Customer Reviews

One Foot Out the Door: How to Combat the Psychological Recession That's Alienating Employees and Hurting American Business

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book started out great. The first few chapters provided a timely and factual overview of where we are and how we got here. I have personally witnessed the author's examples of the psychological side of this dilemma in my own workplace. The recommendations she made were interesting and useful. Then came the second half of the book...

The author veered off into a discussion of conservative vs. liberal politics and how certain issues should/would be resolved. These issues were at times tangential to the book's premise (like healthcare) but added little value to the other arguments she makes in the book. I didn't get it...I actually found myself staring at the book with a quizzical look wondering why she included some of the chapters.

In any event, I will leverage the information from the first few chapters, but cannot recommend the book to others.

Bardwick's purpose is to examine what she characterizes as "a widespread sense of vulnerability in the American workplace...After many decades of being fat, dumb, and happy, American businesses and American workers have been forced into a change. In a relatively short time, fat has morphed into thin and happy into frightened. Prolonged fear does not bode well for future success." Throughout her rigorous and lively narrative, she examines the causes, effects, and implications of what she characterizes as "the psychological recession that's alienating employees and hurting American business."

How bad is it? According to research conducted by The Gallup organization, only 25% of employees are engaged in their jobs, 55% of them are just going through the motions, and 20% of them are working against their employers' interests. There is another study of 50,000 employees at 59 global companies conducted by the Corporate Executive Board. One of its most significant revelations is that "emotional factors were four times more effective in increasing employee engagement rather than rational ones." It is no coincidence that many of the companies listed on Fortune magazine annual list of those "most admired" are also on its annual list of those most profitable and many of them are #1 in their respective industries. There is indeed a direct, indeed compelling link between employee productivity to organizational performance.

For these and other reasons, I think that some of the most valuable material is provided in Chapter 6 ("Commitment and Engagement - Not Morale or Satisfaction") because without full engagement by everyone involved in the given enterprise, it will be difficult (if not impossible) to achieve its objectives, whatever they may be. Barwick stresses the importance of asking the right questions, hiring and then retaining the right people, and measuring the right attributes; otherwise, employee "morale" and "satisfaction" are meaningless terms. She also provides a wealth of information and counsel that explains how to formulate and then implement initiatives that will help any organization to avoid or recover from the current "psychological recession."

I wholeheartedly agree with Judith Bardwick that we need "to regain our traditional spirit of optimism and fierce [but principled] competitiveness that makes us internally as well as externally competitive" because organizations "cannot flourish and fulfill their possibilities when their leaders and their labor force are chronically scared. Fear destroys energy, trust, teamwork, innovation, and courage."

In this context, I am reminded of Henry Ford's observation, "Whether you think you can or think you can't, you're right."

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out The New American Workplace co-authored by James O'Toole and Edward E. Lawler, Marshall Goldsmith's What Got You Here Won't Get You There: How Successful People Become Even More Successful!, Phil Rosenzweig's The Halo Effect...and Eight Other Business Delusions That Deceive Managers, Michael Ray's The Highest Goal: The Secret That Sustains You in Every Moment, Paul Spiegelman's Why is Everyone Smiling?: The Secret Behind Passion, Productivity, and Profit, and finally, Human Sigma: Managing the Employee-Customer Encounter co-authored by John H. Fleming and Jim Asplund.

The "read inside" sample of the book consists of:
11 pages of index, which appears to be very comprehensive.
11 pages of end notes, which also appears to indicate good documentation.
4 1/2 pages of the first chapter of the book, which is an introduction to the subject so general you have
no idea yet if you want to purchase the book.
The rest is the table of contents, again good, but doesn't really help you with deciding if you really
want to buy the book. So the "read inside" gets two stars for it's lack of actual content beyond the
introduction to the book that anyone over 40 could have written themselves.

