Book feedback
This post is for all the people who signed up to review a chapter of my book “Happy Hour is 9 to 5″.
First of all: Thank you very much for your generosity! I’m so glad you’re willing to help me on this.
I have emailed you guys the entire book as a pdf, and you now have a chance to tell me what you think. There are a few instructions in the feedback file I also emailed you. Please read that, write your feedback and write it as a comment to this post.
Thanks again for doing this, and I’m not at all happy, nervous and totally fracking excited about this. At all :o)
Nicolas Kjerulf Said,
November 6, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
Which chapter did you review?
The body At Work (p. 46)
What do you really like about this chapter?
That it’s there! The state of our body is so important for our general well-being. But western civilisation seems to have forgotten the fact that the body and mind is so intimately linked. Both Yoga as well as most oriental martial arts techniques were developed as recognition of this: that inner peace and happiness is more easily acquired in a body which is healthy and fit, and that a good connection between body and mind is essential. Exercise (if not too hard) strengthens the body-mind connection. Stress, lack of exercise, poor diet and too many stimulants de-link the mind from the body, and causes inner disturbance as well as lack of energy.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
That the breath is the link between body and mind. So very true! Cannot be underestimated (you can contact me for inspiration on this point, he he)
We all know that it is good to exercise. So why don’t we? How to make it more fun?
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
No. As to the “Eat Right? paragraph, I think the quality of what you eat is much more important than how often, in maintaining a stable blood sugar level. Some people will be just fine with one or two meals a day, while others need to eat more often. It depends on your individual metabolism as well as your physical activity level.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Yes –print it!
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Keep moving. Keep breathing. Feel happy!
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
You could write a whole book on this subject alone. If you want to add some perspective, it could be: sports and physical activity as a way to increase (lateral) social interaction, networking and happiness at work.
Rich Waters Said,
November 6, 2006 @ 6:27 pm
Which chapter did you review?
How to make yourself happy at work (p. 62)
What do you really like about this chapter?
The chapter was well organized, and seemed to have a clear flow between the different self quizzes and following recommendations. I especially liked the terms given to the different categories of happiness, they are slang, but are great representations of the feelings found in each category. I also really enjoyed the story of Michael near the end and think that it really did a nice job of bringing the concepts in the chapter together.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
I think the self quizzes are great, perhaps a bit more elaboration on the results of the second and third would be beneficial.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
Under “Visualize your work-happiness? the second two bullet points are repetitive of the previous paragraph, I think that some degree of repetitiveness is in order to really hit the more important points, but these two are nearly exact and not restated.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Other than the minor repetition I think this chapter is great and ready to go.
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Unhappy at work? Do something about it! There is no reason to be stuck in “Argh!?
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
Keep up the great work!
Ryan O'Neill Said,
November 7, 2006 @ 4:28 pm
Which chapter did you review?
‘How to make yourself happy at work’
What do you really like about this chapter?
No filler, quick and easy to read and not too wordy or just filling in pages to pack out the book.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
Possibly a wacky idea, but when I see a note to ’stop and write down what you think’ I never have a piece of paper handy. It would be good to have a grid in online version and maybe even a pencil (included in the spine) and a blank piece of paper on those pages that ask you to do this. This might be too expensive and pad out the pages too much, which may not be good in my opinion.
Other than that, a very brief end of chapter summary (four bullet points) to say the steps you need go through.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
No, it seems just the right length.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
I think so, obviously nice happy piccies help but the text seems great (bit contagious this enthusiasm).
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Not many people are happy at work.
YOU are probably not happy at work.
Simple, easy steps to change the way your job works for you or failing that, motivation to change your job.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
The chap at the top of the web site pages (I guess that’s you) looks very cheesy with that pose ;)
Lucas Lopatin Said,
November 8, 2006 @ 12:39 am
Which chapter did you review?
> “What does not make people happy (but many think it does)”
What do you really like about this chapter?
> I enjoyed the IKEA story regarding the importance of having a fair wage but that there are also many more values that employees put above on their list of happy values.
> I also really liked the story values behind the job security. I believe it makes a great point to enphasize that “job security” means that meanwhile you do a great job at what you and go about it responsibly, chances are you will have an assured spot.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
> I didn’t like the example of Alfie Kohn’s program since it relates to a different age group than that of the working class.
> I would change this example for a more scientific study maybe based on a published paper.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
> The three main points are well plotted out and explained without being redundant.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
> With a few good graphs and a little more hardcore scientific facts its ready to ship!
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
> Somewhere in the book I’d put lists of the top things that make people happy at work and separate it by industries/positions.
> I think many industries and the backgrounds of the different positions have very different “happy lists”.
Alex congrats on pulling it through!
