Technical Communication

Book Description

Technical Communication represents the works of five highly respected authors, all writing in their areas of expertise. Scientific examples and assignments within a social context are used for a realistic view of communication issues. This is the only text to extensively address argument, including reasoning, credibility, persuasion, decision making, problem solving, and critical thinking. The topic of audience is also addressed more thoroughly than in any other text. The book covers the traditional parts of the technical communication course but has been updated greatly to respond to the demands that the computer places on communicating.

Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways to Do Less and Accomplish More

Average customer rating:

Excellent Book to save time
The original "Simplicity" is a must-read companion
WOW! Buckle your Seat Belts.
Fix my job......please!
Excellent Book

Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways to Do Less and Accomplish More
Bill Jensen
Manufacturer: Basic Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Simplicity: The New Competitive Advantage in a World of More, Better, Faster
What is Your Life's Work? : Answer the BIG Question About What Really Matters...and Reawaken the Passion for What You Do
10 Days to Faster Reading
Living The 80/20 Way: Work Less, Worry Less, Succeed More, Enjoy More
Bit Literacy: Productivity in the Age of Information and E-mail Overload

ASIN: 0738209120
Release Date: 2003-11-04

Book Description

In the Simplicity Survival Handbook: 32 Ways To Do Less and Accomplish More, Bill Jensen, author of the best-selling Simplicity, offers step-by-step techniques to running your business more successfully and getting more accomplished in a shorter amount of time. In today's extremely fast-paced world, Jensen's user-friendly-and often hilarious-survival guide is an indispensable guide to workplace survival.

In a world of more-better-faster, the challenges and stresses in the workplace have never been greater. The new rules seem to be too much to do and not enough time. Time is at a premium and the pace is always increasing. And in an economy where worker talent (things like know-how, energy, attention, commitment, and creativity) is at a premium, everyone is trying to maximize personal productivity.

In The Simplicity Survival Handbook, Jensen offers the antidote you're seeking: a practical guide to doing less in a world of more. He also demonstrates how to make your time count. A few of the daily struggles that Jensen addresses include how to:

* Deal with Bosses Who Don't Get It
* Delete 75% of Your Emails
* Clarify Your Goals More Quickly
* Decide: Stay or Go

From "How to Write Shorter Emails for Better Results" to "How to Use Your Mentor to Help You Do Less," Jensen offers proven strategies for communicating more effectively, setting priorities, and balancing the competing demands on your time, while avoiding the time-sinkers. He also takes on corporate foolishness, walking you through how to be more productive and take greater control of your workday and, by extension, your life. The Simplicity Survival Handbook is an indispensable tool for anyone struggling to succeed in today's take-no-prisoners business climate.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent Book to save time.......2006-12-23

This is a must read for anyone who uses a computer for their work. The book suggests the reader skip to the summary in the back and save even more time by not reading the book - great idea. Since what Bill Jensen has to say can be said in so few words because he know what he wants to say, how he feels about it and what he wants the read to do.
Read it or at least the summary; then just hand it to a co-worked, family member or anyone you just want to help out.
I have deleted more e-mails without opening them then ever in my life. Since I read this book it has handed back hours a day to me that I was wasting on work and e-mails.

The original "Simplicity" is a must-read companion.......2005-09-26

Bill Jensen's ideas and tactics have crystallized my ability to be effective. I read "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" before reading Jensen's original "Simplicity", and for me, "Simplicity" is superior because (1) it explains the rationale behind Jensen's ideas and (2) offers invaluable guidance on effective presentations. "The Simplicity Survival Handbook" 's examples were not as helpful to me as the initial wisdom and suggestions in "Simplicity". Read them both!

WOW! Buckle your Seat Belts. .......2005-05-13

What I like about this biz book:

1) Its fun and challenging "If your boss doesn't get it, and has a high likelihood of never getting it... time to say "goodbye". Pretty simple right?

2) Attitude of "You don't have to be a victim of corporate crap"... reminds me of a refrain I have heard from my husband when he talks about his day job "They can't even run their own life, I will be damned it they run mine"

3) Respect yourself more. Your time is valuable. Push back.

4) The complexity starts from within. From within my own company, within myself.

The How To Section(s)
Email
Scan incoming subject and author, if not relevant hit "delete"
Scan email for 1) action to take 2) deadline date.

In sending messages use the 3"x5" space constaint.

If it is simplier it is more likely to be done. Make it easy.

Remember the key: what do you want them to know, feel and do!

Presentations:
Turn the one point you want people to know into a question. Provoke conversations. Give everyone handouts. Use of Stories is a good thing.
1 hour presentation = 20 slides MAX!

Meetings Big Idea!! When you agree to chair a meeting approachit as if you have just been handed a portion of someones life. Because you have. Run a meeting like one that you wish you had been invited for.

Helpful hints 1) get only the important people 2) get the right people 3) define what success looks like 4) Mentally see the successful meeting 5) Put the objective of the meeting up front
6) Be passionate about the people and reason of the meeting.

Fix my job......please!.......2004-05-15

With a title like this, Jensen's book should be flying off the shelf. I know it caught my eye when I first saw it. We all want to "do" less and "accomplish" more and there are some excellent ideas in this book to help you do just that.

Nothing in this book is easy, though. Someone as inclined to follow the rules like myself will find it difficult, if not impossible, to implement the more demanding recommendations. This is a shame, as these people are those who would probably benefit the most.

Even if you don't think of yourself as a rabble-rouser, you should still read this book and take heart that there are some possible methods of extracting yourself from business situations that leave you feeling busy, but not very productive. There are ways of escaping the bureaucracy and yet keep your job.

The cutest, yet still effective, idea in the book is the "Less-O-Meter" associated with each chapter. These graphical gauges give you an "at a glance" reading on how much Courage you will need to put this tip in place, how difficult it can be and the possible yield to your productivity and happiness.

You may be ready to take on your whole company and engage in full-scale "pushback", but implementing even one idea from this book could do a world of good for you, your job and your career, while helping your company, as well.

Excellent Book.......2004-04-03

I think this book is the best book ever written for dealing with the business world today. I feel like it was written for me. I wish I had access to this book 5 years ago, I could have used it.

Thank you for your contributions for helping to make a healthier more informed work environment and employee for those who take a long time to get there.

Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future
Average customer rating:

Turning to One Another - Review

Read it and talk about it with a group of friends.

Heart blowing!

If there is one book on changing relationships you must read, this is it!

One of the most important books I've read

Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future
Margaret J Wheatley
Manufacturer: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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A Simpler Way

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Solving Tough Problems: An Open Way of Talking, Listening, and Creating New Realities

ASIN: 1576751457

Amazon.com

It is impossible to read Turning to One Another in the wake of the devastating attack on New York City's World Trade Center and not marvel at the book's eerie and moving prescience. Of course Margaret Wheatley has already earned herself a (deserved and legit) reputation as the Oprah of "sensitive" organizational books with such titles as A Simpler Way. But this book--devoted entirely to centrality of conversation in healing everything from personal relationships to organizational dysfunction to world discord--flows so broadly and easily across the borders of genre or topic it's almost as though Wheatley intuited when writing it how the need for its message would soon skyrocket. "The intent of this book is to encourage and support you to begin conversations about things that are important to you and those near you," Wheatley writes right up front in the clean, straightforward voice that always saves her work, unlike that of so many other "New Age" gurus, from cheesiness. "It has no other purpose." She then delivers on that promise, making her points in short, succinct, finely written essays on various aspects of human understanding and connection, invoking the thinking of great humanists like Paolo Friere and Nelson Mandela, peppering her thoughts with encounters with people around the world, and then expanding on 10 "conversation starters" like "Do I feel a 'vocation to be truly human'?" "When have I experienced good listening?" and "When have I experienced working for the common good?"

