The Coming Jobs War [Hardcover]

Jim Clifton (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 4, 2011

Drawing on 75 years of Gallup studies and his own perspective as the company’s chairman and CEO, Jim Clifton explains why jobs are the new global currency for leaders. More than peace or money or any other good, the business, government, military, city, and village leaders who can create good jobs will own the future.

The problem is that leaders don’t know how to create jobs – especially in America. What they should do is recognize that the world is in a war for jobs. It seems that leadership has lost the will to win, especially in America, but this is a competition for our lives.

To win, leaders need to compete. Everyone does. The public school system needs to inculcate kids with the knowledge they’ll need to compete in the jobs war. The business community needs to double the psychological engagement of workers so that it can compete with cheaper labor. The healthcare system must stop wasting the resources that we need to spend on job competition. Society needs to realize that entrepreneurs, not government, are the source of new jobs and put all its energy behind them. Perhaps most importantly, leaders need to recognize universities, mentors, and especially cities as a supercollider for job creation.

If that can be done – and it can be done; leaders have done it before – new good jobs will result. There’s not moment to waste: the war has already begun.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...fascinating - and frightening - new book..." --Charles M. Blow, The New York Times, September 17, 2011

About the Author

Jim Clifton
Chairman and CEO


Since 1988, Jim Clifton has served as CEO of Gallup, a leader in organizational consulting and public opinion research. His most recent innovation, the Gallup World Poll, is designed to give the world’s 6 billion citizens a voice in virtually all key global issues. Mr. Clifton has pledged to continue this effort to collect world opinion for 100 years in 150 countries.

Under Mr. Clifton’s leadership, Gallup has achieved a fifteenfold increase in its billing volume and expanded Gallup from a predominantly U.S.-based company to a worldwide organization with 40 offices in 30 countries and regions.

Mr. Clifton is also the creator of The Gallup Path, a metric-based economic model that establishes the linkages among human nature in the workplace, customer engagement, and business outcomes. This model is used in performance management systems in more than 500 companies worldwide.

Mr. Clifton serves on several boards and is Chairman of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. He has received honorary degrees from Jackson State, Medgar Evers and Bellevue Universities.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 220 pages
• Publisher: Gallup Press; First edition (October 4, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1595620559
• ISBN-13: 978-1595620552
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (84 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #43,416 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > Business & Investing > Economics > Unemployment
  • #15 in Books > Business & Investing > Economics > Labor & Industrial Relations
  • #16 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Politics & Government > Specific Topics > Labor & Industrial Relations

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

104 of 121 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Too simplistic to be compelling November 29, 2011

By Alan R. Cheville

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book after a friend who is a voracious reader mentioned it was what she was currently reading and seeing the many five star reviews. I had reasonable expectations despite the fact I am leery of any conversation that frames itself using the word "War". Unfortunately for me this book did not live up to its five star rating or my expectations.

The "Coming Jobs War" essentially is a plan to avert societal collapse. While I agree with many of the prescriptions that Jim Clifton brings forth throughout the book, the book is just that- prescriptive in both tone and content. The book is written in the style of a bad self-help book or perhaps like the legion of "how to win in business" type books. As in such books "The Coming Jobs War" makes a sweeping generalization which is then supported by vague statements using pseudo-scientific mumbo-jumbo.

While elements of the plan to avert societal collapse make sense, and many I agree with, they are presented in a linear, deterministic manner which completely miss the complex, systemic approaches that will be needed to address the issues the book seeks to contribute its voice to solving. Even worse, this book fails to provide much data to back up its claims or meaningfully acknowledge other thinkers and theories that supportable or refute the claims being made. While there is an extensive list of references at the end, they exist independent of the rest of the book (at least in the Kindle edition I read).

