Your Job Survival Guide: A Manual for Thriving in Change
280
Your Job Survival Guide: A Manual for Thriving in Change
280eBook
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Overview
Selected by IBM Competitive Edge Book Club Selection.
"The beauty of this book on top of its life-saving timeliness is its capacity to give the reader concrete steps to live the good life and enjoy it. The book made me understand that work can be more fun than fun.”
–Warren Bennis, Ph.D., University Professor, University of Southern California, coauthor, Judgment: How Great Leaders Make Winning Calls and Transparency: How Leaders Create a Culture of Candor
Change. It’s your job. It just won’t stop. It’s relentless. It keeps coming at you like never-ending rapids in a permanent whitewater river. Change will burn you out if you don’t learn how to handle it. This book is not, however, about mere survival. It is about thriving amidst the challenges of your permanent whitewater world at work.
•Protect your career, improve your resilience, and seize the opportunities in turbulent times
•Take charge, learn to pace yourself, set your own course, and lead others in ad-hoc teams
•Ride the rapids and rediscover play and adventure in today’s demanding work environment
•Learn from research and the experiences of hundreds of professionals in industries from energy to telecommunications to financial services to health care
There’s nothing abstract or cute about the way this book talks about change: This is practical, grounded knowledge for managing your life in a business world that’s churning with change. Gregory Shea, Ph.D. and Robert Gunther show how to keep your working life on course instead of being pushed beyond your limits...find fun and fulfillment...regroup and rebound from failure...protect yourself from events you can’t predict...take charge of your life, an your future!
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780132704205 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Pearson Education |
| Publication date: | 08/11/2008 |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 280 |
| File size: | 851 KB |
About the Author
Gregory Shea, Ph.D., consults, researches, writes, and teaches in the areas of organizational and individual change, leadership, group effectiveness, and conflict resolution. He is president of the consulting firm Shea & Associates, a principal in The Coxe Group international consultancy; Senior Consultant at the Center for Applied Research, Adjunct Professor of Management at The Wharton School, where he has taught for more than 25 years, an Adjunct Senior Fellow at the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics, and a Faculty Associate of the Wharton School’s Center for Leadership and Change. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Harvard, Shea holds an M.Sc. from the London School of Economics, and an M.A., M. Phil., and Ph.D. in Administrative Science from Yale. He is a member of the Academy of Management and the American Psychological Association.
Robert Gunther is coauthor or collaborator on more than 20 books, including The Wealthy 100 and The Truth About Making Smart Decisions. He has appeared on CNBC’s “Power Lunch,” NPR’s “Morning Edition,” and numerous local and national radio and television programs, and his projects have been featured in The New York Times, Time, USA Today, and Fortune. His columns or articles also have been published in Harvard Business Review, American Heritage, Investor’s Business Daily, and The Philadelphia Inquirer. As founder of Gunther Communications, he has consulted with Fortune 500 companies, universities, and major nonprofits. He is a graduate of Princeton University.
Read an Excerpt
Praise for Your Job Survival GuidePraise for Your Job Survival Guide
"Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther have written the book on how to navigate today's turbulent waters. Full of practical wisdom, research, insight, and humor, Your Job Survival Guide shows us how to navigate the whitewater of today's changing business environment while thoroughly enjoying the journey. A great read!"
—Annie McKee, Founder, the Teleos Leadership Institute and Coauthor of the best sellers Primal Leadership, Resonant Leadership, and most recently, a practical guide to developing and sustaining personal and professional effectiveness, Becoming a Resonant Leader
"If gentle currents carried careers in the past, whitewater is the medium today. For navigating the cauldrons of change, Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther draw upon wrenching work moments and rapid river kayaking to draw the map. Your Job Survival Guide is an indispensable companion for mastering the turbulence of our era."
—Michael Useem, Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership at the Wharton School, author, The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide
"Your Job Survival Guide is a provocative book that goes beyond theory. This book is not about avoiding the potholes of organizational life, it's about learning how to step in them and take responsibility for yourself. Shea and Gunther force us to look in the mirror and, in a very practical way, challenge us to behave differently. Quite frankly, the lessons go beyond the perils of our work life; the lessons are useful for day to day living."
—Thomas Saporito, Ph.D., President, RHR International Company
"In today's world there is no such thing as steady state. Greg and Robert have put together a great owner's manual for thriving in a world where change is the constant."
—Michael Rechtiene, President Animas Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson Co.
"Today's world requires us to continuously reinvent our company by adapting it to the evolving world. At the core of that process lies one's ability to efficiently manage necessary changes. Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther beautifully describe this important challenge and offer simple and concrete solutions to meet them. As a company that lives its fundamentals—'people are our main asset'—I am recommending this book to all our executives and managers as a key tool to meet the future."
