Please Don't Just Do What I Tell You! Do What Needs to Be Done: Every Employee's Guide to Making Work More Rewarding

by Bob Nelson, Kenneth H. Blanchard (Foreword)

The author of the million-copy-selling 1001 Ways series shows how to get ahead by fulfilling every employers ultimate expectation. This book contains a clear message: Every boss wants an effective worker to do what most needs to be done without having to be asked. Simple? Perhaps. Easy? Not on your life. But thanks to Bob Nelson, employers and employees everywhere will be empowered by this vital message, and in the process achieve their goals and create a mutually rewarding experience. As brief, to the point, and inspiring as his previous best-selling titles, Nelsons commonsense advice can be applied to any situation, from the mailroom to the boardroom, and is illustrated with a wide array of examples and anecdotes from real life. Helping readers tap into their own intelligence, resourcefulness, and pride, Nelson demonstrates how acts of initiative both big and small can make an enormous difference in the way an employee is viewed--and rewarded--by his or her boss; he also shows how the effects of those actions benefit the entire organization. It's a perfect first day on the job book; a useful resource for any HR department; and a worthwhile investment for anyone who wants to learn more and go farther in a job, in a career, and in life.

Genres: Business, Management, Nonfiction, Self Help

140 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Jon Nakapalau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight into a proactively integrated work force that will have workers and managers setting goals that both will accept as fair and balanced. Goal alinement is one aspect of management that is often misunderstood; expectations have to be agreed upon before the problem/project is addressed; if not there will be no way to address all the benchmarks that will change with group assessed responsibilities.

[Mel Rufano · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars
Short, sweet and to the point. Practical advice for anyone, regardless of current employment status or position.
I had to read this for a class/lecture at work and I found it to be basic yet informative. It hits on both positive and negative points, and, though it includes a few short anecdotes, steers mostly away from sounding too “new age” or “self-help”. The advice is pretty timeless. (Not bad for a book published 18 years ago!)

[Michael Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based on the idea that you shouldn't just do what is being told you need to do what needs to be done. Bob Nelson writes to the general public about this book in ways to not only accept what is being asked of you as a worker but to challenge it. Find ways to go above and beyond by pushing yourself as an employee. The book itself is a very easy read and is a few pages over a hundred so I feel that this is a great suggestion to get you thinking about where you are in your career. The overall feel of the book was great and many suggestions will be taken and observed in my own career and I would suggest to do the same.

[Jerel Bonner]

This book is a must read for anyone finishing school and getting ready to enter the work force. It will really help them learn how to plan their lives.

This book is filled with many actionable and doable ideas, and can be a great resource for a manager, that wants to give some advise to a direct report on what to change.

Only a short 100 pages long, this book can be read before you finish a cup of coffee.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

I used this book to help me develop an 8 hour team building day for my staff. It brought up some useful items, many of which I felt were obvious but it made me realize that some employees need more help than others in being successful in their jobs. The United States Navy has used this on their professional reading list previously.

[Vikas Agarwal · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is based on how to improve your job profile and life. it more speaks about the way you should do the work which you feel you should do. Its a very less time taking book so any one can finish it in couple of hours.

[Igor Santos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muito bom.

[Katie Pelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick read with a big punch. It was the first book in my professional development book club and there were several takeaways no matter what level or industry. Highly recommend.

[Carla Parreira]

O livro apresenta ensinamentos que podem transformar a vida pessoal e profissional do leitor. O autor enfatiza a importância de agir proativamente, sem esperar ordens, e de assumir responsabilidades, mesmo em tarefas que não parecem ser de sua competência. Ele ilustra isso com exemplos práticos, como a necessidade de cuidar do ambiente de trabalho para evitar acidentes e prejuízos. Nelson também destaca a importância de compreender os processos existentes antes de sugerir mudanças, além de incentivar a prática da "expectativa suprema", que envolve pensar criticamente e agir em prol dos interesses da empresa. O autor sugere que os leitores se tornem participantes ativos em reuniões e que assumam a responsabilidade por suas ações, aprendendo com os erros e buscando soluções em vez de desculpas. Ele encoraja a divisão de tarefas complexas em etapas menores e a busca contínua por desenvolvimento pessoal e profissional. Exemplos de funcionários que implementaram ideias inovadoras e geraram economias significativas para suas empresas são apresentados, mostrando que a iniciativa e a proatividade podem levar a grandes resultados. A narrativa continua com a proposta de que os leitores identifiquem processos que podem ser melhorados em suas próprias empresas, desafiando-os a pensar em soluções criativas e eficazes.O autor também menciona que o resultado das ações proativas não beneficia apenas o indivíduo, mas também seus líderes e a organização como um todo.

