Official Review: Vacuuming is Just Indoor Mowing

[MsH2k]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Vacuuming is Just Indoor Mowing" by Eric Brunson.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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“OK, boomer.” This statement is more than a catchphrase or a meme. It is a genuine sentiment that can divide a workplace. Vacuuming Is Indoor Mowing by Eric Brunson is a book that describes the generational differences in the workplace and how understanding those differences is vital to achieving an effective work environment.  

This read acknowledges the complexity of the current workplace well. Diverse generations are working side by side, and often there is miscommunication based on differences not only in culture, race, and sex but also generational predispositions.

Compiling information from various sources, the author outlines the four main generational age groups in the workplace today: baby boomers (aged 56-74); Generation X (aged 43-56); millennials, also known as Generation Y (aged 22-42); and centennials, also known as Generation Z (aged 23 and below). Having this information described all in one place was priceless to me. I was always confused about the names of the generational groups, and I had not even realized there was a Generation X.

What I enjoyed most about this book was when the author described how each of the four generations would approach vacuuming. Although everyone is unique, I found his generalized depictions hilarious and uncannily true. As a baby boomer, I fit squarely into his description for my generation, and I agreed with the attributes the author described for the others based on my interactions with people in those age groups. It helped me understand why I sometimes get frustrated with the actions of those in other generations, and as a result, I can now appreciate our different motivations and expectations better.

In ten chapters, the author describes critical skills necessary for leadership. He includes traditional topics, such as how to transition from being an individual contributor to managing others, with an added emphasis on how to lead in today’s workplace. This information is especially important for millennials, who, as the author notes, will occupy 75% of the workforce in the United States by 2025. Thanks to boomers remaining in the workplace longer (you’re welcome), he stresses the challenge of managing three other generational age groups that have different approaches to work and management. Understanding the perspectives of each group will also benefit workers in their interactions with peers and supervisors.

I reviewed a PDF version of this book, and it had some obvious differences from the Kindle version I had previously sampled; one was the title. I did not consider this inconsistency in my rating, but there were other issues in the PDF. For example, the chapter titles in the table of contents differed from the titles in the chapters themselves. I found over ten grammatical errors, ranging from punctuation to contextual errors. Furthermore, there were references in the text that were not included in the citations at the end of the book.

I rate Vacuuming Is Indoor Mowing 3 out of 4 stars. I deducted one star because of the grammatical errors. The strength of this read is the content regarding generational differences. The weakness is the editing, which can easily be fixed. Although targeted to managers, this book would be informative for anyone in the four generational age groups. The author shares the traits and predispositions of each in a way that is easy to understand. This knowledge would be helpful in any setting where different age groups interact.

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Vacuuming is Just Indoor Mowing
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[markodim721]

I like the theme of the book. We are all aware of generational gaps, but few people write about it. Humor gives a special charm to the book.

[Raluca_Mihaila]

The author seems to approach a very useful and important topic with humor, and that makes the information memorable and easy to read. Great review!

[Yvonne Monique]

I always get confused about the generational age groups too, thanks for clarifying that! Sounds like an interesting book on a up-to-date topic.

[C3cilia]

This is quite impressive.Describing the fact that people from one generation can fail to understand those of other geberation hence friction in workplace is quite informative.Thanks for a great review.

[WADonnelly]

This is an interesting sounding book and could be very helpful for many. A great detailed review too, wonderful to read.

[Becca Olsson]

This sounds like a great tool to simply understand each other instead of automatically discounting each other and what we can bring to the table. Thanks for the insightful review

[AvidBibliophile]

As a millennial, I can definitely detect generational differences that exist with groups older AND younger than me, but workplace compromise and cohesion are critical to success. I like the conceptual thought of a vacuum strategy being used to illustrate certain points. And for whatever it’s worth, I prefer push-mowing!

[MsH2k]

I like the theme of the book. We are all aware of generational gaps, but few people write about it. Humor gives a special charm to the book.

It is a timely theme to explore in today’s workplace especially. Thank you for your comment.

[MsH2k]

The author seems to approach a very useful and important topic with humor, and that makes the information memorable and easy to read. Great review!

Yes, he did a great job of outlining the motivations and priorities of each generation in a way that really made sense. It was an enjoyable read. Thank you for stopping by!

[MsH2k]

I always get confused about the generational age groups too, thanks for clarifying that! Sounds like an interesting book on a up-to-date topic.

Reading the definitions in the book, I realized one source of my confusion was not recognizing there were multiple names for one generational group. That really cleared up a lot for me.
Thank you for stopping by for a visit!

[MsH2k]

This is quite impressive.Describing the fact that people from one generation can fail to understand those of other geberation hence friction in workplace is quite informative.Thanks for a great review.

I think sharing this information in a work environment would help teams operate more smoothly. Thank you for your comment!

[MsH2k]

This is an interesting sounding book and could be very helpful for many. A great detailed review too, wonderful to read.

Thank you for stopping in for a visit. I appreciate your comment.

[MsH2k]

This sounds like a great tool to simply understand each other instead of automatically discounting each other and what we can bring to the table. Thanks for the insightful review

Very true. Understanding that everyone wants to get the job done but may have different motivations or priorities is key. Thank you for your comment.

[MsH2k]

As a millennial, I can definitely detect generational differences that exist with groups older AND younger than me, but workplace compromise and cohesion are critical to success. I like the conceptual thought of a vacuum strategy being used to illustrate certain points. And for whatever it’s worth, I prefer push-mowing!

This book’s title caught my attention because I have actually had that thought on several occasions, particularly in the summer, when I go from mowing (push, too!) on Fridays to vacuuming on Saturdays. The author did a great job of describing the motivations and priorities of the various groups that just clicked for me and I could understand why we all might approach things differently. I really enjoyed this read.
Thank you for stopping by!