2.3 Book Review – Sticking Points Chapters 1-8

Running head: BOOK REVIEW EXAMPLE 1

Book Review Example

John Doe

Trevecca Nazarene University

MOL 5800: Special Topics in Organizational Leadership

Dr. David Lomascolo

(Date)

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Shaw, H. (2013). Sticking Points: how to get 4 generations working together in the 12 places

they come apart. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum, 264 pp.

Abstract

In Sticking Points: How to Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come

Apart, Haydn Shaw balanced the challenge of both educating and training leaders for managing

with a multigenerational workforce. He introduced the idea of a dozen different areas within the

workplace that create friction for multigenerational operations, offered the reader an explanation

of why working with multiple generations provides a unique set of difficulties and challenges for

leaders, and revealed a five-step action plan framework to face these challenges. In addition,

Shaw explored each generation in depth, outlining what he termed ‘ghost stories’ that represent

the major defining characteristics and moments of each generational grouping. While this

investigation into the foundations of each generation was insightful and provided highly useful

information for leaders to think about the values and strengths of each generation in the context

of the workplace, its dated approach to generational explanation was apparent as it focused

discussion on Traditionalists born before 1945 while omitting the same in-depth examination of

Generation Z, the youngest generation whose contemporary emergence into the workforce is

likely to create a new wave of change, challenge, and innovation among work teams. Leaders

should keep a pen nearby when reading Shaw’s book, as they will want to take notes for

application of this important knowledge in their roles, as well as ponder the potential attributes of

Generation Z within Shaw’s framework.

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Table of Contents

Abstract ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 2

About the Book …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4

Author Qualifications …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 4

Content Summary ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 5

Evaluation …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 7

Value for Leadership Studies ……………………………………………………………………………………….. 10

Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10

References …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 12

Tables ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13

BOOK REVIEW EXAMPLE 4

Book Review Example

Understanding how to communicate across generations in the workforce has never been

more important. According to Carpenter and Charon (2014), for the first time in history the

modern U.S. workforce includes 5 different generations, each with their own perspectives,

priorities, and opinions. Haydn Shaw’s 2013 nonfiction business book Sticking Points: How to

Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12 Places They Come Apart attempted to cut through

the noise of deciphering these differences by breaking down the defining characteristics of four

generations, the twelve areas of work that most often cause conflict among these generations,

and a five-step process to successfully navigate the contrasts among a multi-generational group

at work. This work was useful in providing much-needed direction on potential problem areas

and the strategies to help team members from different generations see eye-to-eye, but began to

show its age in its incomplete exploration of generations, missing the opportunity to illuminate

key insights about the Generation Z members as they enter the labor force and how it will

inevitably impact workplace dynamics.

About the Book

Sticking Points was written as an answer for an as yet unfulfilled need. After receiving

the frequent request for a resource from clients in his professional life on how to think about the

different generations, Haydn Shaw aimed to write a reference guide for any leader dealing with a

diversity of age ranges. He used his own experience and professional passion as the spark for the

topic of this book.

Author Qualifications

Shaw is a consultant who specializes in the areas of leadership, management, change, and

generations; he has spoken to more than 100,000 people and worked with over 1500

organizations (Shaw, 2013). According to Steven Covey, he met Shaw at “the ripe age of twenty-

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eight” (Shaw, 2013, p. xiii) when he began working with FranklinCovey over 26 years ago, and

Shaw currently boasts certifications to deliver over 20 of their courses, in addition to authoring

the Working Across Generations workshop and their best-selling course Leading Across

Generations (‘Haydn Shaw,’ n.d.).

Shaw is also an ordained minister and his most recent work, Christianity Isn’t Dying,

Millennials Aren’t the Problem, And the Future Is Bright was on the topic of the spiritual lives of

generations (‘About the Author,’ n.d.). The United States Air Force chose Sticking Points for

their 2014 recommended reading list, capitalizing on the real-life experience that comes from the

Huffington Post contributor’s multi-generational household, which includes Shaw and his

Boomer/Gen-X cusper wife, their 4 millennial children, his Gen-X brother-in-law, and his

Traditionalist mother-in-law (‘Haydn Shaw – Contributor,’ n.d.). Shaw’s career reflects the ways

his experiences with multi-generational groups in his personal life have impacted his

professional guidance of others, and vice versa.

