Book Description

After the publication of the bestselling book The Artists' Way, Julia Cameron and Mark Bryan, co-creators of the country's most successful course on creativity, were often told that their techniques helped people achieve their business goals. This spurred them to refine the methods to help people perform more creatively and effectively at work. The program is revealed in The Artists' Way at Work: a twelve-week encounter with your own ingenuity, struggles, strengths and dreams -- as well as the political guidance to enable you to get things done.

Through powerful self-assessment exercises with intriguing titles such as "Power Inside vs. Power Outside," "Developing Creative Continuity," and "Finding Your Truth," readers learn to release their creative spirit at work and tap reserves of energy, vision, and passion. The Artists' Way at Work will help you excel in your job, launch the business of your dreams, or find the career you love. Best of all, you will learn to "live in the paradox" -- to develop a personal philosophy of excellence that sustains you, whatever the future holds.

The processes in this book are rooted in cutting-edge principles of human development, organizational behavior, and the arts. They have been rigorously tested among business audiences and will unleash a degree of satisfaction at work (and in life) you may never have believed possible. For every one of us who works, The Artists' Way at Work reveals a completely new way to thrive.

... Read more

Reviews (8)

Motivational Psychobabble Crud
You've got to be kidding is right. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.

They must be kidding
This must be a joke. Writing yet another book on creativity that is simply a rehash of the original book with a slightly different twist. Not an example of creative thinking in my estimation. Don't waste your money.

Another journey you create for yourself
If you've read the Artist's way, this book will seem very familiar. However, don't stop there. The different flavor of this book makes it worth pursuing in addition to the Artist's way. I went through the Artist's way book and then took a 4 week hiatus and then jumped into this one. I have been doing morning pages for over 6 months now. They have value to me, even more than the 45 minutes of sleep, I give up each day for them

This book is strongly geared toward the working world. As with the Artist's way book morning pages and time-outs are necessary to help you work through these and other issues. In addition this book is arranged in a similar weekly sequence with excercises and a weekly check in.

PUTS THE PEOPLE YOU WORK WITH IN PERSPECTIVE:
This book unlike the Artist's way, deals with personal interaction not just personal creativity. Let's face it we all work with people and how we relate to them does influence our ability to get the job done.
As the Artist's way does, it also recognizes there are certain people (crazy makers) that complicate our lives, there are also personality types and roles we all play in any interaction. This book gives great tips on how to recognize these and work with them.

IDENTIFIES WHAT MIGHT BE SLOWING YOU DOWN AT WORK:
Similarly, with working with people, we have priorities to adjust and readjust. If we are stuck in a point in our career, maybe these need adjusting. This book if you objectively do the exercises helps us understand where some or road blocks might be.
Sometimes we are the road block.

IN GENERAL LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THIS BOOK LEADS YOU TO EXAMINE YOUR LIFE
For the most part the Artist's way presses the reader to examine what they want out of life and how they can get there. Also it helps you to understand what your true desires are, not just what you think you want.

LIKE THE ARTIST'S WAY, THERE ARE QUOTES TO PONDER IN THE MARGINS
It is a small thing but like the Artist's way there are quotes in the margins from famous people. It makes you think the confusing path we are all on, is one many have taken. Some of the quotes really connect.

To give you the full flavor of the book, here is the Table of Contents:

INTRODUCTION: Entering the gate

FIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ONE: EMERGENCE
Morning pages/Creative Collegue/Secret Selves/Listening to the Chorus/Inner Mentor/Check-in/Creativity Contract

FIRST TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWO: THE ROAR OF AWAKENING
Timeout/The Dialogue/Archaeology, Round One/Archaeology, Round Two/The Us and Them list/Imaginary Lives/Affirmations and Blurts/Customized Affirmations/Dumping the Albatross/Walking your Wisdom/Check-in

SECOND TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK THREE: SOARING
Secrets/Watching the rapids/Wish list/Leadership Quiz/Explore a sacred space/Secretly I'd like to.../Watch the picture, without the sound/Filling the form/Check-in

THIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK FOUR: THE ABYSS

Admitting our emotions/Anger as a map/Metabolism/Footholds for optimism/Countering our Critics/True confessions/Define your inner wall/Workaholism Quiz/Bottom line/Signposts/The Fraudian Slip/Check-in

THIRD TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK FIVE: SURVIVING THE ABYSS
Personal accounting/Emotional solvency/Counting/Luxury/Lapping up Luxury/Nasty Rules/The dream account/Explore your feelings about God/Going to take a miracle/Wondering/Check-in

FOURTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK SIX: THE PEARL OF WISDOM
Body English/At the wheel of a new machine/A letter to the self/Positive/Negative poles/Media Deprivation/Reconnecting the Dots: Detective work/Beyond price/Meeting the inner rebel/Check-in

FIFTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK SEVEN: LEARNING (AND TEACHING)
Being a Beginner/The jealousy map/Creativity Quiz/Feel, Think, Wish/Getting Current/The Hidden Resume/Becoming right sized/Taking note/Nuturing nutrients/The forest environment/Check-in

SIXTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK EIGHT: TEACHING (AND LEARNING)
Roles, Biosketches, Family Functions, Containment, The power dance, Unmasking, Machiavelli, Practicing the present, Mentor magic, Going sane, "Dear Boss", Stopping the Spiral, Releasing Resentments, Check-in

SEVENTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK NINE: OWNING OUR AMBITION
Clearing fear, Contacting Clark Kent, Local color, The resentment resume, Blasting through blocks, Succeeding with Success, Framing our lives, Check-in

EIGHTH TRANSFORMATION: WEEK TEN: LIVING WITH PASSION
Positive Inventory, Laugh or Lament, Box Seats, Heartbreak Hotel-Loss as a Lesson, The net of nurturing, Check-in

NINTH TRANSFORMATION: PART ONE: WEEK ELEVEN: THE LEDGE OF AUTHENTICITY
Name your poison, Creative U-turns, Ten-minute time outs, Valuing our values, The Ledge of authenticity, Exercising our options, Creativity center, Choose a spirit mentor, Spirit Mentors, Check-in.

NINTH TRANSFORMATION: PART TWO: WEEK TWELVE: RESTING IN AUTHENTICITY
Trusting trust, Mining our mystery, Building a house, Suceeding at success, Playing at play, Every picture tells a story, Gratitude, Checkin.

Epilogue
Suggested Reading
Acknowledgements
How to reach us
Index

A breakthrough book for stimulating creativity at work
I find this book to have a plethora of practical, useful suggestions for thriving instead of surviving in the workplace. The workbook format stimulated my thinking about how we can get beyond our usual progammed "survival" techniques and find new ways ways to address old problems. I also have found it helpful for stimulating creative opportunities in my own life. This book is just what the doctor ordered for those of us who aren't satisfied with just getting by and collecting money. Not only is it a pathway to uncovering and discovering a fresh kind of meaning to work, it also offers us a real chance to forge new directions in both our professional and personal lives.