Suffice to say, those looking for some worksheet-packed, three-step plan for organizational harmony won't find it here. Those willing to take a slower, harder, more thoughtful and likely more rewarding path to better relations on any level--or even those looking for the book equivalent of a cool, tall drink of water (perhaps where all change begins)--will be truly moved and genuinely inspired by Wheatley's practical, timely wisdom. --Timothy Murphy

Book Description

"I believe we can change the world if we start talking to one another again." With this simple declaration, Margaret Wheatley proposes that citizens band together with their colleagues and friends to create the solutions for social change, both locally and globally, that are so badly needed. Such change will not come from governments or corporations but from the ageless process of thinking together in conversation. Turning to One Another encourages this process. Part One explores the power of conversation and the conditions -- simplicity, personal courage, real listening, and diversity -- that support it. Part Two provides ten "conversation starters" -- questions that in Wheatley's experience have led people to share their deepest beliefs, fears, and hopes.

Customer Reviews:

Turning to One Another - Review.......2007-09-10

I enjoyed reading Margaret Wheatley's book, "Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future". This book is easy to read, applicable and possibly life-changing.

Read it and talk about it with a group of friends........2007-06-13

Read this book with a group of your friends, or neighbors, or with a group of the willing. The opening premise simply states: "I believe we can change the world, if we start listening to one another again. Simple, truthful conversation where we each have a chance to speak, we each feel heard and we each listen well." The book encourages us to actually listen to each other, to different perspectives, to our own perspective, with the aim that we are better off when we have genuine connections with others. One of the best parts of the book is "A Prayer for Children" by Ina. J. Hughes; the poem is poignant, humorous and intriguing.

Heart blowing!.......2007-03-08

So simple, and yet such a fresh way of looking at life, leadership, community and conversation. I learned a ton from this book, very helpful in specific situations I am involved in. It teaches me how to become an ever better listener.

If there is one book on changing relationships you must read, this is it!.......2006-10-26

Margaret has created such a powerful book on conversation, learning, and change. I can not imagine a more powerful book telling stories that can transform how we work, play, and learn together. This is a life changing read and one that I highly recommend. And even more importantly, in such a turbulent time, keeping in conversation with others may be the only thing that helps us hold this world together. Therefore, do not only read the book, but put into action conversations that can change the world.

One of the most important books I've read.......2006-06-23

Margaret Wheatley's Turning to One Another: Simple Conversations to Restore Hope to the Future is one of the most important books I've read.

It is based on the incredibly simple premise that growth, real growth begins with two people having a conversation.

Part 1 discusses a range of subjects: Wheatley's views on conversation and listening, including the importance of staying with conversations that sometimes get "messy" to reveal deeper truths and commonalities; her belief in the importance of being surprised and even shocked by the person(s) with whom she converses, versus seeking people who agree with her, affirm her thoughts, or where the conversation follows either a predictable course, or safe outcomes; the belief that differences between people can lead to deeper commonalities and greater closeness.

Quite frankly, there are simply too many gems of wisdom and insight in this book to do more than recall a handful that particularly struck me.

Part 2 is very short, restating some fundamental principles or concepts explained in greater detail in Part 1.

Part 3 is a list and explanation of 10 possible conversation openers.

This is not per se a "how to" book, as if there is "one way" either to converse, listen or relate to another person. Quite the opposite. She talks, for example, of the reality that various people can have a seemingly unlimited number of interpretations and reactions to a given event to stress (implied) that what matters is the process, the act of conversing and relating.

Wheatley's book is about possibilities, the possibilities that everyone possesses in terms of relating to one another, personal growth, healing oneself and restoring hope in the future, compared to the fragmentation, isolation, pressures of day-to-day life, the impersonality of technology, etc.

It is an exciting book to read, a book that virtually anyone can benefit from no matter where they are in their lives. It is, fundamentally, a gift that those of us fortunate to read this book should be grateful Margaret Wheatley wanted to share.

Harvard Business Review on Decision Making

Average customer rating:

First, decide which decisions are most important rather than merely urgent.
Best Decision I've ever made
Effective Decisions
Theory and Practice - advice from the leading minds.

Harvard Business Review on Decision Making
Peter Ferdinand Drucker , John Hammond , Ralph Keeney , Howard Raiffa , and Alden M. Hayashi
Manufacturer: Harvard Business School Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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Smart Choices: A Practical Guide to Making Better Decisions

ASIN: 1578515572

Book Description

The Harvard Business Review Paperback Series is designed to bring today's managers and professionals the fundamental information they need to stay competitive in a fast-moving world. From the preeminent thinkers whose work has defined an entire field to the rising stars who will redefine the way we think about business, here are the leading minds and landmark ideas that have established the Harvard Business Review as required reading for ambitious businesspeople in organizations around the globe. Harvard Business Review on Decision Making will help people at all levels understand the fundamental theories and practices of effective decision making so that they can make better decisions in their personal and professional lives.

Customer Reviews:

First, decide which decisions are most important rather than merely urgent........2007-05-14

Much of the contextual material in this volume is out-of-date, given the fact that the eight articles originally appeared in the Harvard Business Review years ago (1965-2001). However, I think the core concepts remain sound and provide a valuable frame-of-reference for understanding the advances in decision making that have occurred during the last five years. For example, Peter Drucker suggests a sequence of six steps: classify the problem, define it, identify possible answers, determine which is "right" rather than acceptable, build into the decision the action(s) necessary to implement it, and then test the decision's validity and effectiveness. Yes, these are obvious steps. However, but the number of well-publicized bad decisions that have been made in recent years (e.g. Adelphia Communications, Arthur Andersen, Enron, Kmart, and Tyco) suggests the implications and consequences when decision-makers ignore one or more of these steps.

No brief commentary such as this can do full justice to the rigor and substance of the eight articles. It remains for each reader to examine the list to identify which subjects are of greatest interest to her or him. My own opinion is that all of the articles are first-rate. One of this volume's greatest benefits is derived from the fact that a variety of perspectives are provided by a number of different authorities on the same general subject. In this instance, "advances [to date] in strategy"

Readers will especially appreciate the provision of an executive summary that precedes each article. They facilitate, indeed expedite frequent review of key points which - presumably - careful readers either underline or highlight. Also of interest is the "About the Contributors" section that includes suggestions of other sources to consult. Here are questions that suggest key issues to which the authors of these articles respond:

How to make and then measure an "effective" decision? (Peter Drucker)
Comment: Effective executives do not make a great many decisions. They concentrate on what is most important.

What is a rational method for making trade-offs? (John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, and Howard Raiffa)
Comment: Making wise trade-offs is one of the most important and difficult challenges in decision making. Needless to say, the more alternatives you are considering and the more objectives you're pursuing, the more trade-offs you'll need to make.

Why is humility essential to effective decision-making? (Amitai Etzioni)
Comment: Only fools make rigid decisions and decisions with no sense of overarching purpose, whereas the most able executives practice more humble decision making that offers the benefits of flexibility, caution, and the capacity to proceed with partial knowledge.

What are the most common interpersonal barriers to decision making and how to overcome them? (Chris Argyris)
Comment: One of the most common observations in company studies is that executives lack awareness of their own behavioral patterns as well as the negative impact of their behavior on others.

How to analyze the nature and extent of the given problem? (Perrin Stryker)
Comment: Even veteran managers are likely to be very unsystematic when dealing with problems and decisions, and their hit-or-miss methods often produce bad decisions based on erroneous conclusions.

