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The Dream Manager
A business parable about how companies can achieve remarkable results by helping their employees fulfill their dreams. Managing people is difficult. With disengagement and turnover on the rise, many managers are scratching their heads wondering what to do. It’s not that we don’t dream of being great managers, it’s just that we haven’t found a practical and efficient way to do it. Until now . . . The fictional company in this remarkable book is grappling with real problems of high turnover and low morale—so the managers begin to investigate what really drives the employees. What they discover is that the key to motivation isn’t necessarily the promise of a bigger paycheck or title, but rather the fulfillment of crucial personal dreams. They also learned that people at every level need to be offered specific kinds of help and encouragement or our dreams will forever remain just dreams as we grow dissatisfied with our lives and jobs. Beginning with his important thought that a company can only become the-best-version-of-itself to the extent that its employees are becoming better-versions-of-themselves, Matthew Kelly explores the connection between the dreams we are chasing personally and the way we all engage at work. Tackling head-on the growing problem of employee disengagement, Kelly explores the dynamic collaboration that is unleashed when people work together to achieve company objectives and personal dreams. The power of The Dream Manager is that simply becoming aware of the concept will change the way you manage and relate to people instantly and forever. What’s your dream?
176 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2007
269 people are currently reading
2,688 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Kelly
196Ìýbooks1,305ÌýfollowersMatthew Kelly is a best-selling author, speaker, thought leader, entrepreneur, consultant, spiritual leader, and innovator.
He has dedicated his life to helping people and organizations become the-best-version-of-themselves. Born in Sydney, Australia, he began speaking and writing in his late teens while he was attending business school. Since that time, 5 million people have attended his seminars and presentations in more than 50 countries.
Today, Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.
In his early-twenties he developed "the-best-version-of-yourself" concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than twenty-five years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, "Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?"
Kelly's personal interests include golf, music, art, literature, investing, spirituality, and spending time with his wife, Meggie, and their children Walter, Isabel, Harry, Ralph, and Simon.
He has dedicated his life to helping people and organizations become the-best-version-of-themselves. Born in Sydney, Australia, he began speaking and writing in his late teens while he was attending business school. Since that time, 5 million people have attended his seminars and presentations in more than 50 countries.
Today, Kelly is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, and business consultant. His books have been published in more than 30 languages, have appeared on The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestseller lists, and have sold more than 50 million copies.
In his early-twenties he developed "the-best-version-of-yourself" concept and has been sharing it in every arena of life for more than twenty-five years. It is quoted by presidents and celebrities, athletes and their coaches, business leaders and innovators, though perhaps it is never more powerfully quoted than when a mother or father asks a child, "Will that help you become the-best-version-of-yourself?"
Kelly's personal interests include golf, music, art, literature, investing, spirituality, and spending time with his wife, Meggie, and their children Walter, Isabel, Harry, Ralph, and Simon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 306 reviews
April 13, 2010
I'm not a huge fan of parable books. Nothing ever seems to go wrong and I'm left wondering about the real application of the system they propose.
There are a few good suggestions. Listen to your employees, help them plan their future by asking them about what their "dreams" (purpose) is and then suggest how they accomplish it.
I'm not so sure it's as simple as pointing people to college admissions to fulfill their education dream or showing them how they can buy a house for the home ownership dream.
The other challenge is that it primarily addresses low wage "cog" job positions and the problem of turnover. I'm not sure how you can apply this to team members who know how to plan a vacation, go to school and buy a house .etc.
If you enjoy fable business books you'll probably enjoy this. If you enjoy philosophical business books, and ones that make a better argument for application you might be left dissatisfied.
There are a few good suggestions. Listen to your employees, help them plan their future by asking them about what their "dreams" (purpose) is and then suggest how they accomplish it.
I'm not so sure it's as simple as pointing people to college admissions to fulfill their education dream or showing them how they can buy a house for the home ownership dream.
The other challenge is that it primarily addresses low wage "cog" job positions and the problem of turnover. I'm not sure how you can apply this to team members who know how to plan a vacation, go to school and buy a house .etc.
If you enjoy fable business books you'll probably enjoy this. If you enjoy philosophical business books, and ones that make a better argument for application you might be left dissatisfied.