The Artist's Way and its guiding influence
Several years ago I read the Artist's Way and it changed my life. For years after that I searched for of the same but nothing was available until I came across The Artist's Way at Work. This book of course follows the same guidelines as the first book but I feel is more suited to those who work in large offices and organizations. I was a little disappointed as it did not really apply to my situation although I found some parts helpful in dealing with some of the people around me. Certainly for those people who work in a large company and have not read The Artist's Way this would be a good book to start you thinking in different directions. ... Read more

Book Description

BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR BOSSThe Boss and The Assistant. It's a basic business relationship, and the structure is easy: The Boss gives orders, and The Assistant obeys. But there's an alternative that's better for both assistant and boss, and it's called "partnership." In this eye-opening book, assistants learn how they can break out of old, narrow roles and enjoy working with a boss instead of for a boss. This change liberates creativity and self-confidence, and reveals hidden skills and interests. It also makes an assistant more valuable (and promotable) to the boss and the company. Readers learn specific techniques for how to:**initiate the transition to a partnering relationship **understand their boss' work style and adapt to it -- without losing their sense of self **become a proactive worker who takes responsibility for mistakes and credit for successesJERRY WISINSKI (San Antonio,TX) is a consultant with expertise in interpersonal skills, assertiveness training, and team building. He served as Executive Director of International Trainers, Educators, and Consultants at Trinity University, and is the author of Resolving Conflicts on the Job (Amacom). ... Read more

Reviews (6)

An essential starting point
Being a corporate coach who specializes in the relationship between executives and assistants, I find this book very useful. While it is not the end-all, be-all solution, it is a perfect start to building a partnership. The book is easy to read with realistic tips; I give it to my clients to augment our coaching sessions. I especially like the stages of partnership model explained in the book. It builds on the basic stages of management and is useful for both the executive and assistant. Well done! righthandresources.com

Eh?
There are better books out there about being an assistant to a boss. This book does not go into depth. It's too basic, and not meaty enough.

Essential to Partnering with Your Manager
This book is outstanding. I highly recommend it if you want to take your working relationship with your manager up to the next level. If you think you're working relationship is great now, this book can make it even better. I liked the way the author lists the steps in preparing this concept to your manager. It was easy to follow and really makes you put a good deal of careful thought in the preparation process. I also liked the idea of action items not just for the assistant, but for the manager too. Remember a good working relationship involves both assistants and managers. Just working through this process together improves the relationship. Luckily, my boss endored it!

Good for Beginners
This book is helpful for people new to their jobs. If you don't have anyone who can give you good advice, try this book and you will gain understanding and wisdom about how you should act in your workfield.

A Bible
If you want to get more out of your administrative career, read this book. It's practical, useful and relevant. I highly recommend it. LOVED IT. GET IT. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Time Power
I read this book in 1996 and forgot how good it is.Rereading it now and recommend it to anyone who is looking to be a better manager of their time and life.This is the classic time managment book, forget Covey, he ripped his ideas off Hobbs.For about $.. (it is in paperback) you can save yourself a bundle....

A Life Changing Masterpiece!
This book should be required reading for every man, woman and child, and especially required for anyone interesting in improving themselves!Dr. Hobbs has an excellent system of time management to be sure, but the genius of his system is that it includes ALL areas of your life, not just in the work place. I stumbled upon this book in 1987 in the library.After reading the first few pages I immediately went out and purchased it and began marking it up.My wife did the same.I shared it at work and in my ministry.His system of understanding personal congruency and documenting Unifying Principles changed my life and has been used by me and loads of my friends for 14 years! It works! If you can get this book, GET IT.

Please reprint this book!
This is not your usual techniques and how to book. It's a philosophy of managing your life. I have found the core idea of Self-unification of behavior and principles and the logically deduced goals sequenced according to the Pyramid of Productivity and implemented with the Concentration of Power turbocharges goal achievment and self-esteem. The one reviewer is right. This is not a quick read. It's not dense or boring. Acutally, his breadth and his down to earth approach, makes it seem easy. I have one copy heavily marked up and I recommend that if you see it in a bookshop--buy it.

Excellent
Several years ago, I bought about a dozen books on time management and found this and Alan Lakien's books to be the best.Time Power is intense and required several months of part time effort for me to complete.It'struly unfortunate that Mr. Hobbs' book is now out of print.Charlespioneeredmodern time management theory and practice.All the currenttime management experts, trainers and consultants derive their coreconcepts and ideas from Charles Hobbs.This work is a bit out of step withcurrent practices in that we increasingly moving away from paper basedsystems toward electronic time management products such as MS Outlook.Onthe other hand, the most important thoughts and ideas presented in thisbook are timeless.I recently began working with Tony Robbins' "Timeof Your Life" CD program which is also quite good.

This book changed my life from ineffective to effective.
I found this book in a used book store in 1985. After reading it I immediately went about implementing the system defined by Dr. Hobbs.The results were amazing.I started to get high marks in university, Iaccomplished long term goals and increased my own self esteem.

I continueto follow this system today and I learn more and more about effective timemanagement every year.

I recommend this book most highly to anyoneinterested in CONTINUOUS self improvement. ... Read more

Book Description

Shows how to carve out a new career path filled with passion and enthusians without leaving your organization for greener pastures elsewhere. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great career guide
I picked it up and I couldn't put it down.It's got the right tools and advice for a person that career minded.It also made me realize that I can get the brio that I want out of my career, just where I am.This is a great read!

Powerful and Practical
I've read alot of career and self help books about success in organizational settings....they all primarily prescribe a formula for actions and behaviours that if magically applied somehow will lead to a better work life. Although some of these have helped me, non have really focused on the fundamental principle of success which is You.

This book is powerful because it recognizes and starts with the premise that change must happen from within first....it is not about an organizations gifts or limitations but rather yours.

The other powerful thing which I encountered was that it was simple and practical and led me through a few focused exercises that helped me reframe the things I love to do, what an organization is and is not, and then how to apply what I love in an organization successfuly resulting ultimately in a career that will flourish.

This book is refreshing, simple, real, and enduring. It does not rehash all the old business and career advice but rather creates a practical approach to making You and your career work for you.

Finally the evidence is in that career and organization hopping is a fad of the 90's...but not a requisite in the 21st century.

I highly recommend this book...it has helped me deeply and it's effects will be long lasting.


