By Marcus Buckingham
Free Press, RRP $29.99
Marcus Buckingham, in “The One Thing You Need to Know”, describes what common elements he sees throughout examples of outstanding achievement in managing, leadership and career success. His ideas need not be confined to the office, however. The key to success in these areas can also be applied to one’s marriage, personal interactions, or in our case at Sustainable Future, even futures thinking. Buckingham emphasises the utmost importance of focus, arguing that core controlling insights are present in any situation; even the most complex. Identifying these insights will involve making a decision between what is “merely important” and what is “imperative”. This clarity will then enable decisions to be based upon a strong foundation, leading to precise action and results, and thus success. Losing sight of these insights, however, will undermine even the best efforts. Much more than just ‘management theory’, Buckingham’s clear, informed writing makes this book an enjoyable read.
Reviewed by Willow Henderson, June 2008