Initially, I decided to read Humanize, How people-centric organizations succeed in a social world, for work. A few pages in, I was completely transfixed. See, Humanize is a bit of a Trojan horse. My reason for reading “a practical guide for realizing the true potential of social media – not for marketing, but for leadership” is based primarily on the first half of this tagline. However, I quickly discovered that authors Notter and Grant had a much bigger, wiser, more creative ace up their sleeves. When the first sentence of the first page opened with a quote from The Matrix, I had a feeling this would be a different reading experience than originally anticipated:
Throughout human history, we have been dependent on machines to survive. Fate, it seems, is not without a sense of irony. (Morpheus, in The Matrix, 1999)
This book is not just for people who work in organizations; this book is for anyone who wants to create meaningful, fulfilling work lives. If you’ve ever felt stunted, frustrated or, worse, neutral about your work environment, Humanize will help articulate – in clear, relevant, helpful language – how the change you crave is within your grasp. Four chapters come with downloadable worksheets, each nearly twenty pages long, to help you assess your personal and professional perspective. No doubt, this book is a commitment – of time, effort, energy, thought, reflection, and honesty. If you’re considering a career change, Humanize is a great resource to help you understand the kind of company that will be most compatible with your personality, goals, and desire for growth.
Most surprisingly, this is not a ‘social media’ book. It does not talk about SEO and how to leverage Facebook likes. Humanize is a book about psychology, creativity, the machinery of government, letting go of ego, and even spirituality.You will be required to dig deep, be honest with yourself, and go face-to-face with uncomfortable questions about your career objectives, work environment, and whether or not they fit together in a meaningful way. But, like Notter & Grant emphasize on every page of this brilliant workplace tome, discomfort is essential for learning and progressing.
You don’t have to be in communications to soak this one up! Dive right in! The material is relevant to anyone and everyone working in the 21st century.
What a fabulous review!! Thanks so much for reading the book and sharing this. I actually hadn’t thought about Humanize being a resource for people in the midst of career change. That’s a great idea.
Thanks! Humanize is an incredibly insightful book. I’ve been glued to it for the past three days! It’s covered in highlighter markings.
The wisdom of your argument really hit home, especially when I started to read the authenticity and personal development portions.
Thanks again!