Make Work Work - by Deborah Lovich (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

As seen in Fortune and The Economist.

Five daily habits that reduce burnout, build engagement, and create a stronger organization, with no complex programs or HR mandates required.

Burnout is at record levels, and most leadership advice isn't solving it, because it's too complicated, it lands on HR teams who can't change daily culture, or it simply doesn't stick. This book offers something more useful: 5 simple, repeatable practices that managers, executives, and CEOs can weave into their existing routines right now, across in-person, hybrid, and AI-supported teams.

The 5 practices:

• Celebrate Someone
• Go, See, and Help
• Be Interested
• Cocreate
• Do It First

These are daily actions grounded in research and built for how work actually happens today, including distributed teams and AI-integrated workflows. Leaders who adopt them create cultures of support that sustain themselves without top-down mandates or expensive rollouts.

This book is for managers frustrated that engagement programs don't stick and for executives who want tools they can use today, not initiatives that take months.

Supporting your people isn't just the right thing to do; it builds more profitable, resilient organizations. Start here.

Review Quotes

"Compelling, practical, and deeply human in its approach of putting people first and investing in them fully, this book belongs on every leader's desk."
--Ed Bastian, CEO, Delta Air Lines

"Here, Lovich closes the gap between aspirational talk and action by laying out a clear and disciplined approach to practical, employee-centric moves leaders can make to drive performance and build trust when it matters most."
--Karen S. Carter, CEO, Dow

"This book is a daily vitamin for leaders--five practical habits, brought to life through engaging stories, that anyone can use. Follow them, and work will actually get better--for everyone."
--Stephen Meier, James P. Gorman Professor of Business, Columbia Business School, and author of The Employee Advantage

"I loved this book! Lovich's five daily practices are easy to start tomorrow, and powerful enough to transform how people feel and perform."
--Zeynep Ton, Professor of the Practice, MIT Sloan School of Management, and cofounder and President, Good Jobs Institute

"Lovich's work is a rare, refreshing masterclass in organizational health that manages to be both profoundly visionary and intensely practical. A definitive roadmap to modernize your leadership style, this is the only book you need to read this year."
--Scott Sperling, Co-CEO, THL Partners

"Lovich's work is a powerful, practical tool for leaders who want to change how their organization performs. The five daily practices are simple, human, and deeply impactful, turning intent into everyday leadership behavior."
--Andi Owen, CEO, MillerKnoll

"Great cultures aren't built through slogans but through the small, consistent actions leaders take every day. This book serves as a powerful guide to leading with presence, empathy, and accountability in ways that truly engage people and drive performance."
--Scott Samirs, President and CEO, ABM Industries

"Exceptional leaders believe in putting people first--Lovich shows how to practically do it through this practical, human guide to building cultures where employees thrive and performance follows."
--Aron Ain, Executive Chairman of the Board and retired CEO, UKG

"Culture is built in the everyday moments, not the big declarations or events. Lovich's 'daily five' puts language and structure around those moments, offering a practical path to building stronger, more connected, and more human organizations."
--Shira Goodman, former CEO, Staples

About the Author

Deborah Lovich is a Managing Director and Senior Partner in the Boston office of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and a future-of-work fellow in BCG's Henderson Institute. Her TED talk on the future of work has been viewed over 2 million views, and she speaks at 30-40 major industry events annually. Lovich has published extensively in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, MIT Sloan Management Review, and Fortune, and she is a sought-after media expert for The New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg, and NPR.