November 29, 2007
I think that this book may have changed my life! Matthew Kelly is a very insightful author and in this book he takes on employee enagement issues. You may be thinking that you don't much care about corporate reading - but this book goes far beyond that. At the end the book he challenges the reader to start their own Dream Book. What is a a Dream Book? You have to read and find out :-).
December 4, 2013
An organization can only become the best version of itself to the extent that the people who drive that organization are striving to become better versions of themselves.
People stop dreaming because they get caught up in the hustle and bustle of surviving. And once we stop dreaming, we start to lead lives of quiet desperation, and little by little the passion and energy begin to disappear from our lives.
There are places I want to go, things I want to see and relationships I want to improve. Stay focused on PROGRESS not perfection.
Mark Twain "Those who don't read great books are at no advantage over those who cannot read"
Im a dream manager for my husband, for my children, for my friends, for my colleagues, and for people who just pass through my life.
Appreciation is the strongest currency in the corporate culture.
There is no substitute for involving everyone in the process.
All of this began to awaken the realization that in a culture where dreams come true, there is no limit to the enthusiasm you can harness of the things you can achieve.
" We all have dreams. The earlier we start dreaming, and the more mentors and friends we have who urge us on toward our dreams, the richer our lives become. In time we learn to help others achieve their dreams, and so the cycle continues. "
Dreams are the currency of the future.
Dreams are at the core of every person. It is there that our passion for life is ignited.
People stop dreaming because they get caught up in the hustle and bustle of surviving. And once we stop dreaming, we start to lead lives of quiet desperation, and little by little the passion and energy begin to disappear from our lives.
There are places I want to go, things I want to see and relationships I want to improve. Stay focused on PROGRESS not perfection.
Mark Twain "Those who don't read great books are at no advantage over those who cannot read"
Im a dream manager for my husband, for my children, for my friends, for my colleagues, and for people who just pass through my life.
Appreciation is the strongest currency in the corporate culture.
There is no substitute for involving everyone in the process.
All of this began to awaken the realization that in a culture where dreams come true, there is no limit to the enthusiasm you can harness of the things you can achieve.
" We all have dreams. The earlier we start dreaming, and the more mentors and friends we have who urge us on toward our dreams, the richer our lives become. In time we learn to help others achieve their dreams, and so the cycle continues. "
Dreams are the currency of the future.
Dreams are at the core of every person. It is there that our passion for life is ignited.
March 3, 2009
This book claims to be advice about managment, but it's that but is actually a self-help book. It should be two page pamphlet because that's all the practical advice it gives.
The bulk of the book is a completely fictional tale of a company that hires a team of financial/career/life coaches to fullfill the dream lists of its employees and why this makes the company hugely successfull & profitable, and how the fictional characters become the happy and successful people they always wished they could be.
The book offers no case studies for setting up such a program and no evidence of its fantastic claims. It also gives zero practical advice for establishing the program, except the last chapter of the book called something like "how to do it".
The instructions: it all starts with you! keep a list of your dreams and check them off as you finish them. Oh and if you want to set up a program in your own company, please attend one of the authors expensive seminars.
The bulk of the book is a completely fictional tale of a company that hires a team of financial/career/life coaches to fullfill the dream lists of its employees and why this makes the company hugely successfull & profitable, and how the fictional characters become the happy and successful people they always wished they could be.
The book offers no case studies for setting up such a program and no evidence of its fantastic claims. It also gives zero practical advice for establishing the program, except the last chapter of the book called something like "how to do it".
The instructions: it all starts with you! keep a list of your dreams and check them off as you finish them. Oh and if you want to set up a program in your own company, please attend one of the authors expensive seminars.
March 1, 2010
I really loved this book! It reminded me of how important it is to DREAM! :) What is your dream???! :)
The book tells of a janitorial service business with such a high turnover rate that the organization is inefficient and beginning to be unprofitable. As they try to decide what to do to turn things around they decide they need to invest in their employees more and help them be more engaged. Through several company surveys and focus groups they discover that people are passionate about their dreams.