Sarah Winthrop (London, England)

Make it Work Is Making My Career Work . . .Finally
Simpy put, this book changed my career, and in many respects my life.Unlike so many business, career and self-help books, "Make it Work" gets beyond the hype and cliches and offers real principles and a process for building a successful career inside a company.It is both a good read, and a great system.It offers compelling theory and pragmatic principles. These powerful principles (e.g. Passionate Core) are found only here and are immensly useful in surfacing a person's unique needs and bringing them effectively into their work and career.

I have given copies of "Make it Work" to the people I manage as it provides them with the tools to take ownership of their career and bring their passions to work everyday.It's a win for them and a win for the company. ... Read more

Book Description

When slighted, misunderstood, cut-in-front-of, annoyed, takenadvantage of, or treated rudely, most people avoid their bosses, ignore co-workers,change hairdressers, complain to friends, shout and pound their fists. They often miss themost positive, effective alternative of all: confronting positively. Now, for everyone whowas never taught, or never realized, that between "bully" and "wimp" is a range ofbehavior that is positive, dignified, and effective for dealing with life's bothersomesituations, there is The Power of Positive Confrontation.This practical, step-by-step guide will not only improve your ability to confrontothers, but will also help you to live a more conflict-free life. Filled with hundreds ofreal-life examples drawn from communications expert Barbara Pachter's twelve years ofteaching assertiveness and business etiquette to more than 150,000 people at allorganizational levels, The Power of Positive Confrontation will show you how to:• assess your usual confrontational style • identify the main reasons why you many not be confronting • understand the consequences of not confronting or confronting negatively • learn how to evaluate another person's behavior in a conflict situation• master the three essential steps of polite and powerful behavior • recognize vital verbal and non-verbal factors that can help ensure a positiveconfrontation • handle difficult conversations, no matter what the circumstances. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Perhaps three chapter's worth of usable content
It's only natural for a popular self-help speaker with a truly great message to want to put it into book form. The Power of Positive Confrontation teaches a truly great technique for confronting others that will help everyone who has trouble standing up for him or herself. Too bad there's only about three chapter's worth of actual content in its sixteen chapters. Instead the author gets into telling us how to dress for success, how to convey the information that a friend or loved one is in the hospital, do's and don'ts of International Travel along with several chapters of warm-up before finally getting to her actual WAC technique. Don't get me wrong, I still recommend this book highly but an abridged cassette version would be a lot less painful.

Why Win-Win" Is So Much More Effective Than "Zero-Sum"
With Susan Magee, Barbara Pachter carefully analyzes all of the skills anyone needs to resolve conflicts at work, home, and in life. Confrontation is inevitable. Think about it: What REALLY upsets you? How about "road rage" when someone else cuts you off, tailgates, deliberately forces you to the side of the road, etc.? Or how about "office politicians" who lie both to your face and behind your back, thrive on hurtful gossip, and in countless other ways try to advance themselves at the cost of others? Make no mistake about it: Negative Confrontation also has power.

Pachter has a specific objective in mind: To enable those to read the book to master the skills needed to resolve confrontation is positive, constructive, and beneficial ways. As indicated in the Preface, she wants each reader to be able to say "I don't feel frustrated any more..." or "In the past I would have sulked or complained until the person got the hint, now I can just say something..." or "Annoying things don't bother me as much because I know I can say something now."

The book consists of 16 chapters, ranging from "Positive Confrontation -- What It Is and How It Can Make Your Life Better" to "International Etiquette", with Chapter 16 followed by a "Final 12-Step Pep Talk." Over the course of the book, Pachter covers just about every conceivable situation in which conflict can occur at work, home, and in life. I think this book will be invaluable to individual readers as well as to senior-level executives who can use much of the material to help those whom they supervise to master the same skills.

What A Life Saver!
I've never been very good at confrontation; I always feel like I've said or done the right thing in the wrong way. This book changed that for good. Positive confrontation is something we all aspire to but rarely achieve. I've used what I learned in this book to deal with issues at work and at home -- and it works! Now I handle confrontation in the "right" way, and things work out much better both for me and for the person on the other side of the issue. This is a great book!

The Power of Positive Confrontation
Using the techniques I learned in this book, I was finally able to confront my mother in law and my co worker about things that have been bothering me without getting upset. It worked! I found out that I was using self-discounting statements and my body langauge was a problem too. The book explains the WAC'em technique for getting your words together. The "W" helps you define what's bothering you and why. ... Read more

Book Description

Between dealing with difficult people and navigating through unexpected and complicated situations, the typical day at the officeinvolves making countless choices on how to engage with others. To succeed in the long run, good work relationships must be carefully developed andmaintained.

A Survival Guide for Working with Humans presents real-life scenarios of specific work relationship problems, along with interactive quizzes, andanswers on how to solve each of the problems. The book shows readers how to:

* Deal with ethical dilemmas in the workplace * Resolve everyday conflicts * Know when to speak up, when not to, and what to say * Make a graceful retreat from an unwinnable confrontation

A snappy, conversational style combines with dozens of practical tools and examples to make a fascinating, essential book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Practical recipes for handling difficult people on the job
Gini Scott's A Survival Guide For Working With Humans: Dealing With Whiners, Back-Stabbers, Know-It-Alls, And Other Difficult People highlights specific problems and uses case history examples to show how they were effectively solved. Short, practical recipes for handling difficult people on the job, ranging from a tyrannical boss to sensitive colleagues and plain incompetents, provide anyone in the business world with a host of tips to problem-solving troubled relationships. All levels of workers will find A Survival Guide For Working With Humans to be an invaluable reference. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Does your work matter? Do you transform mundane tasks into "WOW Projects!"? And, most important, do you consider projects "dynamic, stimulating, a major bond builder with co-workers, a source of buzz among end-users, and ... inspiring, exhausting, hot, cool, sexy, where everyone else wants to be"? If not, consider reading this enthusiastic project primer, which joinsThe Brand You50 and The Professional Service Firm50 in Tom Peters's list-filled Reinventing Work series.

Stressing the importance of following a project from start to finish, Peters breaks the WOW Project (also known as the "Way Cool" project, by the way) into four stages--create, sell, implement, and exit--and 50 lists. No. 24 (titled "Work on BUZZ ... all the time!")recommends making a stir about the "WOW-worthy project," showing off your team's success with buttons, mugs, and T-shirts. Shameless?Perhaps. But if the project is truly worthy, then "parading your team's spunk is a matchless sales/marketing--not to mention morale-building--ploy."

Peters--who communicates in lists, one-word sentences, bold, capitalized, and half-tone text, parenthetical asides with jumpy punctuation, and more than a few interjections of "WOW!" and "Way cool!"--is not for everyone. Mellow readers may want, instead, to check out Eric Verzuh'sThe Fast Forward MBA in Project Management. But project managers seeking to shake up mundane assignments will find plenty of original, easy-to-implement ideas in this guide to getting things done. --Rob McDonald ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Reinvigorate your vision for your work
As a multimedia software writer/producer, I thought my projects were pretty hot stuff. That might be true, but reading "The Project 50" sent me on a quest for the fabled "way cool" moniker for every project I do.

