Although this book is written in an easy to read style, at first I found it hard to enage with the subject. Initially It seemed quite repetitive and I was impatient for it to get to the point. Had I not been reviewing this for the Book Club, I am not sure I would have continued to read it.

However, I am glad I did.

The idea of School with Pay as a workplace was understandable and I could see that differing elements of this had occurred throughout my own career – sometimes, unpleasantly, all at once. Tim posed five paradigms ‘to break’, ie Teacher Knows Best; Do What You’re Told; Don’t Answer Back; and (Play Nicely and) Stay out of Trouble. The scenarios given for each were recognisable, which enabled me to relate to them and see where they can (and do arise) in my own employment. Although at this stage there are no possible solutions given, there are questions posed in each area to prompt thinking about possible solutions on how to change these behaviours.

The five new paradigms suggested as alternatives: Think; Create; Believe; Connect; and All is Well, gave usable ideas to get away from School with Pay. I particularly liked the idea of Ubuntu in the Connect paradigm, with conversations Circling instead of Stacking, taking away the competitive element and working in a truly collaborative manner. This is not easily done in the Western culture of individuality.

The book then moves on to describe four components or gears to enable you to leave behind School with Pay and progress in work (and life). These are Mindset; Outcomes; Strength; and Time. The chapter on each topic focuses on what can be done to change thinking and alter behaviour. Problems that may arise when all aspects of the new positive action aren’t considered are also highlighted, relating to real life scenarios.

The final chapter gives a good recap and tells the reader ‘Now Show Up!’. I hope to be doing a lot more of this in the future. Even if you cannot change the culture of the organisation you work in, you can alter your own attitude and behaviour with the aim of moving away from any aspects of School with Pay that may arise in the workplace. If this is not possible, at least it promotes a positive mindset to accept or not worry about what you cannot change. After a shaky start, I would give this book a rating of 8 out of 10.