Don't Feed the Ducks
Author: Liam O'Connell
Publisher: Word4Word
Price: £12.95
Rating: 3 out of 5
'If you suffer from a sensitive disposition and are easily offended by the harsh truth, stop reading now.' This opening line of the fifth of 23 entertaining chapters in this guide to business excellence pretty much sums up its style and pace. Because O'Connell is a professional public speaker first and a writer second, this book reads like a chat between friends, complete with occasional 'this is total crap' expostulations and meanderings about a horse he's just put a bet on while he finishes his sentence. But these are not distractions, and add to the 'mate at a pub' philosophising on life (oh, and business success). The PR bumf says: 'If you walk into work and are greeted by miserable, can't-be-bothered staff, this book is for you'. For once we might have to agree.
What Got You Here Won't Get You There
Author: Marshall Goldsmith with Mark Reiter
Publisher: Profile Books
Price: £9.99
Rating: 5 out of 5
It's a hard pill to swallow - being told the habits that gave you career success thus far are now the very ones holding you back. Marshall Goldsmith, recently named by Forbes as one of the world's five most respected coaches, provides a soothing brand of support for career stutterers in this enjoyable self-help book. There are 20 top habits he says all employees need to break. Hear how we must all be our own press secretaries, how we have to learn to apologise, and that we must never say 'however' or 'but'. The book conveys far more originality of thought than this might suggest so do not be put off. It exudes an authority and self-confidence that many fail to achieve.
