Customer Reviews

Work Naked: Eight Essential Principles for Peak Performance in the Virtual Workplace (Jossey-Bass Business & Management)

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The metaphor is relevant not only to those in what Cynthia Froggatt calls "the virtual workplace" or what Dan Pink calls "the free agent nation" but also to others who labor within a structured environment. Moreover, what occurred me as I began to read Froggatt's book is the dual nature of nakedness: being free of constriction but also being totally exposed, hence vulnerable and at risk. She identifies and then examines "eight essential principles for peak performance", all of which are eminently sound:

1. Take initiative to shed "the layers of complacency, fear of change, and resistance to new ways of working"

2. Trust yourself as you shed "the layers of management control, outdated performance measures, and mistrust"

3. Allow yourself a sense of joy as you shed "the layers of overwork, high stress, and sleep deprivation"

4. Celebrate your individuality as you shed "layers of conformity, one-size-fits-all routines, and fixed work hours"

5. You achieve and affirm equality for yourself (and others) by shedding "layers of hierarchy, status symbols, and dress codes"

6. Shed "the layers of one-way communication, misunderstandings, and idea-hoarding"

7. Through wide and deep connectivity, you shed "layers of geographic boundaries, reliance on co-location, and misuse of technology"

8. You increase the number and nature of workplace options by shedding "layers of unproductive work environments, dreary home offices, and long commutes between them"

These principles are worthless unless and until you are sincerely, indeed tenaciously committed, not only to the values on which they are based but also to applying those principles with aggressive and sustained effort. I am reminded of what the Yoda told Luke Skywalker: "Do or do not. There is no try." Froggatt suggests all manner of strategies and tactics which can help her reader to take direct and effective action, guided by the eight principles.

There are several other excellent sources whose authors address many of the same issues. For example, Frederick Reichheld's The Loyalty Effect and its sequel, Loyalty Rules!; also Reina, Reina, and Chagnon's Trust and Betrayal in the Workplace. They wholly agree with the first principle which Froggatt advocates: You must trust and be loyal to yourself before you can expect others to; moreover, it is important to be a trusting and loyal person unless and until another person's behavior makes that impossible. Most decision-makers I know have poor delegation skills. What message does that send to those for whom they are responsible? More often than not, these decision-makers are personally insecure.

Where in and which circumstances a person works are far less important than whether or not that person trusts herself or himself, and, whether or not that person is loyal to his or her own values. For me, this is the most important point, one which Froggatt makes with precision and eloquence: Shed from your life whatever demeans and diminishes you. She urges her reader to become "naked" in terms of freedom within and beyond the workplace. Most limits are self-imposed. (Pogo once observed, "We have met the enemy and he is us.") Obviously, it takes great courage to shed all arbitrary restraints on one's freedom. It also takes great courage for supervisors to do everything possible and appropriate to remove all inappropriate limits on their associates. Those who share my high regard for this book are also urged to check out David Maister's Practice What You Preach. He agrees with Froggatt that peak performance in any workplace requires impeccable integrity in combination with effective initiative. Froggatt's book is an affirmation, indeed a celebration of what that combination makes possible for anyone's personal as well as professional fulfillment.

Let go. That's the message to corporate leaders who have decades of reinforcement that their job is to control the people who work for them. There's a new game in town-a new way of operating that releases creativity, boosts productivity, and drives more profit to the bottom line.

This new approach involves stripping away the old ways of thinking about managing. It means removing policies that inhibit employees in their self-driven initiatives to do truly amazing things. The new approach suggests that people can work from anywhere without the traditional trappings to achieve results far beyond current reality. In a phrase, the new approach allows people to work naked, without constraints. Froggatt, a consultant specializing in aligning workplace strategies with business plans, describes the process as "shedding the layers" of control, overwork, conformity, hierarchy, poor communication, geography, and unproductive work environments to release the bonds.

