The goal of this book and its companion 2-volume videotape is to encourage communication between employees and management. Read one way, the book addresses managers; turn it upside down, and it presents the employee's point of view. This clever format helps to illustrate the main point of the short volume: that employees and managers have a lot of common ground if they make the effort to improve their understanding and empathy of one another by seeing the other's point of view.The book raises important issues that occur between the two organizational groups, in a manner that is thought provoking, not finger-pointing. Prepared as a training manual, it may be most effective when used with groups interested in reducing polarization between management and employees. Walk Awhile In My Shoes: Gut Level, Real-World Messages Between Managers and Employees
"Walk Awhile In My Shoes" is chock-full of timeless insight for anyone who is or plans to be employed in his/her lifetime. The information reaches across color lines, gender, age, and job title...it is for everyone. Turn the book one way and read gut-level, real-world information from employees to managers, then flip it over to read the same information from the managers to the employees. After reading both sides you find that there is a very thin line between managers and employees and once each have walked a minute in the others shoes via straight forward messages in the book...it may prove easier to walk/work together more effectively, efficiently and harmoniously.
Of course it would be nice if every person in the organization would really read the book and have an open mind and heart to actually hear and absorb the information. I am going to recommend the book to my staff and also plan to cover various topics over time in my staff meetings and see what effect or impact it has in my area of the organization. Regardless of the impact on others, it impacted me and I highly recommend the book for personal improvement and hopefully group/team improvement.
The authors Eric Harvey and Steve Ventura have certainly produced a high impact tool meant to enhance any organization and they have compiled this information over an eighteen year time period. Each page is complimented with a noteworthy quote on the opposite page. For those that like relative quotes...this book is a must have for your office library or book shelf. The topics presented are: Perception, Evaluating Employee Performance, Selection and Promotion, Privileges of Management, Performance Problems, No Win Situations, Objective/Consistent/Fair, Personal Problems, Saying No, Joys of The Job, The Future, What I Ask of You, Change, Recognition, Participative Management, Resolving Disputes, Sharing Information, Respecting My Time, Loyalty and Job Security.
I took away a lot from this book that gave me a newfound perspective on my job as a supervisor and how to deal with employees. Of course as with all things...there are going to be people that are the exception to the rule... all things will not be able to fit nicely into this books' diagram of the real world information presented. There will always be some conundrum that pops up, but hopefully with more understanding (as stated in the book) we can meet in the middle and walk the rest of the way together after walking awhile in each others shoes.
Review by:
Pamela Jarmon-Wade
I use this in our weekly meetings to stay in focus with the two sided coin. You finally realize that when you are in Management, both sides have a strong opinion based on their experiences during their career. I pick this book up often to keep in touch! Great reading that you can bite off in chunks.
We are using this book for an upcoming management training meeting and are very excited about that. The books were sent in multiple shipments which was challenging but they were in packed nicely and eventually we got all the books we ordered. Thank you.
This book is a quick read, and hits some excellent points which both an employee and manager can benefit from. It is written half from the employee to a manager reminding them we are all human and should be treated fairly, while the other half of the book is written from the manager to employee reminding that managers are people too, and subject to the same feelings and mistakes just like everyone else. I would suggest this book for anyone in the field of business looking to bridge the gap between employees and managers.
The book is a great business perspective from managers to direct reports and vice versa. Books were purchased for my Sales Reps.
The shipping was less than desireable. The box was saturated (delivered by USPS)and one of the 9 books was water damaged. This could have been avoided if the books were wrapped in plastic. I would have pursued a replacement but I did not know who to contact at Amazon.com. - Organizational Effectiveness - Leadership Development'
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