They hire a "Dream Manager" who sits down and talks with each employee, discovers what their dreams are, and then helps them create a plan to reach them. This idea and passion for following their dreams becomes the company culture. They are not only a janitorial service business, but helping people grow and make their dreams come true. They help their employees plan to buy a home, go on vacation, have the best Christmas ever, learn English, and so many other things.
A company's purpose should be to become the best version of itself while helping its employees become the best version of themselves. This is how everyone will be engaged in the work and happy with where they're at. Dreams inpsire vision, passion, and a desire to work hard.
A couple of ideas that I loved about the book. They suggested that we never quit dreaming. We should have a list of 100 dreams we want to accomplish. We should have a Dream Book where we record our dreams and when we accomplish them. We should share our dreams with others and create a plan for achieving them. We should ask others about their dreams and help them accomplish them as well. This is a sure way to show someone you care about them and what they're really about.
I was inspired by the simple principles and believe it is important to have dreams and work hard towards accomplishing them each day! :)
The book tells of a janitorial service business with such a high turnover rate that the organization is inefficient and beginning to be unprofitable. As they try to decide what to do to turn things around they decide they need to invest in their employees more and help them be more engaged. Through several company surveys and focus groups they discover that people are passionate about their dreams.
They hire a "Dream Manager" who sits down and talks with each employee, discovers what their dreams are, and then helps them create a plan to reach them. This idea and passion for following their dreams becomes the company culture. They are not only a janitorial service business, but helping people grow and make their dreams come true. They help their employees plan to buy a home, go on vacation, have the best Christmas ever, learn English, and so many other things.
A company's purpose should be to become the best version of itself while helping its employees become the best version of themselves. This is how everyone will be engaged in the work and happy with where they're at. Dreams inpsire vision, passion, and a desire to work hard.
A couple of ideas that I loved about the book. They suggested that we never quit dreaming. We should have a list of 100 dreams we want to accomplish. We should have a Dream Book where we record our dreams and when we accomplish them. We should share our dreams with others and create a plan for achieving them. We should ask others about their dreams and help them accomplish them as well. This is a sure way to show someone you care about them and what they're really about.
I was inspired by the simple principles and believe it is important to have dreams and work hard towards accomplishing them each day! :)
March 4, 2009
Blech. Way too "touchy feely" and the company used as the main example is all fictional! Come on...give me some real data from real life examples. Basically I think I'm supposed to get my employees to fill out "dream journals" and envision their ideal future. Maybe I'll bring some incense to my next staff meeting too.
January 19, 2025
My brother got me this book as a grad gift. Finally read, good post grad new job read, time to go write down 100 dreams!
July 31, 2010
"The Dream Manager" is a leadership fable in the same spirit as the excellent books written by Patrick Lencioni. The story part of the book takes the reader into the day to day operations of Admiral Janitorial Services. Like many companies today, they have serious difficulties with employee morale and rampant turnover. Simon, the general manager suggests an out of the box idea to improve the morale and turnover problems through helping their employees realize their dreams. Thus, the Dream Manager initiative was born at Admiral Janitorial Services. The rest of the story details how the program was rolled out and the successes realized because of it. The latter part of the book challenges the reader to begin writing and pursuing their own list of dreams and encourages managers, CEOs, and other leaders to consider introducing these practices into their own organizations. As a manager, I know firsthand how difficult it can be to retain and motivate staff. I am excited to say that the concepts I learned in "The Dream Manager" may be just what I've been lacking in my leadership toolbox.
July 31, 2012
Brilliantly, inspiringly true. A must-read for every leader.
May 24, 2021
I give this book 4.25 stars!
(See my review of Rebel with a Cause to understand)
(See my review of Rebel with a Cause to understand)
June 2, 2023
Richard Dawkins says in his Devil's Chaplain:
I've found a similar "Law" with too many business books. The less substantive, the more an author wants to dress up the product with, well, dressings. With parable/story presentations, the sad truth is that any real message is obscured in trite contrivances that are almost insulting to anyone with any intelligence (think Blanchard's One- Minute fluff). When I see "The secret within this story unveils...� and the last line of the introduction"...you are about to discover something that will change your life forever."... warning bells scream at me.
In setting the story, one character (the owner) can't figure out why his hypothetical company has high turnover, and a manager says, "Let's find out why." The owner character asks, "How?" and the manager says, "We'll ask them."
