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Stretch Lib/E: How to Future-Proof Yourself for Tomorrow's Workplace
You know you can do more with your career. And the future is going to demand more of you. The problem is, you are so busy keeping up with the day-to-day that you can't prepare for tomorrow. How to Future Proof Yourself for Tomorrow's Workplace gives you the confidence and knowledge you need to achieve your goals in an ever-changing world. Established experts Karie Willyerd and Barbara Mistick offer evidence-based guidance on obtaining the skills you will need to thrive in tomorrow's workplace.
If you are like other professionals, your biggest worry is becoming obsolete at work. Shifting technologies, fierce competition among corporations, and recruitment occurring on a global level would give anyone concern. To remain relevant in spite of change, you need to know how to learn in any situation, open your thinking to a world beyond where you are now, connect to the people who can help you make your future happen, seek experiences that will prepare you for tomorrow, and stay motivated through the ups and downs of a career so you can bounce forward.
Stretch offers five practices to help you start, enhance, and lengthen your career by anticipating the needs of tomorrow's work environment. Don't become obsolete. Instead, stretch to achieve your potential.
If you are like other professionals, your biggest worry is becoming obsolete at work. Shifting technologies, fierce competition among corporations, and recruitment occurring on a global level would give anyone concern. To remain relevant in spite of change, you need to know how to learn in any situation, open your thinking to a world beyond where you are now, connect to the people who can help you make your future happen, seek experiences that will prepare you for tomorrow, and stay motivated through the ups and downs of a career so you can bounce forward.
Stretch offers five practices to help you start, enhance, and lengthen your career by anticipating the needs of tomorrow's work environment. Don't become obsolete. Instead, stretch to achieve your potential.
- GenresBusiness
Audio CD
First published November 2, 2015
31 people are currently reading
417 people want to read
About the author
Karie Willyerd
7 books6 followersKarie is a Workplace Futurist at SuccessFactors, an SAP human capital software company. Prior to that she was the cofounder and CEO of Jambok, the industry's first video-based informal social learning software platform, which was acquired by SuccessFactors in March, 2011. Jambok is now incorporated into the SAP Jam product offering. Karie was formerly Chief Learning Officer for Sun Microsystems. In October 2009, ASTD named Sun the #1 BEST learning function in the world.
Karie is the coauthor of the award-winning bestseller, The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop & Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today. (Harper Business May, 2010) She is a regular blogger for Harvard Business, coauthored a feature article on Mentoring Millennials in Harvard Business Review and has authored dozens of other articles or publications. She is a keynoter, facilitator and contributor at hundreds of events a year, from White House events to Fortune 500, from small businesses to garage startups.
In prior roles, she was a Chief Talent Officer for Solectron (now Flextronics), led the people development function at Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems and ran executive development at H.J. Heinz. Karie holds a bachelor's in English and journalism from Texas Christian University, a master's degree in Instructional and Performance Technology from Boise State University and a doctorate in management from Case Western Reserve University. She serves on the global leadership council for the business school at Colorado State University. Additionally she serves on the board of City Year, San Jose supporting the young leaders who are making remarkable changes in high school dropout rates. Karie is at work on her next book with her long-time friend and collaborator, Barbara Mistick
Karie is the coauthor of the award-winning bestseller, The 2020 Workplace: How Innovative Companies Attract, Develop & Keep Tomorrow's Employees Today. (Harper Business May, 2010) She is a regular blogger for Harvard Business, coauthored a feature article on Mentoring Millennials in Harvard Business Review and has authored dozens of other articles or publications. She is a keynoter, facilitator and contributor at hundreds of events a year, from White House events to Fortune 500, from small businesses to garage startups.
In prior roles, she was a Chief Talent Officer for Solectron (now Flextronics), led the people development function at Lockheed Martin Tactical Aircraft Systems and ran executive development at H.J. Heinz. Karie holds a bachelor's in English and journalism from Texas Christian University, a master's degree in Instructional and Performance Technology from Boise State University and a doctorate in management from Case Western Reserve University. She serves on the global leadership council for the business school at Colorado State University. Additionally she serves on the board of City Year, San Jose supporting the young leaders who are making remarkable changes in high school dropout rates. Karie is at work on her next book with her long-time friend and collaborator, Barbara Mistick
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 12, 2020
A golden retriever retrieves. I analogize. How-to books bore me or drown me with too-direct instruction. I would much rather draw from history, or literature, or books where the author is talking about something else entirely.
These authors are probably wired somewhat similarly. They draw from sources so diverse that the reader doesn't feel like they are bringing you a compilation of other people's to-do lists. There are examples of vivid, whether personal or literary, and they earn curiosity and buy-in.
They earn such broad engagement, in fact, that I would suggest this as a good perspective tuneup for anyone at any point in their career. I read it for the college student I help who might not open it, to pass on a few choice nuggets. I learned a lot to help me navigate my own path.
These authors are probably wired somewhat similarly. They draw from sources so diverse that the reader doesn't feel like they are bringing you a compilation of other people's to-do lists. There are examples of vivid, whether personal or literary, and they earn curiosity and buy-in.
