Book Description

Reviews (13)

It was a good read
As someone in her early 30s who is juggling motherhood and an extrmely challenging career, I have not had time to read Glamour or Cosmo so did not realize this topic has been thoroughly discussed as the other reviewers have stated.

However, I did enjoy the book. It was a quick and easy read which I could do in small bites, which is all that my schedule allows for these days.

In many cases, I felt like the authors were speaking directly to me or about me.

I really enjoyed the stories about the ground breaking women of the previous generation...I wish there were more!

Speaks to 30-year oldsof both genders
I thought this was not only the best women's-issues book I have read in a long time but a book that spoke to me as a man very effectively too. The authors do an extremely impressive and insightful analysis of the issues touching 30 year olds (I am 30) today. They capture many different dimensions and never take an easy or partisan way out. Their conclusions and recommendations for actions will appeal to a very broad range of people in a wide swath of their lives. If nothing else, this book will be worth it for the drop in your blood pressure as you realize how many of your deepest worries are both pandemic and manageable.

Good, but.....
When I first started reading this book, I raved about it and told all my friends that they would have to read it. I'm having my own midlife crisis at 33 because I'm facing gender discrimination in my career, which is blocking me from achieving what I want and know I can do. I was agonizing over making a drastic career change, when my incredibly supportive husband bought this book for me. He thought it would help to know I wasn't alone in my unhappiness.

And it did help. We Gen-X women were brought up to believe that equality had been achieved and if only we work hard enough we could do whatever we want. And when we don't accomplish all of our dreams, we tend to blame ourselves, instead of the system. At the same time, our entire generation is agonizing about spending too much time at work and missing out on a life.

But somewhere in the middle, it became tedious. It took me forever to finish, because I grew tired of reading yet another story about an ultra-successful woman with baby fever. As a woman who loves children but doesn't want any of her own, the book lost me. A few things actually bothered me, like the "Baby Envy" section and a general sense that the only women faced with work/life crises were mothers. There are plenty of women that struggle to find a balance between career and family, even if that family is a husband, siblings, or close friends.

I wish the authors had more analysis of what's causing the pervasive work/life imbalances and how we should stick together to make a change for all of us. When I read the chapter on men's perspectives, I kept thinking, "We shouldn't be concerned about bosses discriminating against parents because they leave work before 6:30, we should be concerned that bosses are expecting any of their employees to work that long in the first place!

There were many insightful observations and perspectives that I hadn't considered before, and for that I'm glad I read the book. I found the first and last two chapters to be the most influential on me. I'm not as enthusiastic as many other reviewers, but I do recommend this book to everyone in Generation X/Y, and to even a few boomers that want to understand why their children are so troubled when they seem to "have it all."

Hit the mark for me
This book's style seems to put some people off-personally-it didn't bother me. I found it very readable. More importantly-I found that it hit exactly the points that I'm struggling with in my life at the moment ("around 30). This was the first time I had even looked at the issues in my life (about being a mother vs reaching my career potential post grad school) as a larger phenomenon with many women. A friend loaned me this book, and although we are in different positions in life we both found that it resonated with us because we have the same things on our mind. Perhaps "crisis" isn't the best name for the book since I would not define the amazing birth of my son at the same time as a promotion at a great job as a crisis-but it does demand hard choices. I think they make mention several times to basically being very fortunate in general. I don't know any of my friends who couldn't relate to a large portion of this book in some way shape or form whether you are wondering about how you would ever fit children in your life or how you will keep your career on track if you want to spend time with your kids. And of course-finances are the practical base of these choices as well.

It's the same old song
The only saving grace of this book are the interviews of women from all walks of life -- including actress Susan Sarandon, comedian Ali Wentworth, financial expert Suze Orman, and writer Judy Blume --- about what they were doing at age 30 and what they are doing today, as proof that it is not a bad thing that you don't have everything tied up in a neat package by age 30.

However, the statement the authors make that "30 is the new 50" is wrong (they are more accuarate when they state that 30 is to a woman what 50 is to a man). The adage "Don't trust anyone over 30" has been around since the 1960s, and they in fact mention a photo of one of their mothers wearing a T-shirt with that on it when she was in her 20s!

I dislike that the authors bring themselves into it so much, like they are our best friends and we looked up to them and --- surprise! -- they had so much doubt about themselves at age 30. Their stories are not all that interesting.

And WHY, when they bring in an original interview about another late 20s/early 30s woman, they preface it with how she looks? Particularly annoying was when they described a woman as having "green eyes behind sexy librarian-style glasses". What does THAT have to do with anything? If anything, they overlook the fact that fashion magazines ignore women after age 30 (which frankly made me happy whren I turned 30 -- no more pressure, however subtle, to adhere to those "Thirty Things to do Before Age 30.")

It's all right, but if you read Cosmo, Glamour and the other mags at all over the last 5 years, you've read this book. Because once a year, each of those mags write on this topic. Ho hum. ... Read more

Book Description

Dealing with your ex-husband, who can't seem to show up reliably for weekends with the kids; navigating a workplace fraught with office politics or racial tensions; saying "I'm sorry" or "I love you".

We all have difficult conversations, no matter how confident or competent we are. And too often, no matter what we try, things don't go well. Should you say what you're thinking and risk starting a fight? Swallow your views and feel like a doormat? Or should you let them have it? But--what if you're wrong?

Difficult Conversations shows you a way out of this dilemma; it teaches you how to handle even the toughest conversations more effectively and with less anxiety. Based on fifteen years of work at Harvard Negotiation Project and consultations with thousands of people, the authors answer the question:When people confront the conversations they dread the most, what works?

Difficult Conversations walks you through a proven, concrete, step-by-step approach for understanding and conducting tough conversations. It shows you how to get ready, how to start the conversations in ways that reduce defensiveness, and how to keep the conversation on a constructive track regardless of how the other person responds.

Whether you're dealing with your baby-sitter or biggest client, your boss or your brother-in-law, Difficult Conversations can help.
... Read more

Reviews (73)

Difficult Conversions
Stone, Patton and Bruce have written a very useful and critical work on the dynamics of all conversations - the ones we've had and regret; the ones we don't have, because they seem too risky; and the ones we need to have to enhance our personal and professional relationships. They argue that there are three categories of conversations, which encompass every aspect of what transpires in our daily exchanges. They are: (1) The "what happened?" conversation (2) The feelings conversation and (3) The identity conversation. We can become more skilled and efficient in our conversations, if we begin to check our often flawed assumptions about what happened, how we're feeling and how our self-perceptions impact our understanding of what others say. Typically, we assume we are right and others are wrong, we assume the intentions of others, we don't treat feelings as facts, and we associate our identities too closely with the contexts of specific conflicts. To have productive difficult conversations, we need to change the way we talk to ourselves and how we approach our communications with others.

