Book Description
An essential office tool for every assistant, this fun and practical guide is guaranteed to help read-ers get from the cubicle to the corner office.Drawing on her experience as personal and executive assistant to George Stephanopoulos during Bill Clintons presidential campaign and first term, Heather Beckel offers straightforward advice on how to dazzle them now to get ahead later. With clarity and wit, Beckel guides readers from their first day to becoming a manager, intermingling her real-life experiences from the office of all officesThe White House. Whether its developing organizational strategies or a painful lesson in discretion, Heather Beckel has been there. Chapters includeWhen Your Boss is a JerkGive Good PhoneGetting Personal with Your BossBe a Manager and Know Your Universeand much more.
Download Description
Congratulations, you've got the job! You're ready to pay your dues-type, file, answer those phones and letters, and if you're lucky, bring the boss coffee. You're full of confidence and the job's a breeze, a mere steppingstone toward a position where your true ability will be challenged. But wait-this job means more than you think!
Be a Kickass Assistant offers real-world advice for a very real-world job-the assistant. Assistants can show managerial talent and let their talents shine. Drawing on her experience as personal and executive assistant to George Stephanopoulos during Clinton's campaign and first term, author Heather Beckel cuts to the chase on how to dazzle them now to get ahead later. With clarity and wit, Beckel takes you from your first day to becoming a manager, intermingling her real-life experiences from the office of all offices-The White House. Whether it's developing your own organizational strategies or a painful lesson in discretion, Heather Beckel has been there, done that, and shares her knowledge in a no-holds barred guide.
Chapters include:
* When Your Boss Is a Jerk
* Give Good Phone
* Getting Personal with Your Boss
* Be a Manager and Know Your Universe
And more!
Customer Reviews:
A Must Have for EAs.......2007-09-12
I have been an Executive Assistant for 13 years and I found so much great advice in this book. I think this is a must have for anyone who has made a career out of being an assistant. I keep this book at work and refer to it all the time now. Money well spent!
Great Book on Organizing those Details Details Details, Interesting Personalities at Play.......2007-09-10
I'm not a organizational assistant, but I have to say this book has great techniques for everyone. Though, to be frank, this book got me more interested in the author's tellings of her interactions with a highly influential power broker (George Stephanopholous) than how to effectively organize time and resources.
Covers It All.......2007-08-15
This is a great book for both those starting out in the assistant field as well as those looking to become more proficient in their current positions.
It covers all the topics with good, solid advice. Some of the topics covered are phone work, dealing with paper, types of communication, how to conduct yourself and many more. It even goes over when it's time to 'move on' and how to tell your boss you are leaving.
A very thorough book that I would recommend for anyone interested in this type of work.
Be a Kickass Assistant: How to Get from a Grunt Job to a Great Career.......2007-01-09
Wow! Wow! Wow! This is the best book I've read about how an assistant can grow and not be just a ordinary assistant. I feel that it's a step by step handbook to becoming the greatest assistant anybody has had. I've learned LOTS from this book and sharing all this information with my colleagues. The way we should be well informed before communicating something to third parties, and also what we can and can't say. We are very sure that are school will have the best assistants around. Congratulations Heather Beckel
Thank you, Heather!.......2006-11-01
Before getting a job as an assistant at an International Organization, I had almost no idea what an assistant was supposed to do. I remember telling myself "I wish I had a guide for this!"
Well, Heather Beckel's book was the guide I needed! I am very indebted to her because her advice helped me during every step of the process, from my very first days at the desk to negotiating a raise.
This book helped me know what to expect, how to organize myself, what to be aware of, and how to read my boss.
For me, this was a very useful read and I recommend it for anyone who, like me, had little idea of what being a good assistant involved.
Book Description
Some people are toxic: narcissistic, aggressive, inflexible, unethical, ready to scapegoat, capable of transforming any workplace into an unending nightmare. How do you cope with such individuals, while protecting both your career AND your sanity? Simplistic, cookie-cutter solutions don't work. In Coping with Toxic Managers, world-renowned psychiatrist and organizational consultant Roy Lubit shows you techniques that will. Drawing on his extensive experience as both a mental health professional and an organizational consultant for PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Lubit offers concrete, proven advice for subordinates, colleagues and superiors alike. You learn what's really driving your toxic manager or subordinate... how to cope with the emotional stress of dealing with them... and how to create a strategy that reflects their individual personality, while drawing on today's powerful new insights into emotional intelligence. The technicques Lubit teaches apply to personal relationships with toxic individuals as well.
Customer Reviews:
The reality of working with people.......2007-09-14
Recognising what is toxic to you is perhaps a good starting point. Many of us spend more time with the people we work with than those we've chosen to spend our lives with. Most of us make assumptions that what offends or upsets us is the same for everyone else. This is not so.
