BookGraf Review: ‘Do More Great Work’

Is it really that easy? Can the secret to professional fulfillment be found between these covers? Can Michael Bungay Stanier help me tweak my career? And recapture some of the glitter and shine that has – and this is totally my own fault – worn off over the millennia?

Should I even be talking about career enhancement in a public forum while I’m on maternity leave, or will this raise eyebrows at a workplace I haven’t been to in weeks? Er… let’s get back to the book.

Right off the bat I dig his style. The first page follows principles of good content delivery – it uses numbers to draw you in instantly and gives you a road map for what to expect:”…share four tips… suggest three things you can do… and finally I’ll share the first of fifteen maps…” You know what’s coming and that it’s been thoughtfully organized. This is not going to be a meandering journey, which is great because you’re probably reading this in the first place because you are in a state of general frustration. I like this guy.

The thesis is that there are three kinds of work:

Bad Work: Stupid meetings, outdated procedures, busywork that doesn’t help anyone. It’s soul-sucking, demoralizing and hugely frustrating. It wastes time, money and energy.

Good Work: Work that you can do happily enough, but that doesn’t really light your fire or move your professional ball forward. We all do a bunch of this – it’s necessary, it can be comforting in a habit-y kind of a way and it’s a big part of what keeps the doors open at your company. If you’re reasonably lucky, you’ll spend most of your time doing Good Work.

Great Work: This is the exciting, meaningful stuff that makes a difference to you, to your colleagues and your field. This is where innovation happens. We could all use more of this.

This is a pretty exciting concept, and is an interesting way to categorize all of the elements of your workday. We spend a lot of time on the job, and who wants to just trudge through large swaths of your waking life? Great Work, however, comes with risks. When you’re pushing the envelope and taking things to the next level, not all of them will be successful. Successful Great Work will come from people who have developed their expertise. In other words, Great Work is built on a foundation of Good Work.

The Secret to Meetings

In particular, his position on meetings is alluring. It’s revolutionary. It’s enticing. It’s: Don’t. Meetings, he posits, are a waste of time and energy. While we almost certainly can’t just do away with them categorically, I do agree that we have too many meetings generally – many of which are inefficient and some of which are downright coma-inducing.

The Road to Spiffy

The section on innovation also speaks to me – namely the concept that you can’t innovate on a dime. Often, we work away, trudging more or less effectively through the day, churning out great piles of Good Work, which we do well. And then, once in a while, we are summoned to come up with great ideas. In a group setting. Preferably before 3:00. This, he posits, is not a recipe for Great Work. Starting fast with a cold engine, and working in a committee can stifle the boldest, most creative ideas. Even if they’re functionally impossible, the fringe is where inspiration happens. You can always rein in something that’s just too crazy, and wind up in an awesome and viable position. It’s much harder to spiff up a dull idea. You have to start from your spiffiest position, you know?

Portable Context

Do More Great Work offers a framework to take you out of your usual Good Work thinkery – to see outside of the rut of the competent. It’s a tool to help you define Great Work, identify opportunities, chart your path, and even get back on track when challenges derail you. The inspiration, work and risk must be yours, of course, but career satisfaction is a tantalizing goal.

• Do More Great Work – The Web site
• Cute or HR – Bad work at work.
• BookGraf on Facebook: Good books? Great company? No effort? What’s not to like?

What’s the best piece of career advice you’ve ever received?