Marc Rohloff Said,
November 8, 2006 @ 3:38 pm
> What chapter did you review?
What can managers do?
> What did you really like about this chapter?
The opening story was great.
My most important ‘take-away’: You need to be happy yourself first
> What could be better?
The content was great. I put some comments at the end though.
> Does anything seem redundant?
“This chapter is for leaders”, by the time I got here I already knew this. BTW, the last part of the sentence is duplicated a couple of paragraphs down.
You repeat at least 4 times, “you can download this worksheet at ….”. OK, I got the message. I think a ‘global’ statement, maybe at the beginning of the book, would be better.
> Is it ready to go into the book?
I think it is close
> 3 line review.
The most important things managers could learn this year.
or
Learn how to make yourself happy, your employees happy and your customers happy.
> Other comments / feedback
I assume that the book as a whole is intended to be a light read, especially considering the message you are conveying. However I found that this chapter was too long to be an easy, quick read (although I couldn’t list anything specific that could be removed). Once this book is formatted to a standard page size it is likely to be close to 200 pages which is quite long for the above criteria, IMO.
The first sentence: “Finish this sentence”, didn’t sit well with me. It was like you put words in my mouth and then in the next sentence told me that I was wrong. I think the contrast of putting employees first, with putting the customer first is important but I don’t think it should be done this way.
What does ‘Meh!’ mean? Maybe this is an Americanism because I am not familiar with the expression.
“Once your organization is this happy, how will it change?”
This is immediately followed by a fill in chart with no explanation of what it was about. I think a bit of a run-in might have helped (“Try filling in the following chart to find out…”)
In “3. Stick to priorities” there is a sentence “You found that …”. Maybe its because I haven’t read the rest of the book yet but I felt that this was a bit of an assumption. Maybe “earlier you learned” or just start with “It’s a great idea…”. Also I assume “Make a Happy Plan” should have a ‘4′ in front of it.
By the time I finished reading this chapter I was a bit tired of numbered lists. They just seemed to formal for subject of the book (Except the example of the ‘usual plan’ where you want this). I think something more informal would be better, at least use bullets instead, or maybe little smiley-faces :)
Marc Rohloff Said,
November 8, 2006 @ 4:09 pm
> What chapter did you review?
Imagine all the people
> What did you really like about this chapter?
It is a good summary of the whole book.
> What could be better?
I think its great, you could even have stopped the book here?
> Does anything seem redundant?
No
> Is it ready to go into the book?
Yes
> 3 line review.
Learn why Alexander Kjerulf was unhappy at work and what he did to change it.
> Other comments / feedback
In the list giving reasons why businesses benefit from happiness, I think that higher profits should be before stock performance (since the latter depends on the former)
I was thinking that another way to summarise this is : Love yourself, love everyone else.
Fleejay Said,
November 8, 2006 @ 5:33 pm
Which chapter did you review?
The body at work
(I feel this chapter is extremely important as I ran the London marathon this year and was noticeably happier at work during my training. This was because I had more energy and I was forcing myself to get more sleep so that my body could recover from all the running.)
What do you really like about this chapter?
Excellent “hygiene factor” tips.
I’m glad you mentioned food, because in this “Cake Friday Culture”, work place diet is often overlooked.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
Perhaps you could mention GI in the food section (everyone seems to be banging on about it!) Sugar Bureau have some interesting discussions on this.
You mention a “20 percent overnight improvement in learning a motor skill?. It seems a bit random that you go from taking an afternoon nap to deep sleep and learning a motor skill. I think it is valid evidence and should stay in but it just needs introducing better.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
Nope, I think all these points are needed.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Yes, covers the main points very well.
Marc Rohloff Said,
November 8, 2006 @ 6:18 pm
> What chapter did you review?
What is happiness at work?
> What did you really like about this chapter?
I thought the examples fitted in well and the chapter was well balanced with a good leading example and summary.
The point about happiness being an invitation was important one and easy to forget.
> What could be better?
Nothing that stuck out to me.
> Does anything seem redundant?
No
> Is it ready to go into the book?
Yes, I liked it just as it is.
> 3 line review.
Arbejdsglæde, the Danish even have a word for happiness at work and its much better than their word for a halfway point!
> Other comments / feedback
It would be a good idea to supply a reference for the ‘unhappiness causes heart disease and cancer’ statement.
JACH Said,
November 8, 2006 @ 9:10 pm
I started reviewing the whole book (well, almost all), So I’ll have to change the format of this review. I hope that this “overall” comments are usefull too =P
First… I loved the book, and I’ll just have to re-read the last chapters until I complete the exercises and the whole thing sticks in my head =P
Once that said, I’ll start with the things I would change (have a sit =).
[they only reflect my opinion, ok?]