One can't help wondering, however, if the only people reading this book are already self-actualized or so well on their way that they are, in fact, the best communicators among us. The authors' failed to address the lingering doubt left with the critical, reflective reader: that most difficult conversations are the fruits of difficult people, who, unless they read this book, have little capacity or motivation to be anything but difficult. In any case, Difficult Conversations is mostly devoted to explaining and analyzing the three conversations and how one can use these categories to have more productive exchanges. The book has many useful graphic organizers, including a checklist and a roadmap for engaging in difficult conversations.

In effect, Stone and his colleagues argue that we must shift from a perspective of "knowing" to "learning". Meaningful conversations can take place when we don't permit our assumptions to rule the moment, rather when we take control by being curious, open, and self-aware. To find out what happened, we need to explore each other's stories, separate intent from impact, abandon the blame framework, and to consider all conflicts as a system ("the contribution system"), to which every party has contributed in some way. They argue that the blame framework is a clue that feelings are playing a significant role in a conflict. Feelings often get translated into judgements, attributions, characterizations, or solutions. The key to managing feelings is to treat them as facts by acknowledging them, and considering how they are part of the problem and exploring them fully. All too often our feelings emerge from the sense that our identity is somehow at stake. Most of us frame our identities around one or all of three core themes: competence, virtue, or worthiness. When we feel any of these is questioned, we revert to fight or flight. We can best manage the identity issue by understanding ourselves as complex, by knowing we make mistakes, by acknowledging that our intentions are not simple, and by recognizing that all parties contribute to problems. The "learning" must begin within ourselves before we can understand issues or problems with others.

We can affect our own conversational "learning" by engaging in "the third story" conversation, which requires us to consider how a third party would describe and analyze the situation. This sets up a process of internal dialogue, which is necessary to check our own perceptions, feelings, and interests. Further, the authors encourage listening from the inside out, speaking for yourself, and taking the initiative. While the book combines theory, examples, and description, it is also a very handy guide to improving one's communication style in the workplace or at home.

very highly recommended
When I first picked up this book, I wasn't very optimistic about its content. I've got a rather solid background in conflict resolution and communication, have even taught courses in listening and small group communication. I assumed the book would be more of the same -- here's where you should nod, here's how you reflect, etc.

I was pleased to find that I had misjudged the authors. Reading this book and truly incorporating its advice and philosophies can be a life-changing experience. The content here goes beyond technique and finds firm ground (surprisingly) in speaking about inner issues that arise during difficult conversations -- and it manages to do so without coming off as didactic or flakey. In fact, I would have to say that this is the first "self-help" book that didn't make me a little squirmy and rebellious -- I soaked up the information and found myself relying on the content in real life on a daily basis, and right away.

I also have found myself evangelizing the book to a great extent, and have recommended it to friends I know who are having difficulty with family members, bosses, their children their neighbors -- as well as to a number of my clients who have expressed difficulty in managing up and/or down.

There's something of value for just about anyone here -- even if you are already well-versed in communication and negotiation skills.

Concepts and techniques that work
I find this book to be helpful because I have had a life-long struggle with difficult conversations. The section about understanding what is said and unsaid is a key piece of information which has given me greater awareness. The procedures require commitment and practice. Don't expect to get it right the first time or every time. I put an extra piece of information into practice every few days. I would also recommend another book, Crucial Conversations for another perspective on emotionally charged conversations, and Optimal Thinking: How To Be Your Best Self to learn how to make the most of any situation.

Too obvious...what we need is a difficult relationships book
The stuff in this book should be obvious to most reasonable people. If you're having problems at this level, you still have a long way to go in terms of dealing with truly difficult situations. Seeing so many people liking books like this gets me worried... (Is it just me who feels like I'm back in kindergarten when I take these corporate self improvement classes (come on, be honest now).)

If you can generally gather the gumption to talk with people through awkward issues, this book will not help.

My really difficult issues in life are with severely complexed people who are either defensive to the point of being anti-social or with those who never learned the skill to listen. You know people like this, right? Their bad behavior inevitably drives away their friends and they often have trouble with their other family members.

I'm not saying that I'm always in the right when having difficult conversations with people like this. What I struggle with is dealing with really hard headed people, and this book only belabors obvious points like "there are two sides to every story" and "you have to try to stay reasonable if you care to get through".

Everything in the book is good, if that's what you want to learn about. I just found it too obvious, and it assumes the case where the other person is a relatively well adjusted person.

"A Dangerous book in the hands of morons"! (NY, USA)
Well the reviewer has got a great sense of humour! I was laughing my a*se off!

It sems so many people do not practice what they preach. This guy's bosses whoever they are or were seem to have 'lost the plot'.

Isn't it strange that the 'Golden Rule' in business I was taught is not often used. It is as my Mum still says, "Do as you would be done by". Very simple but common sense is not usually common action!

My invitation to this person is please make contact with me as I have some questions I'd like the writer to answer before I buy the book! Dear Amazon.com, can you arrange that? Give the writer my e-mail address please. ... Read more

Book Description

Whether you’re looking for a new job, leaving an old one, cold calling a new account, laying off a subordinate, confronting a back-stabber, dealing with sexual harassment, returning food in a restaurant, or calming an irate client, "Lifescripts tells you exactly how to do it and what to say. Each of the 101 dialogs provides you with an ice-breaker opener and a flow-chart of rejoinders to give to any potential response, positive or negative. Pointers on proper attitude, timing, preparation, and more are included. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Your #1 Reference for People
Take my advice and disregard any bad reviews of this book. First off, it comes with a CD that includes the entire book in PDF with every chapter and "people issue" listed for single-click access. That alone is worth the price! What I like most about the format is how the advice is laid out like a flowchart. It starts with what you might say. Then, depending on the person's response, your next response follows a certain path. And so on. It really is a great book; it's a shame that Amazon doesn't have the table of contents available for you to see the hundreds of different situations included. I learned more low-level information from this book that the $2600 Dale Carnegie course I took. Now that's a deal!

From the barren mind of a theorizing attorney...
...there comes a sheaf of 400 pages of nauseating corporate doublespeak diligently arranged as a collection of unlikely situational progressions. Here's how you go about "Correcting a Client's Behavior", you start by saying: "I need your help in restrategizing the way we approach this whole negotiation..." Er... restrate-what?

What a joke. If you ever speak to anyone in that dry and phony, clicheistic language you're going to succeed only in making a fool of yourself; and I'm not even mentioning any of the offered logical progressions, that can only have emerged from a sterile mind of a lethargically lucubrating lawyer in process of being frozen so as to save himself for posterity. My counter-advice would be to remain straight and honest when dealing with people, to speak simply, and above all, to avoid at all costs the stolid, inhumanely politically-correct, excessively roundabout and formulaic droning that Mr Pollan recommends in his book as the acme of human communication.

useful for difficult situations
This is an excellent book to keep in your collection for reference. You never know what difficult situations may arise, and this book gives example conversations for how to handle those situations.