They earn such broad engagement, in fact, that I would suggest this as a good perspective tuneup for anyone at any point in their career. I read it for the college student I help who might not open it, to pass on a few choice nuggets. I learned a lot to help me navigate my own path.
March 8, 2021
Book Review
Who might be interested in reading this? People who want to:
• remain open and motivated in the workplace;
• multiply career options and opportunities; and
• bounce back strong after a career setback.
I enjoyed a few great principles from this book. Not life-changing, but a good reminder to stay "stretchy."
Summary
Take a stance on how you do your work. The three stances are:
1) Completion — ticks the box
2) Performance — wows people
3) Development —stretches your own ability and sometimes even the industry standard
You do not have the resources to commit to a single stance all of the time. You'll need to decide which tasks you'll just complete, and which one's you'll use to grow your own skillset.
The three stretch imperatives:
1) It's up to you — no one else will care as much about your career as you do
2) Create options —Maximize flexibility in an uncertain future by diversifying skills
3) Follow dreams — When you experience setbacks, bounce forward and do something you love
The five practices that will allow you to fulfill those imperatives:
1) Learn on the fly
2) Be open to learning new things
3) Build a highly diverse network
4) Actively seek new experiences
5) Find a way to bounce forward
The top 10 capabilities you will need for the future:
1) Functional Excellence
2) Emotional Intelligence
3) Personal Advocacy
4) Cultural Dexterity
5) Technical (Geek) Acumen
6) Virtual Collaboration
7) Entrepreneur ethos
8) Problem solving
9) Leadership
10) Stretch Expertise
Three “ounces” of advice to help you hold on to your goals when times are tough:
1)Pounce. You’ve got to keep learning and takings risks. Don’t worry about looking dumb or falling on your face. It’s far more important to stay curious and always be asking questions.
2) Trounce. Keep practicing and developing your skills no matter how many times you fail. It’s not about reaching perfection, it’s about continuing to grow and knowing that sooner or later your continual practice will pay off.
3) Announce. Share both your goals and difficulties with your peers. This will keep you focused on reaching those goals as well as on improving yourself. After all, it’s easy to let a goal slip away if you’re the only one who knows about it, so improve your chances of following through by letting the world know what you’re aiming for.
Employers are looking for "T" employees. Those who have a set of technical skills which are intersected by emotional intelligence. I.e., they want employees who are competent AND also who can synergize with their team effectively.
Who might be interested in reading this? People who want to:
• remain open and motivated in the workplace;
• multiply career options and opportunities; and
• bounce back strong after a career setback.
I enjoyed a few great principles from this book. Not life-changing, but a good reminder to stay "stretchy."
Summary
Take a stance on how you do your work. The three stances are:
1) Completion — ticks the box
2) Performance — wows people
3) Development —stretches your own ability and sometimes even the industry standard
You do not have the resources to commit to a single stance all of the time. You'll need to decide which tasks you'll just complete, and which one's you'll use to grow your own skillset.
The three stretch imperatives:
1) It's up to you — no one else will care as much about your career as you do
2) Create options —Maximize flexibility in an uncertain future by diversifying skills
3) Follow dreams — When you experience setbacks, bounce forward and do something you love
The five practices that will allow you to fulfill those imperatives:
1) Learn on the fly
2) Be open to learning new things
3) Build a highly diverse network
4) Actively seek new experiences
5) Find a way to bounce forward
The top 10 capabilities you will need for the future:
1) Functional Excellence
2) Emotional Intelligence
3) Personal Advocacy
4) Cultural Dexterity
5) Technical (Geek) Acumen
6) Virtual Collaboration
7) Entrepreneur ethos
8) Problem solving
9) Leadership
10) Stretch Expertise
Three “ounces” of advice to help you hold on to your goals when times are tough:
1)Pounce. You’ve got to keep learning and takings risks. Don’t worry about looking dumb or falling on your face. It’s far more important to stay curious and always be asking questions.
2) Trounce. Keep practicing and developing your skills no matter how many times you fail. It’s not about reaching perfection, it’s about continuing to grow and knowing that sooner or later your continual practice will pay off.
3) Announce. Share both your goals and difficulties with your peers. This will keep you focused on reaching those goals as well as on improving yourself. After all, it’s easy to let a goal slip away if you’re the only one who knows about it, so improve your chances of following through by letting the world know what you’re aiming for.
Employers are looking for "T" employees. Those who have a set of technical skills which are intersected by emotional intelligence. I.e., they want employees who are competent AND also who can synergize with their team effectively.
June 26, 2023
Great book! Do you feel nervous for not knowing enough (or much) about machine learning? You probably should. Does you lose sleep for not knowing enough (or anything) about AI? You probably should. Do you feel technological and sociological trends are passing you by? If so, you're right.
Read "Stretch", and you'll feel a whole lot better about your future. Karie Willyerd and Barbara Mistick have written a smart, accessible, evidence-based guide to thinking about how to stay relevant (and employed) in a career environment where change occurs at the speed of heat. You'll learn, for example, the authors note that learning on the fly is essential to avoid becoming obsolete in the workplace, and they lay out a series of strategies to enable on-the-fly learning. Likewise, you'll find out how to engage your career and its opportunities from the point of view of a drone, zooming in and zooming out, thinking through career decisions from different levels and viewpoints.
