The G Quotient: Why Gay Executives Are Excelling as Leaders... and What Every Manager Needs to Know

by Kirk Snyder

Book Overview

The G Quotient identifies a management phenomenon that will change the way people view their professional roles in the workplace. Based on a landmark five-year study, The G Quotient redefines successful leadership for all managers. Organizations and working units under the leadership of white-collar gay males are collectively experiencing 35 percent higher levels of employee engagement, job satisfaction, and workplace morale in addition to reporting...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0787982466
• ISBN13: 9780787982461
• Release Date: June 2006
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass
• Length: 206 Pages
• Weight: 0.73 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.4" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

More Than Leadership

While definitely a new twist on an old subject, this is considerably more than just another book about leadership. Here, Snyder carefully documents the evolution of what he calls "G Quotient Leadership" and why it matters to all of us. Extremely comprehensive, this book foreshadows where the "art" of leadership is headed more than most. Anyone who might think this is a business book just for gay professionals is way off target. As a straight executive who manages a variety of diversity initiatives for my employer, I was pleasantly surprised by Snyder's mainstream approach to presenting this book's timely findings. Given that gay executives are more apt to practice what Snyder has identified as a "new leadership paradigm" makes justifiable and sociological sense after reading the Introduction and Case Studies. I found the chapter on "Ten things every manager needs to know" about why 1,000 employees reporting to gay executives in some of the largest companies around are more engaged and better contributors provided the most valuable ideas about inspiring todays workforce. If you are a manager/executive of any race, creed or gender and looking for new insight about the how's and why's of worker disenchantment (and how to turn it around) you will likely find value in Snyder's well reported research.

Fresh Perspective

Snyder's research looks at management and leadership from a new angle. For me, what I found most impressive was how the book never strays far from the reality of what it means to be part of the globalized workforce. No matter what your role, Snyder offers "fresh perspectives" about how to be a better manager, leader, employee, etc. There are many new trends highlighted here that impact everyone no matter if you are gay, straight or somewhere in the middle. It's a solid business book that makes much practical sense for all levels of management.

Harvard Business Review List

When I first saw this title on HBR's recommended reading list I thought it was going to be a "gay good," "straight bad" manifesto disguised as a business book. But since I'm gay myself I nonetheless found myself compelled to read it even against my better judgement. Now I know why HBR recommended it. Snyder delves way beyond gay issues and presents a business leadership book with more weight to it than most. I found myself shaking my head in ackowledgement many times throughout this book as well as having light bulbs turned on. Snyder's research led him to connect severaltrends that have led up to the leadership crisis in this country and that effects everyone with a job. "The G Quotient" does for business leadership what "The Tipping Point" did for understanding how we are effected by change. My fear is that straight types will assume like I did this is a "gay good," straight bad" book and pass it by. It's anything but. This book deserves to be read by a wide audience and if it is, it will be a tipping point of its own in terms of establishing a new type of business leadership. Five Stars.

"Those Practicing the G7 = Heaven for Their Employees"

Author Snyder has succeeded where so many others have failed. Who knew? Respecting and engaging your employees increases productivity and company loyalty. Well researched, this book is a must read for middle managers all the way up to top-level executives. As a heterosexual woman who has worked for three different Fortune 500 companies, Snyder focuses on what the managers profiled in his book are doing right--letting their employees know they are "making a difference." Managers practicing "The G7 = Heaven" for their employees. Bravo, Snyder!

Validation for employees

In his book, "The G Quotient," Kirk Snyder identifies what he calls the "reconstruction of contemporary employees." I found this part of the book to be very enlightening for understanding why so many people today are dissatisfied with not just their jobs but with their bosses. He uses this "recalibration" as the back-drop to a very timely book. Not being gay, I thought I might not relate to the subject matter as much as someone who is gay (or even works for someone gay), but that wasn't the case. This book sheds a lot of light on who makes up todays workforce, what they are all about and most importantly, how much they have to offer. If you are frustrated and tired of not getting a chance to show your stuff at work, this book will help tremendously.