Will you be adding wild things to the book? stylish or crazy pics (but not kindergarten ones)?
the guy in the first page… I’m not really excited about him
Foosball? German without the beta in hand =P?
Page 12. There’s a comment in your blog about what happens when “happiness” is “overrated”. Wouldn’t his example (and/or the conclusions) fit here or somewhere else?
In the page of teambuildinginc (I followed the link from your page), there’s something excelent that I think shouldn’t be left out: a manager fears to lose power if he gives control to the employees. Instead of wander if they’ll lose power, they can ask theirselves what can they do with their extra time (that process improvement that had to be cancelled, customer relationships, spend more time with the family, etc) and overcome their fear that way =)
“When you say bad jobs kill people” aren’t you creating a motivation “away from” ;P
Many people are conveinced that money is THE motivator. Can you give 1 or 2 more examples that this is not completely true (or not for everyone)?
Page 18. there are two orders of the elephant? (one with nurses and one with cars? ;)
Open books:
Ok, I get the point. Ricardo Semler is your idle, but the 14-year old girl comparision seemed… a little too much =P
It’s not the economy, stupid!:
I have a friend that is conveinced that people only work for money. If, in the future, I lend him the book (I mean, the hard copy I’ll buy ;-), he’ll drop the book if he feels insulted and the whole message will be lost =(
The cult of overwork
without a comma after “work hours”, the next lost its meaning: “This leads to people working longer hours and in extreme cases to what the japanese, the world champions of long work hours call Karoshi – death by overwork.”
Power games:
This small subchapter leaves you feeling bad: there’s no solution =|
The protestant work ethic
Isn’t there a different way to say the same without involving religion? I understand what you tried to say, but there are some people that would stop reading right here… Some people are extra sensitive to these things. It is a good book, and having a bad review or people who drops the book for a small thing like that can’t be good.
Gedankenexperiment:
First… what’s that =P?
Second… the conclusion of this chapter about the 20%, 30% increase is based in mere assumptions of some guys I don’t know… I don’t see the point
(I stopped being picky here)
I know I already said this, but… great book!
Christian Said,
November 9, 2006 @ 12:07 pm
Which chapter did you review?
What Managers Can Do
What do you really like about this chapter?
The opening anecdote is great. I like that you start with making the manager realize that he or she must first be happy in order to bring happiness to the team. I thought it really worked well by walking a manager step-by-step through the process of coming up with ways to make the workplace better. I also just liked the fact that you included a chapter with this theme. I had been planning on giving my manager a copy of this book, but was worried that while he might become happy, it wouldn’t do much for the rest of the staff. By explicitly including this chapter, you’ve done my job for me. Thanks!
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
I think you should emphasize the part about “You don’t have time not to do it.” That’s such a key point of this chapter. The fact that going through this process will provide multiples of improvement in the working environment. You could even consider giving this section its own subheading.
Connect the idea that a manager needs to accept criticism graciously and act on it to the idea that a manager that does this now has the moral authority to ask the same of his or her staff.
In the “Visualize your happy organization” section, make this into a “Visualize your happy organization in ten days (or ten steps)” to cut the exercise down to a manageable size. It seems like a lot of questions, and each one deserves some consideration time.
Under “Make a happy plan” you wrote “Imagine workplaces that are thriving, vibrant, etc…” You could change this to “Earlier in this chapter, you were asked to imagine your workplace as a place that is thriving, vibrant, etc…” This will help connect the sections for better flow.
After the “5 fast, fun, easy things I will do to create more happiness at work:”, you have some criteria to choose good items for your happy plan. I would put the criteria first, and then give the reader room to make a list.
You have a quote from Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Group. The quote is great, but I think you could elaborate more by giving an example (of the many) fun things that Branson and his employees have done to make the workplace enjoyable.
Could you give some more examples of ways to celebrate happiness at work? Preferably ideas that don’t require much of a budget.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
The last two questions in the “Visualize your happy organization” section are pretty much the same thing.
In the same section, you say the person could even switch to a new job. That kind of defeats the purpose of the manager improving things. You don’t want the manager to run out on his or her staff!
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
I think this is a good chapter and that it’s just about ready to go in the book (see other feedback). I’m looking forward to seeing it properly formatted and printed!
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Whether you’re working in the mail room, clawing your way up the lower-rungs of the corporate ladder, or jockeying for the key to the executive washroom, Alexander Kjerulf (AKA The Chief Happiness Officer) shows you how focusing on happiness at work will result in more motivated and productive employees and at the same time improve the bottom line.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
I was thinking that since the rest of the book is more about the individual worker, this chapter could be rewritten as more of a step-by-step guide to introducing the “Happiness at Work” philosophy to your manager. (That said, I’m simply going to give a copy of this chapter to my boss. He’s a good guy and will get the point as he’s always looking for ways to make things better..)
