The Best Place to Work: The Art and Science of Creating an Extraordinary Workplace

Now in paperback: A groundbreaking, practical guide for fueling workplace happiness, creativity, and success based on the latest research from the behavioral sciences.

For readers of Malcolm Gladwell, Daniel Pink, and Stephen Dubner, a captivating and surprising journey through the science of workplace excellence. Why do successful companies reward failure? What can casinos teach us about building a happy workplace? How do you design an office that enhances both attention to detail and creativity? In The Best Place to Work, award-winning psychologist Ron Friedman, Ph.D., uses the latest research from the fields of motivation, creativity, behavioral economics, neuroscience, and management to reveal what really makes us successful at work. Combining powerful stories with cutting-edge findings, Friedman shows leaders at every level how they can promote smarter thinking, greater innovation, and stronger performance. Among the many surprising insights, Friedman explains how learning to think like a hostage negotiator can help you defuse a workplace argument, why placing a fish bowl near your desk can elevate your thinking, and how incorporating strategic distractions into your schedule can help you make smarter decisions. The book introduces the inventor who created the cubicle, the president who brought down the world's most dangerous criminal, and the teenager who single-handedly transformed professional tennis--vivid stories that offer unexpected revelations on achieving workplace excellence. The Best Place to Work offers employees and executives alike game-changing advice for working smarter and turning any organization--regardless of its size, budget, or ambitions--into an extraordinary workplace.