Be Excellent at Anything: The Four Keys To Transforming the Way We Work and Live [Paperback]

 

 

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Marshall Goldsmith wrote a book in which he asserts "What got you here won't get you there." In this book, written with Jean Gomes and Catherine McCarthy, Tony Schwartz takes that insight a step further, asserting "What got you here won't keep you here, much less get you there." He insists, and I wholeheartedly agree, that with very few exceptions - such as the companies that are annually ranked the most admired, the best to work for, etc. - most companies have a workplace that is dysfunctional and perhaps even toxic. He cites the results of a recent global workforce study by Towers Perrin (90,000 employees in 18 countries in 2007-2008) that are comparable with the results of recent research by the Gallup Organization: on average, less than 20% of a workforce are actively and productively engaged, about 40% are capable but not fully committed, and a similar percentage are disenchanted or actively disengaged.

In his earlier book, The Power of Full Engagement co-authored with Jim Loehr, Schwartz offers a number of sensible recommendations that will help to increase the number of actively and productively engaged workers in a given organization. Perhaps his most important insight is that energy must be managed effectively. As have Malcolm Gladwell, Geoff Colvin, Daniel Coyle, and Matthew Syed in their books, Schwartz cites research conducted by Anders Ericsson and his associates at Florida State University to explain the relationship between natural talent and superior performance. "Great performers, Ericsson's study suggests, work more intensely than most of us do but also recover more deeply. Solo practice undertaken with high concentration is especially exhausting, The best violinists figured out, intuitively, that they generated the highest value by working intensely, without interruption, for no more than ninety minutes and no more than 4 hours a day."

This revelation has profound implications for increasing productivity wherever people are involved (e.g. workplace, schools, colleges, universities). Schwartz suggests that there are four categories of energy needs that must be accommodated for people to work at their best: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Only by fulfilling these generic needs can we fulfill corresponding needs: sustainability, security, self-expression, and significance. The illustration of all this on Page 9 bears at least some resemblance to Abraham Maslow's "Hierarchy of Needs."

The challenge for work supervisors as well as for those for whom they are responsible to (1) recognize and understand various multidimensional needs; (2) respond effectively to those needs with prudent but sufficient expenditure of physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual energy; (3) remain acutely aware of the impact and consequences of what they say and do; (4) think inclusively while respecting differences; (5) avoid or overcome what James O'Toole characterizes as "the ideology of comfort and the tyranny of custom"; (6) rest to re-energize ("sleep or die"); (7) sustain commitment to regular exercise and proper nutrition; (8) create a environment that is "energy efficient" is terms of its workers' physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health; (9) provide leadership to ensure the energy efficiency of that environment; and (10) define a set of shared values and a purpose beyond profitability that unites everyone involved.

Re this last point, that is precisely what Dave and Wendy Ulrich so eloquently recommend in The Why of Work: How Great Leaders Build Abundant Organizations That Win as does Simon Sinek in Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action. Those who are thinking about reading this book need to keep in mind that most people prefer a "known devil" to an "unknown devil": Their fear is not really of change but of what is unfamiliar. Most change initiatives fail because initial expectations are unrealistic (with all due respect to what Jim Collins calls "BHAGs" or Big Hairy Audacious Goals), ultimate benefits are over-sold, and those who will be most affected by the changes have little (if anything) to say about what will be changed and by what process.

Of course, Tony Schwartz is well aware of all this and wrote a book, this one, in which he offers a cohesive, comprehensive, and cost-effective/energy-efficient program in which almost everyone within a given enterprise will become and then remain actively and productively engaged. They will demonstrate what Lao-Tzu suggests in my favorite passage from his Tao Te Ching:

"Learn from the people
Plan with the people
Begin with what they have
Build on what they know
Of the best leaders
When the task is accomplished
The people will remark
We have done it ourselves."

I'm reluctant calling this a personal development/ productivity book, because the genre has such a poor reputation. You might consider this a "professional development" or "management/ leadership development" book - it would fit well in that category too.

I read very widely in the personal development, productivity and leadership arenas. And let's be honest - not all of the best-selling personal development/ productivity/leadership books are great. Some are weak books that are just well-marketed. But Tony Schwartz's book, "The Way We're Working Isn't Working" is an example of a truly great personal development/ productivity book. This book is a wake-up call that highlights some pretty scary and surprising research into the way our current way of working is affecting us all. Schwartz's writing is clear and well-structured, making it easy to follow and to review the main ideas (there's a great review section at the end of the book and excellent visuals at the beginning of each chapter). His work is grounded in science, rather than the usual personal development hyperbole and motivational language. You'll find concrete, practical advice, rather than the common "you-can-do-it" inspirational rah-rah, and Schwartz gives examples of companies he's worked with, showing how they're implementing the ideas.

This book has wide applicability - it's an instruction manual for the individual, for improving the quality of your life (both at work and beyond), and it's a brilliant leadership development book for entrepreneurs, business leaders and managers whose business relies on effectively managing and leveraging their human resources. Highly recommended. My copy is full of highlights and underlined sections and I'll be returning to it over and over again.

I read this books about 6 months ago ... I really loved the book then but it's actually over time that I can really let you know how incredibly valuable this book is.

We are not running out of time in our day. We are running out of energy. This book addresses the fact that it's not more time or better time management that we need in our day it's better ENERGY management. And it's better work environments that promote the management of energy that will create the best results for individuals and companies. The best part is that he gives plenty of examples of how various companies do this and how you can implement better energy management in your own life (even if you have limited amounts of control over the structure of your day ... i.e. you can't take a nap).

If you feel burned out and you're not quite sure how to fix it. If you used to love what you do but dread it now. Or if you just want to come home to your family at the end of the night with energy to enjoy them and your evening with them - this is a MUST read book.

It's funny because I can't really think of anybody that would NOT benefit from this book ... as long as you care about the quality of life you're living and want to feel good day to day this book will be a BIG help for you. This book fits into a lot of categories of book in my mind: self help, productivity, entrepreneurship, success, business growth and management!

I also *highly* recommend you check out the talk he gave to Google staff. I found it on YouTube and it's a GREAT video. Reiterates a few of the key points in the book and adds some other ideas to it. Enjoy!

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