Shared Purpose: Working Together to Build Strong Families and High Performance Companies. - book reviews

HR Magazine, May, 1998 by Stephen McIntosh

Examining the Connections Between Work, Society and Family

Shared Purpose: Working Together to Build Strong Families and High Performance Companies is the result of a two-year continuing dialogue among a group of eight well-regarded academicians and two accomplished consultants. Their theme: Because the infrastructure of our society is not effectively coordinated, the processes of raising and educating children, developing responsible citizens, and cultivating productive workers are flawed.

The book's stated objective is to open the dialogue on these topics, and each of the authors takes a turn at describing elements of the problem. As with most combined efforts, there are some conceptual integration issues, but overall the flow of thought and synthesized writing style minimize most of that potential for distraction.

The first five chapters generally address the critical but somewhat overworked theme of balancing the obligations of work and family.

The authors approach the topic from slightly different perspectives, but the overlap and redundancy are significant enough to make these chapters less intriguing and the reading more arduous than might be hoped. An exception is Deborah Swiss' piece outlining the inconsistencies between stated company policy and actual practice. She capably blends the realities of family and work-life-related problems and solutions.

These early chapters spotlight the fact that the book may not be completely attuned to its audience. While the topics are interesting and timely, even if not altogether new, the context of the material is macro/strategic level and is most relevant for the very, senior executives who have the ability and influence to make the substantive changes required. Yet each chapter concludes with an action item list that is clearly designed for lower-level tactically oriented managers.

Unfortunately, the links between the chapter material and these suggestions are tenuous and do not necessarily appear to be the outgrowth of the authors' perspectives.

In total there are more than 50 action items listed, but there is no final synthesis. A useful addition would have been to summarize and categorize the items into a coherent, focused foundational strategy.

Chapters six through eight examine our public education system. Given the volumes of school reform materials already in print, you might naturally consider skipping these chapters - but that would be a mistake. It's here that Shared Purpose most successfully fulfills its goal of twisting traditional thinking a quarter-turn. David Nelson writes a powerful treatise on the accountability schools should assume in generating parental involvement, bridging work and school, and creating a platform for responsible citizenship. There is genuine excitement in Vivian Johnson's piece on family centers as a vehicle for changing the structure and nature of parent-school relationships. And Dick Green provides a nice wrap-up by revisiting the change catalyst role available to businesses through school and public agency partnerships.

The ninth chapter is interesting because it delineates the major childhood development factors and family structures that appear to shape an adult's commitment to workplace and community service. Shared Purpose closes with a scholarly reflection on the importance of total dedication to excellence in work, school, community and family life.

The book's orientation is clearly North American, yet we expect our leaders to operate effectively in a world marketplace and to deal with a globally diverse set of employees' needs. Given that Shared Purpose is positioning the next generation of business and community leaders, it drastically needs a more global perspective.

All in all, even with its noted flaws, Shared Purpose carries an important message and should find its way onto the desks of policy makers in a host of organizations from businesses to schools to public agencies.

Shared Purpose: Working Together to Build Strong Families and High Performance Companies by Maria G. Mackavey and Richard J. Levin, AMACOM, 1601 Broadway, New York, N.Y., 1997, 224 pages, $24.95/list, $21.95/SHRM Member. ISBN: 0-8144-0388-3. To order call the SHRMStore at (800) 444-5006. Use code PB058 and item number 48.11542.

Stephen McIntosh, Ph.D., is the president of Tartan Consulting a group focusing on creative business and HR strategies and located in Ft. Myers Beach, Fla.