What are the hidden traps in decision making? (John S. Hammond, Ralph L. Keeney, and Howard Raiffa)
Comment: Bad decisions can often be traced back to the way the decisions were made - the alternatives that were not clearly defined, the right information was not collected, and the costs and benefits were not accurately weighed.

When to "trust your gut"? (Alden M. Hayshi)
Comment: Our emotions and feelings might not only be important in our intuitive ability to make good decisions but may actually be essential because they can help us to filter various options quickly.

Those who share my high regard for this volume are urged to check out the recently published Harvard Business Review on Making Smarter Decisions as well as other titles in the Harvard Business Review Paperback Series such as those on Becoming a High-Performance Manager, Change, Corporate Strategy, Decision Making, Effective Communication, the Innovative Enterprise, Leadership, Leadership at the Top, and Measuring Corporate Performance.

Best Decision I've ever made.......2005-07-23

Don't let the title mislead you, this book won't make decisions for you. I will however, give you the ability to make use of your most powerful business tool: a convincing guess. Many times I would stumble blindly through the veil of uncertainty, only to arrive on the otherside; lost, confused, naked, and too sore to sit down. But, now, after digesting these powerful articles, I can make my way through uncertain times; clothed in conviction and sitting on a soft pillow of apathy.

Effective Decisions.......2004-10-08

Being an effective manager requires being a good-decision maker too, having ability of using factual and quantitative information to analyze what is the most efficient decision to reach a well-defined objective. Making good decision by applied management science approach is the benefits that managers expect to learn combining with past experience to decide on what should be done. However, in the real-reality (as opposed to virtual reality, as a model), many decisions can be made under the highest-level conceptual understanding. In addition, a better understanding of decision making can be broken down into six sequential steps according to Drucker (pp. 2-19)

1. Classifying the problem in order to tell if it should be solved based on either principles or pragmatic concept. The problem can be categorized in three groups. The first group is the generic problems; for example, in a manufacturing organization, it may happen the situation like total amount of products decreasing. At this stage, the product control or engineering group will look at what is going on in a production line. To illustrate, the coupling in the pipe carrying steam or hot liquids, rather than the problem of production processing. This kind of problems frequently happens. The second group is a unique problem for the individual institution. The third group is a truly unique problem which happens out of exception. The truly unique events are rare and have to be treated individually. Unlike truly unique events, the other two groups require a generic solution. They require a rule, a policy, or a principle. Once the right principle has been developed, all manifestations of the same generic situation can be handled pragmatically by adjusting the rules to each specific case.

2. Defining the problem. After classifying the problem is generic or unique, it is quite easy to define what the problem is about that we are dealing with. However, it is the most important part of the whole decision process because sometimes the definition of the problem seems plausible but incomplete. In order to avoid this kind of carelessness, Peter F. Drucker suggested all of the decision makers check this process, defining the problem, again and again against all the observable facts and discard a definition the moment it fails to encompass any of them.

3. Specifying the answer to the problem to see if the decision is on the boundary conditions or not. A decision that does not satisfy the boundary condition is worse than the wrong definition of the problem. Therefore, before picking up the optimal solution, a decision maker has to deeply think about a question, "what are the objectives the decision has to reach?" Clearly thinking about the boundary conditions will help decision makers identify all of the possible decisions which can satisfy the needs.

4. Deciding what is right, rather than what is acceptable, in order to meet the boundary conditions. It means before paying attention on making decision acceptable by the compromise, adaptations, and concessions, we have to let the solution fully satisfy the specifications. However, if a decision maker does not know what will meet the boundary conditions, the manager cannot distinguish the difference between the right and wrong compromise. As the right and wrong compromise, Peter F. Drucker had an interesting description. The right compromise is like an old saying, "Half a loaf is better than no bread." In the contrast, the wrong compromise is like, "half a baby is worse than no baby at all." From this interesting description, it is easy to realize that deciding the right decision is more important than choosing the acceptable one.

5. Building into the decision the action to carry it out. Converting the decision into action is the most time-consuming steps in the decision-making process. It is true that we will not know the decision is the most efficient or not if we put the decision into practice. There are several questions that have to be answered before committing the decision, "Who has to know this decision?", "What action has to be taken?", "Who is to take it?", "What does the action have to be so that the people who have to do it can do it?" From those questions, it is obviously that an appropriate person who carries out the decision must have enough capabilities of adjusting his/her behavior, habits or attitudes once a decision becomes effective.

6. Testing the validity and effectiveness of the decision against the actual course of events. The feedback of decision action is the important information for a decision maker in order to realize the result of the decision model also for the future model building. However, information should be built on the direct exposure to reality, rather on decision makers themselves. Above all, six steps of decision process are the stepping stones for decision making. Although a good decision may be made under the decision-making process, sometimes the decision will still fail because of the mind of decision makers. The way the human brain works can destroy the choice we make. In the article, "The Hidden Traps in Decision Making, (pp. 143-67)" John Hammond, Ralph Keeney, and Howard Raiffa list nine psychological traps that may affect a way that a decision maker makes business decision.

1. The anchoring trap makes people give inappropriate weigh to the first information we receive. In business, for example, although it seems the decision that a manager predict how much product need to be produced by taking the former sales reports as a reference is reasonable, the old sales numbers become anchors because it may let a manager put too much attention on past event but not give enough weigh to other factors. Under this situation, it can lead to a poor forecast.

2. The status-quo trap means people may have biases on the situation we feel comfortable with so that we will not choose other alternatives even they are better. In order to make decisions rationally and objectively, a decision maker always have to keep in mind that the decision will be acted under the status quo and never consider status quo as the only alternative.

3. The sunk-cost trap is another serious biases. People always believe that successfully past decision even though it does not work anymore at the present. In order to put the suck cost away, a decision maker can listen other people's viewpoints and those people must to be those who did not experience the earlier decisions.

4. The confirming-evidence trap makes people find out the information to support an existing predilection, rather than to conflict it. On the other hand, people will try to discount the opposing information. In order to avoid the confirming-evidence trap, a decision maker can set up a clincher, let other people argue it, and listen people's advice.

5. The framing trap happens at the beginning of the decision process. When it occurs, the decision goes wrong because a decision maker has already misstated the problem.

6. The Estimating and Forecasting Traps have three minor traps,

a. The overconfidence trap makes people overestimate the accuracy of the forecasts.

b. The prudence trap causes people to be overcautious when people make decision under uncertain or risky situation.

c. The recall ability trap leads people to give incorrect weigh to recent, dramatic events.

The book rightly emphasizes the facts that a good decision not only relies on clearly defining the alternatives, collecting the correct information, and so on during the decision-making process, but also relate to the benefits and costs which are weighed accurately. Furthermore, the background, the experience of a decision maker will be one of the factors which affect the decision making. Except the factors of individuals, the economic circumstances will influence the decision and its action too.

Theory and Practice - advice from the leading minds........2003-08-12

There are several books from the Harvard Business Review that follow this simple format - essays on critical topics by the leading minds in the field compiled into a short book of around 200 pages. One of these critical topics is Decision Making. That topic is the focus of this book.

There are hundreds of books on management, strategy, leadership, etc. but not many are purely dedicated to treating the subject of Decision Making from a theoretical and abstract perspective. This book contains 8 short essays presenting different theories by people by Peter Drucker.

The first chapter starts off with an impressive treatment of The Effective Decision. It is impressive because of the wisdom packed into these few pages and the aptness of the title. The author (Peter Drucker) dispels the myths about the most effective decision makers being the ones that can think fast and manipulate a large number of variables in their heads. Instead he explains that the best decision makers are the ones who focus on impact instead of technique. He then systematically explains a simple process to follow to achieve the same results as the highly successful executives.

