Review of If Your Water Cooler Could Talk
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[Following is a volunteer review of "If Your Water Cooler Could Talk" by Dr. Jim Bohn.]
If Your Water Cooler Could Talk by Dr. Jim Bohn takes a slightly different approach to organizational management than most books in this genre. While there is a lot of focus on the individual employee in most management research, this book takes a step back and argues that organizational success starts with organizational engagement, which is “the level of motivation activated by employee perceptions of their organization’s ability to achieve outcomes.” In short, organization-level success motivates employees to be engaged at work.
The book is written in three main parts. In Section I, the author presents his argument for leaders to focus on organizational engagement rather than employee engagement. He backs up the argument with his own research and the research of others. The six elements of organizational engagement are presented in this section as well. In Section II, the author defines and analyzes the six elements of organizational engagement, again presenting research to back up his claims. In Section III, the author presents what leaders must do to manage organizational engagement. This is followed by five appendices.
This book has the feeling of a professional organizational management book. It is exceptionally well researched, as evidenced by the plethora of APA-style references. It is well written and has an academic voice. There are plenty of visual aids to help readers better grasp the information. The organization of the book is good as well; the sequence makes sense, and information is separated into readable paragraphs with headings.
The only thing I don’t like about this book is that it is long-winded. At times, it felt like I was reading the same thing two or three times over without being presented with new information. It toes the line between feeling like a well-researched professional book and feeling like a textbook. In my experience, managers and leaders prefer to read things that get right to the point and immediately impart actionable knowledge.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I choose this rating because it is an excellent book in terms of how well it is backed up by research and the fact that it presents a new approach to organizational management. In addition, the book’s premise makes sense and it is easy to understand.
I would recommend this book to leaders and aspiring leaders who have some background in organizational management. Those who have formal education in leadership and management will find it easier to read this book than those who do not because some high-level concepts and research conclusions are presented.
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If Your Water Cooler Could Talk
View: on Bookshelves |
If Your Water Cooler Could Talk by Dr. Jim Bohn takes a slightly different approach to organizational management than most books in this genre. While there is a lot of focus on the individual employee in most management research, this book takes a step back and argues that organizational success starts with organizational engagement, which is “the level of motivation activated by employee perceptions of their organization’s ability to achieve outcomes.” In short, organization-level success motivates employees to be engaged at work.
The book is written in three main parts. In Section I, the author presents his argument for leaders to focus on organizational engagement rather than employee engagement. He backs up the argument with his own research and the research of others. The six elements of organizational engagement are presented in this section as well. In Section II, the author defines and analyzes the six elements of organizational engagement, again presenting research to back up his claims. In Section III, the author presents what leaders must do to manage organizational engagement. This is followed by five appendices.
This book has the feeling of a professional organizational management book. It is exceptionally well researched, as evidenced by the plethora of APA-style references. It is well written and has an academic voice. There are plenty of visual aids to help readers better grasp the information. The organization of the book is good as well; the sequence makes sense, and information is separated into readable paragraphs with headings.
The only thing I don’t like about this book is that it is long-winded. At times, it felt like I was reading the same thing two or three times over without being presented with new information. It toes the line between feeling like a well-researched professional book and feeling like a textbook. In my experience, managers and leaders prefer to read things that get right to the point and immediately impart actionable knowledge.
I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I choose this rating because it is an excellent book in terms of how well it is backed up by research and the fact that it presents a new approach to organizational management. In addition, the book’s premise makes sense and it is easy to understand.
I would recommend this book to leaders and aspiring leaders who have some background in organizational management. Those who have formal education in leadership and management will find it easier to read this book than those who do not because some high-level concepts and research conclusions are presented.
******
If Your Water Cooler Could Talk
View: on Bookshelves |
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