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Book Review: Free Agent Nation
Book Review: Free Agent Nation (Verlane Edwards, May 2002)
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<h1><font size="4" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Book Review:
<i>Free Agent Nation</i></font></h1>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><i>by Verlane
Edwards</i></font><i><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="3">
</font></i></p>
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<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"><b><i>Note</i></b><i>:This
book review previously appeared in the ASTD (American Society for Training
and Development newsletter.) </i></font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Pink, Daniel H. (2001).<i>
Free Agent Nation: How America's New Independent Workers are Transforming
the Way We Live.</i> New York, NY: Warner Books, Inc. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Well researched and
entertainingly written, <i>Free Agent Nation</i> introduces readers to
a "revolution" in the work force—the growth of "free agents" and
the shifts in institutional relationships the 30 million independent workers
in America are bringing with them. Pink provides a review of literature,
compelling statistics, and engaging excerpts from interviews he conducted
with hundreds of independent workers across America to support his contention
that free agency is changing the face of America.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In Part One of five
parts, Pink, a former Gore chief speechwriter, and a contributing editor
to Fast Company, analyzes the roots of free agency. He examines how many
free agents there are and who they are, which includes definitions of
soloists, temps, and microbusinesses (companies that employ ten or fewer
employees). If you want to better understand the trend to independent
contract work, this is the introduction you need.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Pink makes it easy
to get the "big picture," too. Every chapter ends with the "The Box"—a
concise summary with four components:</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> (1) "the crux," a
paragraph capturing the essence of the chapter's message;</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">(2) "the factoid,"
just as it sounds, a (sometimes startling) statistic in support of key
issues;</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">(3) "the quote," an
apparent "sound bite" remnant of his speech writing background, it's always
interesting, and often provocative; and</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">(4) "the Word," a
reminder of the new vocabulary he's using to clarify this brave new world.
For example, Chapter 2 ends with the word "<i>Nanocorp</i>. A microbusiness
that remains 'ruthlessly small'—as both a personal preference and
a competitive strategy."</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">In Part Two, Pink
persuasively explores the new worth ethic, employment contract, and time
clock the "dis-organization" men and women bring with them and astutely
analyzes the shifts in our relationships that come with these core changes
in our perception of what it means to "go" to work.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">For those interested
in the social and economic ramifications of a work force centered around
individuals marketing their skills/talents, Part Three will be the most
fascinating. Pink explains how and why free agency works, including a
redefinition of "team work" on a global scale, the growth of agencies
who service and coach this dynamic workforce, and the more personal changes
free agency brings to our sense of the mythical "balance" between work
and family.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> In Part Four, Pink
examines the "roadblocks" to free agency, arguing persuasively for changes
to existing health insurance, tax, and zoning restrictions. He also provides
a stimulating analysis of the inequality that arises between those who
have marketable skills and thus are in demand, and those who do not. Pink
reveals how several new worker organizations ("a 'self-organized labor'
movement") are evolving to represent the "downtrodden," such as the "temp
slaves"—temporary workers, who are denied health insurance and other
benefits, though they may work for years beside permanent employees performing
the same duties.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> The final part of
his book is devoted to predictions about the free agent future, touching
on everything from "e-retirement," education, real estate, finances, politics,
commerce, community, and family relationships. Clearly, Pink firmly believes
the independent model of working in America will persist in shaking up
all our institutions, "transforming the way we live" in the decades ahead—and
perhaps in ways even Pink has yet to imagine. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Whether you agree
or not with Pink's assessments, when the nation's largest private employer
is not a Fortune 500 company, but Manpower, Inc., something is happening
in how America does business. What does that mean for those training the
country's workforce? For corporate leaders/trainers struggling to keep
the best and brightest engaged in their organizations, Pink's book might
offer some insights—or at least provide fodder for another rousing
debate about training ROI for intrinsically motivated employees. </font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">If nothing else, marketing
learning options to this self-actualizing group of high performers who
have already left the corporate womb could offer some potentially lucrative
consulting/coaching prospects for freelance trainers/writers who are willing
to exhibit a little entrepreneurial chutzpa themselves.</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> <i>Verlane is a technical
writer and Internet analyst for GuideOne Insurance in West Des Moines
and a doctoral student in education at Drake University in Des Moines.
</i> </font></p>
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