Making the Connection

Getting Work to Work

Non-Fiction - Business/Finance
79 Pages
Reviewed on 04/25/2013
Buy on Amazon

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Free Book Program, which is open to all readers and is completely free. The author will provide you with a free copy of their book in exchange for an honest review. You and the author will discuss what sites you will post your review to and what kind of copy of the book you would like to receive (eBook, PDF, Word, paperback, etc.). To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Review Exchange Program, which is open to all authors and is completely free. Simply put, you agree to provide an honest review an author's book in exchange for the author doing the same for you. What sites your reviews are posted on (B&N, Amazon, etc.) and whether you send digital (eBook, PDF, Word, etc.) or hard copies of your books to each other for review is up to you. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email, and be sure to describe your book or include a link to your Readers' Favorite review page or Amazon page.

This author participates in the Readers' Favorite Book Donation Program, which was created to help nonprofit and charitable organizations (schools, libraries, convalescent homes, soldier donation programs, etc.) by providing them with free books and to help authors garner more exposure for their work. This author is willing to donate free copies of their book in exchange for reviews (if circumstances allow) and the knowledge that their book is being read and enjoyed. To begin, click the purple email icon to send this author a private email. Be sure to tell the author who you are, what organization you are with, how many books you need, how they will be used, and the number of reviews, if any, you would be able to provide.

Author Biography

Jane Allen Petrick, Ph.D., organizational psychologist, has, for over 30 years, served as an executive and consultant to organizations worldwide, including IBM, Nextel Brasil, and Deloitte & Touche. Author of numerous articles on workplace behavior, her second book, Making the Connection: Getting Work To Work has been described as

    Book Review

Reviewed by Shirley Matthews for Readers' Favorite

"Making the Connection: Getting Work to Work" by Jane Petrick is a short how-to book about making a better employee-work environment in any place of employment. The author deals with the issue of the employee setting up him or her self as a winner through tack and social graces. Then, there is a chapter on dealing with coworkers in which the employee is taught to listen and to negotiate in even difficult coworker situations. In dealing with the boss the employee must make clear his or her needs and motivations. In the chapter dealing with the Board, there are various suggestions on employee involvement.

The book was printed in 1998 and I felt some of the suggestions may not be applicable to the high-tech work environment of today. In speaking of "addicted employees" and "sick organizations," there is little information offered as to how to turn things around when in a relatively powerless situation. I particularly liked the part on "Listening to your Heart" as anyone in any employment situation would benefit from truly attempting to understand the intention and motivations of others. Also the section on calculating the real risks of speaking up to other employers or to supervisors should be read by all employees. One of the more thought-provoking sections deals with the position of the employee (right, left or middle-of-the-road), in which the author explains the critical difference between compliance and contribution.