In this book, Dr Lubit provides - with humour - descriptions of different types of managers and of different management techniques that can make working life hell.
Being aware of toxic behaviour and being able to manage its impact are two quite separate things. Dr Lubit provides insights into the former and resources to help individuals and groups deal with the latter.
I've had this book on my management bookshelf since it was published and find it an excellent resource both on a personal level and as part of mentoring other staff.
Highly recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Fascinating and practical.......2005-01-15
I wasn't sure I would like this book. The topic of workplace psychology can be done wrong in so many ways. You can present it too clinically and thus lack any practicality. And you can slide the other way and shower the user with pop psychology check-lists and acronyms.
This book walks the ideal path deftly and presents practical workplace issues with the right blend of psychology background and practical wisdom on how to handle individuals with personality issues.
The book is organized by disorder. Each type of personality is presented in it's own chapter with what to look for. As well as how to handle that individual as a boss, a coworker and as a subordinate.
A fascinating read on it's own, and practical advice for people stuck in tough jobs where they have to contend with coworkers who have personality problems.
Cultural organization managers, note!.......2004-04-13
Lubit's volume, "Coping with Toxic Managers and Subordinates," should be considered a standard reference for veteran and new professional staff, experienced and beginning managers, and leaders of all non-profit organizations, especially cultural ones. Colleagues have said that these conclusions apply to all organizations.
Non-profits and cultural organizations face major management challenges today. For example, while the number of museums has increased, there has been a great decrease in total funding. To stay competitive, these organizations have had to make fundamental changes in their operations and rely on a new breed of managers and professionals. This has been complicated by strong internal resistance to change. As a result, many cultural organizations find themselves unable to harness the talents of their staff and, instead, find productivity decreasing and morale dropping rapidly. High turnover, unhappiness and anger make for unmanageable environments.
Lubit's book contains excellent strategic thinking for dealing with the rapidly changing settings. Incorporating insights from experience in psychiatry, business management, and organizational leadership, Lubit provides a a comprehensive, hands-on guide for dealing with your superiors, subordinates and peers. This book is very complete. It describes the most troublesome types of negative and "toxic" personalities, explores the underlying reasons for the behaviors, and moves the reader from theory, to examples, to exercise sections called "Your Turn". The book is well organized, snappily written, and easy to use. It is complete with detailed "how to" sections, charts, and examples with both good and bad endings. This book will facilitate not just survival, but productivity and well-being in the workplace -- and elsewhere. I recommend it highly.
Practical guide for getting results.......2003-12-15
This book is an excellent handbook for managers who struggle with motivating 'challenging' people. It enables the reader to quickly identify types of toxic managers and provides guidance on effectively dealing with each type. Should be required reading for anyone responsible for improving company/individual performance.
Toxic costs: heal the pain........2003-12-15
This author offers clear, concise writing on a classic business problem: how to work with difficult people. Who doesn't work with at least 1 difficult person? What organization does not suffer productivity or financial loss from at least 1 toxic manager?
As I read the well-defined descriptions of Toxic Managers, I couldn't help but recall the many faces of those difficult people that have crossed my own work path over the past 24 years, and how I might have dealt with them differently under Roy Lubit's construct. Surely you'll experience similar learning and benefit, as you hear what the author has to say about how to deal with the difficult people that you encounter in your work life.
This book does a tremendous service by reminding us that work IS personal after all; that organizations are organic systems made up of human beings with personalities, traits, and problems that we cannot simply turn off or leave at home, like robots. These toxic behaviors and managers, as defined by the author, represent the hard HARD work that organizations must do to fix the illusive and, often substantially, costly problems.
I am delighted to add a practical approach and book to my toolbox to help executives and managers take compassionate, actionable steps toward solving issues that typically impede business performance and progress. This book, I project, will help heal the hearts and performance of many organizations and professionals who seek a cure for whatever ails them.
Book Description
For more than two decades, Dr. John Hoover has written books on leadership, creativity, and organizational performance, extolling the virtues of flattened organizations, collaborative leadership, and shared responsibility. His clients welcomed him, praised him...yet (he felt) completely ignored his advice! This book contains the confession of a recovering "I-Boss" (Idiot Boss). After decades of writing and consulting, Dr. John finally realized that the vast majority of people he kept trying to "energize," "motivate," and "enlighten" were, well, idiots. Also he was an idiot for trying to change them. Instead, he has decided to enlighten you, who actually have to continue working for difficult and demanding bosses. You cannot change them. You cannot challenge them. Yet, you can survive them, even thrive under them, if you learn how to deal with them using this book. It offers hope for the spirit and strategy for the mind to help you deal with your work place situation.
Customer Reviews:
Thrive and keep your sense of humor.......2007-06-13
This book is a quick and easy read that kept me laughing while providing solid practical advice about how to handle a difficult boss. There were a few silly parts that I breezed over. But overall, the tone is light, and the tips are useful. The author helps you reel in your rage by reminding you how unproductive anger is. And he helps you realize that making your boss comfortable around you is the best way to get what you want. If you're a person who's passionate about your work and you just want to figure out how to get around the brick wall of incompetence and idiocy that exists in so many workplaces, check out this book. Save yourself an ulcer and years in therapy and learn how to put your passion to good use.
THANK YOU, DR. HOOVER.......2007-04-03
I would like to thank Dr.Hoover. He came to help me at the right moment...Well I almost became a serial killer who is after I-bosses. His friendly and humorous style makes the reading fun while teaching you to keep your anger at bay.
Turn the other cheek.......2007-03-01
I guess I had expected a bit more practical advice than to simply accept the fact that life isn't fair and to let my boss take credit for all of my accomplishments. Funny thing though, I DID feel better after reading the book as it made me realize how incompetent leaders can survive and even thrive despite all their shortcomings.
if you don't see the value through the humor, might want to check your inner idiot.......2006-12-20
I, like others, picked up this book while waiting in a kinkos for the latest i-boss crisis to print. The value of the laugh I got when I shared it with several co-workers and consultants was worth the price of the book right there. But it wasn't until a couple weeks later that I picked up the book in utter desperation to talk me out of killing my boss that I realized its true value: the advice cleverly packaged inside the sarcastic humor (is there any better way to proffer advice?)
I know if I say this it will sound like I'm exaggerating for effect, but I'm not kidding when I say that this book saved my job. I've always been the one in the room willing to call attention to the white elephant in the room...not something most idiot bosses particularly appreciate. Dr John's book allowed me the ability to let go of my mission to "state the truth with humor and sarcasm" without feeling that I've completely surrendered to the corporate suck-up rules. Okay, so maybe John simply speaks my language, but I really do need to know how to be a teensy bit more political (aka telling my boss that his stupid ideas really have value so that I can get back to work and maybe even get ahead someday) in my job without feeling that I'm cooperating with the evil empire.
Even a comment like, "wear a large suit to make it look to your boss like you don't make enough money" has a hidden message that indirect, nonverbal clues might be a better way to make a subliminal statement because some bosses just can't handle direct communication.
Thank you, Dr John, for your insight, humor, and liferope. I recommend this book to anyone who is willing to look inside to their own inner stupidity and find grace there to deal with others'.
Pretty mediocre.......2006-06-04
This book wobbles between weak attempts at humor, brief examples of Idiot Bosses which aren't used to demonstrate any points, and inane advice on how to get along with "idiot" bosses. The author doesn't succeed in any of these areas.
I'll save you the money: His advice on how to deal with "idiot" bosses is to not get upset about their idiocy, which I think is better summed up by the Serenity Prayer:
"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
the courage to change the things I can,
and the wisdom to know the difference."
Of course, he doesn't really give any advice on how to actually DO this. I think anyone who is really having problems at work dealing with a difficult boss look at another book, since this one won't help them at all.
Book Description
BUILDING A PARTNERSHIP WITH YOUR BOSS The 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 successes JERRY 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).
Customer Reviews:
Good for nothing!.......2004-08-08
I bought this book thinking it would provide pointers on how to handel specific, everyday, and even "ordinary" situations assistants encounter with their bosses, and others in the workplace. Pointers that when carried out correctly would prove that you indeed are a "take charge assistant".
Instead, this book focuses on getting on your bosses good side, which is great, if all you want to be known for is being the dependable "worker". I was expecting somethig way more contrete, This book was too wishy-wasy for me.
I give it one star because eventhiugh I don't think it specifically states it there is an underlying message of the importance of communication.
An essential starting point.......2003-10-09
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?.......2003-08-15
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.......2002-07-27
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.......2002-05-01
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.
Book Description
The business world swarms with alpha males—powerhouses who take charge, produce astonishing results, and bring enormous value to their organizations. But many alphas also leave a path of destruction in their wake. Competitive, belligerent, and impatient, these hard-charging leaders can run roughshod over colleagues and employees, to the detriment of their careers and the bottom line.
In Alpha Male Syndrome, Kate Ludeman and Eddie Erlandson build on their Harvard Business Review article “Coaching the Alpha Male”—sounding a wake-up call to all alphas and the companies they work for. The authors show alphas how to leverage their unique strengths while confronting their destructive “flip side risks.” They describe the distinguishing dynamics of the alpha male syndrome and identify four breeds: commanders, executors, strategists, and visionaries. By understanding each type’s nuances, alphas can transform themselves into more effective leaders. And those who work with alphas can transform nightmare work groups into collaborative dream teams. Exercises, checklists, and tips enable readers to harness the enormous power of the alpha personality while minimizing the downsides of alpha behavior.
Customer Reviews:
Alpha Male.......2007-08-23
Very good book for those who want to understand what's going on in the management team. All managers should read this book. A must
A Landmark Management Study of Alpha Male.......2007-05-09
Two management consultants have jointly written this book about alpha males who occupy some 75% senior management positions in America's business world. According to them, alpha males are indomitable, tenacious, and persevering enough to reach the apex of their career. They inspire awe and respect but could move people to fear and trembling. Despite having great career success, the downside of their traits and behaviours such as the `laws of the jungle' attitude, interpersonal impatience, and difficult controlling anger can have devastating effect to their health, marriage, and other people surrounding them.
Both writers marry hard data on some 1,500 executives and base on their abundant coaching experience with senior executives from Fortune 500 firms to figure out why such top dogs become pit bulls that snowball problems and expose their vulnerabilities. In short, alpha males are various in terms of their different traits they possess such as commander, visionary, strategist, and executor. Some are inclined to act like visionaries that often dream up exotic ideas but hate naysayers. Others have an uncanny ability to deal with crisis but tend to exercise their authority through intimidation and domination. Both writers conclude that Trump's `apprentice' mentality would do more harm than good. In today's business environment where trust, respect, and collaborative dialogue between corporate bigwigs and coworkers are vital for business survival and growth, both writers offer alpha males a list of `awareness of self and others' tools that could guide them beyond the `alpha triangle' trap and move themselves and their people to effectiveness.
This book is a comprehensive study of alpha males. It is also a landmark management study that not only fills need for alpha males but also provides an impetus for further research on this subject. Revealing the importance of tapping human potentials in teams to high performance, alpha males should learn how to involve the whole team that harness their intelligence, vitality, and drive without wreaking havoc on working relationships. They have to put aside their `zero-sum' jungle mentality as well as personal glory in pursuit of the alchemy of human connections. This book is accompanied by a website that contains an online alpha assessment to testify whether you are an alpha male or not and also your alpha strengths and risks. It helps readers undertake a self-awareness exercise in order to understand and modify their tendencies and risk areas. Chapter 8 provides alpha males with a repertoire of tools to practice emotional and physical reset such as stress relief and endorphin increments in order to achieve high-level health and wellness.
This book is highly recommended for readers who are interested in understanding more about the upside as well as downside traits of alpha males. It is also a highly recommended book for alpha males who aspire to leverage their strengths and subdue their flip-side risks for the best interest of shareholders and their people.
Brilliant Insights for the Many Alphas at the Helm.......2007-03-03
It is hard to not wax poetic about this book as I was so excited to literally walk into it in an airport store soon after it was published. Not one to usually look at hardback books, the title was alluring and the content took my breath away. Here were two top consultants working with some of the best and the brightest who had characterized the execs into four categories. Their process of categorization allows a much greater understanding by the executive than most of the others I have seen over the years.
Each of the four "types" (and most of us have a mix) have specific strengths and risks when it comes to leadership and effectiveness as a top executive. As an executive coach, I really like helping each "alpha" I work with to look at the "risks" of their personality traits rather than call anything a weakness. We play to our strengths and mitigate our risks. This offers a framework from which we can look at what is working, what isn't, and set very specific goals for behavioral change.
Every successful executive has some/many alpha traits. Kate Ludeman, PhD and Edie Erlandson, MD at Worth Ethic, offer an online test that is incredibly helpful as it provides very clear explanations of the specific strengths and risks indicated by the individual. The conclusions and recommendations they offer are extremely valid (from a practical point of view). Having worked with hundreds/thousands of alphas over the past 25 years, I wish I had the benefit of this screen and understanding of their conceptualization process for each client earlier. This is one of the few items I always use when working with a new client.
Breaking the traits into strengths and risks is really what it is all about. Although I have used a SWOT analysis for years in all levels of work (with individuals or with boards and strategic planning), I've always hated the "W" term, weakness. This is such a judgmental and pejorative term to most people, and sounds very permanent. The term "risk" is ever so much better to work with (and hints at the situational component). So even if SROT won't be a best seller, I now explain that what I want to look at are their personal risks, not weaknesses. Every exec is comfortable with risk. It's how we live, and really is an important part of what gives the fabric of life a certain richness and depth. A risk is something that one can assess and make decisions about. A weakness is just, well, yuck.
An Insightful Book For Alphas and Those Who Work With Them!.......2007-02-14
What I appreciate about this well written book is that it doesn't just give "quick fixes" for alphas. Instead, Kate and Eddie invite us all to explore the deeper issues going on underneath the surface in order to create lasting changes. As an Alpha, I learned more about my own challenges and as a coach to Alphas, gleaned much wisdom from the examples Kate and Eddie shared from their vast experience. I also recommned taking their alpha assessment online [...]
It's not about ramping back - it's about making better choices for leadership success. .......2007-02-09
The business world is packed with powerhouse people who take charge and produce amazing results: but these same winners are also often hard to get along with, running over colleagues and employees in order to pursue the best interests of their careers and corporation. ALPHA MALE SYNDROME explores and focuses on these detriments, examining the psychology of the 'alpha male' and how to better manage 'alpha' behaviors. It's not about ramping back - it's about making better choices for leadership success. Libraries strong in business management - and mangers in particular - will find it filled with insight.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Book Description
In today's complex work world, things no longer get done simply because someone issues an order and someone else follows it.
Most of us work in socially intricate organizations where we need the help not only of subordinates but of colleagues, superiors, and outsiders to accomplish our goals. This often leaves us in a "power gap" because we must depend on people over whom we have little or no explicit control.
This is a book about how to bridge that gap: how to exercise the power and influence you need to get things done through others when your responsibilities exceed your formal authority.
Full of original ideas and expert insights about how organizations—and the people in them—function, Power and Influence goes further, demonstrating that lower-level personnel also need strong leadership skills and interpersonal know-how to perform well.
Kotter shows how you can develop sufficient resources of "unofficial" power and influence to achieve goals, steer clear of conflicts, foster creative team behavior, and gain the cooperation and support you need from subordinates, coworkers, superiors—even people outside your department or organization.
He also shows how you can avoid the twin traps of naivete and cynicism when dealing with power relationships, and how to use your power without abusing it.
Power and Influence is essential for top managers who need to overcome the infighting, foot-dragging, and politicking that can destroy both morale and profits; for middle managers who don't want their careers sidetracked by unproductive power struggles; for professionals hindered by bureaucratic obstacles and deadline delays; and for staff workers who have to "manage the boss."
This is not a book for those who want to "grab" power for their own ends. But if you'd like to create smooth, responsive working relationships and increase your personal effectiveness on the job, Kotter can show you how—and make the dynamics of power work for you instead of against you.
Customer Reviews:
The leadership challenge in complex organizations.......2005-03-10
John Kotter is a well-known Professor of Organizational Behavior at Harvard Business School. He has written numerous management books and articles. This book was originally published in 1985 and is split up in four parts.
The first part - The Changing Nature of Managerial and Professional Work - discusses the fact that most managerial, technical, and professional jobs have become significantly more complex due to a number of very fundamental economic and social trends over several decades. In order to emphasize the impact o the complex social milieu, Kotter uses a perspective which empoys two basis concepts: (1) Diversity, which "refers to the differences among people with respect to goals, values, stakes, assumptions, and perceptions." (2) Interdependence which "refers to a state in which two or more parties have power over each other because they are, to some degree, dependent on each other." Excellent companies are successful in managing these two concepts, which, according to Kotter, needs strong leadership throughout organizations. He continues to discuss the requirements at personal, organizational, and societal level.
Parts two and three are closely related and detail the leadership challenge for high-level executive positions and lower-level professional and technical jobs. Part II - The Relational Context of Work describes the day-to-day issues associated with the three basic kinds of organizational relationships: (1) Relations outside the chain of command, (2) relations with subordinates, and (3) relations with superiors.
The third part - The Life Cycle of Leadership - describes the leadership challenge at the various stages in a career inside a typical complex organization.
The final part of the book - Implications - summarizes recommendations on improving one's personal effectiveness at work. It also discusses the requirements to increase the supply of people who are capable of handling difficult leadership jobs. In addition, there is an acknowledgement which describes the roots of this book - it is based on seven different projects conducted during the 1970s and 1980s at Harvard Business School.
Yes, this is certainly a good book on this subject. It is based on strong academic research from one of the best business schools in the world. Main criticism that I have is that the books feels somewhat outdates since it was published in 1985. However, I feel that a little revision from the author would do wonders. There are some great checklists in this book, which are very realistic and can be used in real life. It is written in a very well organized manner and can be used as a handbook. I especially recommended it to all people new to management.
Excellent reading on the realities of being a leader today.......1998-11-25
Leadership in today's corporate environment is by and large not the command and control style of yesterday's corporate monoliths. Today's enlighted managers and employees have to understand that leadership means guiding and influencing without being able to direct and order. Readers who do not understand the difference will want to read this book. Readers who want to understand how to be better influencers and guiders will want to read this book.
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.
Customer Reviews:
Career minded Admin need this book.......2000-09-14
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.......2000-09-01
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........2000-06-27
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.
Book Description
Being saddled with a terrible supervisor can turn even the best job into a nightmare. Unfortunately, not every boss is the great symbol of managerial perfection one would hope for. In fact, more people than not consider themselves stuck with a "bad boss." But short of remaining miserable or quitting a job, what can be done about it? "A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses" provides readers with savvy, practical advice for coping with managers and supervisors who are mean, incompetent, unethical, and worse. The book includes powerful strategies for not only working with -- but thriving under -- such bad boss types as: * The Great Betrayers -- how to defend yourself against a corporate backstabber * The Know-Nothing Bosses -- what to do when a boss is clueless * The Bad Communicators -- how to respond when a boss is consistently unclear Whether a boss is high-strung, incompetent, or a power-mad tyrant, this book has the solution.
Customer Reviews:
A Survival Guide for Working With Bad Bosses: Dealing With Bullies, Idiots, Back-stabbers, And Other Managers from Hell.......2007-07-15
If you've ever had a job, you've likely come across a bad boss. Bad bosses come in all types from the no-boss and the party planner through the scatterboss and the promises, promises boss to the overloader and the control freak. A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses describes mangers from hell complete with stories of real life versions of these monsters. Each section also includes a What Should the Employee Do section which outlines a number of possible solutions to the problem. A summary called Today's Take-Aways end each section.
A Survival Guide for Working with Bad Bosses is an excellent resource for employees stuck in a difficult situation. Not only does the book remind the reader that he or she is not the only one to have such circumstances but also gives them options which are often difficult to think of when stuck in the middle of a problem. Bosses may also want to read this book as often bad bosses don't even realize their problematic behaviour.
Survival at the office.......2007-04-02
It is a great feeling to know that you are not alone in the jungles of the workplace. Especially when the advice comes from an expert...You learn not to kill the "bad bosses" and how to deal with the problem zone with kindness without burning your fingers. Yet, I still hope someday any kind of pills will be discovered to terminate such "bad bosses" and we will live happily ever after.
Don't buy bad workplace advice!.......2007-02-05
I used the advice in this book to deal with a bad boss and the toxic work environment that was created. In compliance with Amazon's review policy I won't reveal it here. In my case the end result is hostility, harassment, and retaliation. What Scott apparently forgets is that these "bad bosses" will regard ANY challenge (even those advocated in her book) as a personal threat and will use the assets at his disposal (i.e., company assets, discipline process) for retribution AGAINST the assertive employee. And since he IS the boss, he has the full backing of the company, regardless of legality, ethics, or motives. These tactics may work with rational, well adjusted supervisors in employee-focused companies, but in my experience pathological bosses are the rule and not the exception.
Do yourself a favor. If you have a bad boss, find a better job and DON'T buy this book or use the advice contained therein.
Unhelpful.......2006-09-17
I thought this book was filled with cliches and did not find it helpful.
Keep looking this one falls short.......2006-03-26
I was rather disapointed in this book. It appears that Ms. Graham Scott's prefered method of dealing with bad bosses is just to put up with them and keep things as status quo hoping it will all work out in the end. Pretty lame advise in my opinion. I am looking for a book that actually helps me solve problems not just put up with them.
Book Description
An excellent guide if you're wishing to position yourself for upward professional mobility. This book introduces techniques for developing positive working relationships with those above you in the organization. It's not easy to “manage your boss,” but the tips provided will help you handle and offer both praise and criticism.
Customer Reviews:
Go ahead, get this book! It's an easy read and insightful........2002-09-04
`Managing Upward' A practical step by step guide for learning, or reminding of the many nuances of effective communication. It does this by focusing on the characteristics of good relationships, communication gaps, and misaligned goals and expectations between a worker and a boss. It strikes me, there doesn't seem to be many books as concise, quick to read, and solely dedicated towards addressing this single challenging issue.
The book includes many exercises designed to aid with self assessment with regard to understanding one's own ability to communicate and to comprehend the many facets of effective communication. If you are having difficulty in your relationship with your boss, all is not lost. This book can help you put matters into perspective and assist you in understanding the parts which may be missing, but are essential to good communication. I felt, depending on the scenario, some of the exercises may not be realistic to practice as described. One example was an exercise designed to be completed jointly by the worker and the boss - this might seem like a near impossible task in light of a serious communication issue. A worker may prefer taking a bone away from a ravenous dog, rather than handing their boss a questioner to fill out. All kidding aside - I do agree, regardless of the scenario, the exercises are all well suited to help build insight towards the particular facet of communication it addresses.
One insight I had about this book - it seems by it's title and design to imply it was written to cater to the worker's perspective towards understanding how to better communicate with their boss, thus enabling them to `Manage Upward'. I feel the the book is much more versatile - the concept of `Managing Upward' is a desirable dynamic for all involved. Managers who better understand the common road-blocks and essential elements to enable effective communication are better poised to produce it in their environment. If you are a boss and detect communication challenges among you and your staff, or you are just interested in fine tuning communication practices within your department, you'll enjoy this guide-book - a combination of unique and tried and true communication concepts. Don't be afraid to hand them out to your staff!
For you and your team.......2002-08-25
April, 2002
You should read Managing Upward by Patti Hathaway & Susan Schubert. The topic touches most everyone. Since I just changed jobs, it came at just the right time.
It has all the ingredients I look for in a book:
-- A relevant topic - like most of us, I have a boss.
-- Easy to read - without the fluff.
-- Short chapters I can read in those brief periods of idle time.
-- Practical suggestions I can immediately apply.
The one complaint is there are too many self-assessments. But don't let that stand in your way of a valuable addition to your library.
Not only do I recommend the book for you in dealing with your boss; I encourage you to provide copies for your direct reports.
Changing jobs and bosses.......2002-08-24
I have gone through a job change after seventeen years in the same department. A colleague knew my job skills and recommended me for a top-level position with an opportunity to grow. This book was particularly helpful to me. It reassured me that this move was the right move and for the right reasons. The book helped me see that I have increased my self-confidence and motivation. I have found that the new office staff and
I share the same big picture focus and work well as team players. The clean organizational goals and values provide me with a sense of direction, mission, and pride.
My supervisor is a perfectionist as the book describes: "Perfectionist
always find a better way to do something, and they have trouble knowing when to stop. They have high expectations for themselves and others."
The job change has reduced my stress and I can now reserve energy for tougher workdays. I enjoy my new job responsibility and can focus on the big picture. My supervisor has confidence in my job skills and my relationships with others.
Knowing How to Manage Upwards!!.......2002-05-09
As soon as I read the first page I knew this was a book for me! It is a book for everyone because we all have a boss of some sort. I wanted something to help me consciously improve collaboration with my boss plus ways to manage my work better. I have been a Staff Development Educator for over 20 years and have had many bosses. Each has had varied management and working styles. Health care has seen tremendous changes over the years. We all need streamlined work habits to get the job done. Managing Upward gives the reader strategies & tips on how to function in today's work environment, satisfying your own personal goals as well as supporting the organization's mission. Part of the book that I liked best was the section on how to have effective meetings with the boss. Most all of us use an agenda but the book suggested an outline to use for planning of these meetings. Start with "good news". Proceed to "business updates' and "problem solving issues". Next give "updates on projects" you are currently working on including your "action plan". End with listing agenda items for the "next meeting". This book helped me realize that following a meeting format helps save everyone's time. An effective meeting builds bridges of understanding between you and your boss and provides a trust level for both of you. Thank you for the opportunity to read this book and share my thoughts with you!
Succeeding with My Boss.......2002-05-07
I received and read this book with much anticipation, as I have felt for sometime now, that I am not succeeding with my boss.
While reading this book I quickly saw many comparisons, not only in my own attitudes and behaviors, but those of my boss, too. It is amazing when you see some of these things put in writing, just how much they fit what you are dealing with.
Some areas I found most interesting were:
· How Well Do You Express Yourself? - Not only did this help me evaluate myself, but I could also use them to evaluate my boss.
· Communication Gaps - This section really emphasized what I have believed for many years -- many people do not "hear" what is being said, - they may "listen," but lack the ability to hear. Listening and hearing are two completely different things. I liked the way this was illustrated in the sentences "...that if you rearrange the letters in the word 'listen,' you get 'silent.' and 'You cannot listen when you are talking."
· Criticizing Your Boss - Reading this section made me realize that my past experience of being a supervisor and manager sometimes makes me too quick and/or comfortable in providing criticism to my boss.
· How to Read Your Boss - One of my favorite sections. I will try my very best to put this to good use - although being 300 miles away from my boss, this is going to be difficult. This section also made me realize that the fact we are both "Perfectionists" may be part of the reason we don't always communicate well.
· Managing Time Management Monsters - Some of the barriers mentioned contribute to my situation - particularly "Lack of Information - I routinely find myself having to tell my boss to give me/us all of the facts", and "Unavailable Boss - due to changes in management structure we have gone from having a dedicated Unit Supervisor to only having a Manager, who not only has direct supervison of our Unit but also now must supervise another Unit and function as department manager at the same time.", and "Disorganized Boss - this is becoming more of an issue all of the time, because she has too many irons in the fire."