The book then moves on to topics dealing with how to make trade-offs, humble decision making (which is nothing but accepting that your first impressions may be wrong and be open to changing the direction of your thoughts as more information becomes available), interpersonal barriers, hidden traps, when to trust your gut, and analyzing problems. The essay on interpersonal barriers was very familiar to me as I had experienced the situations described several times in my own career.

The book is simple - it has no pictures, just some tables once in a while and some blank paper at the end of the book to takes notes. The size is small like a novel but very potent! When I first saw this book at a bookstore, I didn't think much of it. But I picked it up because of the Harvard Business Review name on the front cover. I couldn't put it down once I started reading the first chapter and immediately purchased a few books in this series.

These books and especially this one can be described in only one word - potent. They are like text books or Ph.D papers except they are very practical. These are some of my favorite management/business books but they are difficult to digest. Since they are abstract in nature, one has to read them very slowly and read them with total concentration. The authors don't spend time painting a picture in detail and trying to get you excited. They get straight to the point and finish it in less than 20 pages. If you read these books like you would read other books, you are likely to miss the point.

This book in particular is very unique as there aren't that many books dedicated to just Decision Making. Enjoy learning from the masters! Good luck!

Blind Spots: Achieve Success by Seeing What You Can't See
Average customer rating:

NJReader

Blind Spots Lead to Accidents

The Ophthalmology of Increased Self-Awareness

Blindspots is a great read and a must have!

Best Guide for Career Success

Blind Spots: Achieve Success by Seeing What You Can't See
Claudia Shelton
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Know-How: The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform from Those Who Don't

ASIN: 0470042257

Book Description

Praise for Blind Spots

"Shelton's open and candid style inspires trust among readers. Management teams and those making career choices can push their effectiveness up a notch with her skilled approach to facing blind spots and moving beyond them."
—Rick McNutt, Executive Vice President, National City Bank

"Blind Spots gives individuals a comprehensive, but very manageable, set of tools and strategies to see themselves differently. The stories of people whose lives have been changed by Shelton's principles and techniques enhance the strategies she presents. This is a compelling book with the power to improve lives dramatically."
—Eleta A. Jones, PhD, LPC, Assistant Director, Center for Professional Development, University of Hartford

"Shelton's approach to identifying blind spots goes to the heart of effective leadership. Such interest arose from this work that requests poured in for not only follow-on training regarding Blind Spots, but also for developmental coaching. Six months later, people are still talking about Blind Spots."
—Jack Bergquist, Vice President, Kaman Aerospace

"When I recognized my blind spots that made me underestimate my entrepreneurial strengths, I was able to move forward to launch a successful company. This book is a must for building resilience to face the challenges of a start-up."
—Marilyn Nemarich, entrepreneur and owner, Marilyn's Pies

"This book can teach you how to see inside yourself. As I was reading it, I kept thinking of the song On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. Learning about your blind spots leads to clear sight, which can create possibilities for innovation and growth."
—Jane Hunt, Assistant Vice President for Executive Development, The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc.

Customer Reviews:

NJReader.......2007-09-23

A total waste of money. Don't bother. The essence of the book is: think of the things that are in the way of your achieving what you want to. Then think of ways to fix them. Unfortunately I bought the book, sight unseen. I'll never do that from Amazon, again.

Blind Spots Lead to Accidents.......2007-08-06

Reading this book caused me to consider my own blind spots. I asked a few friends and discovered the painful truth: I have them and they are not helping me.

Almost everything we do, achieve, lose, or gain will be impacted and influenced by our relationships with others. Shelton's book is window through which we have the opportunity to consider our own self-destructive behaviors that ruin and spoil these relationships. She also offers the chance to take action to deal with our blind spots honestly rather than engage in the more typical blame game.

She helps identify some of the most common behavioral blind spots and then offers solid strategies for resolving them.

Not knowing where your blind spots are in an automobile can lead to accidents or worse. Not understanding your behavioral blind spots will limit your career growth, success, and ultimately destroy your personal relationships.

Jeb Blount
Author of PowerPrinciples: Do You Have The Winning Edge?

The Ophthalmology of Increased Self-Awareness.......2007-05-01

As Claudia Shelton explains in the Preface, the material in her book is organized around "three simple focuses": guidance to the development of the perspective and mindset necessary to "see things about yourself that you previously couldn't see" (i.e. blind spots), strategies to help convert these blind spots into strengths on which to build success, and provision of a set of tools "to help identify personal information about one's specific blind spots." I appreciate Shelton's skillful use of several reader-friendly devices such as the statement of a key concept for each of the chapters which comprise one of the six Sections. For example, for Section Four, these are "The Strategies for Clear Sight":

Chapter 11: Identify what you do best in a "Statement of Strengths"
Chapter 12: Check counter-productive habits using an "Old Habits Blind Spots Grid"
Chapter 13: Convert stress into a positive source of energy
Chapter 14: "Tune your radar" to recognize non-verbal "clues" sent to others
Chapter 15: "Connect" more effectively with others to strengthen relationships

As these strategies correctly indicate, Shelton offers no head-snapping revelations (nor does she claims to offer any); in these and other chapters, she identifies the "what" and then devotes most of her attention to the "why" and "how." For that reason, she thoughtfully extensive material that can guide and inform a series of self-audits to help each reader determine the nature and extent of the gap between her or his current level or recognition and what is desired. In Chapter 15, for example, Shelton identifies and briefly discusses five of the most common causes of disconnection that include disengagement. That is, "not speaking clearly, not listening to what others have to say, [and] not providing useful feedback," any/all of which can prevent a convincing presentation of ideas. To paraphrase The Golden Rule, "Others will do unto you the way you tend to do unto them."

Many readers will be especially grateful for the Appendix that Shelton provides. In it, she offers brief descriptions of all recommended "tools"(with a handy page reference for each), a brief review of the five most common blind spots, and summary descriptions of nine models that comprise the "Blind Spots Profile." The ultimate objective is to develop the strengths while reducing (if not eliminating) the weaknesses of each, such as what Shelton rather clumsily characterizes as the "Optimistic Image-Oriented Producer" who tends to rend feelings first, is extroverted, is a high-energy multi-tasker who produces many projects valued by others but who can sometimes be disorganized and indecisive and, when under pressure, become distant (i.e. "disengaged") and thereby alienate others.

Make no mistake about it: What Shelton recommends in her book requires a full commitment of time, energy, and attention over an extended period of time, although those who carefully absorb and digest the material and then begin to identify their blind spots will immediately increase their understanding of themselves and probably of others, also. It is important to keep in mind that some blind spots are easier to recognize than others. Also, that certain revelations about one's self (i.e. one's inadequacies and their consequences, to date) will probably not be pleasant but are nonetheless especially important. Be grateful for having eliminated, finally, what have probably been the worst blind spots.

Those who share my high regard for this book are urged to check out Lynda Gratton Hot Spots: Why Some Teams, Workplaces, and Organizations Buzz with Energy - And Others Don't, Michael Useem `s The Go Point: When It's Time to Decide--Knowing What to Do and When to Do It by, Howard Gardner `s Five Minds for the Future, and Tom Rath's StrengthsFinder 2.0: A New and Upgraded Edition of the Online Test from Gallup's Now, Discover Your Strengths.

Blindspots is a great read and a must have!.......2007-04-20

Claudia Shelton invites us all to learn more about ourselves, and, specifically about our Blindspots - - She has a welcome depth of insight into what keeps us from reaching our dreams and our goals - and, strategies to face and manage these obstacles and challenges squarely, in order to live the life we want to live. The good news is that Blindspots is as applicable to personal life issues as it is to leadership, because it gets to the source of seeing the truth about yourself. Blindspots is a great read and a must have!