While explaining the problems, Froggatt presents the principles that can empower a leadership team to change the way their company does business. Eight simple principles: initiative, trust, joy, individuality, equality, dialogue, connectivity, and workplace options. Some leaders will read this book and stick it on a shelf to gather dust. Others will really "get" the message and will transform their organizations. With the content of this book, and the way it is presented, transformation will not be that difficult . . . for the enlightened leaders. Unfortunately, we have far too few leaders who fit into that category. Hopefully this book will win a few more converts.

Do not expect policies, contracts, procedures, systems, and all that sort of garbage in these pages. No, this book is about people and principles. The pages are rich with concrete examples that will be an inspiration to readers who are inclined to adhere to the concept of working naked. Checklists, bullet-point lists, charts, diagrams, and plenty of chapter subheads make this book superbly readable. Adding to the value of "Work Naked" is an astonishingly detailed 13-page index and a index-like list of the companies profiled in the book. Over ten pages of chapter notes await you at the end of the book and a concise summary awaits you at the end of each chapter.

I read this book with a high degree of interest, from my perspective as co-author of "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People." Our book talks about the coming severe labor shortage and how many companies are headed for extinction. "Work Naked" supplies the treasure map for employers who want to avoid extinction and thrive instead.
Highly recommended!

The virtual office/organizations have been a concept that has received a lot of attention in the last decade but has had a hard time surfacing as a viable option. According to the author, the reason for this being businesses and management insist on using the same management principles in a changing environment. This leads to frustration and failure of an idea that can be fruitful to so many.

Work Naked simply implies that as individuals, your employees have different personalities and different work methods and to be a successful manager you must take the differences and make them work for you. This can include allowing your employees to work different hours, flexible shifts and from home or a combination of all of these options. To achieve success Froggatt proposes eight principles that must be addressed.

1. Initiative-Overcoming the fear of change and becoming change agents.
2. Trust-Achieving confidence in the management-employee relationship.
3. Joy-Creating a work environment that is enjoyable in atmosphere and attitude.
4. Individuality-Creating a culture of autonomy creativity versus conformity.
5. Equality-Flattening the hierarchy so cooperation and teamwork can flourish.
6. Dialogue-Providing an honest communication forum to inspire and inform.
7. Connectivity-Optimize technological advantages, including employee locale.
8. Workplace Options-Provide comfort /creative setting for all work locations.

I found this book to be a very pokerfaced voice for change. Each principal demands respect from all levels of management and staff.

The eight principles taught in the book can be useful to any work environment, even if virtual workplaces are not incorporated. The most important theme in the book is flexibility. The principles are based in a human resources frame as the goal is employee empowerment. However, with this empowerment or lack thereof can bring success or failure to the businesses.

Most organizations have traditionally been based in a brick and mortar setting where the organization as a structure is valued above all. I see the organizations of tomorrow to be more information centric or knowledge based. Before reading this book, I had not given careful consideration to the implications of this statement. Now I can see that if we wanted to, most service related organization could venture into the virtual workplace if proper facilities like phone, Internet and computers available.

After reading this book I actually made a few informal interviews with colleagues and asked them if they honesty needed to be at work for forty or more hours a week. Most said they spent their time working on proposals and documents on their computers, answering e-mail reference questions and other work that did not require being physically present. I then took it a step farther and asked if they would be open to a FLEXIBLE schedule in which they worked 8 hours shifts on the desk but only worked 2 OR 3 days physically at office with the rest being at home. After a few strange looks and careful consideration most staff said that it would help them be with their kids more, schedule doctor appointments and avoid the commute.

As Work Naked shows, you can accomplish wonders if you provide the initiative, the training and the supports to your staff. Work Naked is not steeped in theory. It is not a book that scholars will debate for years to come, but it will provide interesting conversation. For each principle listed there are case studies of real company situations to show an example of why the principle is important. At the end of the book there are resources listed to help companies get more information on making the switch. Cynthia Foggart believes in taking the bull by the horns and getting the job done. The only fault I have with this is a fairly negative attitude to the workplace environment as a whole. There are some bonuses to corporate culture and there are some individuals that are at their best in that environment. Their needs should not be shunned. Also, the book does not delve into any of the new issues that might come up in a virtual work environment. Managers need to find another book to help them resolve those issues. In a nutshell the book is good read but a lot of cons of a virtual organization could have been presented...