Need a graceful way to get out of a situation?
I wish I'd read this book long before I had. The authors present you with some of life's stickiest situations and then tell you exactly how to handle it with words. What makes this book so invaluable is that the authors don't assume that the situation always involves bitterness--for example, their suggestions for leaving a job actually admit that it could just be a peaceful exit.

If you want to know how to disentangle yourself from an employer you're sure is going to hold a grudge, they give you elegant ways of telling your future employer about it. Use their method, and you won't sound whiny, belligerent, or even disgruntled! If anything, their methods make the former employer's words about you look questionable and stilted. I did use their ideas on this, and THEY WORKED.

To be brutally honest, this book is all about spin and the power it holds. So often in communication with one another, we forget that what we say is just as important as how we say it. In the age of emails and faxes, we're losing our manners and making unintentional enemies in the process. This book will re-educate you on the finer points of being nice and, dare I say it, being emotionally neutral.

The authors clearly illustrate that our emotions keep us from being objective about a situation, and this is why Lifescripts is so helpful. They teach you how to distance yourself just enough to see the whole picture and then give you the words/actions necessary to properly deal with the problem. They also teach about a long-forgotten nuance of communication--take a pause and think before you say it/do it/write it.

It's an excellent book that any manager, employee, or senior executive could easily benefit from, and I think it's even appropriate reading for high school age. Knowing when to say what can save you a lot of trouble...

I offered this book to my son before he left home forever
I will never forget that day. Before Charles closed his bag definitely, I gave it this book as a sacred testament. Everything is so well thought of; situations are so clearly described that you cannot make the usual mistakes: making confusions between symptoms and causes. Scenarios (scripts) are listed as alternatives one to each other. Solutions are clever and ethical. ... Read more

Book Description

Your project went off without a hitch--but somebody else got the credit...You averted a crisis brilliantly--but no one noticed...You came to the meeting with a sensational idea--but it was ignored until someone else said the same thing...

HOW CAN YOU GET CREDIT & GET AHEAD?

In her extraordinary international bestseller, You Just Don't Understand, Deborah Tannen transformed forever the way we look at intimate relationships between women and men. Now she turns her keen ear and observant eye toward the workplace--where the ways in which men and women communicate can determine who gets heard, who gets ahead, and what gets done.

An instant classic, Talking From 9 to 5 brilliantly explains women's and men's conversational rituals--and the language barriers we unintentionally erect in the business world. It is a unique and invaluable guide to recognizing the verbal power games and miscommunications that cause good work to be underappreciated or go unnoticed--an essential tool for promoting more positive and productive professional relationships among men and women. ... Read more

Reviews (15)

A necessary read!
TALKING FROM 9 TO 5: WOMEN AND MEN AT WORK by Deborah Tannen is a book that everyone should read if he or she goes to work, anywhere. If you are a boss or have a boss, you should read this book (thank you Mom & Dad). If you work with other people, you should read this book. Now that I have stressed that, I will tell you more about the book's focus and the points Tannen makes very well. She is well known for her book, YOU JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND, which I have not read, but which is about how relationship problems come about due to differing communication styles between women and men ("Report" talk by men vs. "rapport" talk by women -- women talk "troubles talk" to build community, when men hear this, they are more than likely to feel that the problems need solving and will say what to do; this creates dissonance as the woman just wants to feel understood not "bossed" around, and the man can't understand why she's telling him problems if she doesn't want solutions). This book takes those issues to work and through many examples from her own research and others in sociolinguistics, anthropology and sociology, Tannen makes the point that different communication styles are problematic only when people don't understand them, that there is no "better" way to talk than another. Tannen made a fascinating point about communication styles and conversation rituals. She writes that people think they can tell when someone is lying to them, but research shows that really, people are not good at discerning this. In a similar way, we think we can tell if someone is confident and a good leader by the way they talk, but we can't. A woman, who raises the tone of her statements to sound like questions, who gives indirect orders and who seeks input before making decisions may often be assumed to be weaker than a man in a similar role, but her conversation rituals are not a true mark of who she is; they are the communication style that she was more likely than not socialized to use as a woman. Likewise, men are assumed to want the floor and command, when sometimes they would rather not take it. Tannen gives evidence on how difficult it is for women to be heard in meetings, and provides anthropological studies that show that as far back as age 3, boys listen to boys and girls listen to girls at play, but boys do not listen to girls, and may ignore and insult them when they pipe up to direct activities. This book is not a polemic against men or masculine styles. Tannen finds that most communication styles are appropriate in many instances. There is more than one way to get the job done, and sometimes, a masculine style is better than a feminine style, and sometimes the opposite is true, but she makes it very clear that a lack of that understanding can be detrimental to organizations because of erroneous assumptions made about people's abilities based on their conversational style. One of her overriding points, born out by her research, is that women tend to talk to build community and do nont like to stand out for accomplishments or for failures in a group. They will engage in ritual talk that seeks inclusion so as to maintain good feeling among the group, not because they are insecure and need to feel that no one dislikes them. Men, on the other hand, tend to engage in one-up talk, are more sensitive to being one down, and will take the lead to avoid being bested. (When a woman who is trying to build community is "one-upped" by a man who takes her ritualistic talk and her willingness to put herself down to create harmony, she feels "betrayed" by his spurning of her communal talk to take the upper hand. Who is "right?" Neither, but their reactions to the same conversation may be very different and in some cases, harmful to the organization.) This book really changed the way I think about organizational life, the assumptions that I draw, the way I have communicated with people who worked for me, and what I will strive to do in the future. Even if you don't read the whole thing, buy it and keep it around. The last chapter, "Who gets heard" is especially instructive, and the afterword is a great essay on the issue with justification for her methods and theories. I think this book would be perfect for anyone who reports to someone of the opposite gender or who is the boss of same. But because the standards for styles are not entirely gender based, I would, again, suggest this book to EVERYONE.

Thought-provoking and helpful
This book makes me acutely conscious of the way I communicate with other people, both women and men (as did "You Just Don't Understand" when I read it several years ago). Without mandating a certain method of communication or telling us how we must change our ways of talking to one another, Tannen illustrates and defines patterns and gives us enough information to work it out for ourselves. I definitely recommend this book to any woman in the workplace who wants to be seen as confident and competent without being labled as the B word.

A disappointment but still relevant book
I have read Deborah Tannen's first 2 books and I found them groudbreaking and very informative. This book however seems to be too much of a rehash of her first 2 books with a little bit of business communication stuck in the middle. I was disappointed by the book and believe there are better books out there than this one.