Robin Stern, Ph.D.
author of The Gaslight Effect
The School at Columbia University
The Woodhull Institute for Ethical Leadership

Best Guide for Career Success.......2007-03-26

Are you looking for the one book to help you manage your career? This is it. Well-researched, easy to read, immediately useful to self-diagnose obstacles to career success, BlindSpots should be required reading for anyone leading or aspiring to lead an organization. Claudia Shelton uses her expertise as an executive coach to quickly help the reader identify personal strengths that can hamper success. Using a five-part framework and individual stories of successful people going awry, she then works through five principles of clear sight - ways to turn those blind spots into strengths. Insightfully written, with on-line tools available [...]

Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job

Average customer rating:

Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job
Dealing with dysfunctional workers
Is one person making you feel crazy?
More of a reference book, but a very good reference book!
exactly as advertised. Quick shipping.

Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job
Alan A. Cavaiola
Manufacturer: New Harbinger Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

A Survival Guide for Working with Humans: Dealing with Whiners, Back-Stabbers, Know-It-Alls, and Other Difficult People
Coping with Toxic Managers, Subordinates ...And Other Difficult People: Using Emotional Intelligence to Survive and Prosper
Since Strangling Isn't An Option
Coping with Difficult People: The Proven-Effective Battle Plan That Has Helped Millions Deal with the Troublemakers in Their Lives at Home and at Work
Dealing with People You Can't Stand: How to Bring Out the Best in People at Their Worst

ASIN: 1572242191

Book Description

In the authors' random poll of 1,000 working people, 80 percent said that a single coworker contributed significant stress to their workday. Everyone has worked with someone "difficult" - someone who could always be trusted to blow up or say or do something provoking or inappropriate. Psychologists Alan Cavaiola and Neil Lavender have studied this much-discussed but rarely addressed area. Their research showed that the conventional wisdom that some problem workers are "just nuts" was right: a sizeable number of such employees do in fact have full-fledged personality disorders. In Toxic Coworkers, they pinpoint a variety of personality traits and disorders, showing how they come about and offering effective strategies for coping with them. The authors cover the range of familiar types, from hyperactives, histrionics, and sociopaths to narcissists and obsessive-compulsives and provide concrete techniques for surviving them.

Customer Reviews:

Toxic Coworkers: How to Deal with Dysfunctional People on the Job.......2007-08-23

This book has really helped by putting a title to the different people I work with and for and where my frustration comes from. Also it has assisted me in dealing with the different disfunctions of personalities of the people with whom I spend most of my days with. I would recommend this book.

Dealing with dysfunctional workers.......2007-08-05

This is an interesting little book. It identifies some basic personality disorders and then speculates on how one might deal with such folks to limit the damage that they might do.

What is a personality disorder? The authors note that (page 4) "Personality disorders are long-standing disturbances in personality that usually begin in late adolescence and continue until adulthood." If the case is not too bad, such workers can be productive; if the disorder is pronounced, then real problems can occur in the workplace.

The disorders include the following: paranoid, schizoid, schizotypal, antisocial, narcissistic, histrionic, borderline, obsessive compulsive, avoidant, dependent, and passive aggressive.

For each, the disorder is described and examples provided. There is also discussion of how one might deal with either superiors or coworkers or subordinates who have one or another of the disorders. Some suggestions appear useful, others seem a little weak.

All in all, an interesting volume to read. See if you can identify any disorders in your workplace!

Is one person making you feel crazy?.......2007-03-30

As a physician, I have many patients come to me with physical or emotional symptoms of anxiety. If I discover that these symptoms are connected not throughout their experience but with just one person, say a boss, loved one or co-worker, I often recommend this book. This book brings personality disorders to the lay person. It is very readable and give specific techniques that with make things work smoothly with this person and examples of what will make things more difficult. This is a great read for anyone. I think we will all recognize people in our lives in each of the personality disorders. You will recognize your difficult person in one or more of the personality disorders. This book make you feel instantly sane because you can see that it's not you, that the difficult person can be acurately described by someone who doesn't even know you. An excellent book!

More of a reference book, but a very good reference book!.......2007-01-14

Not the type of book to sit down and just read. In my opinion, it is more of a reference book. Extremely long descriptions of each disorder, which is good in some ways... but the book tends to repeat the same characteristics in various situations... for example: Working with the Narcissistic Administrator, The Narcissistic Coworker and The Narcissistic Subordinate all define the same characteristics... just from different perspectives.

What the authors accomplish is to clearly spell out what you can expect in the workplace from each type of disorder, which is why I bought the book to begin with!

exactly as advertised. Quick shipping........2006-11-04

This is a book I won't go without in the future. Changing jobs with this book should be much easier, as the book helps you understand how to work with dysfunctional people on the job. If you have serious problems with people on the job, this is the book for you.

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels (Your Coach in a Box)

Average customer rating:

Good way to get prepared
Practical and Actionable. It is an excellent book on the subject of management transitions.
*****First 90 Days
A Must Read
Some great tips, but often not well developed or organized

The First 90 Days: Critical Success Strategies for New Leaders at All Levels (Your Coach in a Box)
Michael Watkins
Manufacturer: Coach Series
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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You're in Charge, Now What?: The 8 Point Plan
The New Leaders 100-Day Action Plan: How to Take Charge, Build Your Team, and Get Immediate Results
Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done
First, Break All the Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently
Right from the Start: Taking Charge in a New Leadership Role

ASIN: 1596590440

Book Description

The window of opportunity in a new position is a short one; according to career transition expert Michael Watkins, a new leader has 90 days to determine his success or failure on the job. In THE FIRST 90 DAYS,Watkins offers a practical, proven-effective guide for anyone moving into a new professional role. Whatever the stage of the listeners career, whether starting a new position or just adding additional responsibilities, these techniques can insure that this critical transition period proceeds quickly, smoothly and effectively. Drawing on both real-world examples and his groundbreaking research on leadership, Watkins provides a framework for success in all stages of the process, including: Diagnosing the new situation Crafting winning transition strategies Taking charge quickly and authoritatively Building teams and coalitions Securing early wins Avoiding the most common pitfalls Laying the groundwork for long-term success A breakthrough personal and professional survival guide, THE FIRST 90 DAYS will speak to self-help listeners across the career spectrum.

Customer Reviews:

Good way to get prepared.......2007-07-04

It just makes sense, and is very thorough. Many things I would not have thought about, or gotten around to thinking about - we live in such a fast paced world that it would have been a challenge to do. Luckily, I had a cross country trip, so this gave me the time to read this book and compile my "list" of notes and apply them to my upcoming job change. Bottom line - many good new perspectives that I simply would not have thought of. Highly recommended.

Practical and Actionable. It is an excellent book on the subject of management transitions........2007-06-22

As a human resources professional, I have seen a great deal of management transition. Many succeed but some do not. Unfortunately for our people and our organizations those that do not leave a stream of damage in their wake.

Recently I wrote a review about Scott Eblin's, "The Next Level" and I called it a real disappointment. This book is not and it is a far more actionable and practical approach to managing transitions.

One of the reasons this book is so practical is that each section not only provides you with clear direction but each section also ends with an action checklist. This make creating a 90-day transition plan doable and improves your prospects for success.

Lastly, the steps from this book create a framework that a company can use to create a "transition strategy" for all its new and upwardly moving managers. This alone will enable a firm to increase their odds that a new hire or promotion will be in the "win" column.

