Wisdom at Work

By: Chip Conley

Narrated by: Chip Conley

Experience is making a comeback. Learn how to repurpose your wisdom.

At age 52, after selling the company he founded and ran as CEO for 24 years, rebel boutique hotelier Chip Conley was looking at an open horizon in midlife. Then he received a call from the young founders of Airbnb, asking him to help grow their disruptive start-up into a global hospitality giant. He had the industry experience, but Conley was lacking in the digital fluency of his 20-something colleagues. He didn't write code or have an Uber or Lyft app on his phone, was twice the age of the average Airbnb employee, and would be reporting to a CEO young enough to be his son. Conley quickly discovered that while he'd been hired as a teacher and mentor, he was also in many ways a student and intern. What emerged is the secret to thriving as a mid-life worker: learning to marry wisdom and experience with curiosity, a beginner's mind, and a willingness to evolve, all hallmarks of the "Modern Elder".

In a world that venerates the new, bright, and shiny, many of us are left feeling invisible, undervalued, and threatened by the "digital natives" nipping at our heels. But Conley argues that experience is on the brink of a comeback. Because at a time when power is shifting younger, companies are finally waking up to the value of the humility, emotional intelligence, and wisdom that come with age. And while digital skills might have only the shelf life of the latest fad or gadget, the human skills that mid-career workers possess - like good judgment, specialized knowledge, and the ability to collaborate and coach - never expire.

Part manifesto and part playbook, Wisdom @ Work ignites an urgent conversation about ageism in the workplace, calling on us to treat age as we would other type of diversity. In the process, Conley liberates the term elder from the stigma of elderly and inspires us to embrace wisdom as a path to growing whole, not old.

Whether you've been forced to make a mid-career change, are choosing to work past retirement age, or are struggling to keep up with the millennials rising up the ranks, Wisdom @ Work will help you write your next chapter.

©2018 Chip Conley (P)2018 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

"This is ultimately a book about how we can develop deeper connections, disrupt how we think about teaching and learning, and make more meaningful contributions in our lives and our careers. With stories, questions, and strategies, Chip shares his heart and wisdom on every page. This is exactly what we need right now!" (Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, author of the number-one New York Times best-seller Braving the Wilderness)

“I love the idea that society needs more Modern Elders who offer generosity without an agenda. Chip Conley's articulation of the growing need of wisdom and emotional intelligence in a world obsessed with speed and digital intelligence is spot-on! Every young company could use some 'wisdom insurance'." (Marshall Goldsmith, Thinkers50 world’s number-one executive coach, number-six most influential business thinker 2017)

"Wisdom at Work beautifully illustrates the opportunity that each of us has to embark on an encore career. Bravo to Chip Conley for writing this timely and inspiring book. Having begun my third chapter at the age of 60, I can attest that this is the most productive and rewarding time of my life. Applying one’s knowledge and passion in the service of missions larger than ourselves is the greatest gift of being a Perennial." (Sherry Lansing, founder and CEO, the Sherry Lansing Foundation, former chairman and CEO, Paramount Pictures)

Player

Chip Conley is a FREAK. I practice some of what he already shares. To have someone so highly skilled in PEOPLE write a book. Does not happen everyday. To have a formidable player, slayer in hospitable engagement through PEOPLE work. Translation capacities. Highly skilled in distillation for my brain. We are similar. GREAT Job. GREAT brain. GREAT guy. Thank you again my friend. Chip did not have to deliver formidable expertise to anyone as a compliment. Chip is generosity at work. This is the way I live my life and thoughts, and words, actions, ideals, vision, and values. Thank you for giving. You will be given to as a result of your generosity. We all gather from one another.

STAY GREAT Chip. Nothing else pays player.

Sincerely, William

Accessible and inspiring! I felt like I had taken a seminar!

I wasn’t sure how I would relate to older tech executives making a difference - but Chip’s book is much more! First of all, I LOVE all the quotes. He offers many resources, several assessments and surveys - I truly felt like I had attended a seminar. I listened to the book on audibly- now I need to buy a copy to reread and keep all the resources handy. I’m going to share this book with friends, colleagues, and family!

A masterful book

This is an incredible book in terms of genuinely wise content, advice for application, personal stories, supplemental reading suggestions, etc. I also really appreciated Chip's style of reading his own work... it feels more like a candid conversation with a trusted friend than an audio book. This is one book that I will need to come back to periodically... the insights are timeless and also personally timely as I gain experience in career and life.

An inspiring and empowering call to action for the next stage of life

Chip Conley’s well researched topic of aging in the workforce is a powerful story for what’s possible in the second half of life. His insistence on owning wisdom at work, rather than fading into retirement is a great start for igniting a movement. As we live longer, it is a lot more fun and interesting to stay engaged in a multi-generational environment.

Great insights

Really enjoyed the book. Great insights into the future of being a modern elder.

Knowing the hospitality business well and a number of the people in the book made it extra special. We are lucky to have someone like Chip with his vision in the industry.

Excellent ROADMAP!

Even at 30, this book served as an excellent roadmap and opened my eyes to some tremendous opportunities. Very intuitive and thoughtful.

very helpful tips

I really like the idea of the modern elder in the book, it really shows how experience can be leveraged for the benefit of an organization, especially in this digital age.

Thought provoking. Great for a specific audience

There is a lot of interesting wisdom and tons of research that went into this book. The target audience is quite specific, and if you're outside that group, you may find large chunks of the book just aren't directed at you. Still, it is nice to be sitting on the sidelines and listen in. I'll definitely tuck away some of this info for a rainy day Some decades from now.

Only gripe is that Chip often references how he gave up everything to get a fresh start, and while I'm sure there was much stress in that transition, he maintained a wide network of support, a strong reputation, and a significant financial nest egg, undermining a little of his "humble beginnings" claims. As a result, some of what he had to say that is meant as an inspiration to most of the rest of us comes off a little flat. I think there is truth to his words, but the listener would do well to remember the author is not exactly living in dire straits.

Great concept but

Kudos to the author for sharing his insights but probably could have gotten the full gist of it in a long magazine article or podcast. Fairly repetitive.

An author who should stick to writing.

Honestly, I don’t blame the author - I blame the producer. I liked the book and the content but this author should have been advised to use a professional to read the book. His delivery is choppy and unpolished - much like the shy kid in my 5th grade class who froze when it was his turn to read aloud. I’m not criticizing Chip - he has a great story - but he is terrible at reading aloud. I gave up and read the book. The delivery was just too painful.