Six Conversations. One Advantage.How the Best Leaders Pull Ahead — and Stay There.
★★★★★
"Standout teaches managers how to raise performance AND
discover the 'secret sauce' of the human potential of people working
together to bring out their team's best."
Ceree Eberly,
Former Chief People Officer, The Coca-Cola Company
★★★★★
"Standout, cuts through the noise and re-centers managers on
what really matters: mastering six pivotal conversations with their
people."
Matt Dixon, Wall Street Journal —
Bestselling co-author of The Activator Advantage and
The Challenger Sale, Founding Partner, DCM Insights
I spent 25+ years advising Fortune 1000 executives and managing global
teams at public companies and start-ups (Gartner, CEB, Talent Neuron,
Legg Mason).
One thing I learnt — most managers follow a flawed management playbook
of always busy and accountable, but unsure how to make real progress.
Standout shows you how to create an unfair advantage.
Every manager's career hinges on six conversations—
most don't know how to run them. Standout changes that
ONE
Strategy Conversation
Know exactly what to focus on so your work matters.
TWO
Breakthrough Conversation
Turn tough moments into breakthroughs and spark your team's best work.
THREE
Performance Conversation
Help your team get better so your results get better.
FOUR
Goal Conversation
Get your team running on its own so you get your time back.
FIVE
Partner Conversation
Collaborate seamlessly across teams so work moves faster.
SIX
AI Conversation
Decide with clarity and anticipate what's ahead.
When this clicks, you become a "ready now" leader for your next leadership role.
The myths you were told
and how you actually succeed.
The New Management System.
One Clear Path To Standout.
This Book Is For You If:
You're a seasoned leader looking to move to the next level
You lead people in any context — founder, non-profit, government
You're a first-time manager finding your footing
You're busy, but not getting ahead
You're done being just competent
If you've felt the gap between effort and impact, start here.
Get your copy of STANDOUT and start leading at the next level
The six conversations were found by studying what high performers
actually do — not prescribed from theory.
Works in meetings you're already having.
No new system to add. Everything changes about how you run what's
already there.
A system that compounds.
Each conversation makes the next one stronger. The whole gets better
as each part improves.
The Things Standout Will Teach You
Know exactly what to focus on so your work actually matters
Turn tough moments into breakthroughs that spark your team's best work
Help your team get better so your results improve and they run on their own
Get 1 day a week back to do your promotion-level thinking or work
Collaborate seamlessly across teams so work moves faster
Decide with clarity and be 10 steps ahead
Stop being the bottleneck your team works around
Use AI before it makes your judgment obsolete
… and much, much more.
By Monday, you could be the leader you were meant to be.
More Praise for Standout
★★★★★
"Standout points an intensive spotlight on the scale of the
opportunity and provides practical insights boards and
CEOs can use to unlock their organization's potential."
Aaron Kissel, CEO Assemble; Former General Manager of the Wall Street
Journal; and Former Chief Product Officer at Politico
★★★★★
"I've seen Jaime turn real-world challenges into practical wisdom.
Standout equips managers with six clear, courageous,
and catalytic conversations that drive performance, alignment, and
trust."
Jacques Antebi, Partner, Melitas Ventures, Former Executive Vice
President KIND Snacks, Former McKinsey Partner
★★★★★
"At Harvard Business School, we teach that the hardest part of
management is not having the right answers, but knowing which questions
truly matter. Standout takes that idea seriously.
This book expands what managers believe they are allowed to
ask—and in doing so, expands what they are able to accomplish."
Derek van Bever, Harvard Business School, Director of the Forum for
Growth and Innovation.
★★★★★
"Top decile managers don't work any harder than their mediocre peers,
they just do a few things differently.Standout
shines a light on those "things.""
Russell Davis, General Manager, EVP of Member Experience, American
Bankers Association
Hi, I'm Jaime.
I've spent the last 25+ years inside organizations, helping managers and
executives lead through uncertainty and scale their impact. Most
recently, I was a General Manager and Global Executive Committee member
at Gartner, leading global research, events, and advisory teams.
Along the way, I built $300M+ businesses, hired and developed hundreds of
leaders, and advised thousands of Fortune 1000 executives.
While at Gartner, I co-authored the book, The Connector Manager: Why
Some Leaders Build Exceptional Talent—and Others Don't, pioneering
how organizations think about manager development. I wrote
Standout to share what separates average managers from leaders
who rise above the rest.
What's Inside
Assessments
2 Assessments — know exactly where you stand before
you start with easy actions to take
Tools
14 Practical Tools — one for every situation
you'll actually face and easy to implement today
Real World
Stories from the field — CEOs, Titans of Industry,
exceptional leaders inside the world's most successful organizations
Go deeper here, become the leader you were meant to be.
Get your copy of STANDOUT and start leading at the next level
Practical, relevant and actionable – worth the read
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2026 Format: Paperback
Standout is thoughtful, practical, and highly relevant guide for
today's leaders. The real-world stories and examples bring the concepts
to life in a way that feels authentic and actionable. I found myself
reflecting on my own leadership style throughout and came away with
ideas and approaches I'm sure to use in my work. A great read for both
new and experienced managers.