In this practical and outrageously optimistic book, Peters makes a clarion call for work that matters, that takes your breath away--that, in short, WOWs not only your clients/customers but everyone who sees what you do.

With 50 suggestions (each with a number of action items) for creating WOW projects, Peters stirs a divine dissatisfaction for business-as-usual. "Good enough" work no longer is--and will soon be the death knell of its practitioners.

With characteristic bullets, colors, UPPER CASE PHRASES, and underlines, Peters confronts us with the challenge of the near-future: Making the most of the new millennium will require nothing else than producing WOW projects--whether they be spread sheets or theme parks.

This book reinvigorated me and recast my vision for the future--so much so that I bought copies for my fellow writer/producers. Read it and you'll see why.

Lots of WOW information--but too drawn out
I've read the first book in the series "Brand You" and am starting "Professional Service Firms" because I like the way Tom Peters thinks and presents his material. However, this book, "The Project" has the same Peters quality--but his 50-List could have been shrunk to 20--it seemed as though he was just trying to meet the 50-List title in the book series. His material focuses on the small project--you take it on--and you are still taking on a thread of of the organizations DNA/culture. I would still buy the book--it will just be a quick read for you.

Guides you in making your work and your life matter.
When you learn to use this little book you can turn nasty little jobs into opportunities that are rewarding. Sounds like the same old words but it sure doesn't feel like "the same old" when you get it to work the first few times. It MAGIC and it makes your project fun, manageable, and they are all set up for further correction and deeper development.
I used to hate making some business telephone calls and after I defined the project and found the WOW in it, it became O.K and then went on to be one of my strengths and I'm making friends on the telephone now and have doubeled my income. This is powerful and Tom Peters is to big a part of our business evolution to not have as a traveling companion as we become more and more part of the global brain.

From ordinary task to cool, sexy, memorable WOW! projects
Tom Peters is an ex-McKinsey & Co. consultant, who become a management guru by being the co-author of business super-bestseller 'In Search of Excellence' (1982). He has written several books after that huge success, but nothing has come close in quality. This (little) book is part of his 'Reinventing Work' series.

The aim of this book is to make us "believe that work can be cool. That the work matters." The reason? "Work - yours and mine - as we know it today will be reinvented in the next ten years." Perhaps you believe this, but I do not. Yes, we can make work and, in this case, projects more interesting. Tom Peters comes up with a list of 50 ways how to do this. The list is split up in four parts: (1) Create; (2) Sell; (3) Implement; and (4) Exit. Each of the 50 ways raised consists of a short introduction, the main point ("the nub"), the impact, and some examples and quotes. Most of the 50 ways are quite interesting, but they could have been cut down to some 25.

I always feel disappointed when I have to write a negative review, but this time I have no choice. Tom Peters is a famous management guru and an excellent motivational speaker. I feel that he tries to bring his famous energy from his seminars across by using plenty of capitals, wild colors, abbreviations, and exclamation marks. But it just does not work (for me). There are some interesting points, but he would have been better by producing a video of his seminars or writing a proper book - like 'In Search of Excellence' (1982) - on projects. For people interested in projects and project management there is plenty of choice elsewhere. Although the book is small and consists of only 200 pages, the book is not that simple to read due to its format and structure.

Useful, if (in appearence) banal and silly
We are in the age of manufactured enthusiasm. How anyone can imagine that regular work in a business should be stimulating to the point of being really really cool is simply beyond me. Yet year in and year out, Tom Peters (and an immense cohort of lesser talents) continue to tell us that yes, work can be fun and cool, etc etc. And he continues to make the really really big bucks doing so.

Either Peters is onto something, or we are all fools for treating him like he is. What I believe is that he has inserted himself into business speak as one of our principal formulators of vocabulary to dress up our normal drudgery as something more than it is.

Peters pumps businessmen up, flatters their vanities, and sends them back to the real work with a new vocabulary of "change agents," "WoW projects," and innumerable other expressions of similar banality. He tells them that what they are doing is significant and interesting, and that they can make every project into a fantiastical thing that will change the workd as well as enhance their careers. This boggles the mind, particularly if you have read it more than once in such puffed up venues as Fast Company and Wired, which I believe bring the the profession of journalism to the crudest boosterism, akin to the promoters of primitive Western cities in the 19C America.

In Project 50, Peters offers "fifty ways to transform every 'task' into a project that matters." They range from "reframing" the task as it was posed (make it revolutionary) to selling it succinctly ("metaphor time!") to implementing it ("celebrate failure"!! as a learning experince and as a useful exercise of thinking "crazy") to Exiting ("Seed your freaks into the mainstream"!). If this does not want to make you vomit, try reading it straight through. Doesn't it make you cringe?

And yet.

In my education work with managers whom I sincerely admire and who are undoubtedly highly intelligent and savvy, they gobble this stuff up and use it. While they disdain much of the ridiulous in Peters' vocabulary (the "nub", etc.), they find it profitable to discuss these ideas and it inspires them to change. Thus, I must conclude that there is something is all this hype, something useful that gets pulled out and applied. I just wish that it didn't seem so trivial and silly, so over the top for people who consider themselves writers. I saw a group of extremely bright people wave this book like it was Mao's Red Book durin the cultural revolution. It was stupefying.

So I must say: this book is useful. I make money from it too. And it changes behavior, at least in the activities that I have seen as an education professional. Thus, I must recommend it with a grain of salt. Don't get carried away, but don't have too closed a mind either. ... Read more

Book Description

This book will help you deal with your employees and co-workers by giving you the keys to understanding the way their brains--and yours--work. Using the metaphor of the dinosaur brain, the authors detail a whole range of human responses dictated by a part of the human brain sometimes beyond our control. They then show you what to expect from that part of the brain and how to be prepared for it, including such problems as turf battles, reflexive competitiveness, and office courtship. Outlines the rules of ^lizard logic, and how to use them to your advantage. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Valuable information about different situations at work
The best book about the social things that happen at work I've read so far. Clearly written, based on the simple principles of 'reptile logic'. I use it as my bible.

An Excellent Remedy For Frustration On The Job
I first read this book in 1990. Over the years I have given my personal copy to a number of co-workers who were having trouble coping with the workplace. I've had to replace my copy several times because they usually "forgot" to give it back. The chapter on the self-destructive nature of anger has served me well in many situations over the yeas. I consider this book a must for my own library.

Excellent realistic explanations of organizational behavior!
The book deals with real life situations at work nobody else in the field dares to touch. The authors attitude towards the tough issues in organizational behavior is naturalistic, professional, humorous and buzzword free. Compuslory reading, especially for a young professional who wants to underderstand the implicit - and thus the strongest - micro-rules driving corporate life.

