Rookie Smarts: Why Learning Beats Knowing in the New Game of Work
By: Liz Wiseman
Head: (4 out of 5)
Heart: (3 out of 5)
Leadership Applicability: (4 out of 5)
The inexperienced are often viewed as lacking an advantage. But given the pace of change today, inexperience can be an advantage. Rookies might lack know-how and situational confidence that comes from experience but they are eager to close that knowledge gap and aren’t weighed down by obsolete best practices, thus free to explore new opportunities. From this standpoint, rookies can be your best performers!
Anyone can be a rookie, even the most veteran employee, because it’s not about age but about cultivating a mindset. The author draws on extensive experience, even her own personal career experience, to explain the different modes of the rookie mindsets:
- Backpacker: unencumbered and open
- Hunter-Gatherer: alert and seeking
- Firewalker: cautious and quick
- Pioneer: hungry and relentless
The book also explains the best situations to leverage rookies for company success.
Professionals interested in revitalizing their career and leaders who wish to harness the power of the rookie mindset in their organizations will want to read this book. Buy it now.