This is a hugely useful book, practical, recognizable support for the central ideas and its corollaries. For anybody working, and who expects to continue working, the principles of "Stretch" will serve to future-proof your career. I'd write more, but I have to catch up on my Duolingo Spanish lessons.
Read "Stretch", and you'll feel a whole lot better about your future. Karie Willyerd and Barbara Mistick have written a smart, accessible, evidence-based guide to thinking about how to stay relevant (and employed) in a career environment where change occurs at the speed of heat. You'll learn, for example, the authors note that learning on the fly is essential to avoid becoming obsolete in the workplace, and they lay out a series of strategies to enable on-the-fly learning. Likewise, you'll find out how to engage your career and its opportunities from the point of view of a drone, zooming in and zooming out, thinking through career decisions from different levels and viewpoints.
This is a hugely useful book, practical, recognizable support for the central ideas and its corollaries. For anybody working, and who expects to continue working, the principles of "Stretch" will serve to future-proof your career. I'd write more, but I have to catch up on my Duolingo Spanish lessons.
February 12, 2018
As other reviewers have mentioned, a lot of this can be derived with a little common sense and introspection, or simply, you may have seen/read some of it before. Suffice it to say, that it is always wise to stay abreast on what the latest trends in technology has to offer in regard to process improvement, productivity tools, or automation. Included in Stretch are career management strategies you could use to better hedge yourself (or 'future-proof' yourself) against the dynamics of the ever-changing workplace.
June 18, 2022
This might be a good book for someone who is new to personal development and growth. It does share some ideas that are valuable, such as developing both strong/tight and weak/lose networks and different perspectives on task completion (completion, progression, and developmental). However, I felt like most of this book was just watered down ideas that I've read about before.
August 8, 2017
Excellent book on understanding what you will need to succeed in the future workplace.
March 24, 2018
Learn from feedback, your network, skills you enjoy, to persevere when things look bleak, about emotional intelligence.
April 19, 2018
A well-organized and practical guide to growing in various ways to become more potent at your work.
June 21, 2020
Probably the best professional development how to book on the market. If you follow the recommendations in this book, you will move forward in your career. I use it in my workshops all of the time.
March 31, 2016
The workplace is changing fast, and people are living longer and holding more jobs than ever before. Jobs are at risk and entire industries are in the midst of disruptive change. In “Stretch: How To Future-Proof Yourself For Tomorrow's Workplace” authors Karie Willyerd and Barbara Mistick take lessons from experience and research to help readers navigate life's career ups and downs. Their goal was to give readers the capacity to be fully engaged, enjoy fulfillment in work, and be ready to stretch to the next level. They do this by providing practical advice on career management tools, options and strategies on approaching work and careers, and ways to assess reality and plot paths to achieve dreams for tomorrow's workplace. I feel the authors achieved their goal as this book was a good read and contains practical advice for anyone who plans to work in the changing job market of the future.
Part 1 is the Introduction and it covers the authors' stretch imperative and looks at the changing work place. Part 2 focuses on you, and how you need to continue learning and be open to possibilities. Part 3 looks at options which include the importance of a diverse network and being greedy about experiences. Part 4 is about dreams and bouncing forward. The 5th and last part shares ten predictions for the future of work and how you can keep up.
The book focuses on jobs in the future more than entrepreneurship. Those that want to go out on their own and blaze new paths might not find as much in this book as those who are working for someone else and climbing corporate ladders. However, even the entrepreneur will find useful bits as solo individuals must also stretch as the world changes.
This is a fascinating book for anyone wanting to get to the next level in their career.
Part 1 is the Introduction and it covers the authors' stretch imperative and looks at the changing work place. Part 2 focuses on you, and how you need to continue learning and be open to possibilities. Part 3 looks at options which include the importance of a diverse network and being greedy about experiences. Part 4 is about dreams and bouncing forward. The 5th and last part shares ten predictions for the future of work and how you can keep up.
The book focuses on jobs in the future more than entrepreneurship. Those that want to go out on their own and blaze new paths might not find as much in this book as those who are working for someone else and climbing corporate ladders. However, even the entrepreneur will find useful bits as solo individuals must also stretch as the world changes.
This is a fascinating book for anyone wanting to get to the next level in their career.
May 17, 2016
Nothing earth shattering, but very good primer on future proofing yourself. Organized on the premise of learning on the fly and being open to new experience you can expand your breadth and depth in your field. Build a strong network and develop and a loose network as well to be prepared for opportunities. Finally, be greedy about experience whether at your current job, in other fields, in community or even globally. I did not do all of the mini-assessments, but enjoyed the read nevertheless.
February 27, 2016
This is an excellent new book for employees want to avoid career obsolescence and loss of purpose. It also has tips for the employer who is wanting to increase employee engagement. Read this if you want to be prepared for tomorrow's workplace.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews