It’s July and time again for a review of the books that have crossed my desk. Whether you are home for a job search, locked in an office, or cooling off at the beach, now’s a good time to beef up your summer reading list.
This week, I’ll focus on books that discuss management ideas; next week’s column will feature titles to help job seekers with the search for new employment.
"Sacred Cows (Make the Best Burgers)," by Robert Kriegel and David Brandt, Business Plus, 2011 (updated from 1997), $16.99.
If this title sounds familiar, that’s because it made a hit as a Businessweek best-seller 14 years ago.
As you might guess, this book has a shtick, which is to identify “sacred cows” in the workplace, make fun of them and then provide a compelling array of statistical and anecdotal information to persuade the reader to kill the cow.
For example, in the "Paper Cow" chapter, the authors pillory the ways paper is overused in the form of needless reports and files, at a great but nearly invisible cost to organizations. Meetings, customer service, technology and several other universal topics receive similar attention, followed by chapters devoted to “hunting cows” and driving change in the workplace. A readable, entertaining book with more than enough substance to justify the cost.
"The Professional: Defining the New Standard of Excellence at Work," by Subroto Bagchi, Portfolio, 2011, $25.95.
One of the true pleasures of our global culture is the availability of business books from around the world. It’s refreshing to see workplace issues through the eyes of an author whose lexicon of examples ranges from corporate officers to grave diggers using horse-drawn carriages on the streets of India.
In this provocative book, author Bagchi provides gentle but firm instruction on the responsibilities inherent in becoming a true professional, regardless of one’s actual job title or level. And why would such instruction be needed? As Bagchi tactfully points out, “There is no institution large enough or powerful enough to make sure each of us is behaving in the best way possible” and, later, “Without integrity, any professionally qualified individual is actually a danger to society.”
Perhaps most compelling, however, is his common-sense argument that today’s new workers are entering fields that didn’t exist until recently -- and hence, have no established codes of conduct. A useful book for any worker, this may be an essential read for those just entering the world of paid employment.
"Flying Without a Net: Turn Fear of Change Into Fuel for Success," by Thomas DeLong, Harvard Business Review Press, 2011, $29.95.
For those who like a little psychoanalysis with their summer reading, this is the perfect book. Author DeLong has identified one of the more interesting but confounding personalities of our modern workplace: the high-need-for-achievement professional who is so addicted to personal success that he or she may actually turn down assignments where immediate achievement can’t be guaranteed -- even when the long-term gains would be substantial.
Whether you blame our high-stakes work environment where layoffs are a daily fear, or point your finger instead at the era of child-raising that emphasized self-esteem over actual achievement, there can be no doubt: Our workplaces are filled with anxious people who want to excel but don’t want to take risks to do it. DeLong approaches these ambitious but fearful workers with a mix of compassion and tough reality, along with some constructive tools for breaking the logjam that hinders their progress.
"Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us," by Daniel Pink, Riverhead Books, 2009, $16.
“Drive” makes an interesting companion to the above-noted book on removing fear-based obstacles to improve performance. In this look at motivation, Pink relies on decades of research to debunk the common workplace practice of influencing workers through either reward or punishment. Instead, he says, the secret lies in the intrinsic motivation each of us carries within. To succeed, we, or our managers, must learn to unlock that motivation for use on the job.
Pink, always an interesting and influential writer, adds value in this book by reviewing 15 more titles that will extend the reader’s understanding of the topic.
"Business Basics: Tactics for Success and Satisfaction," by Bart Jackson, BartsBooks, 2011, $14.95.
This may be the ultimate beach book for business readers in that it comprises two-page treatments of common workplace issues. Built from online contributions and business case studies, each snippet includes paragraphs on blunders to avoid, attitude adjustment and extra tips, making it easy to maintain focus on key points between sips on one’s lemonade or mai tai. Enjoy.
Amy Lindgren owns Prototype Career Service, a career consulting firm in St. Paul. She can be reached at alindgren@prototypecareerservice.com or at 626 Armstrong Ave., St. Paul, MN 55102.
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