No B.S. Ruthless Management of People and Profits by Dan S. Kennedy Summary
Overview of No B.S. Ruthless Management of People and Profits
Forget PC culture - Dan Kennedy's controversial guide, praised by 1M+ business owners, reveals why ruthless management trumps coddling employees. Used by leaders from $1M to $1B operations, it boldly argues profit is your highest obligation. Would Bezos and Jobs agree?
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Key takeaways
The Ruthless Truth About Business Success
In a business world obsessed with employee happiness and workplace harmony, Dan Kennedy's "No BS Ruthless Management" delivers a stark reality check. While most management books peddle feel-good fluff, Kennedy embraces the uncomfortable truth that business exists primarily for profit, not employment. This philosophy aligns with practices of legendary figures like Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, and Walt Disney - leaders celebrated for their success despite (or because of) their demanding management styles. The fundamental question isn't whether you're liked, but whether you're profitable. Are you running a charity or a business? Because the bank doesn't give bonus points for happy employees who don't contribute to the bottom line. Your business is your life - not so for your employees. While you're thinking about how to grow revenue, they're counting down to Friday. You pray for customers to walk through the door; they hope nobody arrives before closing time. This mindset gap isn't personal - it's structural. Expecting employees to have an "ownership mentality" is like expecting bears to have human characteristics. Remember the man who went to live with bears thinking they were misunderstood gentle creatures? He eventually got eaten because bears are bears. Similarly, employees act like employees because that's what they are. Napoleon Hill identified "Accurate Thinking" as a crucial foundation for success. Refusing to think accurately about your relationship with employees dooms you to disappointment and financial losses. You can be friendly with employees and should care about their well-being, but don't delude yourself - they have their own families, and you aren't in them. This isn't cynicism; it's realism that frees you to make decisions based on business needs rather than wishful thinking.
Managing Performance and Standards
Systems: Your Path to Freedom and Profit
Customer Service as a Management Priority
The Profit Imperative: Measuring Employee Value
Managing Change and Inevitable Decline
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
From Columbia University alumni built in San Francisco
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
"I never knew where to start with nonfiction—BeFreed’s book lists turned into podcasts gave me a clear path."
"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
"Crazy how much I learned while walking the dog. BeFreed = small habits → big gains."
"Reading used to feel like a chore. Now it’s just part of my lifestyle."
"Feels effortless compared to reading. I’ve finished 6 books this month already."
"BeFreed turned my guilty doomscrolling into something that feels productive and inspiring."
"BeFreed turned my commute into learning time. 20-min podcasts are perfect for finishing books I never had time for."
"BeFreed replaced my podcast queue. Imagine Spotify for books — that’s it. 🙌"
"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
"The themed book list podcasts help me connect ideas across authors—like a guided audio journey."
"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
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