Synopses & Reviews
Review
"Get Weird! is the only book I've ever seen that actually has as many great ideas for creating a culture of fun and innovation as we do. If we had written a how-to book on out-of-the-box best practices for high performance, this would have been it!""
--Libby Sartain, SPHR, Vice President of People, Southwest Airlines and Chair of the Society for Human Resource Management
""This book is a perfect reflection of Putzier's creative and captivating teaching and speaking style. He has managed to compile an incredible array of unusual yet theoretically sound tips, tools, and techniques for today's managers.""
--Dr. Harry Faulk, Dean Emeritus, H. John Heinz III Graduate School of Public Policy and Management and founder of Executive Management Programs, Carnegie Mellon University
"Get Weird! is both powerful and easy to read at the same time. Putzier's down-to-earth style, combined with his depth of knowledge in organizational behavior, has resulted in a must-read for the next generation of managers and leaders.""
--Gerry Crispin, SPHR, co-author of CareerXRoads, the best-selling directory of job and resume sites on the WWW
""Two thumbs up! A fun read with ideas you can use immediately. John Putzier has been there and done that and offers innovation on every page. A delight and a must-have for a competitive edge in business.""
--Steven Solomon, Sr. Vice President and General Manager, FUJI Computer Products"
Synopsis
"How can companies recruit, retain, train, motivate, and reward great employees--especially in a tight labor market? How can they win new customers and boost sales? The secret is to lighten up and get a little weird! Creativity and productivity can go hand in hand, as this chock-full-of-ideas book amply shows.
Like a Christmas stocking crammed with treasures, Get Weird! overflows with irresistible techniques for innovating and problem-solving. It explains how to start thinking ""outside the box,"" then presents 101 adaptable ideas, each in a reader-friendly two pages or fewer. For instance, readers will learn about:
* Whaddya Know? (learning through puzzles, quizzes, and games)
* Hire-Times (post-interview fun--a night-on-the-town with host employees)
* Wall of Fame (display of individual successes)
* Rock Me, Baby (give techies and GenXers the rock-concert tickets they crave)
* Galloping Gourmets (take-home gourmet dinners for employees and their family).
Slightly off-the-wall at first glance, the book is firmly rooted in solid performance theory. Managers can use it to find quick, effective, fun solutions to work challenges."
About the Author
John Putzier (Prospect, PA) is president of the consulting firm FirStep, Inc., which provides strategies to improve workplace performance. He is a prolific and popular speaker.
Table of Contents
"Foreword
Introduction
Part I. Tapping Your Natural Weirdness
Part II. Weird Ideas to Win Today’s Talent (a.k.a. Recruitment)
Part III. Weird Ideas for the Care and Feeding of Today’s Talent (a.k.a. Retention)
Part IV. Weird Ideas for Changing Your Company Culture (a.k.a. Fun and Games with a Purpose and a Profit)
Part V. Weird Ideas for Perks, Pay and Pats on the Back (a.k.a. Recognition and Incentives)
Part VI. Weird Ideas for Educating Today’s Talent (a.k.a. Training and Development)
Part VII. Weird Ideas for Enhancing Your Company Image (a.k.a. Sales, Service and Public Relations)
Part VIII. Where’s 101? (a.k.a. It’s All In Your Head! Idea Submission Form)"