The perfect anecdote to frustration created at the workplace
If you find yourself hating your job, feeling frustrated at work, or you just can't stand someone you work with, give Dinasaur Brains a try. It teaches, with plenty of humor and VERY realistic examples, how to understand what's going on inside those "dinasaur brains" you work with (and your own) ... Read more

Book Description

First Things First is a revolutionary guide to managing your time by learning how to balance your life. Traditional time management suggests that working harder, smarter, and faster will help you gain control over your life, and that increased control will bring peace and fulfillment. But in the first real breakthrough in time management in years, the authors of First Things First apply the insights of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People to our daily problems of struggling with the ever-increasing demands of work and home life.

Rather than focusing on time and things, First Things First emphasizes relationships and results. And instead of efficiency, this new approach emphasizes effectiveness. It tells us:

* Why we feel a gap between how we spend our time and what's deeply important to us
* How focusing on efficiency and control increases the gap instead of closing it
* How to determine if what you're doing is really important -- or only urgent
* How to overcome the tremendous gravity of habit
* How to put people ahead of schedules
* How to lead your life, not just manage your time

Offering a principle-centered approach and the wisdom and insight that made The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People a #1 bestseller, First Things First empowers listeners to define what is truly important; to accomplish worthwhile goals; and to lead rich, rewarding, and balanced lives. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

We need these daily reminders
Our lives are busy and full of change. Keeping our priorities in order while maintaining focus and vision is a constant challenge. We live in a society that loves short cut techniques where there is no short cut, only a path based on principles revealed throughout history. A meaningful life is not a matter of speed and efficiency but what you do and why you do it - and we need to be reminded of this everyday. The best way is to take a few minutes of quiet time before the daily rush. Our hearts and minds need nourishment and this is the purpose of this book - to provide daily nourishment through the daily reading of wisdom literature that can have a profound effect on the quality of our daily decisions by keeping us focused on what is important and preventing us being swept away by urgency. Covey believes these little daily thoughts will help us do three things - to reconnect with our big ideas and the insights that accompanied learning them; to encourage us to take a little breathing space between events and our response - a space that reconnects us to our inner compass; and to garnish our wisdom literature habit. We need to be constantly reminded of the principles that have been part of the wisdom of every successful individual and civilization. These are some of the readings that made an impression on me:

January 4: Be governed by your internal compass, not by some clock on the wall.
January 5: If the thing you are committed to is principle-centered, you become principle-centered and you walk your talk.
January 11: While you can be efficient with things you cannot be efficient - effectively - with people.
January 14: We need to move beyond time management to life leadership.
January 23: Meaning is in contribution, in striving for something higher than self.
January 29: We choose either to live our lives or let others live them for us.
January 30: The best way to predict your future is to create it.
February 6: The more involved you are, the more significant your learning will be.
February 7: What does it matter how much we do if what we're doing isn't what matters most.
February 14: More than any other factor, vision affects the choices we make and the way we spend our time.
February 18: Vision is the fundamental force that drives everything else in our lives.
February 22: There's no way we can escape accountability. We do make a difference - one way or the other. We are responsible for the impact of our lives.

I think that Covey is right. We need a five-minute reminder as we start each day to make sure that we keep our thoughts, plans and priorities pointed in the right direction because where we're headed is more important than how fast we're going.

First Things First - Fabulous.
Mr. Covey & Mr. & Mrs. Merrill did a great job putting together this audiocassette recording of First Things First. The teachings contained within educate you on how to find a balance in your life, fulfillment, and how to become more effective. Teachings regarding the 4-quadrant time management theory help you find where you are putting most of your time, and how effective it is. The authors put time management in its proper place: revolving around what is important and of value to you. Principle-centered living and basing your mission upon those principles will assist you in life success. I was very encouraged, and only wished that I had bought the six-tape system (I listened to the four-tape system).

Three authors, 1 CD - Good Highlights
Some people on the reviews complained about the book not just being Covey talking...but if you notice the book is written by three people (yeah, Amazon only shows 2, but I have the book in front of me) The CD is a good highlight to explaining the basics to the First Things First principles. The cd says to get the book for using the meat and potatoes of the book...BUT there is also a 3 Disc set out there which is Unabriged and tells it all (for some reason I can't find it on Amazon...but have found it in searching around the net) So if you want the basics to remind yourself of what you are doing (Review regularly to make it a part of your life is a common self improvement strategy) is quicker than re-reading the book over and over... especially when given the gift of traffic to slow down and enjoy the CD.

Less than enthralling
I was dismayed to find that this audio book is simply a laundry listing (in an "advice o'the day" format) of tidbits of wisdom. The wisdom offered is good, mind you, but if you are looking for something to stimulate and entertain you (eg on a long car ride) you will likely be disappointed. I can only listen to about 4 or 5 tidbits before I lose interest.

Too Abridged To Be More Than An Inspiring Introduction
The strength of the abridged audiocassette is the conviction in Dr. Covey's voice. It will convince you that this is an important subject.

The weakness of this audiocassette is that you will learn the principles behind Quadrant Two Time Management, but not how to do it. As the audiocassette will tell you, you will need to buy the book, study it, and then start doing it. I thought this was so substantial a weakness that I graded the book down two stars for this limitation.

If you are pretty sure you want to use this method, go directly to the book. If you are not sure, listen to this audiocassette. I found a copy in my local library. Perhaps you can, too.

The time management technique here is intended to be a fourth generation of that method of getting more accomplished. The main different is that the goals here are to achieve more balance in your life by having you focus first on doing what is most important to you that will make the most difference. You will plan weekly, and reiterate your planning to learn from your experiences of the prior week.

Quadrant 2 is the area where activities are important, but not urgent. These activities are often overlooked, or are pushed out of the way by urgent activities, including ones that are unimportant.

The time management process is designed to handle all elements of your life, personal life as well as work. An analogy is used to putting big rocks, gravel, sand, and water into a jar. If you start with the big rocks, you can get everything in the jar. If you start in the opposite order, you'll never fit the big rocks in.

You are encouraged to develop a personal mission statement (because seeing meaning to life gives us more optimism and perserverance), consider all of your life roles, locate the highest payoff areas for those roles, make principle-centered decisions, exercise integrity in your moments of choice, and continually reevaluate how you are doing.

After you listen to this work, consider how well balanced or unbalanced your life is. Then think about what your habits are that cause you to have such imbalances. Next, start changing those habits to better ones.

... Read more

Book Description

In a breakthrough Organization Man for the twenty-first century, bestselling author Art Kleiner reveals that every organization is driven by a desire to satisfy a Core Group of influential individuals and explains why understanding this group’s expectations is the key to success.

