Work the Problem How Experts Tackle Workplace Challenges

by Stafford, Kathryn

• ISBN13: 9781947308572
• ISBN10: 1947308572
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2018-06-07
• Publisher: Association for Talent Development

Summary

Long Description:

A software engineer sees her tech skills slipping even as she rises to manage her own team. A marketing director is squeezed between a demanding, artistic boss and her staff. A tech-savvy manager of operations wants to modernize his warehouse but is surprised when he is stymied. Everyone has experienced a situation at work where challenges pile so high that the only solution seems to be to cut and run. But what if we faced our problems head on instead of quitting?

Each fictionalized case study in Work the Problem is coupled with in-depth analysis and commentary by two learning and development experts who offer fresh ways of looking at seemingly insurmountable difficulties. The result is an engrossing collection of unique yet familiar stories that build on one another, creating a conversation about universal workplace problems and how we can think about solving them for ourselves. Work the Problem is about more than the specific demands of any one workplace—it's about cultivating the mindset and skills to take on the inevitable challenges that will arise in any career. Whether you're thinking of quitting your job, you feel stalled out at your workplace, or you're advising someone who has hit a wall, Work the Problem is the book to reach for.

Author Biography

Author Bio:

Kathryn Stafford has worked for years as a book editor and magazine writer and editor for institutions including the Organization of American States, Smithsonian Institution, SI Press, American University, and George Washington University. She is currently a developmental editor at ATD Press.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Case Study 1: No Room at the Top—A millennial editor is overworked and frustrated by lack of transparency and promotion in a small media company.

Case Study 2: Family Fade-out—In the light of market changes, a once-successful family-owned electric light products business is struggling and its inexperienced though tech-savvy manager of operations meets resistance in the warehouse.

Case Study 3: Driving the Bus—There are challenges for a female manager in the tech start-up culture.

Case Study 4: “Did You Read the Memo?”—Changes at a once-respected foundation under new leadership are creating problems for its top fundraiser.

Case Study 5: “All My People Are Great”—A longtime tech manager in a global corporation is feeling pinched by HR.

Case Study 6: “Stay in Your Lane”—A hospitality training manager in a multinational corporation finds herself challenged by colleagues when she tries to reach out.

Case Study 7: Building a Bridge—In a large health system, a longtime administrator is surprised to learn about existing computer skill gaps across functions.

Case Study 8: Merging Toward a Future—A much-anticipated union has brought together two financial institutions of very different cultures. Which one will survive?

Case Study 9: A Middle-Management Sandwich—A marketing director in a city with tourism growth possibilities is caught between a micromanaging CEO and direct reports who are juggling excessive responsibilities.

Case Study 10: All Roads Lead to You—A CEO is assailed by his employees for creating a “toxic” workplace culture. What can he do now?