*****First 90 Days.......2007-06-10

I only ordered this for a superior and he is VERY VERY happy with the book...he asked for it by name so we ordered three copies! Thank you for the great service you provide.

A Must Read.......2007-05-30

Great book for all business leaders who are advancing to a new role or coming from the outside into an organization. Simple, easy to read with pertinent lessons for a successful transition.

Some great tips, but often not well developed or organized.......2007-05-28

We bought this book along with the "New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan" and read them side by side.

Pro:
-"STaRS" concept is excellent. Start-ups, Turnarounds, Realignments and Sustaining success are all different scenarios that you might be thrown into, and the environment you join directly affects what you need to do.
-Checklists are helpful, when available, to boil thoughts down to the most essential elements
-There are many good tips interspersed throughout the book that are good reminders of the basics you need to adhere to in order to be successful
-Breaks the "sink or swim mindset" often associated with starting a new position

Con:
-Does not really address the time opportunity BEFORE you start a job and in my experience is a major lost opportunity that I've been able to surprise and delight. Set up pre-meetings, arranging for email/phone and a place to sit, etc. as a chance to listen and learn without the pressure to perform. Any items that can/should be done ahead of time appear to me as afterthoughts, underdeveloped, and often out of sequence in this text.
-Would not serve as a handy reference... better chapter summaries and a stronger introduction with time lines and meaty chapter outline would have been helpful both now and in the future
-I think that many good concepts like "STaRS" were underdeveloped or under leveraged... I sense more detail that was perhaps omitted
-To me, many of the illustrations were filler and did not offer additional information
-Sometimes poor or awkward word choice or idea sequence (e.g. rather than "Promote Yourself" why not just call it "Prepare Yourself" as this is what you are really saying, so why not just say it that way?)
-Real life examples were unnecessarily detailed, consuming time and space that I think could be better used by the author as he's clearly brilliant and has some great observations
-I think that the scope is too narrow, picks up after you've started the job (day 1) and neglects the opportunity (and chaos) beforehand of the interview, moving, doing "pre-work" to get your basics at work set-up

Bottom line: While there were some interesting moments, I was disappointed. The book does offer several cautionary tales of CEOs who crashed and burned, and if nothing else serves as both warning and motivation to be smarter about your transition.

Winners Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have Forgotten)

Average customer rating:

A Very Important Business Lesson!
Easy Read and Well Worth It
A Diamond In The Rough
Self-Made Billionaire Justifiably Looks Inward for Unyielding Strength in Character
A Donation from Jon M. Huntsman

Winners Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have Forgotten)
Jon M. Huntsman
Manufacturer: Wharton School Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0131863665

Download Description

"Next time someone tells you business can't be done ethically-corners must be cut, negotiations can't be honest-hand them Jon Huntsman's new book. Who's Jon Huntsman? Just someone who started with practically nothing, and built a world-class business that carried him to Forbes' list of America's wealthiest people. Here, he presents the lessons of a lifetime: a passionate, inspirational manifesto for returning to the days when your word was your bond, a handshake was sacred, and swarms of lawyers weren't needed to back it up.

This is no mere exhortation. It's as practical as a book can get. It's about how you listen to your moral compass. It's about how you build teams with the highest values...share success...take responsibility...earn the rewards that only come with giving back. Huntsman built his career and fortune on these principles-from his refusal of the Nixon administration's corrupt demands, to his lifelong commitment to charity, to the way he approaches his biggest deals.

You don't live these principles just to ""succeed"": you live them because they're right. But in an age of many business scandals, Huntsman's life proves honesty is more than right: it's your biggest competitive differentiator."

Customer Reviews:

A Very Important Business Lesson!.......2007-10-22

Jon Huntsman runs through his successful business career showing the reader that you can become a billionaire 'Honestly" and with integrity.

The thing that struck me the most from this book is that Jon Hunstman is a man of true character.

Easy Read and Well Worth It.......2007-02-14

I blew threw this book. It is such an easy read and it held my interest the whole way through. Now, I consider myself different for even having an interest in this book because I think the people who NEED to read this book would never even consider it. Jon Huntsman calls for a return of old time values where your word is your bond and you consider giving more than hoarding.

It was an excellent book and it helped me look at all aspects of my life and work and find room for improvement throughout. I highly recommend it to everyone with a conscience.

A Diamond In The Rough.......2006-04-15

"Play by the rules. Keep your word." This is, easier said than done. But it's still a vital principle to stand and abide by. Honesty and integrity are certainly not always followed in the competitive business world. However integrity, trust, and reputation, is an ideal. And in some industries, the only ones that survive and prosper are those that cultivate, trust.

When someone ascends to the stratosphere in any niche, profession, or circumstance they can advise the rest of us, and base this advice largely on past anecdotal experiences. Author Jon Huntsman has achieved many things and he's had a lot of experiences in life. He worked as a staff assistant to Richard Nixon, on H.R. Halderman's staff. Not willing to cow-tow to unethical requests, he didn't last long in in Nixon's administration. He was also one of the few upper-level staffer to emerge out of Watergate unscathed. Huntsman didn't like Nixon because he didn't give enough to charity. He became a billionaire in the international business realm -- He also came from nothing. The world has grown more complex and fast-paced in recent decades. And appropriately, this book does NOT say that the world of business competition is all roses, because it isn't the case. But the value of integrity is very powerful.

Beginning with Chapter One: Lessons from the sandbox to the philosophical points of this book vs. reality in 2006:

Huntsman strongly advocates building and maintaining employee loyalty. This has proven to be the most productive model. Turnover does lessen it today, however. In recent years there have been several instances of unethical behavior in U.S. business. Indictments and convictions for fraud, and numerous other crimes committed. Is this corruption and criminal activity in U.S. business practices increasing? Or, was it just not as exposed as much in the past? Is the American business mind-set and model changing for the worse? Maybe. Maybe not. Whatever the case, the recent crimes have resulted in a substantial loss of public, regulatory, and legal faith and trust, in accounting, basic transparency. Workers' incomes have declined for decades, but CEOs give themselves multi-million dollar salaries, lump-sum pay raises, and bonuses - even after - pensions are wiped out. The Board prospers even in companies that are losing millions and even billions of dollars, per year.

Who should be reading this book?

I do like Huntsman's withdrawal from Mitsubishi business project in Thailand he'd invested in, by refusing to pay bribes. Unfortunately, companies that want into East Asian markets have to grease some elbows to be allowed in. The corporations and business people that pay, get in. Those that don't, are excluded. It's not right, but that's the way it is. Huntsman did note that he'd made "handshake deals" on price, securing his position, even though later the the price increased shortly thereafter before purchasing. In the U.S. and most places in the world today, "handshake deals" don't work because of the risk and potential loss involved. As for Huntsman take of the high road, when someone "talks about himself" in a self-congratulatory way, my red flags go up a little. Especially if they are an American.

Again, the concept of "Winners never cheat," is an ideal. In reality there are many of the victors who do cheat. But it still....is an ideal....one of which we must abide by, espouse, and practice, if the U.S. will continue to be the dominant player in international business in our global, economically interdependent, and ultra-competitive, world. I strongly believe as studies suggest, that U.S. dominance of economics, creativity and innovation, are because Americans in general, play by the rules, and can be trusted more than many foreign individuals, organizations, and institutions.

Huntsman deserves credit. He recognizes his faults and works toward being a better person. Many of us don't do this.

This book is a positive diamond in the contemporary business rough.

