p.xx
This volume is remarkable because it assembles a vast amount of research and insight regarding what we know (and don’t know) about the nature of the “self” construct. Moreover, it does so in a way that makes it easy for the reader to really see how the self at work “works.” And as it turns out, the self is indeed implicated in helping to understand much of worker behavior. As developed in the chapters of this book we learn, for example, how the nature of the self might explain why employees come to join and identify with their company, when and where they respond to leaders, or why they are or are not engaged at work. The nature of the self is also portrayed as the foundation for a better understanding of many of the problematics facing work organizations. These include such things as when and how an organization might provide feedback in a way that will make a positive impact on learning, behavior or performance, and when and where the nature of the self can produce inauthentic relationships or even help us to better “explain” and mitigate against worker substance abuse. With regard to the latter, at the time that this Forward is being written, the United States is experiencing what is being termed an “opiate overuse epidemic.” This is thought to be exacerbated by a feeling of anomie on the part of so many individuals discouraged about the prospects of becoming re-employed. As you will learn from this volume, the sense of self can be a powerful force for promoting success in the workplace but it also plays a major role in undermining one’s efforts to live up to the workplace-related aspirations of most Americans.
p.xxi
Lance Ferris, Russ Johnson and Constantine Sedikides are extremely qualified as editors. In fact, any one of them could have personally written a book on the many important topics covered in this volume. But instead they have brought their years of research and teaching experience relative to self-theory to bear in scoping out a very fine volume. They have also done us a great service by reaching out and engaging a set of chapter authors who are similarly well qualified. In short, this is a book that should not only be read for the wisdom that it imparts but also for its potential to motivate the reader to pursue future research relative to addressing the many yet to be answered questions lying at the intersection of self-theory and workplace behavior as well.
Richard Klimoski