When corporate leaders announce, with seeming sincerity, “We make our decisions on behalf of our shareholders,” their words are taken at face value. But as recent news stories prove, this imperative is routinely violated. In Who Really Matters, Art Kleiner argues that the dissonance between a declared mission and actual operation can be seen at organizations large and small. All organizations have one motive in common. Every decision—which projects to back, who to promote, or how to spend money—is affected by the perceived wants and needs of a core group of people “who really matter.”
The composition of the group can differ from organization to organization. Often, the most senior people in the hierarchy are members—but not always. Sometimes, the people who “matter” can extend far down the corporate ladder, or even reach outside the company to include key customers, labor union leaders, and stockholders. Kleiner gives readers clues about how to identify a core group’s real mission by observing its day-to-day actions, listening to the fundamental message it sends employees, examining its management of new members; understanding the ideas that shape its policies about management, money, and the way the world works; and avoiding the taboos governing the way it operates.
Whether you’re a member of the Core Group—or want to be—this deft, engaging blend of argument and observation, anecdotes and advice, is the one guide you’ll need to achieve your career goals and aspirations by navigating the hidden pathways in any organization, large or small.

Reviews (10)

The SIMPLE Truth
Folks, I'm an Organization Development Consultant with 22 years of corporate experience spanning 3 Fortune 100 companies and a host of many smaller companies. I work internally for a major company, externally for several others. I teach Organizational Behavior online. I have a BS in Industrial Engineering, an MS in Manufacturing Management, an MA in OD and I'm 40% toward becoming a PhD in Human and Organization Development. I only lay that framework to add some credibility to this review.

This book lays out THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPT OF THE DECADE. Remember when Senge hit the market with the Fifth Discipline? Remember when Goleman hit the market with Emotional Intelligence? Remember when Gardner taught us about intelligence? Well, if you remember them you'll remember the special "feel" you got for that work, when you read it you knew instantly that it was right.

Well, Art Kleiner has done it for us again. This concept is astounding to read. If you believe as I do that BRILLIANCE comes in SIMPLE packages then you'll understand why this aerospace engineer turned People Person loves this work so well!

Art lays out the concept of a Core Group that runs the organization you work for. The purpose of ANY organization is to serve the needs of the Core Group. Period. It works whether you are at Citibank or whether you are part of a sewing circle. The ones in charge call all the shots and learning the nuances of this and how to relate is what Art is all about.

I've picked up SO MANY books that were a waste of my time. Not this one. Read it, confirm me in this. I use this in my coaching work, I use this in my teaching. I have been both a "victim" of this concept as well as a consummate "gamesman" at this concept all of my life. As you read this you will have story after story after story come alive for you from your past as you piece this game together. I'm telling you, this is fantastic thinking.

I love to challenge my new MBA students with this work. They love to "kill me" for the work at first until they start to realize how important Art's work is. I love to needle them as they come to the realization that Art is right, that Art's work is simplistic genius.

I have asked many people that I work with at a peer level to engage me in conversation regarding this concept. It makes them a little nervous because the truth is nerve wracking at times. But once they embrace it they get busy. You see, once YOU embrace it you will get busy too, you will get busy building new self help strategies that are less "touchy feel" crap and more dedicated to the attainment of your goals. Trust me, this is awesome stuff.

The people who I find this work to be most valuable for are the Core Group members of any company I work with. It is important for them to know this work so they know how to analyze their own needs and how to expand their needs to include others. Where was this work when Enron was faltering? Where was this work when Arthur Anderson was helping them falter? Read this work, think about these headline corporate events and your life will be forever different for this concept will give you THE FRAMEWORK to think about corporate purpose and the motivations of executives. Remember, I'm an engineer, I like SIMPLE!

PS - I will dialogue with any of you on this. Send me a personal email at odjoe@charter.net. Because I use this work with my students and clients I made contact with Art directly. I found him online at his website (http://www.well.com/user/art/) and he wrote me right back and we've been in dialogue. He's a great guy, not just a good author!

Fabulous book
This book is fascinating on (at least) two different levels. First, it is the most useful self-help book I have ever read. Second, it is a very interesting psychological portrait of organizations, and those who run them and run from them. In this sense, it is not unlike other tales from the analyst's couch that I have read and enjoyed.
Self-Help Book
Who Really Matters is an effective self-help book for those of us who have trouble negotiating life in and with organizations and those who run them. Kleiner starts with the premise that certain core groups run organizations and it is only by understanding and dealing with those in these core groups that one can understand and deal with the organization. This insight was not news to me but what Kleiner does with the insight is remarkable and I learned a tremendous amount about organizations and myself thorugh Kleiner's lively case histories of organizations and those within organizations. Through the case studies, a clear picture of the psychology of the leaders (or core groups) of organizations emerges. Kleiner prompts the reader to question himself about his own past and present experiences with core groups and organizations. He also helps the reader recognize patterns within orgqanizations that indicate that the organization (or you within the organization) will be successful or his headed towards inevitable disaster. In this way, I emerged with a much clearer picture of how power operates within organizations and of my own reactions to that power and how those reactions serve (and disserve) me.
I found particularly helpful his list of the differnt kinds of capital an individual could amass in order to be in a strong position vis a vis an organization -- reputational (keep your name known in the field in general); relational (friends all over); financial (you can figure that one out), etc. He then discusses what the different kinds of capital will do for you vis a vis the corporation. I also found helpful his discussion of the glass ceiling. Most women I know, including myself, have difficulty asking employers for money. Kleiner explains why asking for too much money is rarely frowned upon within orgnaizations and why waiting for the organization to give you that which you "deserve" is rarely in an individual's self interest. The book is the best and most useful self-help book I have ever read.
Psychological Case Studies Are Always Fun to Read
The second way in which the book is terrific is that it is essentially a psychological analysis of organizations, how they operate, who operates them and how we react to the "organization," the core group running the organization and those without the core group. I am not someone who has read much on businesses, mostly because I always thought such books are boring. This is definitely not a boring book. It puts the personal elements of business in the open and makes the business world much more accessible for liberal arts types like me.

The "Invisible Committee" has a name -- the Core Group !
Kleiner's position is self-evident and irresistable to the reader. It was right there in front of us all the time -- so why all of these years couldn't we see it?!!

John Cougar's "The Authority Song" (authority always wins) came to mind before getting to page 3. So what exactly is "authority" anyway? Unless one is naive and thus on the way to being laid-off or fired in today's "swim with the sharks" corporate environment, it's for darn sure not the org chart on the wall. Instead, it's a small, incognito, collective of individuals upon whom legitimacy for calling the shots is "implicitly" bestowed by the organization at large. Prior to this book by Kleiner, this collective was simply known as "they" (aka "the invisible committee"). At last, "they" have now been exposed and are known by their real name. Kleiner has entered the "Metaphor Hall of Fame" by mainstreaming the term "the Core Group".