Self-Made Billionaire Justifiably Looks Inward for Unyielding Strength in Character.......2006-01-20

Having just read Senator John McCain's book, "Character Is Destiny: Inspiring Stories Every Young Person Should Know and Every Adult Should Remember", I can see how Salt Lake City billionaire philanthropist Jon Huntsman can get passionate about the same subject. Both books contain the overriding message that there is nothing circumstantial when it comes to people who achieve greatness, that in fact, they achieve greatness as a result of their own character. Whereas McCain uses a diverse gallery of 34 real people as his examples, Huntsman looks more inward toward his own experiences to illustrate the same conclusions. In so doing, he offers a "moral compass" by which business leaders and others can live.

Huntsman reflects on his childhood in Blackfoot, Idaho, where his father imbued him with the ethical standards by which he runs his corporation. He contends that children raised without an emphasis on honesty and virtue will find their truth in evasions and loopholes. Because they get away with it, they grow up to employ the same feeble excuses in their business and professional lives when they are caught doing something we knew we shouldn't be doing. We rationalize that immoral behavior is accepted practice. Shifting responsibility away from ourselves has become an art form. Parental example, whether for good or bad, is undoubtedly the most powerful influence on a child's moral and social development, especially for those not exposed to other role models or a caring educational environment.

It's a compact book, 185 pages, and the ten chapters have titles that seem more appropriate for a Gail Sheehy self-help manual. However, the truths that he espouses have great value and show Huntsman to be someone who lives by his rules. In particular, on his chapter about the obligation to give back, he is not afraid to expose Richard Nixon as someone who did not epitomize character. As his White House special assistant and staff secretary, he saw that Nixon gave only $500 to charity on a declared income of over $400K in 1971. Whether "that pittance was more onerous than Watergate" is arguable, but at least the author infers a valid point about how Nixon's alleged lack of character marked his Presidency.

Today we see leaders who willfully cast off the moral and ethical values they had inherited given the opportunity for personal economic betterment. The dissemination of acquired ethical standards may be more gradual in some cases versus others, as ambitious entrepreneurs succumb to the unrelenting pressure and intensely competitive atmosphere of modern business. Regaining public trust in the private sector, according to Huntsman, is imperative through the execution of a number of key principles - operating businesses and organizations as if they are family-owned; surrounding oneself with associates who listen to their conscience and act accordingly; and of treating customers, colleagues, employees and competitors with respect. His other points are even more fundamental - set the example; revenge is unproductive; return favors and give back to help those less fortunate.

Huntsman has certainly achieved a lot in his life to justify authoring this book, becoming one of the nation's largest philanthropists and raising a son who was recently elected the governor of Utah. Still, I think McCain's more deflective approach of using historical figures as prototypes of powerful character provides somewhat more resonance than an autobiographical treatise. I also could have done without an afterword by FOX News Channel commentator Neil Cavuto or a quote of praise from Dick Cheney. Whether intentional or not, their politically controversial presence undermines Huntsman's invaluable perspective.

A Donation from Jon M. Huntsman .......2006-01-13

Jon M. Huntsman writes, “Donations don’t always have to be money. In many ways, time is more precious than dollars. Giving of one’s time, lending one’s stature, and providing one’s expertise can be as meaningful as money (p.163).” Really, his excellent study is donation for me. I would like to share this donation to everybody with the following notes from this invaluable book:

• “The principles we learned as children were simple and fair. They remain simple and fair. With moral compasses programmed in the sandboxes of long ago, we can navigate career courses with values that guarantee successful lives, a path that is good for one’s mental and moral well-being, not to mention long-term material success (p.15).”

• “Values provide us with ethical water wings whose deployment is as critical in today’s wave tossed corporate boardrooms as they were in yesterday’s classrooms (p.29).”

• “Courage may be the single most important factor in identifying leadership. Individuals may know well what is right and what is wrong but fail to act decisively because they lack the courage their values require (p.66).”

• “As captains of our own character, it is essential we understand the great legacy of trust and integrity. We will be remembered for truthful disclosures and promises kept (p.85).”

• “Your word is your greatest asset; honesty is your best virtue (p.85).”

• “Life is not a game of solitaire; people depend on one another. When one does well, the others are lifted. When one stumbles, others also impacted. There are no one-man teams – either by definition or natural law. Success is a cooperative effort; it’s dependent upon those who stand beside you (pp.90-91).”

• “Some people earn admiration and respect. If you must choose one, however, go for respect every time (p.93).”

• “There is no book written, no guideline crafted or class devised that explain how to activate courage. Courage comes from deep within one’s being. Courage is not the understanding of what is right or wrong. Rather, it is the strength to choose the right course (pp.95-96).”

• “Most companies and individuals seek success and respect. To reach these goals requires a sense of compassion for others and desire to make others happy. Happiness is so meaningful to our lives. It often comes to us when we try to make others happy. Graciousness is catching (pp.127-128).”

• “In a family business, check your ego at the door. There is no room for self-aggrandizement or self-promotion. In a family business, everyone knows the abilities and shortcomings of the others. There are no secrets. The success of family business relies on trust, respect, and love (pp.144-145).”

• “Be a cheerleader for each other. Seek good fortune for the other person first. Most family businesses end up in disarray because of the selfish interests of one or another sibling (p.145).”

• “All companies – public or private – must create a culture in which employees come first and are treated royally. Believe me, they always return the favor (p.150).”

• “It is of little consequence where or how or to whom we give. What really matters is our attitude (p.162).”

• “True giving is doing something for somebody who can never repay you (p.169).”

• “The elders of any society frequently view the younger generation as possessing fewer values than they have, but the fact is we all start out the same. Each generation has unique challenges; no generation has a monopoly on values (p.174).”

Strongly recommended

The New Executive Assistant: Advice for Succeeding in Your Career

Average customer rating:

Disappointed
Outstanding insights from a former top assistant!
Interesting Read
Talk About Ironic!
Ms. Duncan has written a mentoring masterpiece!

The New Executive Assistant: Advice for Succeeding in Your Career
Melba J. Duncan
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0070182418

Book Description

Today's executive assistant has become a crucial member of every organization's support staff--a key business ally with diverse responsibilities, from overseeing employees to making strategic decisions. Here is the first step-by-step guide specifically designed to help you thrive in this fast-paced profession. Developed by nationally-known business consultatnt and author Melba Duncan, this leading-edge resource provides all the up-to-date information you need to manage information technologes, deal effectively with abrupt organizational changes and office politics, handle stress, resolve conflicts, motivate workers and forge a team mentality, master public relations and the media, capitalize on opportunities emerging from corporate restructuring, and more.

Customer Reviews:

Disappointed.......2007-03-20

This is another example of hearing "the same ole stuff." Can't some author get origional? This was so elementary and certainly not "NEW" information, as the title suggests.

Outstanding insights from a former top assistant!.......2004-07-01

This book has helped so many people! It's perfectly brilliant.

I think it's insane that reviewers are commenting on publisher's type-o's instead of commenting on how significant this book really is. Obviously, Ms. Duncan proofed her own book and after meeting Ms. Duncan at an event, I mentioned the reviews about the errors in the book. Ms. Duncan and her staff has tried desperately for years to demand that the book be reprinted. Some things unfortunately are out of one's hands, and I recognize this after years of being a journalist. Look at the NY Times! And every other book on your shelf! They all have errors!

Ms. Duncan has been instrumental in the salary increases, and gaining recognition for this truly unique role! I recommend this book to anyone in the role or considering it!

Interesting Read.......2000-07-19

I thoroughly enjoyed Ms. Duncan's book. I found it an easy read, packed with lots of excellent information.

As with the other reviewer I was extremely disappointed in the skills test in the back of the book. Missing questions, answers to questions that weren't printed.