Marc Rohloff Said,
November 9, 2006 @ 4:29 pm
> What chapter did you review?
What makes people happy at work.
> What did you really like about this chapter?
A good list of points which were both practical and supported by good examples. I think you covered pretty much everything.
> What could be better?
Recognition is a big part of praise, but never explicitly mentioned. Maybe something along the lines of “Praise others because they want recognition just like you” ?
> Does anything seem redundant?
No
> Is it ready to go into the book?
I think its too long to be an easy read in a single session for many people. (Say those who read a chapter before going to bed). It might be better to split it into two chapters.
Otherwise I think it is fine.
> Other comments / feedback
In the Poncho example, it says all you need is a flipchart and marker pens, it then tells you to tear a hole in the middle of the sheet of paper. It took me a while to make the connection that the flipchart was to be used as the source of the paper. Maybe the requirements could read large pieces of paper from a flipchart or old computer printout.
The Seligman/Insurance company example would actually be great for the management chapter.
Under ‘Open Books’, reads “Semco, a small company of 100 employees providing based in”. Something is missing after “providing”.
stic Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 1:40 pm
Which chapter did you review?
I read the whole book! It is enjoyable, amusing, easy-read .. worth of
each while with it. And as I’m travelling ca.1,5h to and from my work
(what somehow dosen’t effect my happiness in either of directions) I
had a great time with this book.
The one I choice for review is “What makes people unhappy at work -
and what to do about it”
What do you really like about this chapter?
Well – the approach, you not only pointed out some of the things that
makes are unhappy but you also give solutions. When in fact I could be
depressed after this read: I’m in a software project for which I’ve no
real qualifications neither experience, my boss don’t like his boss so
there plenty of communication-breakdowns, the company doesn’t plan
people carriers ahead etc… – I am not. You show that is could be
worse ;-)
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the
arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some
point I should elaborate more on?
Well, this chapter could be separate book itself. By that I mean it is
too short. I would love to read about how to avoid other things that
makes you unhappy at work, e.g:
- not only negative people but also “difficult people”
- work environment (you covered this briefly in other place of book),
you know air-conditioning (this year we have ca.35-37C in office that
is upgraded form old warehouse, it was like hell, and the CEO, walks
along saying, “it is only few days in year, there is no reason to
install air/cond” hell,… meybe he was right but over month all of us
was working on their 25% and no one want to even think about next
summer), noise at work and outside it, proper cleaning etc..
- lack of values, like honest, respect, trust, etc – you said a lot
about the relation between company and its employees, you write about
conflicts, power games etc.. But these are the basic and most
important values that have to be there. Please mention it ;-)
For example, I was working for a debt collector (as a developer in IT
department), the team which worked at call-centre and tries to force
the debtors and collect something was a theme for a lot of jokes, by a
coincidence we find out that the IT team was a major topics of their
jokes – I don’t have to say that we needed a lot of beer on the
company picnic ;-)
Right now my company has these values in carrier review spread sheet.
But no one evaluate these, no one respect them, etc.. And it is
crucial to people to be respected, trusted, etc..
Additionally, I would kill for more data, and analyse approach. You
know I’m from CS field, I need numbers, proofs, not only amusing
examples. But I know that this book has “easy-read” style, and I
shouldn’t ask for it, or complain about lack of details ;-)
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
For me.. no.. I would like to see more exercises, and test to do
self-evaluation.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to
go into the book?
Rather no, please extend it, please ….
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what
you’ve read, what would it say?
The “Happy hour is 9 to 5″ is a amusing and well told story about how
to become and stay happy at work. It is a must-read for everyone,
bosses, managers and regular staff. The examples, however, not
providing deep analyses gives you overall knowledge about what should
be your next step in the journey to happy workplace.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
On your blog, I promise… when the book will be ready – because there
will be second edition, right? :-)
Thanks for great reading!!!
Michael Arnoldus Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 2:16 pm
Which chapter did you review?
What can managers do
—
What do you really like about this chapter?
I like all your stories and quotes. They energize me and make me actually feel that I want to do this. This is for me far more valuable than a bunch of prescriptions, do this, do that, don’t do that. Also, I really like your focus towards the end of chapter about making a happy plan and going for the activities that actually keep yourself as a manager happy, rather than opting for the perfect plan (and aiming for the certain failure…). The small suggestions after “Make a Happy plan” are great and inspiring.
—
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on Some point I should elaborate more on?
