No Excuses: How You Can Turn Any Workplace into a Great One

Foreword

Somewhat like Nike's infamous “Just Do It” tag line, I'm hopeful that No Excuses becomes the calling card of the next generation of managers and leaders seeking to create great workplaces. Jen Robin and Michael Burchell's exploration of their two rules for creating a great workplace—treat every interaction as an opportunity to build trust, and don't resist—provides both guidance and admonishment to spur people forward.

A short, simple phrase, “no excuses” captures the bane of work life for some managers. There's always a reason for not making the effort, for not taking a risk, for doing just enough to get by. The trouble is that all of these excuses for not exerting a little more effort lead to a mediocre workplace rather than one in ...