Content Summary

Sticking Points focused primarily on three central points – generational differences, the

twelve key sticking points, and an effective approach to multigenerational teams. In chapter 2,

Shaw outlined the novelty of a workforce with four (five as of 2020) generations, where he

highlighted that lifespans have increased; information has become more accessible, allowing

individuals at earlier ages to harness knowledge for productivity; and younger generations have

been taught that the “‘wait your turn’ approach no longer works… they were taught to question

authority, shop for the best deal, and expect to be entertained” (Shaw, 2013, p.15). These forces

converge to create a larger population of workers with a wider range of ages, often with the

younger half expecting standards the older half considered a privilege, not a right.

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This novel intergenerational workforce is said to create four standard approaches when

conflict occurs. A generation can typically expect that more tenured work groups will take the

following steps as they increasingly enter the labor market and organization: ignore them,

attempt to fix them, cut a deal with them as power begins to tip in their direction, and finally – at

the top of Shaw’s hierarchy of management needs – lead them. The author went on to explain

that leading through generational differences would typically be focused around a dozen

particular issues: the titular sticking points, which included topics such as communication, dress

code, loyalty, policy, respect, and worth ethic.

In order to lead through these sticking points, Shaw recommended a five-step leadership

framework. The steps included acknowledgement and awareness of the generational differences;

appreciation, or a focus on the common needs; flexibility and a willingness to oblige different

tactics; leverage, or capitalizing on the unique assets of each generation; and resolve, an

alternative option for when flexibility doesn’t meet the needs of the team that encourages the

leader to make a decision about which choice will lead to the best results.

Part one of the book sought to further understand the nuances held within each

generation. The introduction of this section included the explanation of Shaw’s methodology for

evaluating the generations. He explained how ghost stories, or “the historical events during a

generation’s childhood years shape their values, worldview, and definitions of success” (Shaw,

2013, p.44). Ghost stories, according to Shaw, were akin to generalizations, and were not to be

confused with urban legends, or stereotyping based on a kernel of truth. Shaw also made the

caveat that while generalizations tend to be true, outliers existed in every group, and they “fail to

predict or explain any one individual” (Shaw, 2013, p.46).

Chapters 4-7 each explored a different generation, including Traditionalists (born before

1945), Baby Boomers (born 1946-64), Generation X (born 1965-1980), and Millennials (born

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1981-2001). Each generation had at least four ghost stories, with Millennials having six. As

Table 1 illustrates, these ghost stories tended to be the key factors that the average person thinks

of when asked to talk about defining moments for people within a particular age range, and Shaw

went into great detail on how these environmental and economic causes created the effects on

general attitudes and perceptions within these age groups that play out in the workforce today,

with some surprising outcomes. One example: the Baby Boomers birth into a time period with

more babies than ever before meant that every civic entity was overwhelmed with the influx of

children, leading to the workaholic attitudes among Baby Boomers because “overcrowded

hospitals, grade schools, sports teams, campuses, and job markets taught them that you have to

compete to get what you want” (Shaw, 2013, p.65). Shaw also posited that this boom led to their

generation being the center of attention, explaining why the Boomers can appear domineering.

These type of explanations from Shaw helped to provide new insight into the driving forces

behind each generation that shaped their unique worldview.

Evaluation

Sticking Points had many assets as a reference material. It used humor and real-world

examples to relate the frustrations that many workers have faced when dealing with members of

a different age group, such as a jovial discussion of the different attitudes toward flip flops based

on age in chapter 2. All of the chapters focused on a single generation began with an at-a-glance

analysis of the generation, which included a graphical representation of the percentage of the

population represented by the generation, as well as alternate names, the decades that comprised

the teen years, key historical events, top television shows, top music, what makes the generation

unique, and how they see themselves at work. The ease of digesting the information made these

pages stand out as important resources for future use.

