Shifting the Monkey: The Art of Protecting Good People from Liars, Criers, and Other Slackers (a Book on School Leadership and Teacher Performance)

Poor employees get a disproportionate amount of attention. Why? Because they complain the loudest, create the greatest disruptions, and rely on others to assume the responsibilities that they shirk. Learn how to focus on your good employees first, and help them shift these monkeys back to the underperformers. Through a simple but brilliant metaphor, the author helps you reinvigorate your staff and transform your organization. Benefits: Find out how and why responsible, hardworking employees often get saddled with too many monkeys--the responsibilities, obligations, and problems of unmotivated peers-and how that imbalance can undermine organizational success. Learn how leaders can put monkeys back where they belong and focus on supporting and cultivating the best employees. Discover the critical issue at the heart of many dysfunctional organizations--a culture and workflow dominated by the complaints, excuses, and poor performance of a few people. Examine the top nine excuses and techniques people use to shift their monkeys. Then, equip yourself with strategies for deflecting each. Contents: Chapter 1: It's a Jungle Out There Chapter 2: Out-of-Place Monkeys Chapter 3: Where Is the Monkey, and Where Should It Be? Chapter 4: Treat Everyone Well Chapter 5: Make Decisions Based on Your Best People Chapter 6: Protect Your Good People First Chapter 7: What Monkeys Do You Shift? Epilogue: Keeping Monkeys on Your Mind