Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know

My husband Neil picked me up at the airport today, as I was coming home from teaching a leadership workshop in Mobile.  "Let's stop at Barnes and Noble on the way home," he suggested. Tomorrow is the officially release date for the book, but he thought it would be worthwhile to check the shelves today. When we arrived, he took his camera out of the trunk, so I suspected he knew something I didn't.  In fact, he had done a little advance scouting.  Sure enough, there in the "New Non-Fiction" area in business books, that bright, eye-catching cover, smiling right at us. It's been a wonderful journey, bringing this book to life.  Now, it can bring happiness to workplaces!   Feel free to contact me through the book's Facebook page if you'd like to share your thoughts or ask for advice.

What better way to spend the weekend before the official publication date of the book, than conducting a leadership workshop for some very bright young managers in the Raycom Media group.  Raycom believes in growing leaders from within the organization, and each year selects up-and-coming mid-level managers for specialized training. I've played a role in that program for several years running.  Being a manager is serious business, of course, but if you read my book, you'll see that I believe levity is a key value of leadership. As a surprise to the class, Raycom's news VP, Susana Schuler purchased early copies of the book from Amazon.com, and presented each one with a copy, which I then signed.  This photo was taken after they learned about the importance of feedback -- and my concept of "feedback glasses" (also in the book.) We took a few class pictures together, and needless to say, this one is my hands-down favorite.

Although the official release date is June 5,  Amazon is already selling and shipping copies of the book.  Several people who had pre-ordered told me this week they received emails from Amazon, letting them know the book would be shipped early to them.  Amazon also now has the "Look Inside the Book" feature activated, so you are able to get a good sense of the content.  I have always appreciated that feature -- and often purchased a book based on the strength of the Table of Contents! I'm especially delighted that the first Amazon.com review was posted by my colleague Roy Peter Clark.  He's the author of multiple books on writing and has had a profound impact on writers in all genres. He also encouraged me to turn my teaching and columns into a book, and has been very helpful along the way. Here's what he wrote: My colleague Jill Geisler has written her first book, and it's a humdinger: "Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know." At first, I was puzzled by the title. So few people express happiness in their work that it seemed to espouse a quixotic,almost impossible dream. But that's the point, isn't it? Whatever endeavor we choose -- or chooses us -- there is a direct connection between our productivity and our emotional satisfaction on the job. The subtitle suggests that it will be a great boss who creates the conditions for a productive and satisfying work life, with this caveat: Some of the unhappiest workers we know bear the title of boss, and their problems, we have all learned the hard way, flow downhill and become our problems. Leadership, Geisler teaches us, is not the work of bosses alone. Each of us carries some burden of leadership, which, when embraced and practiced, can turn into something powerful, even joyful. Jill Geisler brings long experience as a media leader to the writing of this book. Her strategies have been field tested and shared widely through her teaching at the Poynter Institute and through her iTunesU podcasts, which have been downloaded in the millions. Anyone who aspires to a leadership position of any kind at any organization should read this book and put its advice to work -- today.

This was the scene today as two boxes arrived at the Poynter Institute, to my attention.  This was the day I'd been waiting for -- to see the final, final product: the hard cover edition of my book.  I carried the boxes into the office of Julie Moos, who is the editor of our institute's web publication.  I refer to her as the "midwife" of the book, because she's been the editor of my "Great Bosses" columns, helped develop the iTunes U podcasts, and held my hand through every step of the book process.   When she saw me, her eyes lit up and she guessed what was up.  She handed me her scissors, grabbed her cell phone camera, and said she wanted to record as I saw the hard cover version of the book for the first time. Here's the unboxing -- as it happened: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6XMYDSkUPg Thanks, Julie!

Isn't this a great picture?  It's dynamic, iconic -- it represents a real team with real trust.  The best part of all, is that it isn't some stock photo.  It's a real event.  It wasn't posed.  In fact, it happened in an instant.  I know because I was there.  My hand is in that circle.  But let me be clear: I didn't instigate it.  I just chose to take part, just as every other person did.  This photo is the jumping off point for a column I've written in my "What Great Bosses Know" series for the Poynter Institute. The column offers eight tips for leaders who want to build strong, high performing teams.  It takes trust to build and sustain a true team.  So, here's a link to the column, (just click on the highlighted words to get there) with all eight tips, and the interesting back story of how that picture came to life. (Photo credit to Scott Simmie of The Toronto Star.)

In these multi-media times, it's important to share information in every possible format.  That's why this site exists, along with a Facebook page for the book. But we can't overlook the world of video, can we? Since I worked for many years in broadcast journalism before becoming an educator -- (and since the man I married owns a production company) -- it was logical that we'd produce a video for the book. The picture you see was taken at Midland Video Productions, against a green screen.  That screen allows the post-production team to apply text and images, to insert a creative background, all to help illustrate the information about the book.  The video is now on YouTube and Vimeo, but of course, you can see it right here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4pCURnHFc8  

Had a great meeting in NYC today at the offices of the Hachette Book Group, planning for the release of  "WORK HAPPY: WHAT GREAT BOSSES KNOW" on June 5th.  At my side in this photo, as she has been throughout the writing of the book, is Hachette editor Kate Hartson. Being an editor takes many of the leadership skills I write about in my book.  A good editor understands motivation, coaching, feedback, time management, and collaboration.  A good editor helps a writer discover ideas and take risks.  A good editor identifies gaps in content or logic, so the writer can fill in the holes.  A good editor encourages and challenges. Interestingly, many editors are accomplished wordsmiths, but they take great care not to pressure writers into emulating their personal writing style.  Their goal is simple: to guide the author toward success while keeping the author's unique voice intact.  That's leadership. I've been blessed to have that great leadership from Julie Moos.  She's the head of Poynter.org, the website for which I produce "What Great Bosses Know" columns and podcasts.  Her encouragement and skillful editing helped lead to the development of Work Happy: What Great Bosses Know.  In fact, she's been at the head of a line of incredible cheerleaders for the book.  But Julie's done more than cheer.  She's edited columns and podcasts, brainstormed ideas for the book and helped with the book proposal.  She even helped me set up this web site, which I could not have done without her. Great bosses -- including great editors -- often stay in the background while good things are happening for those they lead.  That's why it's important to turn the spotlight on them -- and offer them my heartfelt thanks.      

It's a fact of management life in a challenging economy: people are being asked to do more with less.  In times of change, we are also asking staff and managers alike to learn and do new things.  Technology can keep us feeling like we are on call, 24/7, because people can so easily reach us wherever we are. As a result, there's a real concern about burnout.  We don't want employees working in a constant environment of exhaustion, frustration or fear.  But I'm hearing more and more about those situations these days.  That's why I wrote my most recent column for Poynter.org, "Ten Tips for Preventing Staff Burnout." If you click on this link, it will take you directly to the the column, with ten tips, as well as a podcast with a bonus tip as well.