"The Coming Jobs War" suffers in other ways that alienated me as a reader from the important (and likely valid) points raised:
- Entrepreneurs are given mythic, superhero status. The impact, societal benefit, or long term sustainability of the entrepreneur's idea is irrelevant.... Rather entrepreneurs earn their superhero status by their willingness to persist and business acumen. This is disingenuous at best, and seemed even more egregious since I'd just finished "Redirect: The Surprising New Science of Psychological Change" which has lots of case studies of the harm persistent, good intentioned, and passionate individuals can cause.
- The various chapters of the book are rife with inconsistencies and contradictions. Depending on where you are in the book either creation of good jobs, security, or whatever topic the current chapter covers are the number one priority to be addressed.
- The book at times seems a marketing screed for Gallup; the reader gets the impression all good policy ideas originated with Gallup.
- It is not clear what audience this book was written for. If I had to guess it would be a marketing executive's caricature of a business leader or policy maker, but certainly not a scientist of any stripe or others familiar with policy issues. However, given the number of five star ratings it must resonate with many readers.

In summary, if you like books with simple direct messages, don't care about the provenance of ideas as much as the ideas themselves, and want simple answers to complex problems you will likely enjoy this book. On the other hand those who take a more complex and nuanced view of society might want to check out the book from the local library, cull the key ideas from the last summary chapter, and save time, money, and a painful read. Honestly, it really worth one star, but I give it a second since some of the ideas can stimulate much needed dialog. Read more ›

75 of 91 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A book every American should read October 4, 2011

By W. E. Kettunen

Format:Hardcover

There are many things about this fascinating new book from Gallup Chairman Jim Clifton that will stop you in your tracks, but the most profound for me is that the current state of our country, and perceived prospects for the future, has redefined the American dream. No longer are peace, family, independence and freedom of religion at the top of the list for most Americans. It's having a good job.

Some of the information Clifton reveals is staggering, like the fact that 40-50 years ago Detroit was the richest city in the world, but because of poor local leadership over the last several decades hundreds of thousands of good jobs have been lost and the city has become a socioeconomic disaster. Or that 20 years ago passage of the Gore Act gave US companies the lead in commercializing the internet - and attracting top technical and entrepreneurial talent from around the world -- something that has accounted for virtually all the growth in the US economy since the mid 90s.

Clifton's writing is compact, thought provoking, motivational, scary and realistic. But it's also hopeful. It's a compelling book based on years of Gallup polling and research and a must read for everyone who cares about the future of our communities, cities and country.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Creating Jobs Through Local Leadership December 16, 2012

By Jim L. Battin

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book is a timely and significant contribution to help us understand that `not having a good job' (one where they have 30+ hours of work per week on a steady basis) is the root cause of many of the world's problems. Don Clifton, CEO of Gallup Inc., has tapped into extensive studies provided by his organization to suggest that we should avoid answers in Washington and take more control of our actions at the local level where leaders know the people to talk to, know the levers to pull, and get things done through large networks and access to other talented people.

The author describes the current state in easy to understand ways. While he creates a sense of urgency about the need to create jobs, he doesn't leave us looking for solutions and offers clear cut strategies that provide options for actions that we can take.

When I finished reading the book I couldn't help but feel a little disappointed because it came to an end. His ideas are powerful and make such good sense! I can't wait for the sequel!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Macro perspective on what's wrong and how to fix it November 22, 2012

By Joe Tye

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Reviewers who call this book simplistic miss a key point: As Clifton himself points out, solutions to the most overwhelming problems are sometimes simple - it's marshalling the political courage to implement those solutions that is difficult. This book is anything but simplistic because Clifton's observations and recommendations are based on one of the world's most comprehensive data bases. His argument that the most important solution to the economic and job-creation challenges is raising employee engagement could not be more compelling. And, as Gallup data show, employee disengagement isn't just harmful to the productivity and profitability of the employing organization - it has a toxic impact on the personal and family life of the disengaged individual.

What would have strengthened the book - and elevated my review to six or seven stars - would have been practical suggestions on how to enhance employee engagement (although this is covered in other books that spring from Gallup research, including those on strengths-based leadership).

One of the most important chapters in the book is that on fixing the healthcare crisis. His recommendations - including making the tough decisions about end-of-life care and creating greater social pressures against obesity and poor physical fitness - are not, perhaps, politically correct but if we don't eventually summon the will to take them on the economic costs will continue to cripple business and job creation at an accelerating rate.

One gem resonates in a special way with me because it is of the highest priority in my own company, and that is that business models are more important than innovative ideas.... As he shows with real world examples, a bad idea in the hands of an energetic and determined entrepreneur with a scalable business model can be very, very successful. And with enough of these successes, our nation will be successful. Read more ›