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When discussing the sticking points, Shaw (2013) noted “while there are many more

sticking points we could address, learning how to deal with the twelve most common will teach

us how to handle others we encounter” (p.31). In highlighting this distinction, Shaw not only

explained his approach to the topic, but also empowered the reader to use the stated sticking

points as the example by which to gain confidence to use the author’s methods successfully in

other workplace contexts. In the latter half of the book, Shaw delved further into each sticking

point, framing each in its own chapter while he customized action plans for the individual

sticking points based on these five steps. Again, this gave the signal to the reader that these

examples could easily be implemented in a myriad of real-world scenarios, while also building a

leader’s belief in their ability to navigate conflict; the repetition of the five-step process

throughout the book had the effect of becoming a memorization device as well as acting as

metaphorical training wheels, building self-esteem for the leader.

Shaw did an excellent job of conveying the necessity for yet another book on business

and leadership, and explained how his novel approach would provide unique benefit to the

reader. His tone throughout Sticking Points was casual and approachable, making the subject

matter seem both attainable and not overly academic. It appeared to be particularly geared

toward the Baby Boomer leader (as Shaw is a self-proclaimed Boomer/Gen X cusper, it makes

sense he would most naturally speak to his own generation) who may not have an awareness of

how multigenerational teams might clash, or, in being the largest senior group, could act as the

ambassadors and mentors for subsequent generations. This was a strength for the book as it made

it supremely easy to read and understand; for the informal leader, this could be a great approach

in allowing them to digest the information and make a plan for implementation. However, due to

the depth and breadth of the material covered in regard to different generations, it is possible

some leaders may desire more sources to reinforce and add authority to Shaw’s ideas. Because it

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can be difficult to tease out the different effects of age, historical era, and generation (Costanza et

al., 2017), using longitudinal studies or other academic sources to anchor Shaw’s generational

theories could help add to their validity beyond his own experience.

The biggest shortcoming of this book came from the absence of a few key pieces of

information. First, the introduction of the generations did express the notion of the cusp, or the

fringes of each generational group that would likely have attributes from two generations. In

theory, these cusps could be nearly as large as the base generations themselves, so it seems

important to remind the reader often of this distinction; it would be even better to have a

discussion of what particular strengths a Boomer/Gen X cusper or a Gen X/Millennial cusper

might bring to the table, given their ability to straddle two groups.

The other component the book lacked was a robust discussion of the Generation Z/iGen

group. Given the title was first published in 2013, this generation was still actively being born, so

it’s understandable why more coverage was not provided at that time. However, based on Shaw’s

(2013) own statement that “there has been a huge acceleration in the speed of information”

(p.15), a book written seven years ago is relatively outdated given the subject matter (indeed,

even this class requires sources no older than a decade for relevancy). The early members of Gen

Z are now emerging to take their first full-time jobs in the workforce, and while there is likely

much insight yet to be uncovered for this group, it will be critical to understand how the newest

generation is going to shape the labor market and organizational structure. The trouble with this

realization is that it makes Shaw’s once revolutionary resource more antiquated and less useful

with every passing day a revised edition is not available. In another five years, this edition will

go the way of the Dodo, the typewriter, and the Blackberry phone. However, much like other

technologies available today, the planned obsolescence of this book is an economic opportunity

for the author; his expertise makes him the ideal candidate to release updated content before a

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competitor seizes the chance first. Indeed, it appeared that Shaw may have already laid the

groundwork for a future edition, as the six ghost stories for Millennials likely included some

crossover, and some attributes may wind up defining Generation Z more than the Millennials.