Very enlightening
I recommend this book to everyone who has relationships or works or has friends or who interact with people....Oh, that's EVERYONE!
It's very interesting to read about how what we say is not what comes across and what we thought we heard is often not what was meant!
A must read for anyone cares about understanding and being understood!

Important Work - A little too much personal bias though
I gave this a 4 star rating only because of the importance of the overall topic. This book really can help one understand some of the underlying issues that make communications difficult between men and women at work. Ritual opposition and ritual apology are two important topics that are often seen and important to understand. I do believe that the author engages in a small amount of "axe grinding" though. Although, you know what Dr. Tannen? If I were a woman perhaps I would have viewed some of your experiences through a different "lens". ... Read more

Book Description

Powerful techniques for combating verbal abuse on the job from the renowned author of the "Gentle Art" series -- with total sales surpassing one million copies.Obscenities, ethnic and sexist epithets, cutting jokes, subtle put-downs -- whether shouted, said with a smile, or sent via e-mail -- are all verbal abuse.For many, it is the everyday language of doing business. Suzette Haden Elgin, nationally recognized linguistics expert and author, applies her acclaimed techniques for combating verbal violence to common on-the-job situations.Forceful yet non-threatening, her proven strategies will empower workers of every level to recognize verbal abuse, gently defuse it, and replace it with courteous and effective communication.

Citing examples grabbed from the headlines, Dr. Elgin reveals the cost of demeaning and destructive language to any business.Step by step, she shows how to identify and conquer the verbal toxins at the root of workplace hostility and tension.Readers will learn how to avoid "malpractice of the mouth" and sexual harassment; communicate sensitively and clearly with non-native English speakers; come across as strong, straightforward, and truthful; and take complete control of any verbal confrontation--calmly. "Workout sections" throughout the book provide plenty of opportunities for practice.

With a look at communication skills crucial for e-mail, voice mail, and the Internet, as well as the special challenges facing home-based and virtual businesses, The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense At Workis the definitive guide to effective and humane communication on the job. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

The Gentle Art of Verbal Self-Defense by Suzette Elgin
This work provides a good development for constructive
argument aimed at management of confrontal modes. The author
describes classic behaviors; such as, the placater, the blamer,
the distracter and the leveler. There is a good section on
voice management which describes unifying metaphors and balanced
speech. The work describes practically every confrontation
imaginable with appropriate voice responses and body language.
This book will help you manage almost any type of confrontation

constructively. For this reason, it is well worth the price.

Great Reference
This book is full of great information on the subject of communication and understanding verbal and non-verbal language. I wouldn't recommend it to someone who just wants to sit and read, but its great to refer back to for self improvement.

Overall, great book. I'd buy it!

Communication skills and deflecting manipulation
In addition to recognizing manipulation and deflecting those comments, this book teaches skills about:

better communication by recognizing visual versus auditory communication, e.g. ("I see what you mean" versus "I hear you")

It discusses that communication skills can be taught and learned, not just the result of luck, inheritance or genius.

A good read
I found some of the techniques very useful. I reccommend reading this book with Dr. David Burn's book, "feeling good".

Disappointed
Recognizing this book was intended for beginners, it was still far too basic. Most everything in the book were common sense approaches that one would generally learn in the game of life. ... Read more

Book Description

A leading MIT social scientist and consultant examines five professions--engineering, architecture, management, psychotherapy, and town planning--to show how professionals really go about solving problems. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great Reading for Change Consultants!
Schon's work is critical for understanding organizational learning and management development. I quote his work in my book, "Strategic Organizational Change." Dr. Michael Beitler

This is an educational theory book
This book discusses the history and theory of professional learning. Schon spends a great deal of time justifying what every professional knows - that framing problems is difficult and that book learning is insufficient to deal with these problems.

If you are interested in positivism, technical rationality, and the evolution of the modern professional school, then this book is loaded with meaty material. If, however, you want to apply methods built upon other epistemologies, go straight to his 2nd book, "Educating the Reflective Practitioner".

The book is well thought out, but I found it a heavy read. Not for the faint-of-heart.

I got a lot out of it. Recommended only for epistemology or history of professional school wonks.

Tough reading - but definitly worht it !
A word of warning. This book is hard to read. Some things are reapeated over and over, while other detailes are never given proper treatment.

But - if you don't mind spending some time reading and analyzing the book, there are heaps of golden nuggets to find.

Schön illustrates why rational design processes doesn't work in reality (for computer enthusiasts this means an explanation of why the waterfall model will never work on real life problems). Instead he tries to explain how designer (architects, musicians, engineers etc.) really work, when they solve real problems. And how to teach expert knowledge to others.

I highly recommend this book for non-whimps...;-)

A must read for self-aware practitioners
In this book, Schon gives us a language for understanding professional practice. Because the sum of what a professional knows is greater than the sum of what he is aware he knows -- let alone the totality of what he can articulate -- there is a hidden world of practitioner competence. I found Schon to be a little repetitive and his examples difficult to fully conceptualize. However, his discussion of the Technical Rationality model and his vignettes of five professions provide a framework which may be applied to the practice of any profession. I believe that readers of this book can enhance their self-awareness as professionals and artists. ... Read more

Amazon.com

If you're in search of career or managerial excellence in 72 short 'n'sweet pages or less, you'll love this visually snappy, pintsize guide to doingjust that, from setting goals to developing the determination, energy, andskills required to achieve them. Here, you'll learn not only how to networkeffectively and make the most of your time, but how to master practicaltechniques for improving your memory, sharpening your mental agility, thinkingcreatively, and reducing stress. Lots of fun checklists and flow charts help youget a grip on such key building blocks to excellence as guided risk-taking,staying in top physical and mental shape, writing and speaking more fluently,prioritizing, and influencing others. Granted, if you're looking for veryspecific or in-depth guidance, you may find this book too cursory and general inits approach. But if you're looking for a thumbnail guide to the basics, it'lldo you just fine.

It's worth mentioning that the book is also part ofreference publisher Dorling Kindersley's Essential Managers series--20itty-bitty li'l books on business and career topics ranging from communication,leadership, and decision making to the management of time, budgets, change,meetings, people, projects, and teams. Combining the For Dummies bookseries's talent for breaking down a lot of information into bite-size bits and sidebars with Dorling Kindersley's signature design style of crisp, classygraphics on a gleaming white backdrop, they don't represent the cutting edge ofbusiness thinking and they don't necessarily reflect any unique individualperspective. Instead, it's as though someone collated the best general thinkingon these 20 topics and rolled them out into 72 brightly designed andeasy-to-read pages, studded along the way with boxed tips, color shots of amultiracial cast of "coworkers" animatedly hashing through the workplace issuesof the day, and a self-test of one's skills in the topic at hand on the last fewpages of each volume. Again, they're not for anyone looking for more in-depth orfocused help on any of the subjects they cover, but they're perfect as a quickiegeneral-interest reference... and let's face it, they're so damned cute and lookso smart in a neat little stack or row that you'll probably want to buy a wholebunch to give as gifts to your entire staff or department. --TimothyMurphy ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Realistic Ambitions
Since excellence in today's highly competitive workplace demands more than knowledge of your field, people skills are essential.

