Great at Work

Morten Hansen’s business self-help book, Great at Work: How Top Performers Do Less, Work Better, and Achieve More (2018), follows Great by Choice (2011).

Hansen begins the book by explaining his research methods and how he determined which strategies work for high performing individuals and which do not. First, he conducted interviews with experts and studies with employees. Using these findings, he identified seven key points that contribute to performance. They are as follows:

1. Select a small set of important priorities and work exceptionally hard on them


2. Produce valuable, high-quality results rather than mindlessly meeting goals


3. Learn from mistakes and avoid mindless repetition


4. Look for roles in the workplace that coincide with abilities and interests


5. Work together with others


6. Cut back on team meetings, only scheduling one if it is absolutely essential


7. Collaborate on projects only if they are productive and genuinely useful

Hansen tested these points with a large and diverse group of workers to ensure that the majority saw an improvement in their performance and reduction in their workload.

The first section of the book provides tips for mastering one’s work. The first is to identify the most important tasks or roles and focus exclusively on those. Hansen discusses several methods for shaving off extra work and saying no to tasks that may not be as productive. He also gives tips for saying no to a boss who wants to overload a particular worker’s schedule.



Hansen discusses how to set productive goals. He explains that one must start by thinking about how to create the most value in one’s work, and then set ambitious goals from there rather than working towards mindless production goals.

Next, Hansen advises looking for points in the work that frequently irritate or cause annoyance. Once these have been identified, the worker can take steps to find a solution, making work easier. Likewise, smart workers should not be afraid to question inefficiencies at work and look for ways to make them more efficient. This may take some bravery on the part of the employee since it involves questioning the way things have always been done.

Hansen gives advice for learning new skills, outlining a process that eschews mindless repetition in favor of deliberate practice and mindful improvement. His method involves doing a task, getting feedback on the task, analyzing performance, and then making small improvements to get better. By practicing in small, measurable increments, the individual sees more improvement over time.



Finally, Hansen suggests finding tasks that are inspiring and give work purpose. He encourages workers to find a job that aligns with their interests and abilities, but also to seek purpose in other areas of life so that they are not left looking to work as their only source of validation.

In the second section of the book, Hansen discusses ways to master working with others. He gives tips for sharing passion with other employees, whether they are subordinates, bosses, or coworkers. In addition to providing advice on how to inspire others, Hansen also gives tips for getting others to advocate for themselves and generally feel empowered and capable of enacting positive change. Finally, he offers advice on ways to confront others and stand up against opponents when it is necessary.

To run productive meetings, Hansen suggests scheduling them only when there is a matter that requires significant debate. The meeting should end with everyone in attendance coming to a consensus as to what the best idea is. He also advocates for urging quiet meeting participants to speak up and loud ones who talk a disproportionate amount of the time to be quiet and listen when necessary.



In the final section of the book, Hansen discusses work-life balance and how to achieve it. Using the practices he has already described, he identifies which ones are best for overcoming specific challenges related to creating a work-life balance. For example, work less and obsess is mentioned as the best way to avoid burning out, while finding a passion and purpose is the factor that most affects overall job satisfaction.

Before ending the book, Hansen identifies more strategies for managing stress and generally feeling happier at work. These include spending time away to refresh and recharge, not taking setbacks personally, and not fighting dirty when engaged in a conflict with an opponent at work. By identifying these and other principles that have been proven to work, Hansen purports to have found a scientific method for achieving better results and more happiness at work.