In my opinion the chapter needs more focus on the real responsibility of the manager – to make it possible for the employees to make themselves happy. By reading only this chapter, I wouldn’t know that you actually believe everybody is responsible for their own happiness (but I cheated – I read the Table of Contents as well :-). I would prefer less ‘tests’ or ‘exercises’ which seem a bit pointless. You might have a point in making me do them, but the point is not clear to me, and I’d rather just skip them. I’d like to know more about how I can prevent my stress from interfering with everybody (anybody) else. How do I set up a system that makes other people feel safe telling me things that they just know I wont like to hear (and I might not yet know that!). I tend to think the things you write about in the last two paragraphs before “Visualize your happy organization” is the most important and the most difficult for managers. And I would really like some support with this. “Do not ” is just one more thing to remember and doesn’t do anything to make me happy. A story about how someone actually did this, even though he or she found it difficult would be inspiring!
—
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
You can safely drop some of the exercises.
—
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
I think it is great you have written this book. Let me know if I can be of further assistance in any way.
yogi Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 2:51 pm
> Which chapter did you review?
“How to make yourself happy at work”
> What do you really like about this chapter?
The advice on finding what made you happy in the past at work is good. Good
analysis needs some real data! “know your why” provides some good hints in
looking for causes of happiness
> What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments
in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should
elaborate more on?
The “Visualize your work-happiness” exercise seems like it could have too many
right answers. How would one choose one specific answer for that exercise to
set as a goal? As an alternative: how about replacing the visualization
exercise with the contents of the top half of pg 5 (“Imagine all the
people… happy in their jobs”) Finally, I might be more comfortable comparing
current work situation with previous good work situations rather than with
visualized speculative goals.
> Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out? What is your
overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
The content is all there, but might need some reorganization.
I suggest the following flow : “Are you Happy Now? Can you Recall When you
were Happy previously? What is different now? Wanna be Happy? (First decide to
be happy!) Set some goals. Know why you are setting those goals. Go do it.”
>If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve
read, what would it say?
“In short, everything you need to make yourself and others happy at work.”
> Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
Your book is an awesome read! Here are some misc stuff I noticed while going
through the book.
pg 5. bottom – swap the order of the last two elements in the list. the
following makes a little more sense
– Better stock performance – for all of the above reasons.
– Higher profits – for all of the above reasons.
# Chapter: What is happiness at work?
- “What is happiness?” I recall hearing a podcast of yours on motivation. Do
you think that happiness == feel good response of body to
intrinsic-towards-motivation?
# Chapter: What makes people happy at work?
- How important is Competence? avoid needless frustration, play to your
strengths every now and then… get cheap thrills out of easy successes :)
# Chapter: What does not make people happy(but many think it does)
- You cite money, status, job security. These are actually instances of a more
general schema [conditionally happy] : “I will not be happy unless I have X”
=> almost always, getting X will not really make you happy
# Chapter: What makes people unhappy at work – and what to do about it
## Section: Dealing with a bad manager
0.Make sure your perceptions of the situation are balanced!
[do not make scapegoats out of the wrong bosses]
## Section: Conflicts at work
Can you give some idea of what giraffe language is in the book itself – please
don’t make it a must refer online (defer) item.
## Section: Fear of losing your job
As you point out here, there are many unspoken factors behind ‘The fear of
losing my job makes me unhappy’. Maybe some of these deserve larger font
sizes and perhaps sections of their own – e.g. “Refusing to go along” ?
[Self-Integrity - I see this as a complementary aspect of finding meaning in
one's work.]
#Chapter: The body[&mind?] at work
- Given the non-work-specific nature of this chapter, I think a discussion of
Seligman’s learned optimism OR mindfulness would not be out of place here.
Pauly Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 3:13 pm
Alex, please, excuse me, this week has been absolutely hectic (at work), so I have been able just to read 15 pages of the book.
However, I have an advice about pricing for e-copy of the book :)
You can make it whatever price the user can pay. Someone may think that 20 quid is too much for them, but they can easily pay you 10, or 5, or maybe 25. Why eliminate those people from the list?
Kenny Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 5:46 pm
Which chapter did you review?
“What makes people happy at work”
What do you really like about this chapter?
I really enjoyed the examples of companies who had implemented these ideas and the improvements in both their employees happiness and their business.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
The chapter has lots of great information but seems very choppy. Ideas late in the subchapters seem underdeveloped. The late subchapters are also underdeveloped. It feels like you ran out of things to say as the chapter and subchapters complete.
The chapter also mixes in self help ideas (keep a happiness at work log) with suggestinons that are more useful to managers. You need to determine who your audience is and focus the section on them. Do you want the book to appeal to managers or employees?
The little tiny sections (learn one new thing about a co-worker, try stuff out, be open, say what you think, follow your passion) either need to be futher developed or combined with other subsections. It makes the chapter choppy.
The Pixar U section needs to be combined or eliminated. It’s an example, not a suggestion of how to improve happiness.