Before you smugly reply "I knew that already", pair up the above observation with this additional Kleiner bombshell: the purpose of an organization is *NOT* to fulfill the mission & vision of the company. INSTEAD, an org exists to serve the "perceived" needs of the CORE GROUP ! Human nature is the darndest thing ! Add to this a 3rd Kleiner truth, and the arena for a paradigm-shifting experience is set: the world is run by an infinitely large community of core groups -- NOT individuals or organizations.

Speaking as an I.T.-focused OD-HRD person, it's sometimes hell on earth to be a "professional heretic" in a world where organizations are being run by the first generation in history to "have the choice" to be knowledge workers. Using Covey-speak, in an ideal world this social arrangement would realize synergy of the org at large, not just independence & competence of the individuals within it.

But unfortunately, at this juncture in our history, Mankind is still very much a babe in the woods in terms of his understanding of how to work together in true team-like fashion instead of facing everyday adversarially in organizations that O.D. guru Chris Argyris calls "skillfully incompetent".

In closing, I found this book personally very helpful by giving me clarity of both the very self-destructive phenomenon Kleiner calls "core group envy", as well as the 7 forms of human capital equity (note to H.R. professionals here: compensation is a mere subset of the larger value delivered by a "total rewards" approach that's actually required for today's knowledge worker).

Though Kleiner has invested a lot of time working personally with Peter Senge, going forward he continues to demonstrate that he is very much his own man. Get a copy of this book and get ready for a cold but timely slap in the face. It's good medicine, really! Read this work over 3 evenings and do so with profit !

Does this Concept Really Matter?
Core Group theory is a vague notion that is as well-meaning in its intentions as it is blurry in its specifics. The theory's basic goal is clear enough: the empowerment of workers who feel their work is neglected by their company. Ultimately, however, the author, Art Kleiner, has a far more ambitious aim than simply reordering business organizations, envisioning a world (unions, schools, the body politic, etc.) developed along his Core Group theory.

The book's problems begin immediately with the introduction of the Core Group theory. What is it? Kleiner claims it is the people in an organization who matter - the ones with power. But how can it be applied to a particular company or organization? Is the president of the company part of its Core Group? Probably, Kleiner says, but don't assume it. What about his secretary? Possibly. What about the head of an important division in an organization? Maybe. Is it the people in the organization with the best titles or those who make the most money? Not necessarily. Can someone be part of the Core Group one month and then out of the group the next month? Yes. At one point, Kleiner even says the Core Group exists "in people's hearts and minds."

In other words, Core Group theory is a subjective notion. This lack of substance haunts the rest of the book. The people who matter in an organization are the people who matter. Period. Even if you are part of an organization, you can't be sure who matters. As Kleiner makes clear in the beginning of the book, you can't even be sure about your own status. You might think you matter, and indeed for a while you might matter, only to discover later on that you don't.

Despite this muddled beginning, Kleiner soldiers on as if he has given the reader something concrete to grasp. He mentions the history of some companies as examples to highlight his theory, but it's clear that with a theory this flexible, there is no company's history that can't be explained with it. Whatever decisions the company makes are due to the Core Group dynamics. If it appears that something the company did can't be explained by the Core Group theory, then you simply don't understand who belongs to the Core Group. There's a circularity to the theory that makes it impervious to any empirical proof.

Ignoring those difficulties, Kleiner moves on to give a solution to those left outside the Core Group: develop a shadow Core Group. Given that you can't be sure who is in the Core Group and who is not, this seems rather dangerous. I'm not aware of any organization that would look kindly upon an informal group set up within it that second guesses, however nicely, the formal organization's power structure. Kleiner acknowledges the difficulties, but says that with "a certain finesse, a fair amount of relationship and reputation equity, a willingness to experiment....Most of all, it takes...time and commitment that people generally do not invest in organizations." In other words, Kleiner believes that a shadow Core Group must be far more talented in their organizational and people skills and more dedicated to the company than the Core Group itself. This seems highly unlikely to happen.

I don't think Kleiner is really interested in looking at real-world organizations as they are so much as he's interested in dreaming up some catch-all theory to turn organizations (and ultimately the world) into what he wants them to be. And why not? There's a certain appeal to his theory. Almost everyone who's worked in an organization has at some point felt his or her talents and efforts were neglected by those in charge. Unfortunately, the real-life solution to such a problem was to either work harder and make the organization notice you, or cozy up to someone in the in-group. Kleiner's solution of making everyone part of the in-group sounds nice, but its pleasantness is of the same variety as fluffy talk of wanting everyone to be rich or happy.

When all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
The main point of this book is there exists a core group of people in any organization. Their concerns are what really drive the company. Not the market, the business, or anything else. There is a club aspect to any business, no matter how people may want to pretend its something more slick/high tech. Plenty of anecdotes. The book has some merit. However, this book should be called "Core Group is My Theory to Explain Everything". I would bet over half of all the paragraphs in the book contain the phrase "Core Group". I wonder if the author has a copywright on the term or something. Maybe hes doing "Core Group Learning Seminars", for a fee. (Be sure to go to one and tell me how it is.) To sum up : Good anectdotes, not great book structure, massive repition of the term "Core Group". There are alot of management books out there. Just throw this onto the pile. ... Read more

Book Description

In The Secret Handshake, top corporate consultant and USC management professor Kathleen Reardon explores and reveals the hidden rules on the ins and outs of corporate politics that you won’t find outlined in any employee handbook.
Based on hundreds of candid interviews with executives at Fortune 500 companies who have achieved their goals and joined the inner circle, The Secret Handshake lays bare the unstated conventions that govern and shape corporate hierarchies. Taking readers inside boardrooms to learn firsthand how the top decision-makers view and assess the employees under them, it offers invaluable advice on such career-building tactics and skills as getting noticed, networking, persuading others, knowing which battles to fight, and mastering the art of the quid pro quo. For all those who aspire to be part of the decision-making body of their organization, The Secret Handshake is the ultimate intelligence report on whom to trust and whom to watch out for, how to manage the inevitable conflicts that will arise, and how to read between the corporate lines.
... Read more

Reviews (19)

Good Book. Nasty Subject
I've noticed a wide variation of reviews, with most of the negative reviewers unable to separate the book and the subject. Office politics IS a distasteful activity...it wastes time and prevents many skilled workers from getting the rewards they deserve.

But--as the author herself notes, it is here to stay, so either arm yourself or be robbed.