I wonder if Ms. Duncan has read her own book? Did she review the skills test information in the back before it was published? If the fault lies with the publisher, I hope she got her money back. I also hope she'll do a re-print with the skill test corrected because I found it very helpful in identifying weak areas in my own skill set.

I've been an Executive Secretary/Assistant for the past ten years. Often a good assistant is taken for granted. I appreciated Ms. Duncan's affirmation that my job is more than a job, it's a career and that not just anyone can be a good assistant.

If you can get past all the problems with the skill test in the back of the book, I think you'll find the content extremely interesting, insightful, and motivating.

Talk About Ironic!.......2000-05-11

I just finished reading this book about the "new executive assistant". Of course it emphasizes attention to detail, checking your work, accuracy, etc. Upon completing the extensive skills test in the back of book, I was horrified to find the following blatant errors: 1. In the vocabulary section, the questions skip from #56 to #61, yet in the answer section, these questions do appear. 2. The proofreading section fails to point out periods that are missing at the end of two sentences. Here's the kicker: 3. When I went to check my answers for the spelling section, I discovered that there were only two answers out of 110 questions. To top, there were answers for #110 - 122, which didn't exist in the first place.

OK, can anyone find a proofreader at McGraw Hill to catch these types of errors? How can anyone take this book seriously? The other person who reviewed this book obviously did not read the whole thing. What a disappointment! I do recommend another book that I read. It's called The Valuable Office Professional by Michelle Burke. She is right on the money. There are some more in-depth self-evaluation tests, which go much further than vocabulary and grammar skills. I also got some information about her consulting service, which I am trying to convince management our company needs. That's my summary of this book. Good luck with your administrative careers no matter who you are or where you live!

Ms. Duncan has written a mentoring masterpiece!.......1999-02-06

"The New Executive Assistant" is a must-read for aspiring or seasoned executive assistants, their bosses, and everyone in between.

Ms. Duncan doesn't just advise you to develop a proactive rather than a reactive approach to your administrative career, she guides you to discovering both what you want out of life and what your career can provide. She covers all the important bases for surviving in today's fast-paced world: learning to adapt to change (technical and cultural); mastering the fundamentals of communicating what you really mean; tapping into your management and leadership potential; handling both yourself and others in conflict situations; promoting yourself, your boss, and your company; and regaining your spiritual "center". Most importantly, however, Ms. Duncan asks wether or not you are cut out to be an executive assistant. Life is too short to just have a job; whatever it may be, find a career that works for you, challenges you, and fits your personality.

Packed with objective insights, advice, and enjoyable witticisms, "The New Executive Assistant" delivers. I found in this one book what countless seminars and 50-minute training series have not been able to provide; I found truely usable, relevant insights and information. Ms. Duncan has created a mentoring master piece for executive assistants (and anyone who wants to understand them)!

It's All Politics: Winning in a World Where Hard Work and Talent Aren't Enough
Average customer rating:

Take the Plunge

Not Much Substance

Insightful and powerful

make love not war

Useful, No-Nonsense Advice

It's All Politics: Winning in a World Where Hard Work and Talent Aren't Enough
Kathleen Kelly Phd Reardon
Manufacturer: Currency
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Business Life | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
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Decision-Making & Problem Solving | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Motivational | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

The Secret Handshake: Mastering the Politics of the Business Inner Circle

What Your Boss Doesn't Tell You Until It's Too Late: How to Correct Behavior That Is Holding You Back

Secrets to Winning at Office Politics: How to Achieve Your Goals and Increase Your Influence at Work

The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back: Overcoming the Behavior Patterns That Keep You From Getting Ahead

Survival of the Savvy: High-Integrity Political Tactics for Career and Company Success

ASIN: 0385507577
Release Date: 2005-06-28

Book Description

From It’s All Politics

Like business in general, politics is not a spectator sport. You cannot afford to be apolitical at work if you have any aspirations for advancement. The only way to avoid politics is to avoid people—by finding an out-of-the-way corner where you can do your job. Of course, it’s the same job you’ll likely be doing for the rest of your career.

In any job, when you reach a certain level of technical competence, politics is what makes all the difference with regard to success. At that point, it is indeed all politics. Everyday brilliant people take a backseat to their politically adept colleagues by failing to win crucial support for their ideas. Sometimes politics involves going around or bending rules, but more typically it’s about positioning your ideas in a favorable light, and knowing what to say, and how and when to say it.…

Keep in mind that people benefit from perpetuating the image of politics as something you either know or you don’t. Ignore them. Political acumen is largely learned from observation. And then it’s a matter of practice, practice, practice. When a journalist suggested that golfing great Gary Player was very lucky, he replied: “It’s funny, but the more I practice, the luckier I get.” The same is true of politics.

An indispensable guide to mastering the ins and outs of office politics—the single most important factor in getting ahead in your career

As management professor and consultant Kathleen Reardon explains in her new book, It's All Politics, talent and hard work alone will not get you to the top. What separates the winners from the losers in corporate life is politics.

As Reardon explains, the most talented and accomplished employees often take a backseat to their politically adept coworkers, losing ground in the race to get ahead—sometimes even losing their jobs. Why? Because they’ve failed to manage the important relationships with the people who can best reward their creativity and intelligence. To determine whether you need a crash course in Office Politics 101, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I get credit for my ideas?
Do I know how to deal with a difficult colleague?
Do I get the plum assignments?
Do I have a mentor?
Do I say no gracefully and pick my battles wisely?
Am I in the loop?

Reardon has interviewed hundreds of employees, from successful veterans to aspiring hopefuls, examining why some people who work hard and effectively at their jobs fall behind, while those who are adept at “reading the office tea leaves” forge ahead. Being politically savvy doesn’t mean being unethical or devious. At heart, it’s about listening to and relating to others, and making choices that advance everyone’s goals. Like it or not, when it comes to work, it’s all politics. And politics is all about knowing what to say, when to say it, and who to say it to.

Customer Reviews:

Take the Plunge.......2007-07-21

Approaching this book, it seemed to be a Machiavellian Scheming for Dummies. But whatever your field, politics IS a natural human interaction. Please leave your own conceptions about office politics behind and take a look at this book. It won't teach you to topple foreign governments and bilk your clients. Rather, it illustrates the ways people use politics for both good and ill -- sometimes skillfully and sometimes ham-handedly -- and how you can steer those interactions to your advantage rather than being a victim of them. Some of the examples and solutions are overly basic and scripted. But unless you've never driven home from work stewing about a smarmy colleague or cursing a boss, you might get something from this book.

Not Much Substance.......2007-01-09

This book has lots of platitudes and little substance. The author frequently refers to various seminars and coaching that she provides, which is distracting and self-serving. The book is poorly organized and doesn't have much concrete advice. Don't waste your time on it.

Insightful and powerful.......2007-01-04

This book is down to earth and practical which I find refreshing coming from a Ph.D. This is a fantastic book for providing insights into what you might not think about in the workplace - the politics swirliing all around you. I worked really hard and smart but I did not get ahead as fast as some of my peers - Oh, yeah, politics! How to understand them, whether you want to play them or not is essential!

make love not war.......2006-11-30

Being good in office politics, I often read new books on this subject. I've learnt that the best way to get people on one's side is to be honest, sincere an open to others. This woman teaches about being manipulative, playing status games, being rude and calls it "good political skills".
It's hardly believable.

Useful, No-Nonsense Advice.......2006-03-08

This is a clearly written, no-nonsense book about politics in a work environment. It is written with women in mind, because they are relatively new to many workplace environments, but its advice is excellent for men as well. Choose this book for a much higher than average ratio of good advice to filler!

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