Work Would Be Great If It Weren't for the People

A former senior vice-president at Prudential Securities, Inc.--now one of the most powerful women on Wall Street--offers a candid and hilarious examination of the ins and outs of office politics--and shows how to come out on top.

Lichtenberg, a former senior v-p at Prudential Securities, together with Stone (Little Girl Fly Away) offers a witty and cynical guide to office politics. According to them, ability, hard work and reliability are often not enough to succeed in the workplace unless these attributes are accompanied by a knowledge of the dynamics of human relations. The authors suggest first trying to work cooperatively by seeking common solutions to problems. But when stymied by roadblocks, such as a bullying boss, a vindictive co-worker or office gossip, they advise calling on the "evil twin" that supposedly lurks within everyone's consciousness as a self-protective mechanism. But, as they point out, revenge can backfire. And there are limitations on whistle-blowing, if that option is taken, since whistle-blowers are often simply transferred to another department. Sometimes, as the authors note, the most effective thing to do is to lie low. Author tour.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.