I have read a number of office politics/OB books. What sets Reardon's book apart from the others is the following:

--Self-evaluation tests...of your workplace and your personal style. Knowing yourself is the first step to optomizing yourself.
--Relevant anecdotes...Reardon is an academic, and academic politics is really the second worst out there (the military is the worst). Furthermore, her experience as a consultant means she sees more politics in a year than most of us will see in a career.
--She covers all aspects of the game. When to fight, when to give in, how to make up, how to build bridges, how to recognize barriers.

This is a good overview of a nasty, brutish subject. Was it useful? Ask me in five years, when I'll have either made it or not.

Practical, emperically based and thoughtful.
There are several negative reviews posted for this book with which I would beg to differ.

I found the book to be well written - it's an easy and quick read - with a good balance of analysis and allegory.

This is a difficult subject that has been used and abused my many opportunists. It is very clear from the text that the author has plenty of experience in business politics - something that is rare. This is not just another trendy 'business communications' treatment of the topic. This is NOT a workbook - it is NOT a step-by-step book, it is NOT a 'list' book (7 habits?), it is NOT a 'success' book. This is a practical treatment of a complex topic by an expert in the field.

As I read this book I was able to relate my experiences and see them in a different light - I was able to understand how I could have handled situations differently and perhaps better - not just once, but throughout the book.

We've all heard of 'dysfunctional families', there are also 'dysfunctional offices' and this book will help you identify if you are part of one.

For me this was a very worthwhile book, I will read it again and recommend it to friends.
That's my take - loopster - Chicago, IL

disappointed
these methods are common sense-- it is a total waste of time and money.

A Chance To Enhance Airport Intelligence
Not slim pickings, Kathleen Reardon's book is not as simple a read as the airport reads that I call 'the food books'--books about cheese and fish that you can barrel through before you even take out your boarding pass. While these books are fast and entertaining and make you feel great while you are reading them, let's face it, few readers take the time to consider how to implement the principles into their own real-world challenges. Reardon's book provides a validated base of knowledge with field-tested strategies that can help you maneuver life's political communications, which, when it comes right down to it, includes just about every communication including navigating your way to and through the airport.

Kathleen Reardon is an expert who has translated reams of real-world data, along with her decades of expert knowledge regarding effective communication, into a readable, knowledge-packed book. Given that, it is amazing that it is not encyclopedic.

It does take more time to get through this one than the airport fast food books. Still this book is remarkably understandable and a relatively simple read given all of the knowledge upon which it rests. Rather than implying that reading the book is enough to go forward in the world to implement the principles and strategies, the book provides a framework that readers can apply, with thought and consideration, to their real world political communication challenges. In reality, that includes just about every communication challenge we face--even navigating our way out of the house and through airport lines.

While airport reads have provided us with the illusion that knowledge and inspiration can be attained in a nanosecond, this book confirms that it is a bit more complex and that with a valid knowledge base and the time to assimilate it into your own world challenges, you can inspire yourself to communicate effectively in any arena.

If enough frequent flyers and the people who work to help those frequent flyers navigate the airports read this book and turn it into action, we may see the emotional intelligence and intellectual smarts improve on all runways of life.

A Decent Book on a Very Critical Career Development Skill
Kathleen Kelly's book is extremely well written with practical advice on how to achieve recognition within business and political circles that matter. While some of the suggestions appear to be commonsensical, one will be amazed to learn that most of have failed to implement any of these suggestions for achieving the Secret Handshake. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nearly all business books deal with managing a company. The Valuable Office Professional, by Michelle Burke, addresses the usually neglected but nonetheless critical matter of managing a manager.Approaching issues from the perspective of the staff, Burke shows how to develop the assistant-boss relationship into a true partnership. Tips and exercises are included to help transform these often one-way associations into effective teams, even when the boss chooses not to see the assistant as a counterpart. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Career minded Admin need this book
This book was great! I have Michelle Burke's five core competencies hanging in my office to let others know how seriously I take my career. I have read the book several times and have found it extremely useful and motivating. Great Book for anyone at any stage of their career.

Michelle Burke's Corporate Value
Burke's invaluable 'Valuable Office Professional' has saved our organization both the headaches of administrative training as well as the cost of on-going educational maintenance. The beauty of her insight applies quite poignantly to help increase the productivity of not only the office assistant but CEO's alike. Recommended for all who endeavor to succeed in corporate America.

The not so valuable book of office professionals.
I order the book and I started to read it as soon as I got it out of the box. I also ordered the Webster"s secretarial handbook. This book was a lot better and had useful information. The Valuable office professional was a bit confusing to read. The information was very pointless. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Is It Possible They Still Don't Teach It At Harvard?
Mr. McCormack reminds us of the fundamentals and basic goals of business in order to succeed and prosper. The book is quite clear and informative. It's the kind of book that you want to share with everyone, but on the other hand keep it to yourself because what you learn from this book will make you appear like a genius. This is a book that everyone from students to business managers and owners should read. It's a quick and easy read with long-lasting practical benefits. It is a must read.

A Must Read
I read McCormack's first book right out of college and use his advice daily. He has a no-nonsense approach to business and understands business is about common sense and relationships. This is an important book that everyone from the recent college graduate to the CEO should read. It is a must read.

How To Become a Successful Negotiator
This book applies by all circumstances and all field of our life to improve its quality. I would like to pay more attention to the following 5 points of view and learn how to control your bad luck.

1. In charge of host not guest. He says, "Do prepare the things they are never expecting at the meeting. This means surprised something always can enforce the relationship between you and them. Get ready? Go for it. 2. Know about your customer or client first before you let them purchase your produts. Keep listening and watching their body and oral language to understand what they want rather than emphasize your desire. That's the point. This may lead you high performance.

3. Avoid conflicting. Excellent negotiator can be able to endure until right time coming with perseverance to win finally.

4. More listen less speak. Open your ears and close your mouth toward others. It will lead to successful businessmen but difficult to do.

5. Remind the importance of time management Persuade your time or you will be conquered by it. Manage it minute by minute effectively. In this case, we don't need speed. We need depth.

His lesson is still available even though 13 years over from his writing time.

Experience makes wisdom.
The word of "Marketing" has been very familiar with us but "Sports Marketing" since 1960. At that time, Mark McCormack established IMG to promote golfer and assigned himself as a Head. He is now representative of the IMG, has the highest reputation in the world multinational marketing company, specially sports star to become heroes. He mentioned on this book the people never judged by their academic background and racial distinguish.

Experience Writes this Book
There is No Doubt that Mark McCormack has extensive experience in Management. He has also dealt with top CEO's in fields not relevent to his (as potential or actual sponsors) so he does have what it takes to write a good book about the practice of management (this is not a book about his profession, but about general management). He does an excellent job in conveying everyday managerial situations and he is a very organized communicator. I found this book easy to read, enlightening and practical. I strongly recommend it to people in all sorts of managerial jobs. ... Read more