Culture Shock: An unstoppable force has changed how we work and live. Gallup's solution to the biggest leadership issue of our time.

Whatever their size and nature may be, all healthy organizations have a workplace culture within which personal growth and professional development are most likely to thrive. It is no coincidence that companies annually ranked among those most highly admired and the best to work for are also annually ranked among those most profitable, and have the greatest cap value in their industry segment. It is also true that these companies maximize the engagement of both employees and customers -- their separate but interdependent constituencies -- to the extent that is most appropriate to the given circumstances. Why did Jim Clifton and Jim Harter write Culture Shock? "The impact of COVID-19 resulted in an awakening that shocked the world. There was wide and concerned recognition of a structural change in how humans work and live. We wrote the book for our clients, thought leaders and friends in high places. Nothing is going back to normal. This is a moment of evolutionary change. "How we adapt to this culture shock -- the [begin italics] new will of the world [end italics] will determine whether U.S. and global productivity will go up or down. "Gallup's solution outlines a better world of work and life -- with far higher productivity and higher wellbeing -- both of which needed to be fixed anyway." In Culture Shock, they lock in on what Gallup research reveals about WHAT needs to be done and then they explain HOW best to do it. In or near the central business district in most major cities, there is a farmer's market at which merchants (or at least until COVID-19) offer slices of fresh fruit as samples of their wares. In that same spirit, I now include a selection of brief excerpts from Clifton and Harter's lively narrative: o In U.S. companies, "only about 30% of employees are truly engaged. Another 20% are miserable and spreading their misery in the workplace, and 50% are just showing up -- wishing they didn't have to work at all -- especially in this job." o "[begin italics] Engaged employees [end italics] create your growth, earning and stock price -- your [begin italics] engaged employees [end italics] create your engaged customers." o "So how do you increase employee engagement? A crucial breakthrough in this book is this: Fitting [pbegin italics] strengths to role [end italics] is essential to winning in business, science, education, sports, or anything. If you stumble here, nothing else matters." Peter Drucker: "Few people, even highly successful people, can answer these questions: Do you know what you're good at? Do you know what you need to learn so that you can get the full benefit of your strengths?" o "When our chief scientist was asked to define as specifically as possible the [begin italics] most important [end italics] habit of a great manager, his answer was: [begi...

We once thought we were savvy leaders and managers—before COVID. We once thought that all team members working on-site was best—before COVID. We once thought that the five-day week was perfect—before COVID. BAD NEWS: Everything has changed and Bizarre World seems like the new normal. We all have strong opinions on what works in the workplace. GOOD NEWS: Gallup’s new book, “Culture Shock,” sets aside opinions and leverages their stunning research to propose seven “Recommendations for the New Workplace.” The book’s subtitle immediately teased me into the 30 short, but substantive chapters: “An Unstoppable Force Has Changed How We Work and Live. Gallup's Solution to the Biggest Leadership Issue of Our Time.” What’s happening in this post-COVID era? The authors warn: • “Nothing is going back to normal. This is a moment of evolutionary change.” • “The danger is that a majority of employees will now operate more like independent contractors or gig workers than employees who are loyal and committed to your organization.” • “Employees are also now less likely to say that their organization delivers on its promises to customers.” • “Simply put, your employees and customers know each other. Many are best friends. All the good stuff in human nature and customers is at risk.” • “The real fallout isn’t here yet. The real fallout will come when the storm of declining employee engagement hits the customer.” There’s more bad news! “According to Gallup, a staggering 90% of U.S. employees with desk and office jobs aren’t longing for the old workplace to return. Only CEOs are.” And this: “…U.S. employee engagement has reached a seven-year low.” Co-author Jim Clifton is Gallup Chairman and co-author Jim Harter, Ph.D., is Gallup’s Chief Workplace Scientist. Research-based, their workplace insights are so, so important—if CEOs and managers will just stop and listen. Don’t skip this one from two insightful leaders. They’ve teamed up before to write “It’s the Manager.” And Clifton’s “Born to Build,” with Sangeeta Badal, Ph.D., is a hopeful look at entrepreneurship. TOP-10 BOOK. “Culture Shock” is already on my list of Top-10 Books of 2023. Someone on your team must read and report on this solution-filled path to our post-COVID dilemmas. Your employees and your customers will thank you. WHO KNEW? There will never be a return to “normal,” warn the authors. “Who knew that everyone in the whole world with an office or desk job could check into ‘Hotel Zoom International’ at the same time. A spectacular digital advancement for humankind came wrapped inside a global health catastrophe.” BRILLIANTLY PACKAGED into 30 single-topic chapters (about three pages each), the book runs just 158 pages, plus a robust appendix of another 100 pages, plus a tempting 20-page reference section. You’ll appreciate...