Get 'em While They're Hot: How to Attract, Develop, and Retain Peak Performers in the Coming Labor Shortage

Tony Zeiss is especially well positioned to understand and appreciate the challenges of building a successful workforce. With years of post-secondary education under his belt, he's one of those rare people who has seen it all, "been there, done that," and "when I was your age." Dr. Zeiss is president of Central Piedmont Community College-with 70,000 students, the largest college in North Carolina. His credentials are impressive, as is his reputation for leadership in the field of workforce preparedness. This book is disarmingly short. It looks and feels like a quick read, which will attract more of the busy executives who need to get this message. As author of thicker books in the field, I commend Dr. Zeiss for a concise work that wastes no time in conveying the most urgent message of our day. The subtitle of the book tells the story: "How to Attract, Develop, and Retain Peak Performers in the Coming Labor Shortage." Our dilemma is an insufficient supply of workers who are educated and trained do perform the work that needs to be done. Zeiss begins with a recognition of the emerging shortage of skilled workers in the United States (a dangerous problem uncovered in our book, "Impending Crisis: Too Many Jobs, Too Few People.") Digging deeper into the issue, he reports that "at most community colleges, nearly 70 percent of recent high school graduates require remedial math or English before they can take college-level courses." A majority of high school students are programmed to go to college, but "only about 50 percent of all university freshmen graduate with a degree." And a chilling fact: "According to the Associated Press, of 1,000 who applied for manufacturing jobs at Siemens, only 35 had the skills to be hired." With this context, it's easy to appreciate the value and timeliness of this book. Zeiss gets right into his content in his first chapter, going deeper into the trends and the challenges facing employers. He taps his own background and experience, and the work being done at his college, to illustrate his points. Subsequent chapters concentrate on attracting, developing, and retaining peak performers. This book is a great how-to guide, presenting accepted knowledge in the field in a focused, credible manner. Zeiss' perspectives add extra power to the message, and his credentials suggest that CEOs will be more accepting of the information coming from him. The pages are filled with thought-provoking ideas that will stimulate readers to mark pages, highlight, take notes, and move to action. Highly recommended.