Lauren S
★★★★★
For New and Experienced Managers
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2026 Format: Hardcover
"What separates great managers is not what they know, but the
conversations they have." Standout provides a practical roadmap to the
changes in the key conversations managers have daily that not only
drive team performance but also can accelerate their own careers. As a
manager myself, the goal conversation chapter particularly resonates as
it reframes goals from just stretching teams to giving managers real
time back. An easy read with simple visuals I plan to share with my
leadership team.
SW
★★★★★
A modern and engaging blueprint to become a better leader
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2026 Format: Kindle
Standout is more than a book about leadership, it's a blueprint to
become a better leader. As someone who has been a manager and studied
management for many years, Standout brings unique ideas, tools,
frameworks, and personal anecdotes that feel relevant and accessible to
leaders at any stage of management. The "six conversations" will feel
familiar, but Standout provides tools to take each of those
conversations to the next level of impact. Roca's engaging storytelling
and modern approach to management will inspire you to make changes to
your own daily routines today.
Peter Aykens
★★★★★
Standout as an effective manager
Reviewed in the United States on April 30, 2026 Format: Kindle
Jaime Roca's new book, Standout, is an excellent resource for managers
at any level and a terrific complement to his previous book The
Connector Manager. Its value lies in its pragmatism. It is anchored in
the real conversations managers have every day with their teams, bosses
and partners. While systematic in its coverage, this book does not
pitch a "system" per se. Rather, it lays out in clear terms and
relatable examples the interactions that managers routinely have (if you
have ever managed a team, regardless of size, you will recognize the
examples), where those interactions often fall short, and what managers
can do to make them significantly better. Like many business and
leadership books, this one has its share of jargon. But don't let that
dissuade you from reading to the end. Use the concepts you like and move
past those you don't. Ultimately, if you take Roca's "earned the hard
way" advice to heart, you will become a more thoughtful, impactful and
successful manager across your career.
Russell Davis
★★★★★
"The margin between average and exceptional is razor thin."
Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2026 Format: Hardcover
Top decile managers don't work any harder than their mediocre peers,
they just do a few things differently. Standout shines a light on those
"things" – conversations – and shows the reader exactly what to do. It
replaces the heady frameworks that clutter so many management books and
with tactical tools rooted in Roca's decades of best practices research
and experience. (The section on performance conversations led me to
transform how I conducted staff reviews, to great effect.) Standout is
well worth the reading time and I expect will be one I revisit regularly.
SC
★★★★★
Management Happens in the Conversations That Matter
Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2026 Format: Paperback
Standout is a practical book for managers trying to lead in environments
where priorities and expectations keep shifting.
What stood out to me is Jaime's focus on conversations as the real work
of management. The idea of "conversational clarity" is especially
useful. Managers do not always need another framework; they often need
to create clearer direction in the conversations they are already
having.
The writing is simple, grounded, and easy to apply. A useful read for
managers who want to increase their impact without simply working harder.
Scott R
★★★★★
This is the book to read if you want to be seen as a leader at your company
Reviewed in the United States on June 2, 2026 Format: Paperback ✓ Verified Purchase
Standout is one of the most practical leadership books I've read in
years. Instead of recycled management advice, it provides clear
conversations and tools that help managers create impact. I finished it
with pages of notes and several ideas I could apply immediately in my own
work.
Caroline Walsh
★★★★★
Should be part of every manager's toolkit
Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2026 Format: Kindle ✓ Verified Purchase
Roca's terrific book, Standout, is as fun to read as it is practical and
tactical. The book frames up six conversations to prioritize—both with
leadership and your teams. Reading it, I found myself marking multiple
pages for follow up, and highlighting questions to use in my own catch
ups and recurring 1:1s. This book will help any manager or leader level
up.
Bruno Beuzelin
★★★★★
Six conversations, and the job finally makes sense
Reviewed in the United States on June 8, 2026 Format: Paperback
I've read plenty of leadership books that tell you who to be. Standout
tells you what to do. Roca's whole argument is that management lives in a
few high-leverage moments - six recurring conversations - and most of us
run them on autopilot. He gives you a simple operating system for each
(Shape, Challenge, Amplify) and two mindsets that hold up under pressure
(Brave Take, Brave Give). It's specific, it's usable, and the AI chapter
alone is worth it - he treats AI as a way to sharpen your judgment, not
just speed up your busywork. Practical without being shallow. Highly
recommend for any manager who's tired of frameworks that don't survive
contact with a real team.
Lucy Coyle
★★★★★
Uniquely Human Leadership for the AI Era
Reviewed in the United States on May 1, 2026 Format: Kindle ✓ Verified Purchase
"There's no invitation that says, "Tuesday at 3:00 p.m., a conversation
that will define your effectiveness as a leader."" Yet, anyone who's
made the leap into leadership will know that your reputation hinges upon
how you show up with your direct reports, your peers, and those more
senior than you.
Roca's framework for conversational leadership is intuitive and simple,
yet, challenges the reader to push beyond their natural instincts and to
make the most of the moments (and MANY meetings) that define our days.
If you feel lost as a leader in the AI era, this book will ground you
back in the reality that work and leadership is still deeply human -- and
needs your expert shaping if you want to succeed and transcend mediocrity.
