Download Traction Get a Grip on Your Business Gino Wickman 0783324916904 Books

Product details Paperback 246 pages Publisher BenBella Books; Expanded ed. edition (April 3, 2012) Language English ISBN-10 1936661837

Traction Get a Grip on Your Business Gino Wickman 0783324916904 Books Reviews

• I was put off by the front end of this book. It struck me as too prescriptive - do this, follow these steps and everything will work out. As I read on, the model became more clear. I began to see connections between the author’s framework and that which I’ve read in similar books. That recognition made it clear that the foundational tools - trust, teamwork, leadership, commitment, vision, alignment, accountability, process, data, etc. - were as important to this author’s approach as they are to the approach that other others have crafted as their own. Whatever name you put on the package, the core principles are the same. I think that as long as the leadership team recognizes these building blocks and diligently assembles them, progress is achievable. With that in mind, the EOS framework has potential. With that in mind, the book has value, in my opinion.
• I had high hopes for this book. Lots of great reviews and a somewhat unusual title. Unfortunately, it left me incredibly disappointed. All that I found were codified traditional (fairly heavy) management methods applies to an entrepreneurial environment. Not what I was looking for and not what I would recommend.
  
  The book has three implicit parts. The first two chapters are introduction chapter which introduces the idea of the Entrepreneurial Operating System which if the management framework which the author promotes and you can install in your organization. The EOS consists of six components and the next 6 chapters are each dedicated to the components. The components are (1) vision, (2) people, (3) data, (4) issues, (5) process, and (6) traction. Each of these chapters introduces the idea of the component and provides a couple of tools that you can use with the tool. For example, one of the tools in the data component is "everybody has a number" which guides that every employee in the organization has a single number for measuring their work.
  
  The last two chapters are the 'action' chapters which brings it all together and suggests how to adopt the EOS to your organization. The order is adoption isn't component by component by there are specific tools that the author recommend to use. E.g. ensuring you have the right people ought to be done very early on.
  
  I found some of the advise questionable and counter to my own experiences. For example, the tool of having everyone in the organization have one measurable number for guiding their work is probably going to lead to significant local optimization with people trying to make their number. Similarly the focus on documenting *the* process in the organization and then just execute that feels like quite old-fashioned management suggestions.
  
  The book was not all bad. There were some good parts and tools in the book. Yet, overall I wouldn't recommend the book and not likely to re-read it. If you want to know about small companies, better pick up books like "lean startup" and leave traction in the store. 2 stars.
• I own a small business and this is by far the best book I've ever read. I don't have a background in business or marketing- I literally turned my side hustle into a legit job that pays my bills, and this book has helped me tremendously. It lays everything out with action steps that you can take immediately to improve your business. Additionally, it has "tests" that you can complete to gauge where your business at at, on a level of success, and you can track your progress.
• This book is exactly why such a high percentage of people are unhappy at work and ultimately leave corporate America. It rings a bit like EST which ATT upgraded to use as their training for their salespeople's selling mindset back in the day. The ideas here are not for a small business unless you want your employees to think you've lost your mind. The NUMBER ONE point this book does not deal with directly to bosses and owners is that the problems in a business are ALWAYS from the top down. This is especially true when the owner/boss is a micro-manager, which ironically, is what a lot of the book tasks feel like (micromanagement). If I hear the word "rocks" to describe "bite-size goals" one more time I'll kill myself. How about simply letting technology track this for you by having a project manager with project management software manage the goals? Then tech people who don't want to waste time sitting in meetings talking about "their rocks" can actually be working on the project goals and signing them off in the software. Only a man would think of this term. This book is only useful for owners to read and implement on themselves and NO ONE ELSE. If they followed traction and let project managers manage projects this book might hold value, esp if it keeps the owner away from interfering with the employee's work. It also doesn't appeal to how women manage their time and achieve goals. It's very male-centric, which a lot of startups are ...
• This was one of the most helpful business system types of books I've read. If you've read any of the E-Myth books you're on the right track but this book actually gives the science behind building systems and how to write them and implement them as well. Very good information that will force you to stay on track if you have big dreams for your business. I highly recommend it but I would 1st read his book "Get a Grip" because it puts it all in story fashion so you can follow an actual company implementing what you've learned. Makes Traction easier to understand.