Book description
“The author has hit on something here; particularly the
fact that it is high time we quit thinking that treating everyone
the same is somehow fair. Like it or not, the realities uncovered
in this book are just that...real! And if you plan to be a
significant player in the workplace of the future, I suggest you
take them seriously, because your success depends on it. As John
says, ‘As goes the world, so goes the
workplace.’”
—Richard Irwin, President and CEO, IntegraCare
Corporation
“John captures a refreshing, winning formula in a
practical, simple context to leverage weirdness into creativity and
innovation, the core of sustainable competitive advantage and
success. Rejoice in and celebrate our weirdos!”
—James E. Hoffman, Jr., President, Catalyst Consultants,
LLC, and the CEO Forum of Pittsburgh
“To hear John Putzier tell it, there are so many
‘weirdos in the workplace’ that you’re almost
weird if you’re...not. But if you’re a manager,
don’t let how weird someone is distract you from what really
matters—how well they’re performing. Here’s help
for jumping to the right conclusions about people.”
—Maureen Anderson, Host, “The Career
Clinic®” radio program
“This book gives a dose of medicine to cure the
‘paradigm bug’ that plagues most of us in the business
world. The author takes complex situations and concepts and boils
them down to their bare essence. I just wish I could have him by my
side when they happen to me! I guess having this book is the next
best thing.”
—Mark A. Treat, Client Services Organization Development,
Acxiom Corporation, CMTII Group
“Putzier has nailed the American paradox: the tension
between individuality and the need for organized group effort. His
decision-making and problem-solving tools help to resolve this
classic cultural conflict: the value of ‘weird’
thinking, diversity, and individuality pushing the bounds of what
is normal, versus the utility of social norms in groups. His book
is a primer for designing organizations, departments, or teams to
maximize off-center behavior. This balance, already a rare one,
will increase in importance as work becomes delocalized,
cross-disciplinary, and global. This book provides basic knowledge
for any company committed to innovation or excellence—or just
competitive advantage.”
—Margaret J. King, Ph.D., Director, The Center for
Cultural Studies & Analysis, American Creativity
Association
Surviving and Thriving in the Age of the Individual
One employee always wears the same outfit to work, another talks to herself all day, another moonlights as a stripper, another has fierce body odor, and still another adorns his cubicle with hateful messages about his boss. As a manager, what should you do about such behavior? The best answers aren’t obvious! Your most innovative and productive people are often your strangest, and while weirdness can be rooted in brilliance, it can also be a real annoyance that serves no purpose.
Like it or not, as modern culture embraces the individual, weirdos—anyone different from you!—become more commonplace. In Weirdos in the Workplace, top human resources consultant John Putzier explains how managers can harness the natural weirdness often found in high performers at every level, while curbing behavior that’s disruptive. Putzier presents 32 fascinating, real-world case studies to illustrate the legal, human resources, and business ramifications of unusual behavior in the workplace, and which solutions are most effective.
This book explains how to
Manage unconventional people by understanding why they behave as they do, and what to do about it
Migrate toward a high-performing organization built around the individual, and foster an environment that attracts, motivates, and retains the best and brightest
Tap your own natural weirdness and find your niche by integrating your abilities, interests, and the market
Weirdos in the Workplace is for every manager, human resources professional, or coworker who deals with unorthodox employees and their behaviors. This book also helps you maximize your performance and value by recognizing your own inner weirdo.
Table of contents
- Title Page
- Copyright Page
- Financial Times Prentice Hall Books
- Contents
- Foreword
- Acknowledgments
- Chapter 1. How Did We Get Here, and Where Are We Going?
- Chapter 2. Individuality from Soup to Nuts (Cases and Analyses)
- Chapter 3. What's IN with High Performers? Initiatives for Creating a High-Performance Organization in the Age of the Individual
- Chapter 4. Tools and Techniques to Change Others, Organizations, and Yourself
- Chapter 5. Conclusions and Universal Truths
- About the Author
- Weirdisms
- Index
- Footnote
Product information
- Title: Weirdos in the Workplace: The New Normal… Thriving in the Age of the Individual
- Author(s):
- Release date: July 2004
- Publisher(s): Pearson
- ISBN: 0131478990
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