Interview: Julie Overholt, Author of Exiting Oz: How the New Generation Workforce is Changing the Face of Business Forever

Book Title:
Exiting Oz: How the New Generation Workforce is Changing the Face of Business Forever & What Organizations Must Do to Thrive

Website URL:
www.exitingoz.com

Social Media Links:
Twitter: www.twitter.com/exitingoz
Facebook: www.facebook.com/exitingoz
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/julieover

What is your book about?
Exiting OZ is a warning to leaders of organizations of all sizes worldwide who still believe they can succeed by bending to their own wills the desires, talents, and dreams of young professionals in the workforce.

The Wizard of Oz is a perfect metaphor to examine the effects of organizations that are led by top executives who hide behind a curtain of rules (like the Wizard). These so-called leaders then look the other way while their seconds-in-command, who are disengaged from their heads (Scarecrow), their hearts (Tin Man), and their courage (Cowardly Lion), try to force an outdated model for success onto a generation of young people determined to live life on their terms.

What inspired you to write your book?
My children have always inspired me to be the best person I can be. They are Millennials. As they joined the workforce and started to have life experiences, and then expressed their thoughts in ways that felt in opposition to mine, I had to start going deeper on what it was about. At the same time, I am a behavioral analyst and realized that what I observed in organizations and in my children were developing themes. Lifestyle is more important to Millennials than it was been to Boomers at the same age. Business and career is not their No. 1 priority.

How did you come to do what you’re doing today?
I am a product of my generation, too. Like many mothers in the 80’s and 90’s, my career took a back seat to my husband’s career and staying home with my children. I took jobs that were not career oriented, but designed to provide additional income to support my family.

I held numerous volunteer roles in PTA and my church. No surprise that one day I realized that my children were off living their dreams and it was time for me to find mine. That struggle forged my desire to help people who were going through transitions like myself, and eventually led me to the profession of coaching. I attended Coach University in 1996, which was already implementing worldwide virtual classrooms. The training and format cemented my belief that the profession of coaching was going to have a global footprint as businesses began to realize the importance of people.

Can you describe a typical day in your life?
I can honestly say that my days rarely replicate each other.  Today, I work with leaders of Fortune 500 companies. The conversations I have with them are genuine and transparent. My forte is executive re-invention.

In addition, I do some speaking and ongoing research on emerging workplace issues.

What do you most enjoy about what you do?
I am never bored and I work inside challenging assignments that make a real difference in the companies where real people work and live.

Are there any people and/or books that have inspired you along your journey?
Many of my clients inspire me. Facing down our own fear is the foundation for all opportunities. I enjoy following several blogs, including Seth Godin and Guy Kawasaki.

Can you share some business tips for our readers?
1) The velocity of business is increasing, thus the opportunity for errors. Create a budget for addressing problems. Too many businesses are flying by the seat of their pants hoping that all their projections are correct. Hope is not a strategy.

2) Hire people who are smarter than you are. Then, want their success for them and reward them for being their best.

3) Let problems be as simple as they really are.

Can you share something that people might be surprised to learn about you?
I work with the best of the best in the world and I still believe that intelligence is highly overrated in problem solving. Without soft skills and a people-driven purpose, intelligence is a red herring. I’ve seen many a person brought in to an organization because he was intelligent, and fired within 18 months because he didn’t connect with people.