Well...I suppose there are entrepreneurs who have been gifted with maybe a trust fund and have never had to have a tangible thought with respect to leading people and actually managing a company, but that pomposity in a modern age won't get you far. Probably to some elected office, maybe, but that far.
So... this gem screamed at me:
Yep. "Quiet desperation". But that didn't scream as loudly as
And that folks, is how you promote your cottage industry providing Dream Manager certification. The formula is time worn: take an established concept (let's say... mentor), give it a new name (let's say... Dream Manager), make up a bunch of (obviously contrived and unsubstantiated so as to avoid direct critique) revelations, and...voilà ! Three page tracts don't make money, but if you fluff them out to book size, you can!
The problem with this, as with similar compositions, is that the author oversimplifies and idealizes to hawk the product - "See how great these groundbreaking, life-changing, unbelievably so not intuitively obvious ideas are?!" (my words, not a quote from the book) - and even a dedicated reader is hard pressed to extract anything of value from this. ("Productivity is up. Costs are down. Who would have thought that these would be the benefits of teaching our employees to dream a little?" His words, quote from the book. Oh, please.)
There are no references or citations in this book. No backup. That belies any attempt at credibility, and it really is just one guy talking out loud (okay, writing out loud.) To anyone who has read anything about emotional intelligence (hopefully not, shudder, Goleman), or leadership, or even a good management book, nothing here will be new. And more than a little of it will be annoying.
Dawkins� Law of the Conservation of Difficulty states that obscurantism in an academic subject expands to fill the vacuum of its intrinsic simplicity. Physics is a genuinely difficult and profound subject, so physicists need to � and do � work hard to make their language as simple as possible (‘but no simpler,� rightly insisted Einstein). Other academics � some would point the finger at continental schools of literary criticism and social science � suffer from what Peter Medawar (I think) called Physics Envy. They want to be thought profound, but their subject is actually rather easy and shallow, so they have to language it up to redress the balance.
I've found a similar "Law" with too many business books. The less substantive, the more an author wants to dress up the product with, well, dressings. With parable/story presentations, the sad truth is that any real message is obscured in trite contrivances that are almost insulting to anyone with any intelligence (think Blanchard's One- Minute fluff). When I see "The secret within this story unveils...� and the last line of the introduction"...you are about to discover something that will change your life forever."... warning bells scream at me.
In setting the story, one character (the owner) can't figure out why his hypothetical company has high turnover, and a manager says, "Let's find out why." The owner character asks, "How?" and the manager says, "We'll ask them."
"Huh!" grunted Greg. Clearly, this idea had never occurred to him.
Well...I suppose there are entrepreneurs who have been gifted with maybe a trust fund and have never had to have a tangible thought with respect to leading people and actually managing a company, but that pomposity in a modern age won't get you far. Probably to some elected office, maybe, but that far.
So... this gem screamed at me:
In many ways, we are our dreams. But people stop dreaming because they get caught up in the hustle and bustle of surviving. And once we stop dreaming, we start to lead lives of quiet desperation, and little by little the passion and energy begin to disappear from our lives.
Yep. "Quiet desperation". But that didn't scream as loudly as
We all need it. Taking this job has made me see that I need a Dream Manager, too. Everyone needs a Dream Manager. To a certain extent, we can do it for ourselves. But we all need someone who can help us articulate our dreams, determine the priority of our dreams, pull together a plan for the fulfillment of those dreams, and hold us accountable on a regular basis for the actions that help us achieve our dreams or hold us back from our dreams.
And that folks, is how you promote your cottage industry providing Dream Manager certification. The formula is time worn: take an established concept (let's say... mentor), give it a new name (let's say... Dream Manager), make up a bunch of (obviously contrived and unsubstantiated so as to avoid direct critique) revelations, and...voilà ! Three page tracts don't make money, but if you fluff them out to book size, you can!
The problem with this, as with similar compositions, is that the author oversimplifies and idealizes to hawk the product - "See how great these groundbreaking, life-changing, unbelievably so not intuitively obvious ideas are?!" (my words, not a quote from the book) - and even a dedicated reader is hard pressed to extract anything of value from this. ("Productivity is up. Costs are down. Who would have thought that these would be the benefits of teaching our employees to dream a little?" His words, quote from the book. Oh, please.)
