Stretch (eBook)

KARIE WILLYERD is the Workplace Futurist for SuccessFactors, an SAP company. She is the coauthor of the bestseller, The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop & Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today. Her articles and blogs appear regularly in Harvard Business Review and in the HR and Learning press. She has been a Chief Learning Officer for five Fortune 500 companies. BARBARA MISTICK is the President of Wilson College. Recently, she made history pioneering the nation's first loan buy-back program for college students. She is a seasoned entrepreneur and was named a Distinguished Service Professor at Carnegie Mellon University. Her public service advocacy on behalf of entrepreneurs has won numerous awards from the US Small Business Administration, Ernst and Young and The Girl Scouts of America. Dr. Mistick was the first woman to serve as president of the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh. She holds an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, and received her doctorate in Management from Case Western Reserve University.

Foreword ix

Preface xi

Part 1: Introduction 1

1: The Stretch Imperative 3

Part 2: It's All on You 31

2: Learn on the Fly 33

3: Be Open 61

Part 3: You Need Options 91

4: Build a Diverse Network 93

5: Be Greedy About Experiences 123

Part 4: You Have Dreams 153

6: Bounce Forward 155

Part 5: Charting the Path Forward 183

7: Stretch into Your Future 185

Supplemental Materials 209

Acknowledgments 211

List of Figures and Tables 215

Appendix A: Research Methodology; Key Workplace 2020 Survey Findings 217

Appendix B: Essential Books to Learn More 223

Notes 225

Index 245

Library Journal

Rapid advances in technology, global economic change, and record unemployment have fueled a

concern about falling behind and becoming obsolete in the workplace. According to global research by

coauthors Willyerd (coauthor, The 2020 Workplace) and Mistick (president, Wilson Coll.), the concern is

widespread. The megatrends shaping tomorrow's workplace will require new skill sets. This work

outlines five key strategies to acquire the needed knowledge and connections; they can be summed up

as: learn in any situation, maintain an open mindset, connect to people who can help your future, seek

out experiences that will prepare you, and stay focused and motivated. Anecdotes, insights, and

research-based conclusions highlight the practical relevance of each strategy and are entertainingly

informative. The authors' research was sponsored by Oxford Economics and SAP (Systems Applications

Products) and includes their megatrend analysis as well. VERDICT Thoroughly researched, approachable,

with wide general appeal; the authors provide actionable guidance to help the reader grow for the

workplace of tomorrow while engaging them in the occupation they have today.

Extensive notes and an annotated further reading are included.-Jane Scott, Clark Lib., Univ. of Portland, OR.