SHAPERS is the definitive guide to elevate the way you work and live.
PRAISE FOR SHAPERS:
"Do you wish you could throw yourself into your work, become energised and enriched by it, and leave the world a better place? Then SHAPERS is for you. Altman shows that your idiosyncrasies and unique skills are not the obstacles to achievement and purpose. They are the path.”
-Daniel H. Pink, #1 New York Times bestselling author of WHEN and DRIVE
“With countless nuggets of timeless wisdom, SHAPERS gently nudges readers to envision new possibilities for them to build more meaningful, joyful work and lives.”
-Amy C. Edmondson, Professor, Harvard Business School, author of The Fearless Organisation and Teaming
"Altman mixes together case studies, anecdotes and careful empirical research to offer wise and practical advice about how to make work better, and thus to get better work. If companies followed even a quarter of his suggestions they would foster a more productive and more satisfied workplace for everyone. And his engaging, informal style makes for effortless reading.”
-Barry Schwartz teaches at Haas School of Business, U.C. Berkeley and is the author of The Paradox of Choice and Why We Work
We work in places, ways, and on things that were once the stuff of sci-fi flicks. Yet the reality is that most professionals are unhappy in their work. Whether you want to reset your career, strike out on your own, or just ignite more joy in what you do, this illuminating productivity book shows you how to create a working life that reveals meaning while rewriting our collective future.
When we connect with something larger than ourselves, we enjoy the fruits of our labour as well as the journey - the sweat and the struggle. It’s the unyielding commitment to a purpose that gives shapers their shimmer. The benefits of this shine are plentiful: enhanced wellbeing, more community engagement, a healthier economy, better work for all, and a more beautiful world.
Altman is a workologist who guides companies to leave politics and posturing behind in favour of transparent and trusting cultures. After decades facilitating culture-defining practices for leaders, you’ll learn everything he knows:
- Adopt the mindset for creativity, innovation, and boundless growth
- Amplify your career and inspire others to do the same
- Help create engaged teams through building leadership skills
- Become a better leader through the five new modes of leadership ethics
- Learn what underpins the most resilient organisations in the world
The stories and anecdotes in SHAPERS come from hundreds of interviews with innovators dedicated to improving our outdated system of work. These trailblazers include CEOs, organisational designers, social psychologists, workplace strategists, and start-up entrepreneurs.
See your work from a whole new perspective and focus on what fulfils you. If you seek the freedom to approach work in your own unique way and become energised by what you do, then SHAPERS is your guide.
Table of Contents
Introduction: A Watershed Moment xv
Part I Meaning and the Nature of Work 3
1. The Magic of Meaning 5
2. A Short History of Work 15
3. Employee Disengagement Epidemic 25
4. Inhumane Resources 33
5. The Drive to Work 45
6. Work-Life Blend 51
Part II Better Ways of Working 63
7. Bad Bosses 65
8. The Pursuit of Dopeness 71
9. Vital Ingredients 81
10. Fluid Teams Work 89
11. Managing Self-Management 99
12. Back to School Without the Bull 111
13. Tools to Help You Succeed 121
Part III Principle for the Futures of Work 141
14. Learning: Wonder at Work 143
15. Feeling: An Emotional Revolution 159
16. Leading: Modes of Showing Up 181
17. Becoming: Our Social Fabric 195
18. Futuring: The Long View 211
Conclusion: The Shapers Legacy 237
Notes 241
Glossary of Work Terms 293
Acknowledgements 295
About the Author 297
Index 299
