Act On It - Softcover

Deep, Sam; Sussman, Lyle

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0738202452 ISBN 13: 9780738202457

Publisher: Basic Books, 2000

Synopsis

Known for their expert advice on getting ahead in business and staying motivated on the job, Deep and Sussman now apply their popular, practical style to the vital task of any manager: problem solving. From honing communication skills and personal effectiveness strategies, delegating tasks, and holding employees accountable to assessing performance, hiring, firing, and dealing with a problematic boss of your own, Act on It will time and again provide the swiftest route to the best solution by applying a simple problem-solving technique:Analyze your situationChoose the best strategy andTrack your choiceSure to inspire confidence in high-level executives and general supervisors alike, Act on It is the foolproof decision-making handbook all managers need in their top drawer.

About this title

Review

Chatty, little "quick-answer" books can often rub the wrong way, with their underlying assumption that all problems can be solved with the same type of solution, and that you, the reader, are a little slow not to have gathered this already. Working against the odds, Act on It comes out on top of the vast and growing pile of these books, being informative, inspiring, and packed full of intelligent content written in a clear, consistent style.

Sam Deep and Lyle Sussman don't presume to think they've got 101 answers for you. What they do presume, however, is that if you've gotten to where you are already, then you've got the smarts and the stamina to meet your own challenges... and you may just need a little help in analyzing them, choosing the best strategy with which to meet them, and then tracking the outcome of your strategy. And that's what these authors provide: 101 ways to ACT (analyze, choose, track) for 101 different challenges. They've organized these challenges into nine different sections, including areas such as personal effectiveness, communications, employee accountability, leadership, and, of course, a section on the boss. The specific challenges include everything from "How can I cope with an overwhelming workload?" to "What should I do if an employee says, 'Match this offer or I'm leaving'?" and "How can I build my credibility?" Each challenge includes a list of suggestions on how to analyze the situation, either by way of questions to ask yourself or others (and answer), alternative options or methods to consider, or behaviors to assess. This list is then followed by a forthright statement on how to choose the right path and an encouragement to keep focused on getting the best results from that choice. Many of Deep and Sussman's suggestions are matters of commonsense, but they aren't all as obvious as one might assume. When compiled, they provide an impetus to step back, reexamine one's goals, refresh one's vision, and move forward with purpose. All in all, Act on It is a refreshingly smart and balanced tool to do just that. --S. Ketchum

About the Author

Sam Deep is a consultant and trainer from Pittsburgh.
Lyle Sussman, Ph.D., is Professor of Management at the University of Louisville. Their other books include Yes, You Can! (80,000 sold) and What to Say to Get What You Want. The Sandler Sales Institute provides sales training through its national network of 180 affiliates.

About this edition

• Publisher: Basic Books
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0738202452
• ISBN 13: 9780738202457
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 240