Go Green seems a way to contribute rather than a way to increase happiness on its’ own. It really belongs as an example of how to put meaning into the workplace.
The same goes for Make love the foundation of your work. It just seems thrown into the subchapter. It should be combined or eliminated.
The overall chapter would improve with 1. more examples of how these ideas have been successfully implemented 2. fewer and more in depth discussions of these ideas 3. a focus on a specific audience.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
See comments above.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
No, I don’t think it’s ready. The information is great, but it needs to be reorganized and focused.
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
This book is about how to create a happiness within your company and its’ impact to employees, customers, and the bottom line. It offers concrete suggestions on how to improve and shows how these ideas have translated into results at other companies. It shows an alternative path to success – one that values employees rather than treating them as a means to an end.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
I read a number of other chapters. Each chapter offers great information, but the tie between chapters is nebulous. I’m not sure who this book is written for – the employee who is unhappy at work or the manager who wants to create a better workplace. Once you determine your audience, you can edit the chapters to provide a more rich guide to achieving work happiness.
Angela Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 5:56 pm
Which chapter did you review?
Who is responsible for happiness at work
What do you really like about this chapter?
It gives a clear message and inspires the reader to take action rather than blaming their unhappiness on others.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
Why do you say “I hate to say it, but the ultimate responsibility for your happiness at work can only lie with you” in the first paragraph? If it’s true, you should want to make people aware of this, which obviously you do, so perhaps the “I hate to say it” part comes across wrongly.
The quote from Peter Koestenbaum and Peter Block might fit better in the first section of this chapter, rather than under the manager’s responsibility section. It’s more relevant to the first section and also balances the length of the sections better.
The line “notice especially that Sarah’s people get more work done now that they work less hours” is slightly misleading. They’re getting more done because they’re doing tasks better suited to them, not simply because they’re working fewer hours.
Perhaps the chapter title should be “You are responsible for happiness at work” to get the point across before the reader even reads the chapter.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
The first section of this chapter is slightly repetitive, especially the duplication of ” responsibility for your happiness at work can only lie with you.”
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Yes, especially if the first section is tightened up a bit.
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Only you are responsible for your happiness, so it’s up to you to read Alexander Kjerulf’s “Happy Hour is 9 to 5″ and find out what steps you can take to make you, your colleagues, and your staff happier at work. The book’s knowledge, tips, and real-life case studies will equip and inspire you to change your working life for the better.
Mary Beth Sancomb-Moran Said,
November 10, 2006 @ 6:26 pm
Questions:
Which chapter did you review?
What makes people unhappy at work – and what to do about it.
What do you really like about this chapter?
The piece on the cult of overwork was very powerful. Now, to convince my husband! : )
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
I would expand on the Bullying piece. As someone who was (in a former job) the victim of bullying, I was unaware at the time that I was being bullied and the physical ramifications the bullying was having. I think this is probably a bigger problem that we recognize, and is one that should be explored further.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
Nope!
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
I think the whole book is just about ready!
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
This book is an excellent addition to a management library. The concepts and suggestions are persuasive and logical, and should be taken to heart by anyone looking to make their workplace a better place to work.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
Thanks for the opportunity to read your book – it’s terrific! We’re in the process of studying our organization’s structure, and I plan to share this with the team.
Alfredo Abambres Said,
November 11, 2006 @ 2:40 am
Which chapter did you review?
What Can Managers Do
What do you really like about this chapter?
• The stories (case-studies)
• Tour (guide me) style of the Structure (ex: The next step is to learn how happy your people are already.)
• Clear directions and practical tools
• KISS
• & definitely: “PUT YOUR PEOPLE FIRST? > GREAT START
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
• Each sub-topic should end with a call to action towards the next sub-topic (ex: The next step is to learn how happy your people are already.)
• ARGUMENTS: You will “loose? support from readers on saying “Also remember that the traditional ways of creating motivation and engagement in employees, eg. raises, promotions, bonuses, incentives and titles DON’T WORK.? > I know that you are trying to force people to choose sides, but perhaps “ARE NOT ENOUGH? is more correct
• Section “Get Yourself Happy? – Include numbers (or %)
• “CELEBRATE? > where are the ideas??? THIS IS A MUST, list a few simple and UNUSUAL ideas
• “Share what you do? “sucks? because it’s incomplete and done to sell your project (blog) > put there some useful ideas – there’re many and simple; Show how sharing could generate NEW RESULTS (Human and Financial – your book and blog are an example)
• How about a CONCLUSION/SUMMARIZE??? How about “Share what you do? be that conclusion – new name “Share what you do and Get more Results?
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
• Redundant “Make a happy plan? title
• +- duplicated lines/sentence: “This chapter is for leaders at all levels, who want to spread some happiness in their team, department, division or, heck, clear across the entire business.? And then after the first list.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Overall YES, thus some parts need to be better integrated (small changes).
