Principle should be required reading for every CEO and aspiring CEO, manager and aspiring manager, every business school student in the world, and every basketball coach. This is the premier prescriptive book on recognition, revealing not only why, but also providing a road map about how." -- Scott O'Neil, Senior Vice President, Team Marketing and Business Operations, National Basketball Association