If you want to develop your management skills and achieve your objectives, take a peek at this tiny resource book. While it isn't an all encompassing management book like the Essential Manager's Manual, it is easy to read and you can deal with one specific issue at a time. There are many books in the Essential Managers Series.

Robert Heller will show you how to build key attributes, develop confidence, master risk taking, lead effectively, stay in shape, increase learning, think more effectively, write and speak more fluently, boost your creativity, choose priorities, understand money, reduce stress, reassess your goals, find a mentor, take the lead and plan ahead.

I especially enjoyed the little hints placed in yellow boxes throughout the book. Here are some of my favorites:

Hint 97: Avoid changing your opinions to match those of the majority. Hint 42: Do not confuse wild, far-out, impractical ideas with creativity.

So, how will you know if you have achieved success in a particular area of your personal management qualities portfolio? Page 66-69 is a self-assessment which you can take to evaluate your achievement. As you work towards excellence, realize this is a lifelong challenge. ... Read more

Book Description

"Do you know what it takes to be a star at work?Robert Kelley has the answer." --Fast Company

• Find out what separates stars from average performers

• Learn how to be the top pick for the choice jobs

• Use nine star-performer strategies to become a member of the select "ten-for-one" club, with ten times the productivity of the average worker

• Find out how using the nine strategies enables you to out-perform people with supposedly better credentials

• New in this edition:special insights for women and members of minority groups
  

Reviews (50)

Mentoring for Those Without Effective Mentors
How to Be a Star at Work is excellent for attacking misconceptions that retard almost all careers. Everyone I know who had a fast rising career used the principles in this book: But they usually had to figure out some of the principles for themselves.

As a young person, many lack the experience and judgment to derive these principles. For example, many will see conforming to the views of co-workers (many of whose careers are going nowhere) as the way to get ahead. Not true!

As your first step toward becoming a star at work, read this book and apply its principles. If you want to go further and be a Superstar at work, read on for more instructions you will need.

Careers are also plagued by other flawed thinking habits not explored in this book including poor communications (assuming the message is received and understood without checking), disbelief in promising new ideas and technologies (check these new perspectives out carefully before you dismiss them), tradition (habits that have outlived their usefulness), bureaucracy (having people involved unnecessarily), harmful procrastination (delaying when the situation is deteriorating), and avoiding ugliness (everyone else avoids it also, so the best opportunities are often in the most unattractive aspects of your operations).

To be most successful, you need to be able to create better solutions.

The way to do this is to (1) learn the value of measurements (nothing improves that is not measured) (2) measure everything you can about important processes in your key activities (each measurement will teach you something you need to know) (3) identify the best practices anyone has ever done in these areas (especially by looking outside your industry), and anticipate where these best practices will be in 5 years (4) assemble best practices together in new ways that no one has ever done before to exceed the future best practice (5) identify the ideal best practice (the best people will ever be able to do -- for communications this will be having everyone get the message in one second, like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater where smoke and flames are evident) (6) find ways to approach the ideal best practice by applying the analogy of where humans do it almost perfectly now to your situation (7) assemble the right people, resources and incentives to get the job done and (8) repeat the process (you will get better at it and find better ideas, each you time you do this again).

Further, a lot of people are oblivious to the powerful trends around them. The most effective people will find ways to turn these trends to their advantage, regardless of how the trend shifts.

If you teach someone else these ideas, you will learn them even better, and proven yourself as a leader.

Now you have everything you need to be a superstar at work, except for the proper goals. Write them down! Review them frequently! You will outperform 97 percent of everyone else with just this focus . . . before you apply this book.

Don't forget to be a superstar in your personal life, where it's tougher . . . but more meaningful . . . to do!

A Role Model for Those Without Role Models
This book is excellent for attacking misconception stalls (bad thinking habits based on a misunderstanding of the circumstances) that retard almost all careers. Everyone I know who had a fast rising career used the principles in this book: But they had to figure out some of the principles for themselves.

As a young person, many lack the experience and judgment to derive these principles. For example, many will see conforming to the views of co-workers (many of whose careers are going nowhere) as the way to get ahead. Not!

As your first step toward becoming a star at work, read this book and apply its principles. If you want to go further and be a Superstar at work, read on for more instructions you will need.

Careers are also plagued by other flawed thinking habits not explored in this book including poor communications (assuming the message is received and understood without checking), disbelief in promising new ideas and technologies (check these new perspectives out carefully before you dismiss them), tradition (habits that have outlived their usefulness), bureaucracy (having people involved unnecessarily), harmful procrastination (delaying when the situation is deteriorating), and avoiding ugliness (everyone else avoids it also, so the best opportunities are often in the most unattractive aspects of your operations).

To be most successful, you need to be able to create better solutions.

The way to do this is to (1) learn the value of measurements (nothing improves that is not measured) (2) measure everything you can about important processes in your key activities (each measurement will teach you something you need to know) (3) identify the best practices anyone has ever done in these areas (especially by looking outside your industry), and anticipate where these best practices will be in 5 years (4) assemble best practices together in new ways that no one has ever done before to exceed the future best practice (5) identify the ideal best practice (the best people will ever be able to do -- for communications this will be having everyone get the message in one second, like shouting "fire" in a crowded theater where smoke and flames are evident) (6) find ways to approach the ideal best practice by applying the analogy of where humans do it almost perfectly now to your situation (7) assemble the right people, resources and incentives to get the job done and (8) repeat the process (you will get better at it and find better ideas, each you time you do this again).

Further, a lot of people are oblivious to the powerful trends around them. The most effective people will find ways to turn these trends to their advantage, regardless of how the trend shifts.

If you teach someone else these ideas, you will learn them even better, and proven yourself as a leader.

NOW YOU CAN REALLY BE A SUPERSTAR AT WORK! Good luck!

Don't forget to be a superstar in your personal life, as well.

Good Reference for 'Brainpowered' Workers
This is a good guide to success in the workplace for engineers and other 'brainpowered' workers. Dr. Kelly, professor at Carnegie-Mellon's business school, writes of nine 'breakthrough' strategies to move ahead of the pack, into the 'A player' ranks. While the somewhat cheesy title implies that this is a guide for lazy people (the 'C players') to sneak their way up the ladder, this is in reality a well-written and well-researched book that is strictly for highly-motivated workers that just need a little added 'edge'.

The tips Dr. Kelly provide seem to be common sense, but we all see hard-working 'B players' every day that neglect these at their own peril. (If it were as easy to spot one's own faults as it is to spot faults in others, this book wouldn't be necessary.)