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Summarize: PLAY, FUN, WORK, PROJECT, FUNtastic, OPEN, NETWORK, CHAOS, MOVEMENT, LAB… PEOPLE
This book is all about “Larger Lives? – see the movie “Big Fish?.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
• To when a Portuguese edition? ?
• A great idea would be to create a standard structure to each chapter (I know, it isn’t FUN – but makes my reading experience better – easier) and always include Calls to Action on the end
Traci Fenton Said,
November 11, 2006 @ 8:07 pm
1. Which chapter?
Good for People and Good for Business
2. What do you really like about this chapter?
• Clear, pointed, satisfies both right and left brain thinkers, punchy, funny, relevant, playful, and serious. Love the quotes. Stories are very effective. Loved the bullet points. Loved the story about Irma – it gave me chills! I love the list of the bottom-line impact of happiness too. I loved the Happy at Work question to the managers about how many unhappy people it would take to complete the same amount of work as happy people. Brilliant!
• Love the customer service section and the math problem. Very effective.
3. What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
• The Success Factor section – seems a bit abrupt. Can you link it more right away to the story about Irma above?
• Also, I could not see the image in that section. You may want to also write out what the images says.
• Small typo in the first sentence under the header, “Unhappy Employees Will Cost Ya?
• Under the header, “Motivation? the “G? in General Motors needs to be capitalized.
• I love the brief section on Motivation and might encourage you to say a few more lines about how much money is wasted on motivational speakers coming into companies, dumb motivation practices and other hype to get people jazzed that lasts for but a moment. I don’t think you can emphasize this point enough that it’s NOT about motivating people, it’s about creating an ENVIROMENT of happiness so that people can self-motivate.
3. Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
No content seems redundant. You may just want to be alert to how you present the material. I love the bullet points, but if there are too many, that can see redundant. So HOW you present the material as much as what you SAY — you want to make sure that’s not to redundant or else it gets too predictable. I think you might be able to say the same thing in this chapter with a few fun charts or images rather than all the bulleted lists.
4. What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Yes! Excellent! Wonderful writing Alex.
5. If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Business 101 — Happiness + Work = A Successful Business
6. Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
• Order of the book – I only got to read this one chapter so far, but you may want to consider re-ordering the book so that you state the real need for happiness at work and the bottom-line benefit at the beginning and then go into the HOW rather than vice versa.
Attila Said,
November 12, 2006 @ 1:21 am
Which chapter did you review?
What makes people unhappy at work – and what to do about it (page 36)
What do you really like about this chapter?
I really like that it looks at problems at work from many different angles and gives an easy to digest overview on them. Also of course that it has some nice solutions to each. What I especially like is that it also goes into the psychology of why they occur and has some humorous anecdotes to go with it.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
Giraffe language (page 40): it would be nice it it was at least a bit more explained :) I think I know why it’s not there, it would be just nice if there was something more of what it actually is.
Also I think (bad) gossip could have a place in the list there, maybe as part of the Power games topic. It is really bad when working at a place where the most important thing is what you know by overhearing from others (and then telling the right people of course). It is usually also a sign of bad management.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
No, I think everything that’s there is in the right place, I wouldn’t really want to get rid of anything.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Yes, maybe if those things mentioned above went in it would be nice, but I think it’s already very very good looking :)
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
I’m really bad it things like this, but based on a quote I really liked (page 39):
[
"Happiness at work is the only lasting cure for stress." - Bo Netterstrom
Want to find out how achieve it? Alexander Kjerulf may just the right answers for you :)
]
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
A big thank you for sharing these ideas, they help immensely when dealing with troubles at work, and of course I’m hoping that the book gets released soon and would recommend everybody to get it too ;)
Phil Gerbyshak Said,
November 13, 2006 @ 6:10 am
Which chapter did you review?
What can managers do (pg 67)
What do you really like about this chapter?
I like the plan. It seems like something I could actually do.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
The one thing I didn’t see was a story about how you’ve made things happy, or how a manager has made things happy for you. I’d like to read about a personal story from you to really take this idea home.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
No, I think this chapter stands well on its own without cutting anything.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
Just about ready. You might want to split the happy plan into its own chapter so when people pick up the book and see the table of contents, they can go right to it. I know I would be looking for this in this book, and it would be the first thing I would read. Practical happy tips are great!
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
(book title) is filled with simple, practical tips on how you can make a happier workplace for you and your employees. Filled with examples of companies who have made happier workplaces, it’s clear Alex Kjerulf is an expert in the happy workplace field. In fact, I’d say Alex is a category of one. This is book will be at my desk, completely highlighted, so I can remember to create the happy workplace we all need.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
Personal stories help folks make the personal connection. Whenever possible, try to include them, or at the very least, don’t use only famous ones. The one from Middlefart is wonderful. Use those local stories more, as they’re easier to identify for the entrepreneurs like me who’ll be reading your book.