A good book exposing (as if it isn't already known) the arrogance, and stupidity of management in the important relationship between employers, managers, and employees, and it's resulting and direct effect on production and quality in the workforce. A should read for working people, and a mandatory read for management.

Until recently the most important stakeholders in any company were employees who worked with loyalty and passion, giving the job their all. With the advent of a global economy such commitment has faded, and Judith M. Bardwick, Ph.D.'s ONE FOOT OUT THE DOOR: HOW TO COMBAT THE PSYCHOLOGICAL RECESSION THAT'S ALIENATING EMPLOYEES AND HURTING AMERICAN BUSINESS charts this tendency of modern employees to 'sleepwalk' through jobs without any commitment. Chapters do more than document the trend: they provide managers and collections catering to administrators with the tools for combating this tendency.

In an era where people have become fuel for the corporate fire rather than a companies most significant source of value it is wonderful to see a clear rationale for a better way to run business. To increase value while doing the right thing for the worker provides hope for the future. In addition, I'm sure that we will improve our hiring practices by applying Bardwicks mindset to our process.

Companies did this to themselves, by treating people like commodities. Only God knows the total of the heartache and personal cost to millions of people of decisions by management "in the interest of the business". I'm talking, of course, about mass layoffs (not firings for cause).

They did this to themselves, and now it's catching up with them. It's time to pay the piper for their thoughtlessness. To management: PEOPLE HAVE FEELINGS! THEY ARE PRECIOUS BEINGS, NOT ASSETS, LIABILITIES OR COMMODITIES!

Anything that gets this message across, even if it has to use the only language management understands (money), is a very good thing.

Judy Bardwick teases out the painful truth of today's business climate with the care of a mother extracting a splinter. That truth is that poor management and not caring about people causes enormous harm and economic loss. She exposes it to the glaring light of analysis and research proofs to show the causes and economic harm of hurt feelings and mistrust in the work world. Then she gives all the insight, help, comfort, and advice needed for healing and prevention. This book has so much greatness in it. It is not just a "must read", or a "must study", it is a "must have" to treasure and revisit and take to heart. Whether you are a masterful caring leader, a thoughtless bully, or someone working in organizations that have such people, there is enormous value in this book.

David Dell, CEO
Sustainable Profitability Group

Bardwick has done it again. Like her other books, One Foot Out the Door will change the way you think about leading people. By the time I got to page 50 I was hooked and knew we needed to get this book to every organization we serve. Commitment and engagement are the words that should guide every person who has the responsibility for other people. Even the doubters will be won over by the financial data she presents. Paul Otte, Executive Director Franklin University's Leadership Center

One Foot Out the Door: How to Combat the Psychological Recession That's Alienating Employees and Hurting American Business

Judith has done it again, and hit a critical target with this book! By the time I got to page 25, I realized, what a helluva beginning and what a "message!" By page 25, Judith had outlined where Corporate America's business had been in the 90s, why, and how those events have led to the psychological state that employees are in now.
The revelation for me, is that I see and hear what she describes during my work with hundreds of Corporate emplyoyees. Long-service employees,in their 30s-50s and new hires (both grads and experienced) many now functioning in a "One Foot Our the Door" mode. I have sensed that many employees are working with out any real engagement or commitment, and are performing in a fear-based behavioral mode.
I have reflected on my observations and conclusions, but have never come anywhere near pulling all the variables together as succinctly as Judith has.
She not only outlines the problems and cause, but also provides a wealth of solutions and insight on precisely what high level management needs to do to solve the complex problem of employee alienation and disengagement.
Corporate executives are the primary audience for this book, since they have the power and responsibility to address the problem.
Supervisors and line employees will also benefit from this book. It can give them understanding on what they are going through and why, and that they are "not alone" with their attitudes and feelings.
Ms. Bardwick has done it again, as with "Danger in the Comfort Zone" and her other books.
One Foot Out the Door, should be mandatory reading for every high level executive and their leadership teams! And then, they would be best advised, to chat with Ms. Bardwick.