—Patrick Firmenich, CEO, Firmenich
"It is no secret that continual change dominates most business life today. Most thinkers and writers addressing managing, leading, or surviving change, however, tend to focus on examples of one change after another, often complex and multiyear strategic change, but still bounded by the one story. Shea and Gunther take head-on the reality that we actually need to manage and lead in an environment of continuous, ongoing, major change. They then address the role of the protagonist in many simultaneous and overlapping change processes, which is the reality today. They offer wonderfully accessible experiential and practical observations and advice for you, the actor is these many stories. This is sound, practical, and readily applied advice. And it's also in a form that allows you to 'dip into' the book in different sections and take a few valuable insights to put into practice immediately—a truly wonderful addition to the practitioner's literature on leading change."
—Thomas P. Gerrity, Joseph Aresty Professor of Management, and Dean Emeritus, the Wharton School
"Shea and Gunther's Your Job Survival Guide is an easy and important read, overflowing with pragmatic advice about your job in today's whitewater world. Using examples ranging from the routine to the spiritual, while sticking close to the metaphor of a memorable journey through turbulent waters, the authors engaged me from start to finish. This book is a great resource both for those individuals stuck in their daily routine as well as organizations who aspire to enhance their work groups."
—Elliot Sussman, MD, CEO, Lehigh Valley Health Network
"Your Job Survival Guide tackles head-on the realities of leadership in the 21st century through the playful lens of the whitewater navigator. The book provides both a comprehensive overview of the challenges that leaders face, but don't always acknowledge, and powerful solutions derived from real life experiences. Accessible and engaging!"
—Meg Jones, Executive VP & Chief Administrative Officer, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Preface: We Surely All Will Die xix
CHAPTER 1: AN ESKIMO ON THE TITANIC 1
Dangerous Waters 3
Sailors and Paddlers:Your Real Job Is Change 6
The Limits of Flat-Water Thinking 9
CHAPTER 2: WORKING THE EDDIES: Pace Yourself to Preserve Your Sanity 13
All Hands on Deck 17
We Are Drowning in Change 19
The Impact of Exhaustion 22
Strategies for Pacing 25
Create a “Not To Do” List 27
Build Breaks in the Action 30
Get Good Sleep 32
Take a Nap 33
Enforce Vacations 35
Avoid the Perils of the Crazy Brave and Phony Tough 38
Keep a Roll in Reserve 41
CHAPTER 3: MASTERING THE ROLL: Prepare to Fail Gracefully and Recover Quickly 45
Failure Is the Only Option 48
Strategies for Failing Quickly and Recovering Gracefully 52
Treat Your Career as a Series of Experiments 52
Minimize the Risk of Failure 54
Master the Emotions of Failure 56
Practice Failing 57
Prepare to Learn from Failure 59
Make Your Mistakes on the Move 60
Failing and Play 62
CHAPTER 4: THE POWER OF PLAY: Optimism and Resilience 65
The Play’s the Thing 66
The Power of Optimism 70
Strategies for Unsinkable Optimism 71
Create Optimism and Avoid Learned Helplessness 72
When All Else Fails, Paddle Like Hell 74
Choose Your Equipment for the Right Level of Fun 75
Patience: Keep Your Feet Up and Go With the Flow 77
Recharge by Paddling 79
Create Time and Space for Play 80
Cultivate Exuberance 81
CHAPTER 5: PERSONAL FLOTATION: You Are Responsible for Your Own Security 85
Sink or Swim 89
Strategies for Personal Flotation 91
Learn Self-Rescue by Developing Your “Brand You” 91
Build a Portfolio of Projects 92
Practice Your Offside Roll: Cultivate Diverse Skills to Increase Maneuverability 93
Create Strong Networks 98
Take Care of Your Health 100
Alone in a Tight Place 101
CHAPTER 6: SCOUTING AND PORTAGING: Set Your Own Course 103
Meaning Is Local 105
Get Out When You Hear the Roarof the Falls 109
Strategies for Scouting and Portaging 112
Listen to the River: Read the Water 112
Develop Your Intuition and Then Listen to It 115
Listen to Others: Learn from Reports of
Fellow Travelers 120
Know When To Portage 123
Recognize When You Are Drowning 126
Listen to Your Heart 131
When in Doubt, Scout 133
The Phoenix 134
CHAPTER 7: RISING ABOVE THE ROAR: Communicate Through Symbols 137
Strategies for Communicating Above the Roar 140
Actions Speak Louder Than Words 140
Maintain a Line of Sight 142
Never Risk a Lie–Even Unintentionally 144
Ensure Two-Way Communication 147Create Space to Grieve: Funerals, Irish Wakes, Slicing
Nursing Stations, and Other Symbolic Events 149
Make Sense of What Happened: Share Stories
Around the Fire 152
Use Myths to Create Meaning 153
Use Metaphors 156
Finding Meaning and Shaping a Legacy 157
CHAPTER 8: BUILDING FLOCKS: Teaming for Today’s Run 163
Murmurations of Starlings:Teams Have a Life of Their Own 165
Strategies for Teaming 167
Know What You Bring to the Team 168
Know Your Teammates 169
Become Skilled at Entering and Leaving Teams 171
Find Safety in Numbers 173
Understand What Game You Are Playing 175
Choose the Right Vessel 179
Understand the Working of Teams 181