Value for Leadership Studies

Sticking Points provided valuable insight into the minds and motivations of different

generations, and given that there will likely be four generations in the workplace for the

foreseeable future, it is wise for leaders to educate themselves on the challenges and

opportunities of a multigenerational workforce. This book was a strong introduction for the

uninitiated into generational differences, and will likely be a reference that many leaders will be

glad to have on their shelves. The author provided a particularly strong and accessible framework

for leading through conflict, and it seemed this framework would be effective beyond

generational disagreements to assist with any number of workplace issues that could arise due to

a difference of perspective or opinion. The information included can serve as a jump off point for

other sticking points not addressed in the book, it can give classmates (such as the

multigenerational cohort of our class) a starting point for thoughtful conversation and points of

connection, and it can spark curiosity for further research into motivations among generations or

the differences between attributes founded in generational ghost stories or related to age groups

more widely (for example, it would be fascinating to study if current 60-year-olds are reflecting

their Baby Boomer generational characteristics, or if similar attributes would be found in the 60-

year-olds of 10,15, or 20 years ago?). This book answered as many questions as it raised, and the

more dialogue is had, the more awareness and skill is available to our leaders.

Conclusion

Empathy and awareness are two important characteristics in a servant leader, and both are

also required for finding ways to create harmony and productivity among multigenerational

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teams. Haydn Shaw’s Sticking Points: How to Get 4 Generations Working Together in the 12

Places They Come Apart considered the defining characteristics among different generations to

build awareness and provided a framework for reconciling these differences with empathy. Equal

parts descriptive and prescriptive, this book was a rare reference that supplied both declarative

and procedural knowledge in equally useful amounts. The author wrote plainly, personably, and

knowledgeably about the subject matter, making this an easy read and a valuable resource. I will

gladly purchase the updated version when it is released so that I can reference it for myself and

use it as a resource for my team for decades to come.

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References

About the Author. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2020, from http://christianityisnotdying.com/#book-

author

Carpenter, M. J., & Charon, L. C. (2014). Mitigating Multigenerational Conflict and Attracting,

Motivating, and Retaining Millennial Employees by Changing the Organizational

Culture: A Theoretical Model. Journal of Psychological Issues in Organizational

Culture, 5(3), 68–84. https://doi-org.trevecca.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/jpoc.21154

Costanza, D. P., Darrow, J. B., Yost, A. B., & Severt, J. B. (2017). A Review of Analytical

Methods Used to Study Generational Differences: Strengths and Limitations. Work,

Aging and Retirement, 3(2), 149–165. https://doi-

org.trevecca.idm.oclc.org/10.1093/workar/wax002

Haydn Shaw. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2020, from https://www.franklincovey.com/engage-with-

us/hire-a-consultant/haydn-shaw.html

Haydn Shaw – Contributor. (n.d.). Retrieved May 8, 2020, from

https://www.huffpost.com/author/haydn-shaw

Shaw, H. (2013). Sticking Points: how to get 4 generations working together in the 12 places

they come apart. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale Momentum.

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Tables

Table 1

Ghost Stories by Generation

Generation Traditionalists
(born before 1945)

Baby Boomers
(born 1946-1964)

Generation X
(born 1965-1980)

Millennials
(born 1981-2001)

Tag Line “Keep Calm and
Carry On”

“Do Your Own
Thing”

“Get Real” “Can We Fix It?
Yes, We Can!”

Ghost Story The Great
Depression

Sudden Increase
in Births

Squished –
smaller

generation

Heavy Parental
Involvement

Ghost Story World War II Affluence as a
Normality

Divorce as a
Normality

Fear of Low Self-
Esteem

Ghost Story Urbanization Advent of
Television

Downward
Mobility

The Consumer
Age

Ghost Story Emergence of
Mass Marketing

Generation Gap
with Traditionalist

Parents

Parody September 11,
2001 (9/11)

Ghost Story Technology
Everywhere

Ghost Story Emerging
Adulthood

Note: Information collected from Shaw, H. (2013). Sticking Points: how to get 4 generations

working together in the 12 places they come apart. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale

Momentum.