In Hug Your Customers , Jack Mitchell showed business readers how to keep their customers happy--and their profits booming. In Hug Your People , he elaborates on his big secret: hiring, motivating, and keeping your biggest asset--great employees! From Publishers Weekly Reading a book with the word "hug" in the title that basically advises on how to be nice to other people makes one realize that there ought to be more books like this on the shelves. Mitchell, CEO of the clothing stores Mitchells/Richards/Marshs has already outlined how to keep customers happy in Hug Your Customers . With his newest, Mitchell repeats this mandate, now turning inward to focus on how to hire and maintain a happy staff. Divided into five parts that outline how to treat people, build trust, develop pride in your organization and be inclusive and recognize people, the book looks at how creating a niceness culture can help to create employees that stick around the company and take a personal interest in the organization. Mitchell ends each chapter with a helpful checklist that repeats the important points. In one chapter, he advises redefining "rules and regulations" as "expectations and standards" (rules, for example, are "unbending... cold and impersonal"; expectations are "flexible and freeing when they need to be"). While such changes may seem subtle, the spirit behind them is surely a worthwhile reminder of how to make work more enjoyable for everyone. ( Mar. 4 ) Copyright; Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Howard Behar, Director, Starbucks Coffee " Hug Your People is totally inspiring. Jack Mitchell takes you on a journey that is as much about life as it is about business. This book will not only help you become a better leader but also make you a better person. At Starbucks we experienced firsthand what the lessons that Jack imparts can do to help an organization. If you want a more rewarding relationship with another human being, read this book." Richard J. Harrington, President and CEO, The Thomson Corporation "If you look behind the scenes at any business that succeeds over the long term, you will find motivated, committed, energized employees. Jack Mitchell is the grand master at motivating and inspiring employees to perform brilliantly--and exceed their customers' expectations every time." Sy Sternberg, Chairman and CEO, New York Life " Hug Your People is the perfect sequel to Hug Your Customers. Good customer service starts with happy employees, and Jack Mitchell knows it!" Arthur Levitt, Jr., author of Take on the Street , former chairman, SEC, present friend and customer of Mitchells " Hug Your People must be a `must read' if Jack Mitchell authored it. He knows more about motivating people--customers, employees, and all with whom he comes in contact--than any other person I know." Paul Newman "If you want to run a business, but hate American corporate culture, this book is the one to read. Here's somebody whose advice you can use." Ken Blanchard, coauthor, The One Minute Manager(R) and Raving Fans(R) "... Jack Mitchell explains how simple ideas, put into practice, will let your employees know how much you value them." Indra Nooyi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Pepsico "... spot-on ... Your book taught me a lot, Jack. For providing me with some great ideas, many thanks." Cathie Black, President, Hearst Magazines "... extraordinary customer service and satisfaction is the result of treating your associates like they, too, were family members." Jack Mitchell is the CEO of Mitchells/Richards/Marshs/Wilkes Bashford, four of the most successful clothing stores in the business. He and his wife, Linda, live in Wilton, Connecticut, where they raised four sons.