Cynthia Froggatt's book is a very good overview of the kinds of issues all managers and organizations should be ready to respond to in a changing world of work. Whether people are working in the office, at home (clothed or not), or anywhere else is not the issue - knowing that they are given the tools to be as effective as possible is the key. If you are looking for good arguments for why alternative work concepts are not just the wave of the future but a real necessity today, the book will provide real examples and some forward thinking about how to get your point across. It's written from a North American standpoint, but these are global issues! My only concern is that sometimes Froggatt seems a bit overly critical of the corporate office (sometimes deservedly). The fact is that many people are highly productive and thrive on and learn from the "distractions" in the office. Nonetheless I would highly recommend the book.

Do you work naked? If you're one of the millions of people who work away from the corporate office much of the time you might. Or you might follow a strict routine of showering and dressing first thing. As Cynthia Froggatt argues in detail, non-traditional working practices vary tremendously - but eight principles can help employees and managers alike shape those practices for improved satisfaction *and* effectiveness. Making the change from traditional, regimented working practices to "virtual workplace" practices can be difficult but the rewards can be great. Froggatt's principles cover the issues thoroughly.

To ensure that working away from the office (whether at home, a coffee shop or library, a client's office, or elsewhere) increases productivity without causing anxiety on either side, this book recommends these guidelines:
Initiative: Overcoming the fear of change and becoming change agents - Froggatt provides a checklist for uncovering obstacles to peak performance in the virtual workplace.
Trust: Achieving confidence in the management-employee relationship - this requires doing away with the layers of outdated performance measures. A real concern is the "input bias" according to which managers evaluate workers more highly based on what they see rather than on what is actually produced.
Joy: Creating a work environment that is enjoyable in atmosphere and attitude. Even if your company is not considering allowing or encouraging virtual work, the points discussed under this principle could help improve your workforce's motivation and commitment.
Individuality - Creating a culture of autonomy creativity versus conformity. Froggatt outlines three types of solo workstyle, effectively demolishing the idea that virtual work equals working in a home office.
Equality - Flattening the hierarchy so cooperation and teamwork can flourish. Perhaps the principle least specifically tied to virtual work, this one promotes the removal of all forms of hierarchy which, ironically, may be less influential for those who aren't often in the office to experience them.
Dialogue - Providing an honest communication forum to inspire and inform. Even more than for regular workplaces, virtual work relies on open, honest communication.
Connectivity - Optimize technological advantages, including employee locale. This principle is all about equipping your virtual workforce to enable people to take full, productive advantage of increased flexibility.

Workplace Options - Provide comfort /creative setting for all work locations. Here, Froggatt goes some way to redressing the emphasis on virtual work by stating that both the physical infrastructure of workplaces and the technological infrastructure of online work are crucial to the emerging environment of virtual work. Workplaces of the future are being shaped by six trends, argues Froggatt: Access will become more important than ownership; People will commute less but travel more; Individual choice takes precedence over management control; No more captive audience at "the office"; More attention to workplaces in the home; Blurring of leisure and work.

Drawing on companies such as Cisco Systems, Autodesk, Verifone, The Promar Group, and SAS Institute, Froggatt paints a diverse picture of the ways that companies can help balance work and personal life while enabling knowledge workers with differing work styles to become more productive. The illustrations of each principle help to make clear how you might go about implementing the abstractions. The downside - for some readers - is an absence of real theoretical underpinnings and little attention to the validity of studies cited to support the author's contentions.

For example, on p.40, a Nortel employee survey is used to show higher employee satisfaction of teleworkers as compared to the overall Nortel population. We are given no reason to believe that this is a fair or useful comparison. Perhaps the types of workers made virtual were more satisfied to begin with - a before and after survey would be more revealing. Readers may also find that in the author's eagerness to establish the viability and attractiveness of virtual work, the real challenges of virtual work may sometimes have been assumed away too quickly. On the whole, however, Work Naked provides plenty of ideas for those interested in exploring new working styles for 21st century knowledge workers.