It doesn't cover everything, of course, and the strategies aren't necessarily easy to implement, but it's a good starting point for someone truly motivated to improve their promotability. To that end, I'd personally recommend reading Stephen Covey's "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People", Dale Carnegie's "How to Win Friends and Influence People", and this book.

Emotional intelligence in the work place.
This is an excellent book. The nine strategies make perfect sense. They are innovative, and will work for you. This is how to apply all your intelligences within the workplace and not just your IQ. You will recognize the ones who apply these strategies. They are the ones who may not have MBAs from Harvard, but yet are well liked and respected and go up the corporate ladder seemingly effortlessly.

The author strategies are also quite original. He stresses how strong "followership" is just as important if not more as "leadership." This is a really important point that is rarely mentioned in management seminars.

If you are a Harvard MBA, good for you. Nevertheless, this book will be invaluable to your success as it will give you the strategies and people skills you may need to truly leverage the superior business education you got.

Disappointed
I have just finished this book and found it to be very boring and lengthy. I agree with the other reviewer, only three pages worth reading.
No idea how anyone that has read this book would give it five stars, if not friends of the author. ... Read more

Book Description

People keep asking "How?" as a defense against living their life, says best-selling author Peter Block. In this witty, insightful award-winning book, Block shows that many standard solutions and improvement efforts, reinforced by most of the literature, keep people paralyzed. Here he places the "how to" craze in perspective and teaches individuals, workers, and managers ways to act on what they know. This in turn allows them to reclaim their freedom and capacity to create the kind of world they want to live in. Block’s "elements of choice" — the characteristic of a new workplace and a new world based on more positive values — include self-mentoring, investing in relationships, accepting the unpredictability of life, and realizing that the individual prospers only when the community does. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Seminal Work on the Leadership Required to Change the World
I have just finished reading this book for the 5th or 6th time. It contains a unique perspective on the type of leadership necessary to transform the world, from the local to the global levels, to a place of harmony, creativity, justice, sustainability, and love.

It is not for those still centered in their own egos or even those centered in their families and communities. It embodies a human perspective deep enough to touch values that are universal and if acted upon, healing and life giving.

The book culminates in a description of the leader as "social architect." This is a person who helps all people discover the values and vision that they hold collectively and then provides the space for collaborative and creative solutions and designs.

It would be wonderful and potentially powerful for all leaders to read this book and then act on what they have learned... especially the leaders of the nations of our world.

A Book for Everyone?
This is a good book. This book is for everyone, but not everyone will find it enjoyable. The reason is that those of us who are accustomed to looking for answers in a book won't really find them. This is a book about the right questions - not answers. It is about a different approach to our life.

Block feels we live in an instrumental society. We are too pragmatic. We are a society currently driven by the archetypes of the Engineer and Economist. We tend to rush to the question of How - the practical question. The underlying premise of the book is that we ask the wrong question first. We should be asking Why more often.

The book is not a good book for those of us who are looking for quick answers or a road map to nirvana. It is a great book filled with a common sense approach to a re-examination of what is really important to us and thus to the organizations we work in. His book evolves to the archetype of the Architect - a synthesis of the pragmatic and the philosophical approach to life.

Excellent book on re-thinking freedom and community
I would highly recommend this book to anyone who considers issues around freedom and community, experience and empiricism (I would include both therapists and coaches in this category). Block's eloquent writing identifies some of the significant flaws our Western culture makes in bowing to the gods of empiricism and data to the exclusion of experience and community.

An excellent book by a man with a unique perspective on the American culture of capitalism.

An attractive restatement of known principles
A carefully presented essay on the importance of personal purpose and meaning and the dangers to ourselves and our world of the instrumental world to which we are subjecting ourselves. The book is beautifully set out and easy to read. The philosophy and advice, though useful and cogent, is much the same as that to be found in a whole range of similar books concerned with personal development. There is perhaps particular value in his distinction between personal intimacy and the ersatz, commercialized 'customer intimacy' that is so much touted in books on marketing.

A BOOK THAT MAKES A DIFFERENCE!
BLOCK'S FLAWLESS CONSULTING OPENED MY EYES TO EFFECTIVENESS IN MY FIELD AS AN ADVISOR AND A COACH AFTER MANY YEARS AS A BANKER AND CORPORATE EXECUTIVE. BLOCK'S RECENT WORK, THE ANSWER TO HOW? IS YES AFFIRMS THE EXPERIENCES I HAVE HAD IN ORGANIZATIONS FOR MORE THAN 40 YEARS. I AM SO PLEASED TO HAVE FINALLY MATURED SUFFICIENTLY TO "LISTEN" TO HIS WORDS AND FEEL AFFIRMED IN WHAT I THOUGHT I WAS SEEING AND KNEW I WAS FEELING. THIS BOOK MAKES A REAL DIFFERENCE, BUT ONLY IF ONE HAS THE COURAGE TO BOTH ABSORB WHAT IT SAYS AND ACT ON WHAT IT MEANS! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thanks to the song and movie by Kenny "The Gambler" Rogers, most of us now understand that "you've got to know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em." This axiom can be applied around a conference table as well as a card table. In The Poker MBA, Jeffrey Gitomer and Greg Dinkin take this concept to the extreme by drawing a world of business advice from the popular pastime. "There is no better training ground for business than a poker game, where your ability to measure risk and make split-second decisions determines whether you cash out a winner," note Dinkin, an MBA-carrying columnist for Card Player magazine, and Gitomer, a writer and sales-and-service consultant. The authors use simulated hands and real tournament settings to illustrate how both pursuits relate in strategy (reading the competition, keeping cards close to the table), technique (acting on prior knowledge, maintaining sufficient cash), and starting anew (choosing a setting, selecting proper partners). Sprinkling the book with quotes from the likes of Dale Carnegie, Sun Tzu, and Peter Drucker, they stress that success in each undertaking is largely determined by discipline, skill, and cunning, and they recount a variety of proven applications from cards that could prove equally effective in commerce. --Howard Rothman ... Read more

Reviews (13)

Universal skills for business success!
As an executive at a major investment firm, I use skills and concepts from game theory every day. Poker strategy and business strategy go hand-in-hand as this book explains in a fun, easy-to-apply framework using examples from Fortune 500 companies to startup businesses. You don't need to be a professional poker player to enjoy and learn from this book. The lessons passed along are concise and applicable to all aspects of business.

To the reviewer below, this book does NOT attempt to teach the reader how to play poker. You obviously did not read the book. Do yourself a favor: read the book, start applying the skills articulated in it, get a job and move out of your parents' basement.

