Page 17 - Managing the Mobile Workforce

xiv � IntroduCtIon

up with. (You get the idea: when you’ve tried to keep up with technol-
ogy in your own life, just about the time you get the latest netbook
the next one has made it extinct.) The leaders in companies we’ve in-
terviewed have told us that the key is not providing the latest gadget
to their employees but instead is providing a trusted, supportive work
environment for employees, where people are so emotionally commit-
ted that they will go above and beyond the call of duty to assist the or-
ganization in its efforts to succeed, help each other overcome obstacles,
and constantly learn how to produce the highest-quality product and/
or service even in an ever-changing, competitive world.
The more we work with organizations around the world, the more
we realize that there is much more to managing a mobile workforce
than simply sending one’s sales and support staff into the field with
a smartphone. That’s why we think Managing the Mobile Workforce
will make a huge difference in your ability to approach this incred-
ible opportunity—and threat—to your company in a way that ensures
long-term success.

` InterVIews For thIs Book

We interviewed 39 executives and thought leaders for this book.
Nearly all of these interviews were conducted by both of us, and we
found the interviewees an extraordinarily rich source of information.
Not only did these busy people share their valuable time with us, they
also shared their acumen and their passion for executing mobile work
strategies effectively. They did much more than just share quotable
quotes we could use to back up themes that we wanted to share with
readers; they also shaped our thinking in significant ways. This book
is much different, and talks about much different topics, than we had
originally anticipated because of the wisdom of the people with whom
we were able to meet.
We developed both a broader and a deeper understanding of man-
aging the mobile workforce because the people we interviewed were