Cynthia C. Froggatt tackles the pros and cons (mostly pros) of having your employees work at a location away from the office, particularly in their homes. She includes plenty of successful examples, an eight-step blueprint for making it work, and addresses the usual corporate reservations about the whole topic. You'll find a refreshing dash of wit on every page, which one would expect from an author whose book title is, Work Naked. We [...] recommend this book to anyone interested in mechanics of the virtual company.

I truly enjoyed this book. I am a graduating senior, and I believe everyone needs to read it before they go into the "work force."

How can employers cultivate peak workplace performance in a virtual environment? This addresses new problems faced by employers who would manage a virtual staff - and keep them accountable and productive. From exploring remote and mobile work potentials to adjusting workplace options for both remote and on-site work, Work Naked provides practical advice to managers and owners.

If you are like me, you wondered what the title was all about. It turns out that the author likes to spend the first hour in the morning doing her e-mail at home before dressing. The point of working naked is not to recommend that appraoch, but simply as a metaphor for more workstyle flexibility.

Many companies are excited about creating more flexible working choices, but aren't quite sure how to do so. I have attended many presentations that described more backfires than successes in making changes to the traditional 9-5 in-the-office structure. A great benefit of this book is that Ms. Froggatt has carefully sought out those who have been most successful, and documented the processes they used to identify and make changes that worked. She has generalized those processes for your use. This aspect of the book is superb!

The basic principle is that each person has different work styles, varying times of the day when she or he prefers to do certain tasks, and preferences for where to do certain kinds of work. The book makes a nice connection between where people most enjoyed studying in college and where they are most probably going to like to work. For example, those who liked studying in coffee shops will like Starbucks now. Those who liked to study in their dorm room (here I am) will like working at home.

In addition, energy spent on commuting wastes time that could be more productively applied somewhere else. Having satellite temporary offices, working at home, and having flexible work hours all help.

More significantly, people are more creative when they have more freedom about how to do work and can work for the intrinsic joy of creating. That is well documented by Teresa Amabile from the Harvard Business School. So for those with jobs requiring the most creativity, this flexibility will be the most helpful.

Ms. Froggatt goes on to point out that many causes of workplace absences are caused by being sick, sick children, appointments with doctors, and needing to be home for repairs. If home is a better place to work, those are not complete absences. Stress is reduced and health may improve as well.

The book is very well done in describing ways to make very complex combinations of choices available so that a person might choose several different ones every week, depending on what needs to be done. Deloitte & Touche particulary impressed me with their approaches to this issue.

I have three complaints about the book. First, the title and the book's beginning are not the best way to get into the subject. They reflect the history of how Ms. Froggatt became interested in the subject, rather that what would connect a reader to his or her issues.

Second, Ms. Froggatt seems insensitive to the serendipity of people bumping into each other at work as one important way that communication, innovation, and change occur. Remember Management by Walking Around? How do you do that in the physically disconnected workplace? Many of the people she quotes seem to have low emotional intelligence about their colleagues. They just want to flee them!

Third, as positive as the book is, it focuses almost entirely on how to eliminate the old problems. It would have been helpful to balance that approach with more about how to make the most out of the new structures. How can people help themselves be more productive, other than doing what feels right? A little more process study for after making the changes would have been very beneficial to this book and its readers.

Still, the book is clearly the gold standard in its area. You should definitely read it if there is any chance that your company could be creating more flexible work styles.

After you read this book, I suggest that you think about where else your life needs a little loosening up. Where else do you do things the same old way that doesn't fit your personal style? Exercise? Visiting family? Going out? Meeting new people?

Shake the stiffness out of everything you do!

Virtual workshop could bring lots of benefits to the company. However, many companies failed to run the virtual workplace well.
This book tells us there are eight essential principles for peak performance in the virtual workplace.

With the concise wording and clear structure, this book is easy to follow and understand. Every chapter has a brief summary and responsibilities for both leaders and employees that makes the book more practical. Moreover, this book also provides plenty of real examples.

As virtual workplace is essential to future business development, this book can help to maximize the power of virtual workplace.