I've learned to turn whatever hand I'm dealt into a winner!
Like most salesman, I'm an optimist. I believe and trust most people I come in contact with. My outgoing personality is both my greatest strength, and my greatest weakness. The Poker MBA taught me how to get a better "read" on people, and what to do once I've made my read.

Never before did I realize that "weak is strong, and strong is weak". Since reading The Poker MBA, I not only understand this concept, but I've used my new found knowledge to successfully influence business deals.

Whether you're a poker player or not, the strategies taught in this book will help you win whatever hand you are dealt.

Great compairson of poker to business
One of the greatest so called business strategy books often cited is Sun-Tzu "The Art of War", a treatise on warfare which has been adapted to the business world given that the arena of business is muhc like warfare. It is not surprising at all that the game of Poker also can be used to draw lessons and strategies in the business world.

I am a poker player, option trader and businessman and I found the book did an excellent job of showing the fun, intrigue and skill of poker and how it is played and how we can learn to use those same skills in negotiations, management and making investments. The book is written with great little stories and examples with special highlights of kep points and chapter summaries of diferent issues. If you love Poker, then you will love the details the book covers on what skills the pros use in bluffing, playing their hands, and reading their opponents. You will also enjoy how the authors show the use of those skills in business dealings and how relevant and useful those skills are.

To the reviewer who criticized the book in its discussion of poker and business, I think the reviewer missed an excellent point of hte book. Business is NOT a chess game where two people with equal resources (same pieces on the baord) deal with each other and the individual's skill level determines the winner. In chess, everything is out there on the board and your emotion plays no role in affecting your other opponent. for example, one side cannot seem more desparate at the beginning of the game before the pieces have been moved.

However this is not true in the real world. In business negotations, parties do not have the same resource to compete with. Parties are also coming from different emotional states. One side may be very desparate to get a deal doen while the other has enough money to wait out the deal and see if something better comes along. The individual skill in such settings is how you use your resources and emotions and play with the hand that has been dealt to you. This is poker at its finest.

If you have a good hand, you still need to analyze what your opponent has and how he or she is betting. But what if they are bluffing? Don't we bluff in business deals as well. The same pshychology that goes into learning your opponent and determing if they are bluffing you based on teh card showing is the same skill we need to sit across from someone at a negotiation table and determine what they are offering and what we can offer. It is also true in managing people and handling investments. The skills of POKER are very transferable to the business world.

THis book does a great job of showing how the wonderful skills of poker can be used in the business world and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. After just reading it once, it already got my mind thinking a different way when I consider future business proposals, negotiations or just dealing with co-workers on business issues.

GREAT!
As both a stockbroker and a poker player i found this book to be quite fascinating.. it does a great job of using poker philosophies in business.

Fascinating read on the strategy of business & poker
This book is well written and fun to read. The analogies between poker & business are undeniable and insightful.

1) Know your opponent. Don't assume that they think like you, often they don't.

"Bad players play their own hand. Good ones play their opponent's hand first, then worry about their own cards." (pg 15)

2) In negotiation (and poker), remember three rules:
a) don't give up something without getting something in return
b) keep a poker face (e.g. Boxers are trained to smile after being hit - to show their fortitude)
c) let your opponent feel like they are winning (so they will do business with you again)

3) The answer is rarely black/white. The answer is IT DEPENDS. Advanced poker players think on many different levels.

4) Don't gamble. Do your homework and know the odds. Take calculated risks. If possible, be the house (not the player) by creating the system that other people use and pay for.

5) "Information has value. Just as you wouldn't give away cash, don't give away ideas - unless they contribute to you or your organization."

"It's who you know and who knows you. Find out the people of influence that you need to know, and earn the right to meet them." (pg 89)

6) ". . .the minute you achieve success, people will be coming after you. The best way to guard against it is to keep your success to yourself. (pg 92)

7) Don't put yourself in the situation where you HAVE TO win. The urgency of the situation puts you at a disadvantage.

8) Poker is a zero-sum game, but life and business are not.

9) Pump it, or dump it. In poker ". . you typically should either raise the pot (pump it) and take control of the hand or fold (dump it) and get out entirely. Just calling is an option, but rarely the right one." (pg 107) The same applies to business, stick to your strengths. 80/20 principle.

10) Be tight and aggressive. For poker, play only a few hands, but play them hard. For business, focus your investments. ... Read more

Book Description

The bestselling author of How to Think Like Leonardo DaVinci shows how learning to juggle literally and metaphorically will help you become better at what you do, both in business and in life.

As we struggle to get more done in less time, to balance our work and our personal life, and to adapt to constant change, we often feel that we're "juggling too many balls." Now, in More Balls Than Hands, leading organizational consultant Michael J. Gelb, a former professional juggler, shows us how to keep all those balls in the air.

The first lesson in juggling is...let the ball drop. Beginning with this first counterintuitive lesson, Michael J. Gelb offers proven methods that organizations can use to create a "mistake positive" culture, showing how any business can flourish and succeed if it sets the stage for learning, growth, and innovation in the workplace. In addition, Gelb introduces five "Keys to High Performance Learning" that offer immediately applicable strategies for strengthening anyone's learning speed and power. For people eager to increase their learning potential, ratchet up their productivity, and teach others to do the same, More Balls than Hands communicates life lessons in a vivid, completely original, and utterly entertaining way. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

I'm Inspired!
Every time I read one of Michael's books, I feel inspired for greatness, and this book is no exception. Michael has a gift of taking things that are familiar and looking at and applying them in unique ways. In this book, Michael talks about the importance of creating mistakes in a safe environment and using them to accelerate learning to become a better leader, coach, parent, or person. He makes it feel safe to venture out into new territory by teaching that success means pursuing your goals and dreams with much childlike passion that success and failure become irrelevant. I especially love how he frames examples throughout the book with expert quotes that provide meaningful and often thought-provoking context. The quote by Dr. Glenn Doman, Institute for the Achievement of Human Potential, provoked a great family discussion about how important it is for a child to view learning as fun and the positive impact a person can have to help inspire that belief. In the last section of the book, Michael takes a unique approach to teaching juggling, in which he applies all the principles in the book. I never would have thought that dropping balls on purpose would help me learn to juggle, but it did. And it gave me a new confidence that I can do anything!

Metaphor of the Millennium
Michael Gelb has captured the metaphor of the millennium in juggling. It is something that jugglers and non-jugglers alike can relate to at a gut level, because most of us have anything but time on our hands. A single issue of the New York Times is said to contain more information than the average person in the Middle Ages was exposed to in a lifetime. And it just starts there. MORE BALLS THAN HANDS gives you more than just the metaphor, but stories and testimonials from the workplace, as well as practical coaching on how to juggle. The book is readable and doable, and can be enjoyed on many levels. The only thing that could make it even better would be illustrations for the tips on the advanced juggling beyond 3 balls. ... ... Read more

Book Description

Have you ever wondered why some people seem to rise effortlessly to the top, while others are stuck in the same job year after year? Have you ever felt you are falling short of your career potential? Have you wondered if some of the things you do–or don’t do–at work might be hamstringing your ambitions? In The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back, James Waldroop and Timothy Butler identify the twelve habits that–whether you are a retail clerk or a law firm partner, work in technology or in a factory–are almost guaranteed to hold you back.

