EDGEWALKERS: PEOPLE AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT TAKE RISKS, BUILD BRIDGES, AND BREAK NEW GROUND

Book ID/图书代码： 05410007B17423

English Summary/英文概要： In ancient cultures, each village had a shaman or medicine man who would visit the invisible world to obtain vital information, guidance, and healing for members of the tribe. These edgewalkers have contemporary counterparts in today’s organizations—those individuals who don’t fit squarely into any one box; in their metaphorical travels they interpret trends from the marketplace, translate messages across departments, and envision the future impact of today’s decisions and actions. Edgewalking doesn’t come without its own risks and challenges; these unconventional people often clash with more traditional, rule-bound colleagues, and they are often frustrated by organizational systems that emphasize quantitative results over creative impulses. And yet in today’s fast-changing, diverse, and globalized business environment, organizations must recruit and support these people in order to stay competitive. Featuring colorful interviews and practical tools to gauge and manage your own edgewalking skills, Edgewalkers explores the opportunities that are created by defying formal boundaries and fostering creativity at every level of the organization.

They’re the first people to volunteer to head up a new business unit, lead a cross-company initiative, or take on an overseas assignment. They’re the glass half-full folks, who are constantly thinking out of the box, forging alliances with colleagues in other departments, seeking out new solutions to old problems, and anticipating challenges on the horizon. And in today’s increasingly diverse workplaces, they are often people who have pursued unusual educational and career paths, traveled widely, and speak more than one language. Judi Neal has a term for these people: Edgewalkers.

Literally, an edgewalker is someone who walks between two worlds. In ancient cultures, each village had a shaman or medicine man who would visit the invisible world to obtain vital information, guidance, and healing for members of the tribe. Today’s corporate edgewalkers serve a similar function, interpreting trends from the marketplace, translating messages across departments, and envisioning the future impact of today’s decisions and actions. Edgewalking doesn’t come without its own risks and challenges; these unconventional people often clash with more traditional, rule-bound colleagues, and they are often frustrated by organizational systems that emphasize quantitative results over creative impulses. And yet in today’s fast-changing, globalized business environment, organizations must recruit and support these people in order to stay competitive. Featuring colorful interviews with edgewalkers from a variety of fields and practical tools to gauge and manage your own edgewalking skills, Edgewalkers explores the opportunities that are created by defying formal boundaries and fostering creativity at every level of the organization.

Chinese Summary/中文概要： 古老文化中的edgewalker是指每個村落中的巫醫，他們遊走於人類世界與一般人所看不見的世界之間，從中取得維持生命的方式來治療部落的人。
而在這本書中，作者所稱的Edgewalker是現今企業所需的一種人才，他們是企業裡首先自願領導新企業單位的人，主動進行跨公司的行動，或是自願接受海外任務的派遣。這種人通常想跳出既有框架，想於其他部門注入新血並籌組聯盟以刺激部門成長，想為公司既有的老問題找出新的解決方法，在已知的範圍內預先想到未來的挑戰。在現今多變的工作場所，這樣的人往往都會為未來的生涯規劃自我進修，會到處旅行，會說不只一種語言。
作者認為，現今企業組織中的Edgewalker需具備洞悉市場趨勢、成為部門間信息的溝通橋樑、預想今日的決策對未來的影響。Edgewalker並非沒有風險，也非不具挑戰性，這些不依慣例的人通常與受傳統制約的員工有衝突，且常因組織系統往往強調量化結果較不強調創造力而感到挫敗。
但在快速變遷與全球化的企業環境下，組織必須聘用且支持這些人，以維持競爭優勢。書中收錄與各領域的Edgewalker生動活潑的訪談，並以提供實際方法讓讀者自我評估並管理edgewalking技巧，更提供組織跨越既有成規與培養各階層創造力的機會。

Awards/获奖情况：Judi Neal is an Edgewalker. Her book magnificently describes the profile of individuals and corporations committed to the essential and spiritual transformation of the human family. ---Endorsement From Michael Stephen, Chairman, Aetna International, Inc. (Retired): (安泰集團退休董事)

When I think of the word Edgewalker Judi Neal immediately comes to mind. Through her powerful writings, presentations, and leadership of the Association for Spirit at Work she has stretched the minds and hearts of thousands of people. This book is a must read for anyone who has ever considered living and working in pursuit of a higher calling that just might change the world.---Endorsement From Charles C. Manz (《慈悲領導》作者，啟示出版), author of Super Leadership, Emotional Discipline, and co-author of The Wisdom of Solomon at Work

About the Author/作者介绍： JUDI NEAL is Founder and Executive Director of The Association for Spirit at Work, a non-profit association of people and organizations interested in the study and practice of spirituality in the workplace. She previously served in management at Honeywell and is Professor Emeritus in the management department at the University of New Haven. She is also President of Neal & Associates, a consulting firm that supports enlightened organizations, and, as Founder of the International Spirit at Work Awards, she has helped to increase awareness about organizations that nurture the human spirit. Past Chair of the "Management, Spirituality and Religion" Interest Group of the Academy of Management and Past President of the Eastern Academy of Management, she organizes and participates in conferences on spirituality in the workplace and has published many articles and book chapters in the field.
Judi Neal 是The Association for Spirit at Work (http://www.spiritatwork.org/) 的創辦人與執行總裁，這是個非營利組織機構，為職場中對精神啟發與心靈啟迪有興趣的個人與團體提供服務。於此之前曾於Honeywell漢威聯合股份有限公司(http://www.honeywell.com.tw/) 任職於管理階層，也是University of New Haven管理學系的榮譽教授。目前Judi Neal是Neal & Associates (http://www.judineal.com/) 的董事長，這是間諮詢公司，提供心靈開發服務。身為The Association for Spirit at Work創辦人，已經幫助提升「良好完善的組織須具有培育人類心靈的使命」這項意識。曾擔任過管理研究學會中之”管理、心靈與宗教”分會的主席(http://group.aomonline.org/msr/)，也曾擔任過東部管理學會董事(http://www.eaom.org/)，她規劃並參與許多職場中的心靈研討會，也出版過相關議題的文章與書籍。

Format:HARDCOVER

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