There are no references or citations in this book. No backup. That belies any attempt at credibility, and it really is just one guy talking out loud (okay, writing out loud.) To anyone who has read anything about emotional intelligence (hopefully not, shudder, Goleman), or leadership, or even a good management book, nothing here will be new. And more than a little of it will be annoying.
May 1, 2022
Really loved this book! It was fun, informative, and helpful. I'll definitely be starting my own dream book soon.
December 16, 2014
Good book. It's one of those rare books that really blends business with something as personal as ones dreams. The concept of the book, a company hiring a person to "manage the employees dreams" is somewhat far fetched for your everyday corporation, but the story of this particular company, a janitorial service, doing it, is a great story to follow. In saying that, the entire book is about the same company, kind of loses its luster, but does remain on track throughout.
What I truly did draw from this book, is what I think it was really trying to accomplish.......challenge the reader to question is he/she still dreams. It goes on to give countless examples and quotes about dreams, how impactful they truly are, and how they affect every area of your life (personal, professional, emotional, etc.).
Finally, it somewhat gives you a system to evaluate yourself on. The 12 areas in which you need to keep and maintain dreams are really neat and thought provoking, but is not clearly laid out. It's more or less just stuck in the latter part of the book.
Overall, this was a book definitely worth the read time. It's a shorter book but packed full of inspiration and perspective. If nothing else, it should get your passion and thoughts re-focused on your dreams, and if it does that.........why not pick it up?
What I truly did draw from this book, is what I think it was really trying to accomplish.......challenge the reader to question is he/she still dreams. It goes on to give countless examples and quotes about dreams, how impactful they truly are, and how they affect every area of your life (personal, professional, emotional, etc.).
Finally, it somewhat gives you a system to evaluate yourself on. The 12 areas in which you need to keep and maintain dreams are really neat and thought provoking, but is not clearly laid out. It's more or less just stuck in the latter part of the book.
Overall, this was a book definitely worth the read time. It's a shorter book but packed full of inspiration and perspective. If nothing else, it should get your passion and thoughts re-focused on your dreams, and if it does that.........why not pick it up?
February 17, 2010
This book took me in two different directions, often within the same page, paragraph, or sentence. At times I felt it's fictional narrative was designed to be emotionally manipulative on a scale even with drivel like Tuesdays With Morrie or Anna Quindlen books. The scenario consists of a simple problem in a simple organization with a familiar, non-complex hierarchical management structure. The rousing successes experienced from a business end and by those who find their dreams fulfilled are contrived, predictable, and lacking in any suggestion of what failure to achieve a dream might cause.
And yet, when all is said and done, the concept seems so important that I find myself excusing this trite anecdote. I don't know if a more realistic narrative would have even been helpful, since almost every situation will, of course, be more nuanced and complex than the janitorial firm in this story. Yes the tone is unabashedly "self-help", and those searching for practical ways to apply the concept will have to rely on their own cunning to glean the core components from the narrative (there is some "advice" toward the end of the book, while on the whole it avoids talking about the pain and consequence of failing to achieve a dream).
And yet, when all is said and done, the concept seems so important that I find myself excusing this trite anecdote. I don't know if a more realistic narrative would have even been helpful, since almost every situation will, of course, be more nuanced and complex than the janitorial firm in this story. Yes the tone is unabashedly "self-help", and those searching for practical ways to apply the concept will have to rely on their own cunning to glean the core components from the narrative (there is some "advice" toward the end of the book, while on the whole it avoids talking about the pain and consequence of failing to achieve a dream).
February 3, 2013
Quick read which is good. I am starting to notice a pattern in many corporate management books where there is a new way of saying the same principles like efficient management, high impact communications. Then the rest of the book is repackaged drivel. Matt Kelly avoids this by telling a great story where he helps a friend transform his cleaning service by having more stock in the individual employees personal goals. He doesn't waste time with rolling out the same principles and attach the word "dream" to it which I really appreciate. I have been a leader in my current organization for over 3 years and ran some companies before that. This book resonates with me as it relates to somethings I tried doing in my current role over the last 3 years, but now that every leader in the organization is reading it that may give my ideas a little more credence. Kelly has been able to articulate some feelings and thoughts I have had as a corporate leader in way that I couldn't have. If you want to become a emotional/mental health leader and get more out of those you lead, this is a great book for you.
