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Invisibles: The Power Of Anonymous Work In An Age Of Relentless Self-Promotion (2014)

by David Zweig(Favorite Author)

3.73 of 5 Votes: 4

ISBN

159184634X (ISBN13: 9781591846345)

languge

English

genre

Nonfiction

publisher

Portfolio Hardcover

review 1: I really liked this book! It's an interesting and fascinating subject, and I liked the author's exhortation that we could all benefit from the qualities of a typical "Invisible." My only beef with this book would be the editing--there were just too many instances where the author kept repeating himself (specifically in the earlier section on signs in an airport). It was more than enough to be annoying. Otherwise, a good read!
review 2: "Daddy, when I grow up, I want to be invisible." Most kids would never say such a thing, but David Zweig shows they may be missing out on the most satisfying careers of all.Most of us don't value the things we can't see. "Out of sight, out of mind," the old saying goes. But that doesn't mean they're unimportant. In fact, some of ... morethe most essential jobs in the world happen behind the scenes. That's the premise of ""Invisibles: The Power of Anonymous Work in an Age of Relentless Self-Promotion."Think "Wayfinding" sounds unimportant? Think again. Walking through an airport without carefully planning by a wayfinder like Jim Harding would become an exercise in panic and frustration.Ever heard of "simultaneous interpretation?" Probably not. But without gifted interpreters like Giulia Wilkins Ary, international diplomacy would come to a grinding halt.With a background in fact-checking, the author began to notice that behind every great enterprise, there were people quietly doing their job, far away from the spotlight, who were absolutely essential. He calls them, the "Invisibles." "The invisibles, as I define them (really, as they came to be defined through my research), are highly skilled, and people whose roles are critical to whatever enterprise they are a part of" (p. 7). In fact, about the only time they become "visible" is when their job is done poorly.Zweig identifies three common traits across his research. Invisibles will have (1) ambivalence toward recognition; (2) meticulousness; and (3) savoring of responsibility. Often, the only time they get recognized is when something goes wrong.This book was not only interesting and fun to read; it was thought provoking. Am I content to remain invisible? Who are the invisibles that could use a simple word of appreciation? Are we raising the next generation to value the things that matter most? less

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