[Erin Becker · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book felt repetitive at some points. Also a few examples he gave of employees going “above and beyond” were shocking in that the companies rewarded the behavior with so little. For example, a government employee found a way to “provide a $489 MILLION windfall” to the state and the employee received just $10,000 as a reward for her initiative. There could be more to the story, but I think the book sometimes inadvertently highlighted that employees may not be compensated or rightfully noticed/supported for their “above and beyond” activities, yet expected to keep doing more and more for no incentive.

[Kayla Pinho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uma leitura rápida e bem direta ao ponto.
Não conhecia o autor, mas já vou sair da leitura tentando entender um pouco mais sobre o Bob Nelson.

O próprio título “Faça o que tem que ser feito e não apenas o que te pedem” dá uma ideia do que está por vir nas páginas do livro, muito interessante e traz diversas reflexões sobre comportamentos e padrões de execução de tarefas e nas entrelinhas, também traz a importância de perguntar e se comunicar.

[Cassandra · Rating 2 out of 5]

The premise of this book is solid, but it's extremely basic. There are also some parts that border on predatory, such as recommending that employees spend their own time or money to improve the company, which I don't agree with.

[Petterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ele nos mostra que não basta apenas ficar reclamando. precisamos ser a mudança. Fazer o que tem que ser feito e não apenas o que nos mandam fazer pode ser um tanto quanto complicado mas... tudo depende de como nós olhamos.

[Alana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sensação é de que o livro saiu diretamente de um post do Linkedin de algum coach empreendedor. Tem algumas coisas proveitosas mas de resto é um tanto fora da realidade.

[Gabriel Gloria · Rating 3 out of 5]

É um livro de auto ajuda no trabalho, no qual o autor diz, que para você viver intensamente o seu emprego e torne ele mais gratificante e significativo.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you bring these qualities to work you are going to go far!

[Bernardo Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente livro, que mexe com a nossa maneira de pensar enquanto profissionais. Nos faz ser melhor, nos auxilia a ter sucesso em nossa empresa.

[Elle · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF

[Nur Hasniza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, straight forward, & easily digested.

[JessQW · Rating 3 out of 5]

Practical advice best for those new to the workforce

Nelson summarizes how to move from order taker to order maker in this short and succinct business advice book. His recommendations may work best for those just entering the workforce, still decoding what a salaried role really means. Where it falls short (or dates itself) is the hierarchical supposition that the manager is always right. And sadly, he waits to talk of harnessing your passion until the very end of the book, a topic that really should have been in the forefront. Overall, a quick read that will help remind most of why acting on creativity and initiative is the best reward.

[Christy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this to see if it might be good for my supervisee's and I think it will be. It is pretty much common sense if you want to be a valuable employee that you need to be working to make the company better but surprising how many people don't get that. I will probably use parts from this in training.

[Carl]

very basic reading but good reading . allows you to refocus on your game plan or even give insightful ways to create a ame plan to reinvent your workplacke ethics and goal setting skills to be an elite in any arena of employment

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good business book

[Andrei · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only self-help book I ever read. Made me feel very guilty at the time.

[Henry Hobbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mean, it was ok. Had to read it for work. Might as well count towards my goal, right?

[devon marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not exactly revolutionary, but still pretty good. Had to read for work. Appreciate the quick achievement for my reading goal 🙌

[Debbie Oliver · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great business book for anyone who manages people!