June 16, 2016
I'm fairly certain that if I had read this book 5 or 6 years ago, I would have agreed with a lot of the one or two star reviews. Yes, this book is not what I thought it was. I thought I was going to read a book that would tell me how to be a better Manager. It's a business parable. And yeah, since its' fictional, we don't know if it's going to work. There's no real world data on the success rate of this program, or how to go about implementing it. But what it did do for me was give me a good idea. And I think that's what the book was about. It made me really think, am I following my own dreams? Is my husband? What are his dreams, what are my workers' dreams? Why don't I know? I think these things are important, and it inspired me to find ways in my life to help people achieve their dreams. Whether or not it's through that specific program doesn't matter. What matters is that I try. And I'm going to.
October 27, 2012
I really enjoyed this book for the practical application to both work and life generally. My favorite take-away was the simple reminder to define and write down your dreams, then ensure that you help others achieve those dreams, in addition to creating a path for your own. From a workplace perspective it's a great conversation starter with your colleagues as you get to know each other and also for your team -- but most importantly how to equip, enable, encourage, champion, and cheer others along....and let's not forget celebrating the achievement of those dreams. At home, my family had a great time brainstorming our dreams, big and small, and were amazed at all the exciting things we decided to do together as either projects or fun trips.
Dream Manager was an easy and quick read with fun at the end if you choose to dream your dreams and share those with others.
Dream Manager was an easy and quick read with fun at the end if you choose to dream your dreams and share those with others.
February 18, 2016
makes the argument for working for people who genuinely care about us. To some extent, I could have already argued the point, by doing a basic comparison of who I've worked for before, and how much I've enjoyed the experience.
goes deeper on that, to focus on how connecting our dreams to our work makes us better employees, because we are better people.
I'm reading this book at the behest of my current manager, and can admit to being intrigued. How do I find the time to dream and work? Evidently it starts with making a Dream List...
goes deeper on that, to focus on how connecting our dreams to our work makes us better employees, because we are better people.
I'm reading this book at the behest of my current manager, and can admit to being intrigued. How do I find the time to dream and work? Evidently it starts with making a Dream List...
May 7, 2012
Another gem brought in by a fellow student in my unemployment course...this should be required reading for anyone who ever has been, is, or ever wants to be a manager of people. I am still having a tough time believing this isn't a work of fiction...I've worked for a huge corporation and a small one and neither was even remotely like this. In fact, the smaller one was even further off this mark than the gigantic one. I so believe in the founding principle here...that if you treat people with respect and loyalty and REALLY invest in them, they will be loyal to you and your company. And...I believe in dreams. Even though it turns out I haven't allowed myself to have them for a Very Long Time.
December 21, 2007
It is amazing how themes repeat in your life until you get it. My boss asked me to read this book just a few weeks after I came back from a seminar on Life Success. Then she turned around and gave me a dream journal for Christmas. Working for a company, much like the one in teh book, that takes time to worry about what you want and makes effort to help you figure out how to get there can make all the difference in the world.
It isn't just about work. What do you do to help those people important in your life reach their dreams? What do you to to reach your own?
a great book for anyone who has any place in anyone's life
It isn't just about work. What do you do to help those people important in your life reach their dreams? What do you to to reach your own?
a great book for anyone who has any place in anyone's life
June 20, 2011
This book is another that presents it's concepts as a narrative story of a fictitious company. While this device effectively provides simultaneous example and concept, it comes off as "too perfect" in many places. Nevertheless, the book provides a powerful idea on a simple way to harness good will in relationships, business or personal.
What are your dreams? Have you given up on them? Have you even forgotten them? This book challenges us to not only remember our dreams but to seek them and help other realize their own. Read the book to understand why doing this matters to you and your business.
What are your dreams? Have you given up on them? Have you even forgotten them? This book challenges us to not only remember our dreams but to seek them and help other realize their own. Read the book to understand why doing this matters to you and your business.
