University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
Rebooting Work
Book

Rebooting Work

Transform How You Work in the Age of Entrepreneurship

Maynard Webb and Carlye Adler
Jossey-Bass, 2013
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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

The industrial age is over. The new economy depends on creativity, innovation and entrepreneurialism. IT guru Maynard Webb and business writer Carlye Adler don’t break any new ground in this short book, but they stand out from many authors who announce a new age of opportunity and never tell you what to do about it. Their advice can be unsettling but is consistently detailed and practical. Their examples, worksheets and checklists will force you to think and plan. You’ll discover new tools for personal and team productivity, including many you can download and start using right away. Whether you’re a student, new in your career, at a crossroads or thinking about becoming self-employed – roll up your sleeves and dive in. getAbstract recommends this guide’s real-world advice as a source of practical inspiration.

Summary

The Old World, New Again

A little more than a century ago, nine out of 10 white American males worked for themselves. Indeed, for hundreds of years before that, most workers cherished their independence. Everything changed abruptly at the turn of the 20th century. Millions of people moved to cities and took jobs in factories. The insatiable demand for labor turned societies in advanced nations from rural and farm-based to urban and industrial almost overnight. Some workers sought the security of a salary and fixed hours, but most made the move because industrialization mechanized the farm economy and eliminated much of their manual work. Brutal conditions in factories – long workdays, constant physical danger and low pay – produced massive turnover, “labor unrest,” and headaches for industrialists and authorities.

Enlightened employers foresaw the future. Increasing union power and the New Deal presaged the greater competition for labor that arose with World War II and dominated the US work experience for the next 50 years. Workers demanded better conditions and protections; employers created the “paternalistic” workplace in which you followed the rules to gain job...

About the Authors

Maynard Webb is an entrepreneur, investor, philanthropist and mentor. Carlye Adler is a business writer, award-winning journalist and best-selling author.

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