The Power of the Team 183
CHAPTER 9: LEADING TRIPS: Guiding Through Permanent Whitewater 187
Leading in Permanent Whitewater 188
Understand Power and Influence on the River 189
Build Trust 193
Stepping Aside: Manage Shifting Roles 194Enabling Leaders and Following Followers:
Stepping Up to Leadership 196
Assembling the Right Team 199
Structuring the Team 200
Humility and the Art of Leading from Behind 201
Conclusion, What Conclusion? 205
Building the G-Rig 207
The Rivers Are Rising 208
No Place to Hide–But Why Would You Want To? 215
Endnotes 219
Index 231
Preface
Praise for Your Job Survival Guide Praise for Your Job Survival Guide
"Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther have written the book on how to navigate today's turbulent waters. Full of practical wisdom, research, insight, and humor, Your Job Survival Guide shows us how to navigate the whitewater of today's changing business environment while thoroughly enjoying the journey. A great read!"
—Annie McKee, Founder, the Teleos Leadership Institute and Coauthor of the best sellers Primal Leadership, Resonant Leadership, and most recently, a practical guide to developing and sustaining personal and professional effectiveness, Becoming a Resonant Leader
"If gentle currents carried careers in the past, whitewater is the medium today. For navigating the cauldrons of change, Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther draw upon wrenching work moments and rapid river kayaking to draw the map. Your Job Survival Guide is an indispensable companion for mastering the turbulence of our era."
—Michael Useem, Professor of Management and Director of the Center for Leadership at the Wharton School, author, The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide
"Your Job Survival Guide is a provocative book that goes beyond theory. This book is not about avoiding the potholes of organizational life, it's about learning how to step in them and take responsibility for yourself. Shea and Gunther force us to look in the mirror and, in a very practical way, challenge us to behave differently. Quite frankly, the lessons go beyond the perils of our work life; the lessons are useful for day to day living."
—Thomas Saporito, Ph.D., President, RHR International Company
"In today's world there is no such thing as steady state. Greg and Robert have put together a great owner's manual for thriving in a world where change is the constant."
—Michael Rechtiene, President Animas Corporation, a Johnson & Johnson Co.
"Today's world requires us to continuously reinvent our company by adapting it to the evolving world. At the core of that process lies one's ability to efficiently manage necessary changes. Gregory Shea and Robert Gunther beautifully describe this important challenge and offer simple and concrete solutions to meet them. As a company that lives its fundamentals—'people are our main asset'—I am recommending this book to all our executives and managers as a key tool to meet the future."
—Patrick Firmenich, CEO, Firmenich
"It is no secret that continual change dominates most business life today. Most thinkers and writers addressing managing, leading, or surviving change, however, tend to focus on examples of one change after another, often complex and multiyear strategic change, but still bounded by the one story. Shea and Gunther take head-on the reality that we actually need to manage and lead in an environment of continuous, ongoing, major change. They then address the role of the protagonist in many simultaneous and overlapping change processes, which is the reality today. They offer wonderfully accessible experiential and practical observations and advice for you, the actor is these many stories. This is sound, practical, and readily applied advice. And it's also in a form that allows you to 'dip into' the book in different sections and take a few valuable insights to put into practice immediately—a truly wonderful addition to the practitioner's literature on leading change."
—Thomas P. Gerrity, Joseph Aresty Professor of Management, and Dean Emeritus, the Wharton School
"Shea and Gunther's Your Job Survival Guide is an easy and important read, overflowing with pragmatic advice about your job in today's whitewater world. Using examples ranging from the routine to the spiritual, while sticking close to the metaphor of a memorable journey through turbulent waters, the authors engaged me from start to finish. This book is a great resource both for those individuals stuck in their daily routine as well as organizations who aspire to enhance their work groups."
—Elliot Sussman, MD, CEO, Lehigh Valley Health Network
"Your Job Survival Guide tackles head-on the realities of leadership in the 21st century through the playful lens of the whitewater navigator. The book provides both a comprehensive overview of the challenges that leaders face, but don't always acknowledge, and powerful solutions derived from real life experiences. Accessible and engaging!"
—Meg Jones, Executive VP & Chief Administrative Officer, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
© Copyright Pearson Education. All rights reserved.