August 17, 2011
This book had some good messages. I subscribe to the concept of taking care of your employees and they'll embrace their employer. The connection to helping them fulfill their dreams is an approach I hadn't thought of before and will be looking to somehow parlay into my business. I couldn't help but think though as I read the book that the it was about a fictional company. A lot of conclusions and results from implementing this were projected. How realistic are these results? I'd guess that many if not all are possible, but that bridge of fiction to reality isn't drawn. Anyway, I'd recommend for a business owner who is looking to build a solid team.
October 19, 2012
"I highly recommend this book. Matthew Kelly uses a fictional story to make the point that the "new loyalty" between employee and company is the following "unspoken contract": "An employee is responsible for adding value to the life of the company, and a company is responsible for adding value to the life of an employee." For a company to add value, its leaders and managers must show interest in their employees' dreams and help them achieve them and become the-best-version-of-themselves. By doing so, the company will become the-best-version-of-itself. Simple concept; profound truth! A great read!"
June 25, 2012
I didn't care for the first part of the book. The story was good, but because it was fictional it somewhat made me discredit what he was trying to convey. It would of been great if he had shared short stories/testimonies how dream management has impacted people personally and companies. This would of built a better foundation. The second part of the book was my favorite and I did get some nuggets. I'm going to try to set sometime aside this week and write down 100 dreams. Overall a good book and I agree what we should encourage the people around us to pursue the dreams they have.
January 28, 2013
Demonstrates the power of dreaming. It helped explain the feeling of "blah" and discord in my work life. This book helps provide hope and a road map to help determine dreams that we may have forgotten.
Dreams are power things. Learning how to track, plan and achieve, can chance lives. This book illustrates how a simple cleaning business turned itself around by investing in its employee's dreams, creating better leaders, better employees, better people, and rewards are so far reaching, it leaves the reader longing to get started.
Dreams are power things. Learning how to track, plan and achieve, can chance lives. This book illustrates how a simple cleaning business turned itself around by investing in its employee's dreams, creating better leaders, better employees, better people, and rewards are so far reaching, it leaves the reader longing to get started.
May 18, 2013
The premise of this book is that building a great organization requires helping people achieve their highest potential. The storyline throughout is a fictional company that implements a "dream manager" program to help motivate people and to help them achieve their goals. I found the first half somewhat simplistic but it grew on me. I still think the concept of. having full-time dream managers for every employee is a stretch. There needs to be more personal accountability. It's still a worthy and illustrative aspiration. It's also very readable.
August 19, 2013
This book is made wonderful by it being a narrative most anyone could read in an hour or two. It is the story if listening to people that powerful, boss like people don't have to listen to. It seems like an obvious implementation of the asset building model but has the added plus of the process also being empowering and not just for the down and out. I love the potential this book reveals and feel like it could be used as a model in any church, business, or other group where there is a desire for mutual advancement.
I love the fire it lights in most readers.
I love the fire it lights in most readers.
December 17, 2013
Quick read. Excellent ideas, realistic approach for implementation. This goes against the standard business models that focus only on company profit. It takes a look at how individuals being helped to become better people by their companies actually gives the individuals natural inclination to help their company become better. Profit is the natural result. For those that see the value in helping someone besides themselves, this is the natural next step. I would recommend this to anyone who dreams or thinks they don't dream.
April 2, 2008
Matthew Kelly spoke at our church last year. He has a lot of energy and speaks very well on many subjects. In this audio version, I learned how important it is to dream -- at any age. Dreaming creates an inner-energy. Dreaming can make an employee (or an individual within) happy and more loyal to their company. This inspiring book taught me several important lessons about self-fulfillment that applies not only to my workplace, but also to my life outside of work.
October 4, 2008
Kelly has provided a nice way of re-stating the golden rule. One of the most surprising realities of my managerial experience is the large number of people who do not have a dream for their lives and even resist developing a dream.
I can't quote it exactly, but it has been said, "A man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for."
Helping people dream and live the dream is the at the heart of Kelly's work.
I can't quote it exactly, but it has been said, "A man's reach must exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for."
Helping people dream and live the dream is the at the heart of Kelly's work.
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