The New Pioneers: The Men and Women Who Are Transforming the Workplace and the Marketplace

In Chapter 10 of Leading Change, James O'Toole discusses Robert Owen (1771-1858) whom he characterizes as "the Thomas Edison of social invention. He was the first to devise or advocate numerous practices in industrial relations, education, and social policy that are still considered progressive today, more than 130 years after his death." In The New Pioneers, Petzinger focuses on the contemporary world in which a "revolution" is now underway in business, "for the most part invisible in the headlines and the boardrooms, but dizzying in its effect on the front lines." Much of what he discusses is directly relevant to Owen's initiatives. He agrees with Abraham Maslow that "the most valuable one hundred people to a deteriorating society" would be entrepreneurs because "the arrow of evolution flies toward the pioneering."Over the years, I have learned a great deal from reading Petzinger's column in the Wall Street Journal, "The Front Lines." He is constantly alert to subtle but potentially significant developments within and beyond the ever-changing workplace. The material he shares in this brilliant book is drawn from "the front lines" of companies based in more than 40 cities in 30 states as well as several companies in foreign countries. I highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks answers to questions such as these:1. Which "new frontiers" offer the greatest opportunities for institutional growth and human development?2. Which economies of scale are most relevant to such growth?3. To optimize development of "human capital" in small-to-midsize organizations, which strategies (eg incentives and rewards) work best? 4. Which of these strategies will also be effective in larger organizations?5. Amidst turbulent change caused by new technologies, which traditional values will enable any organization to nourish its "human systems"?To succeed in what he calls "The Age of Adaptation" (the subject of his Introduction), Petzinger asserts that organizations (regardless of size or nature) must cope effectively with certain "new realities" which serve as the subtitles of the book's ten chapters. For example: "Trade and technology are fundamentally human", "Why the new rules favor the small and connected", "The customer is the common denominator", and "Knowledge and self-organization flourish at the edge of chaos." It is important to reiterate that Petzinger's observations and assertions are based on a wealth of real-world experience. He is firmly convinced that "We, our tools, and the businesses by which we accomplish nearly everything are all products of the natural world." Although granting that "Wrong turns and backsliding will occur from time to time", Petzinger is convinced that each new age will produce another generation of "pioneers" who will continue to transform a global marketplace which is rapidly becoming the same workplace for nearly everyone.

Reading The New Pioneers is a pleasant occupation. On theother hand, reviewing this book for people who have not yet read it isa challenging task. This is primarily because the book is written to be read and understood at many different levels. The simplest and most obvious level is as a series of charming stories in the best humanistic tradition that demonstrate that there is good business in being a good human. At a deeper level, Mr. Petzinger is also telling us that the economy is changing in a fundamental way because of the experiences of small and middle sized business leaders, such as those cited in the book. Beyond that, he is suggesting something fundamental about human civilization and its potential to create astonishingly positive results. At whatever level you consider the book, you will be well rewarded for reading it. I must admit that it is tempting to ignore the book's shortcomings, but that would shortchange the principles that Mr. Petzinger is exploring... As heart-warming as this book is, it is a scrapbook rather than a vision for individual entrepreneurs. Its value for entrepreneurs is, nonetheless, quite substantial. The benefit comes from stimulating ideas among readers by showing new business examples that have not been widely published and discussed before. I hope all entrepreneurs will read this book for that important benefit. A fine effort from a talented journalist! END

Tom has done a fabulous job with his latest book. It clearly shows how top people get there and make their organizations top performers. The book is chock full of examples that are relevant. The style of writing is, of course, meant for us by being easy-to-read and descriptive. Buy it!Also recommend a well-receoved book that addresses how managers can be top performers by focusing on bettering themselves, their co-workers, and their organizations. It's called ""The Leader's Guide: 15 Essential Skills."

After spending three years in a weekend MBA program I swore I'd never buy another "must read" business book. I lied. Tom's writing makes this book a joy to read. Written in the style of his features in the WSJ, New Pioneers should be on the desk of every CEO, as well as the reading lists of serious students of economic and business theory.

A must-read both for the individual and the organizations. By collecting Data from different human environments Petzinger draws general conclusions that are useful to know, as it were, the future, so we are empowered by those general conclusions. This is the main characteristic of the new science, where Data is not just a part anymore, but some sort of basic unit system in which both the quantitative and the qualitative are embedded. "The new pioneers celebrate individuality over conformity...and the new frontier is of technology, ideas and values" and "What a concept: Treating people individually and with dignity...turns out to be good for businness!" The new age of adaptation as Petzinger calls this new stage of mankind is certainly based on truly leadership, and this is what THE NEW PIONEERS is all about. "Just as economic pressures had once created larger and larger organizations, a new set of pressures began pushing business in the opposite direction.". Finally we have an optimistic and realistic message for this turbulent and changing times.