Perhaps two lines at the end of this book sum it up best: "It is your right and responsibility to manage your manager. It is part of your job." I now have more tools to help me manage my manager and in the process "Succeed with My Boss!"
Thank you Patti and Susan for a most insightful and interesting book. I highly recommend it to anyone having a struggle in their relationship with their boss. I am going to recommend it to many of my co-workers and my boss!
Book Description
The 13 personality types that do the most harm when given power in organizations are exposed in this book. These insidious types harm their employees and employer intentionally. They have evaded exposure until the author's undercover research brought them and their tactics to light in this book.
If you report to an incorrigibly bad boss, this book tells you how to save your career from ruin. If you're searching for a job, it tells you how to identify the worst kinds of bad bosses during an interview. And if you're an employer with managers working in your organization, this book will open your eyes to some of the harm that can be done without your knowledge if you're unaware that you've employed these types.
Customer Reviews:
This book can be helpful.......2007-08-02
This book would help a lot if your boss/manager falls into one of the categories. It is hard if they fall into multiple categories. Mine just does not like me even though I do excellent work, my peers like me as do all the employees of the company. Since I only have 5 years to retire I am between a rock & a hard place. She does have a chapter at the end to explain how you can give yourself a percentage of the time your manager is a bad boss and see if you can live with that percentage. Mine was 30% which is somewhat tolerable.
Who's Afraid Of The Big Bad Boss?.......2007-03-10
I have recently received this book and am in the process of reviewing it. From what I have read thus far, it is very practical especially with my current job. I plan to share it with others.
A Must-Have For Victims of Workplace Abuse.......2007-02-03
This book is a godsend for people who have been targeted for workplace abuse by a bully boss. Whether you are just beginning to put a name to the nightmare you've been experiencing, or a little further in your recovery process and trying to figure out how to interview for a new job so you don't end up with a bully boss again, this gives real, practical help and valuable information.
Employee strategies for surviving your boss.......2006-08-30
Reviewed by William E. Cooper for Reader Views (8/06)
Have you ever had one of those bosses, one where you wonder where they came from or how they got where they are? We all have at one time or another. Well, here's a great book about how to recognize what they are and how to deal with or survive them. Ms. Haight describes 13 different types of poor boss, the characteristics of each, and some good strategies for the employees. As a retired Chief of Police, it was part of my job to ensure a great working environment, one where employees could grow and flourish. We succeeded, largely in part to the employees themselves and what they had and did contribute.
While it is unfortunate such a book needs to be written, Ms. Haight has done a remarkable job with her research and details. She gives her readers the insight to recognize which is which, then the alternatives available to them. The people who ought to read this book first are the bosses described in it. Failing that, it is a clear, articulate read, certainly to be read by virtually every employee.
Well done Ms. Haight.
The best book out there for working with or staying away from a bad boss.......2006-05-09
I bought this book because it was recommended via the Washington Post. This book has been invaluable to me, especially in finding a new position in the IT industry. Ms. Haight gives you warning bells when you hear certain phrases coming out of a hiring managers mouth, and what questions to ask to be positive this person isn't going to be a devil of a manager for you. Buy this book because otherwise you might be going into (pun intended) a hell of a job!
Books:
- Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking
- Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make Competition Irrelevant
- Business: A Changing World
- Business and Its Environment (5th Edition)
- Business Data Communications (5th Edition)
- Business Driven Technology with MISource 2007 and Student CD
- Chinese Business Etiquette: A Guide to Protocol, Manners, and Culture in the People's Republic of China (A Revised and Updated Edition of "Dealing with the Chinese")
- Command Performance: The Art of Delivering Quality Service (The Harvard Business Review Book)
- Cool Careers for Dummies
- Deal Terms - The Finer Points of Venture Capital Deal Structures, Valuations, Term Sheets, Stock Options and Getting VC Deals Done (Inside the Minds)
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Mastering the ISDA Master Agreements
- From Death to Birth: Understanding Karma and Reincarnation
- Accounting for Derivatives and Hedging
- At Swim, Two Boys: A Novel
- Currency Derivatives: Pricing Theory, Exotic Options, and Hedging Applications
- French Spirits: A House, a Village, and a Love Affair in Burgundy
- Families and Society: Classic and Contemporary Readings
- Cost accounting: A multidimensional emphasis
- Chinese Citizenship: Views From the Margins
- Duane's Depressed : A Novel
General
| Job Hunting & Careers
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Become An Inner Circle Assistant
The New Executive Assistant: Advice for Succeeding in Your Career
Building a Partnership With Your Boss: A Take-Charge Assistant Book (Take-charge Assistant)
Administrative Assistant's and Secretary's Handbook
Beyond the Red Carpet: Keys to becoming a successful personal assistant
