Tomorrowmind

October 17, 2022
The tech-driven workplace “threatens our well-being in its own unexpected new ways,” according to this convincing if gloomy look ahead. “Alarmed by people’s inability to rise to” the “mounting challenges” of modernity, Seligman (Flourish), former president of the American Psychological Association, and Kellerman, founder of the research organization BetterUp Labs, characterize historic shifts in labor, including the agricultural and industrial revolutions, as coming “at a wrenching human cost.” They cite data suggesting that 800 million global workers will lose their jobs to automation by 2030, and “as many as 80% of us will see our wages reduced” in the same time frame for the same reason. To reverse the harm done by automation, they write, organizations must take behaviorial sciences into account when making business decisions and place more value on human well-being. Contending that “there is no precedent for either the pace or the type of change we face at work today,” the authors call on companies to create an “Employee Thriving Team” that is “responsible for the well-being, personal growth, and professional growth of each individual employee.” Readers who fear the worst about where the workplace is headed will find little comfort here. Agent: Chris Parris-Lamb, Gernert Co.

November 15, 2022
Advice for maintaining workers' well-being. In her debut book, Kellerman, a medical doctor who pivoted from MRI brain research to public health policy and health care technology, joins with prolific Seligman, a founder of the field of positive behavioral psychology, to offer salient perspectives on the future of work. Drawing on psychology, neuroscience, educational theory, and medical research, they offer guidance on honing skills and perspectives to help individuals succeed in an ever changing work environment. As labor has transformed from hunting-gathering to agriculture to industrialization, success has depended on an important set of skills: resilience (R), finding meaning (M), establishing social supports (S), and honing prospection (P) (the ability to think about the future) and innovation (I)--abilities to which they give the admittedly "out of order" acronym PRISM. Each chapter elaborates on these skills and suggests ways for developing them. Finding meaning is crucial for job satisfaction and can result from factors such as a sense of personal or professional growth; finding a balance between work and personal life; and feeling inspired by one's contributions. But even more important than meaning, the authors assert, is mattering: "one's sense of the difference one makes in the world." Social connections, as well, are integral to work satisfaction, affecting us psychologically and physiologically. The authors suggest ways to overcome a perception of "time famine" that can get in the way of fostering rapport, and they advocate soliciting participation, encouraging the sharing of perspectives, and empathetic listening as strategies to bridge isolation. The book is filled with exercises for building skills, acronyms for easy recall (OCEAN, for example, describes five personality traits--such as openness and curiosity--associated with creativity), and relatable anecdotes. The authors offer suggestions for businesses about how to make corporate cultures more supportive of workers. Even in an unpredictable, roiling future, the authors are optimistic that every worker can flourish. Practical, encouraging self-help for the workplace.

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December 16, 2022
Drawing on comprehensive research, Kellerman and Seligman explore the use of positive psychology to address workplace anxiety in order to build resilience and prevent negative outcomes. Undertaking this work involves strengthening five psychological powers critical for workplace thriving. They are identified as resilience and cognitive agility, meaning and mattering (mission and recognition), rapid rapport to build social support, prospection, and creativity and innovation (demonstrating curiosity). Outcomes include the ability to anticipate change, plan appropriately to adapt to the anticipated change (up-skilling), respond to setbacks, and as a result achieve full potential. This is a daunting undertaking, as it hinges on having the ability to transcend the here and now, effectively anticipating and adjusting for the imagined future. Tomorrowmind advocates for a shift to anticipatory self-awareness including self-compassion, optimism, emotional regulation, self-efficacy, and, critically, cognitive agility. It can feel like a tall order, but over the course of the book, the authors provide examples and break down the complex concepts, making this a useful addition to academic and public-library collections.

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Starred review from January 13, 2023

This work puts a spotlight on a mindset that enables individuals in the workforce to anticipate, plan for, and respond to changes effectively. It's written by two workplace mental health experts; Kellerman is a psychiatrist and has held key positions at BetterUp Coaching, and Seligman is a world-renowned psychologist who is recognized for his seminal work about "learned helplessness." Their forward-thinking approach is associated with well-being, optimism, and resilience, and they assert that tomorrow-minded skills can be developed in the workplace, sometimes in less than a minute. The book includes effective advice and action plans. The authors assert that tomorrow-minded employees are better able to handle stress, setbacks, and career reinvention. This book's bottom line is that work environments must evolve to enable employees to flourish, be creative, and feel connected to others. This valuable book can be used as a self-help career guide. VERDICT Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries and business collections.--Caroline Geck

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