The fact is, most people learn their greatest lessons not from their successes but from their mistakes. The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back offers the flip side to Stephen Covey’s approach in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, zeroing in on the most common behavior that can impede a career. Based on over twenty years of research as business psychologists, the authors claim that the reasons people fail in their jobs are the same everywhere. Only after these detrimental behaviors have been identified can the patterns that limit career advancement be broken.

Using real-life accounts of clients they have worked with at Harvard and as executive coaches at such companies as GTE, Sony, GE, and McKinsey & Co., Waldroop and Butler offer invaluable–and in some cases, job-saving–step-by-step advice on how readers can change their behavior to get back on track.

For anyone seeking to achieve his or her career ambitions, The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back is a powerful tool for unleashing true potential.
... Read more

Reviews (21)

Rich contents on behavior characteristic but...
Very well written psychology book on human behavior that you can commonly find in your organization. Not much jargons but in plain simple english. It not only describes the twelve behavior patterns that holding good people back, but also does suggest how to fix and manage them.

To depict the 12 hebavior patterns, the authors cleverly use different simple scenarios and business cases to address the orgins of the problem & pattern. They explain why the behavior patterns may limit your career advancement and how should break the behaviour patterns. I personally found that some patterns breaking approach could be helpful but some don't and lack of practical details. The authors seem to suggest most of the cases that the root of these behaviour patterns are arised out of childhood development. Well, I am not sure this is completely correct but you can certainly find more explanation in Part II of the book.

The 12 bad habits that hold good people back are listed below:

1. Never feeling good enough
2. Seeing the world in black & white
3. Doing too much, pushing too hard
4. Avoiding conflict at any cost
5. Running roughshod over the opposition
6. Rebel looking for a cause
7. Always swinging for the fence
8. When the fear is in the driver's seat
9. Emotionally tone-deaf
10. When no job is good enough
11. Lacking a sense of boundaries
12. Losing the path

To make readers easy to understand and remember these 12 behavior patterns, the authors also name these bad habits as the following easy terms:

1. Acrophobe
Feeling in their heart of hearts that they don't deserve to be where they have been placed.

2. Meritocrat
Seeing the world black & white, with answers that are right or wrong, all weighed on a perfectly fair scale and judged accordingly, on their merits alone.

3. Hero
Constantly trying to do too much and pushing too hard on both themselves and other people.

4. Peacekeeper
Going out of the way to avoid conflict, because of uncertainty about how it will end up.

5. Bulldozer
Talking and acting tough, bullying people, taking no prisoners, and leveling anyone and anything that gets in the way.

6. Rebel
To defy authority and everything associated with authority, including societal tradition, company custom, and good taste.

7. Home run hitter
Expecting & demanding extraordinary and immediate success.

8. Pessimist-Worrier
Seeing the negative and almost nothing but the negative; and worrying about it to excess.

9. Mr. Spocks
Having a hard time recognizing and understanding fear, love, anger, jealousy, greed, compassion, and other emotions in themselves or in others.

10. Coulda-been
These people have very little tolerance for hard work and little patience, not because they're lazy, but because doing the work to get to the top means that they're not already there. When they seem to be saying is "No job is good enough," but what they actually feel inside is "I'm not good enough for any job."

11. Loose Lips
The person who lacks an appropriate sense of boundaries doesn't understand that some subjects belong in the office and some belong only in certain corners of the office and definitely not outside.

12. Dig Deeper
Feeling they have lost their sense of direction, or a sense of enthusiasm that has dimished or disappeared for reasons that are not immediately clear.

If you want to know more details, you can find very rich information from Part II of the book. It includes not just a description of the core psychological issue for each behavior pattern, but tools you can use to access yourself in each area, and execrises that you can do to strengthen those weaker psychological "muscles."

Overall, this is a pretty interesting book you may want to put in your own collection.

A Really Solid Effort
I thought that there was a lot of really good content in Waldroop and Butler's "Maximum Sucess", in addition to a very logical organization and a cystal clear style of writing littered with concrete examples to make the points come to life. The book is divided into TWO PARTS, the first dealing with 12 behavior patterns that are destructive to one's career and the second dealing with the four underlying psychological dynamics that are the root causes of these behaviors. I find this organization to be very satisfactory from a writing perspective as well as from the standpoint of human psychology, that the roots of our behaviors are in our minds, in what we are mentally. I read the authors "Discover Your Career in Business" (1997) in October 1999 and it really helped me to understand my own interests and the kinds of positions in business which were a good fit for a person with those interests. The authors combine a deep knowledge of human psychology with an understanding of how business works, a rare combination. Ultimately, this is a book about knowing oneself, mastering one's character flaws, and becoming the kind of person one is capable of becoming; it is about self actualization and fulfilling one's potential, specifically in a business career. After reading their first two books, I can't wait for their next production! ---- Greg Feirman (Gfire77@yahoo.com)

Personal Power¿Activate!
If you want to achieve your goals and activate your sales like never before, you need to break through your bad habits (...). This book helped me do that! The barriers that I had put in front of myself crumbled like so much rubble at my feet and now I am charging ahead, surpassing my goals and wowing everybody around me. I've streamlined my whole organization, begun to see every human interaction as an opportunity for me to win, and become a customer-focused consulting machine. This kind of success once seemed impossible, but it was really just a matter of turning a few bad habits around. Thanks Jim & Tim!

If you are fired or in a career rut, read this
Some books are Godsent for those who are perplexed and truly want to know the answers to their problems. This is one of them. If you have been recently fired or are in a career rut, and don't completely understand why, then buy this book and read it cover to cover. The odds are VERY high you have more than one of the 12 bad habits which is killing your career.

As always, it takes some humility to admit your own flaws and correct them. This book provides solid basis for starting the path to your own career enlightenment.

Complexity and perscipacity
I use the words complexity and perspicacity to discuss this book because the nature of the material the authors write about--the human mind and its behavior--is necessarily complex, while the authors display a very acute sense of those complexities.

If you are a well-read, emotionally literate, self-aware person, this book contains many ideas and tools you can use to "get ahead" in business. Its scope, however, is not limited to the business world. One would think that Bridget Jones et al would do well to use the ideas presented in this book. At heart the book is not so much about the behaviors that hold you back in the business world, but, rather it is about the behaviors that hold you back, period. The business world just contextualizes the nature of the consulting practice the authors have and the audience to whom they write (typically business students and executives). ... Read more