The Dream Manager | Matthew Kelly | Life Is About Living Our Dreams

The Dream Manager | Matthew Kelly | Give to friends and family this easy but profound read

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The Dream Manager

	The Dream Manager Matthew Kelly Hyperion, 2007 - 176 pages average customer review:based on 35 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Life Is About Living Our Dreams

In "The Dream Manager," author Matthew Kelly departs from earlier best-selling books ("The Rhythm of Life, Perfectly Yourself, Call to Joy, Seven Levels of Intimacy") where he focused on improving "self" and provides, through a fable, an innovative way to improve the life of "the other." While the book is centered on the workplace and potential improvements in productivity and profitability, the concept Kelly outlines can reap great returns when applied to people outside of work as well.

Kelly builds on the concept of connection (See Michael Stallard's "Fired Up or Burned Out) to meet basic human psychological needs for respect, recognition, belonging, autonomy, personal growth, and meaning. The connector is the Dream Manager who connects the employees' now to their dreams and a better tomorrow.

The fable Kelly tells is based on a true story in which a janitorial services company had a chronic annual turnover rate of 400%. The fictional General Manager, Simon, is frustrated since he is operating more as a full-time "lead recruiter" rather than GM.

After numerous unsuccessful studies to define the problem, Simon's senior assistant suggests they learn what the employee's dreams are then find a way "to connect their job today with their dreams for tomorrow." Making money without a dream to fulfill is pointless and obscene. "Life is about living our dreams."

The company goes on to implement "The Dream Manager" program (the program's implementation and evolution is described in detail). The program results in improved morale and loyalty, and a drop in the annual turnover rate to 12% while gross revenue tripled. The number of employees grew only to 743 from 407 (less than 200%) during the same period.

The story of Rita serves as an example of a dream fulfilled. Rita, a 42 year old woman, had a dream to own a home. No one in her family ever owned a home. Within 132 days she owned her first home. This dream was not fulfilled with an increase in pay, company bonus or a gift but rather, with the involvement of a Dream Manager who worked with her to develop a program of saving and house/loan shopping. Once in her home, Rita commented that no one had ever asked her what HER dreams were.

Do you know the dreams of those around you? "You can ignore people's dreams, but it will be at your peril. You are free to ignore your children's dreams, your spouse's dreams, your employee's dreams, and your nation's dreams. But in each of these areas of life, you will pay an enormous price if you do." Dreams are invisible but powerful. With a "Dream Manager" you make them visible then harness their power.

Since his real life experience with implementing the Dream Manager program, Kelly has founded Floyd Consulting (Chicago, Illinois) to help companies in its implementation.

And since reading "The Dream Manager," I have begun to find out the dreams of my employees. I have also added the question, "What are your dreams?" to interviews of potential employees, suppliers, and consultants...and I have given copies of the book to: my wife, a real estate agent; two friends who are financial planners; another CEOl; and an inner-city high school teacher. All, like me, are in a position to be effective Dream Managers.

And in closing, it would be accurate to say Kelly's book really is about "self" not just "the other" as there is a lot of receiving when one gives.

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Give to friends and family this easy but profound read

I have now purchased 28 copies of this excellent work, and have given most away already to people I care about. The message is simple but profound. Some amazing conversations with my wife and kids have already taken place because of this book. I highly recommend it. Dave Z.

A must read for anyone who desires to help others achieve their dreams

Whether your leadership is carried out as an Executive, Manager, Coach, or Parent, this book will transform the way you think about your critical role in the lives of others. It teaches you how to recognize the dreams of those you lead and make a connection between their daily work and and their dreams, so that they are inspired to give their best every day in pursuit of their vision. Matthew Kelly reminds us that, "People will bring the passion and energy they have for their dreams to their work."

As a member of Matthew Kelly's "1000 Friends" initiative to support "The Schools Project", I am able to receive free advance copies his new books. Of all the business and leadership books I have read, "The Dream Manager" is one of my all-time favorites. In fact, it was as entertaining as it was informative, and I finished it only three days after it arrived at my house. Matthew Kelly is an extraordinary story-teller, and has a unique ability to embed the key learning points within the context of the story. This empowers you to learn without feeling as if you are being fed lessons.

I've applied these principles to my life, business, and my relationships with life-transforming results. As an inspirational speaker, Life & Business Empowerment Coach, and author of the bestselling book Taking LIFE Head On! (The Hal Elrod Story), my passion and purpose has long been helping others to achieve their dreams. The Dream Manager has given me a practical guide to living my purpose. My sincere and heartfelt gratitude goes out to Matthew Kelly for writing this important book. I highly recommend it.

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The message of this book is fabulously written and urgently needed. Dream Manager is a must-read for all leaders.

The Dream Manager is a fable of a janitorial company that is experiencing an incredibly high turnover rate (over 400%). As the executives ponder the reasons for the turnover and the possible solutions, Simon, the General Manager and main character of the book, suggested doing a survey to get to the bottom of this problem. The survey turned out a couple of issues and they were addressed immediately. It turned out that a lot of the employees were complaining about the transportation issues. Greg, the Owner, had the initial impulse to through money at the problem in the form of pay raises, but it was obvious that this was not the solution. After implementing a transportation program and noticing a decline in turnover, Greg insisted that another survey needed to be done to further reduce the turn-over.

After much discussion they concluded that what they needed to do for the employees was eliminate the "dead-end" job mentality from the employees' mind. Of course, being janitors, many in the management team concluded that it was by consensus a dead-end job. Simon, however, thought differently and with the blessing of the owner implemented a position called "Dream Manager". This position sole responsibility was to find out what the employees' dreams were and then help them realize them. The results were outstanding. First the morale and attitude began to change to one of gratitude and excitement, then their work begin to improve and the bottom line of the company got better and better as the time progressed.

The story, of course, is fictional. However, it would be easy to see how a program like this could be beneficial for any company. Human capital is the most important capital of any company and the feeling of not being appreciated and meaningless work permeates corporate America like a cancer. Simon declares in the story: "The primary responsibility of all relationships is to help each other fulfill our dreams." With this in mind how can an organization loose when they help fulfill the dreams of their employees.

John C. Maxwell has said that "leaders touch a heart before they ask for a hand". I have not heard of a better way to touch the employee's heart than by sincere concern for their dreams. The book is short and very powerful. The idea is simple and business transforming. Enjoy!

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reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, page 7

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