Very well done Alex. I know you said to read just one chapter, but now that my review is done, I’ll be reading the rest of them. I can’t wait to see this on my desk.
Simon Haines Said,
November 18, 2006 @ 9:27 am
Which chapter did you review?
“What is happiness at work??
What do you really like about this chapter?
Simply that a chapter has been written about happiness at work, as part of a book about happiness at work.
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
o There is no introduction to the chapter, so the reader does not know what the chapter will include, what it is designed to achieve, and how it fits with the context of the book as a whole
o There is no explanation of “what is happiness?, which I would expect as a pre-requisite to discussing happiness at work. I would expect references to Seligman (extensive research on happiness) and Csikszentmihalyi (and the concept of ‘flow’) as well as perhaps some reference to Buddhism, where happiness is a central tenet.
o The definition of happiness at work seems a bit pointless: it just rearranges the sentence ‘happiness at work’ and adds the words ‘feeling’ and ‘derived’. I’d like see a ‘model’ or more complex definition, that includes the most common components of happiness at work, taken from research on the subject.
o The chapter reads as predominantly a ‘point of view’, rather than as a thesis based on research or evidence. I feel this detracts from the value of the chapter, as who is to say this point of view is better than any other?
o It would seem easy to argue against some of the generalisations. For example. “happiness at work is possible in ALMOST every job?. Surely happiness is possible to some extent within EVERY job, even if it’s just your lunch break?
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
I suspect that the chapter, and the book, is intended to be read as a sort of ‘motivational speech’, to encourage the individual to strive for happiness at work. I was hoping for a more developed model of happiness at work, that allows people to work on the areas most likely to have the biggest impact.
If you were to write a three-line review of the book based on what you’ve read, what would it say?
Happy Hour is 9 to 5 is written by Alexander Kjerulf, a self-proclaimed Chief Happiness Officer. (CHO of what, we are not told). His mission is to help employees, managers and business leaders to find and increase happiness at work. If you’re looking for a model of happiness at work or a synthesis of the happiness literature, you’ll not find it here. But if you’re looking for an uplifting, cheerful and enthusiastic read on the opportunity to increase your happiness at work, this could be the book for you.
Do you have any other comments, ideas or feedback?
I’m disappointed that I couldn’t be more positive about this chapter. I suspect that if I could read the whole book (which I will when I have a longer deadline!) I would find a lot of what I am looking for. I am not a fan of the ‘chatty’ style, so this is a big put-off for me. And perhaps I am searching for a ‘holy grail’ (a model of happiness at work) that cannot be created. I would say “keep it up? and I look forward to seeing and reading the completed work.
All the best
Simon Haines
Alexander Said,
November 20, 2006 @ 12:35 pm
Thank you SO much for all this wonderful, constructive feedback!
I’m currently going through all of it and updating the book accordingly!
Thank you again, I’m very, very happy with this!
Azeri Mussa Starkin Said,
November 23, 2006 @ 6:19 pm
This is much too late – so whether it is useful I don’t know:
Which chapter did you review?
I read the whole book end to end
What do you really like about this chapter?
It is informal and to the point. It is filled with stories which make your points very powerful and the book fun to read.
The subject burning hot and I believe that what has maybe been lurking under the surface with small software developers etc is now contaminating and spreading to corporations too….
What could be better? Are there any holes in the contents or the arguments in the chapter? Something I need to focus more on? Some point I should elaborate more on?
Most of your chapters have bullet points to point out in a simple way what happiness at work will do for you. With a creative mind as yours it is possible to present this in a more varied and appetizing way. Since I read it on my Palm I have no idea whether you are using graphics to illustrate these things but in stead if bullet points, consider:
– Sheep wearing t-shirts with each a bullet point
– Geometrical shapes with compartents for each bullet point
– whatever.
Does anything seem redundant? Something I can safely cut out?
No.
What is your overall impression? Is this chapter just about ready to go into the book?
My overall impression is that this kicks butt and as such is ready to fly.
I am not a native English speaking American, which makes me worry a little about your informal English. I think I know the tone you want to strike – but have you checked with native English speaking North Americans (which is the language you seem closest to) if they believe you strike the tone you want?
A question for ya: Marketing my book Said,
November 28, 2006 @ 12:00 pm
[...] Yesterday I finished the happy at work book, updating it according to all the great feedback you guys gave me. Thank you to everyone who read a chapter, and gave me their input. Today the book goes out to proofreading and then it’ll be done. [...]