Read It All Politics Winning in a World Where Hard Work and Talent Aren't Enough Kathleen Kelly Reardon PhD 9780385507585 Books

Product details Paperback 272 pages Publisher Crown Business; Reprint edition (September 19, 2006) Language English ISBN-10 9780385507585

It All Politics Winning in a World Where Hard Work and Talent Aren't Enough Kathleen Kelly Reardon PhD 9780385507585 Books Reviews

• You've gone to school or maybe work with That Guy or That Girl. The one who ballet dances through the social minefields, while you make do with a pogo stick. You wonder if he or she was raised by a family of political virtuosos. What the *heck* does he or she know that most folks don't?
  
  You need this book. Dr. Reardon gives actionable advice, including strategies for handling situations such as your boss getting a paramour who doesn't seem to like you, a peer personally attacking you or someone whose power needs to be reduced or shifted. And she goes right down to the nitty-gritty, like "Most changes of topic require an appropriate transition or an apology for changing the subject. These considerations are *not* superfluous; they are crucial to advancement in any organization." [Emphasis original]
  
  She gives specific, concrete examples, right down to the actual wording of lines you could use -- with different assertiveness levels for various temperaments (not to mention for different political contexts!). For example, if someone seems to be giving you subtle mixed messages, you can say "I'm not sure I completely understand what you're saying" if you want to draw him/her out some more, or "Should I take what you said to mean that I need to change my ways?" if you want to get more direct (and are more sure of your interpretation).
  
  She also makes clear that some issues -- like your boss dating a co-worker who's not completely in your corner -- just can't be solved, only managed "In business, some problems are chronic, and if you can work your way around them, you're doing well."
  
  This book is really Part II of a pair, so first get The Secret Handshake Mastering the Politics of the Business Inner Circle, devour and digest it and then read this one.
  
  If you were lucky enough to grow up with parents and maybe a few other adults who taught you organizational politics inside and out...well, that just means you got to save a few bucks toward a pizza instead of buying this book.
• Reardon's topic is winning at office politics -- getting along and rising to the top in a corporation or similar organization by understanding human interactions. This book will be useful to anyone, particularly a new employee or a recent college graduate, who is trying to figure out how things really work on the job.
  
  She correctly identifies all white-collar employees as "politicians" and points out that office politics is inevitable. Some people will win and some will lose. Her case studies are fascinating -- particularly the ones that involve responding to nasty e-mails or coping with putdowns by practitioners of "negative politics." To her great credit, Reardon emphssizes that there are times when merely "getting along" is not the right answer and when courage, integrity, and risk-taking are essential. And she gives appropriate weight to issues of personal style some people face problems head-on, while others defer them; some are "in your face," while others avoid confrontation.
  
  There are places where Reardon's expository energy seems to slow and the book plods along. But soon, the reader is caught up in another case study or interesting e-mail exchange and the book picks up strength again.
• is a good book
• Approaching this book, it seemed to be a Machiavellian Scheming for Dummies. But whatever your field, politics IS a natural human interaction. Please leave your own conceptions about office politics behind and take a look at this book. It won't teach you to topple foreign governments and bilk your clients. Rather, it illustrates the ways people use politics for both good and ill -- sometimes skillfully and sometimes ham-handedly -- and how you can steer those interactions to your advantage rather than being a victim of them. Some of the examples and solutions are overly basic and scripted. But unless you've never driven home from work stewing about a smarmy colleague or cursing a boss, you might get something from this book.
• Considering corporate politics exist in all corporations, it is amazing how little it is studied. In fact, many corporations deny that politics even exist in their organization (yeah right!)
  
  This book is written by an academia with a PhD from one of the better business schools (USC). This alone makes this book unique since most books on corporate politics seems to be written by used car salesmen rather than by a rational intellectual.
  
  The author attempts to tackle the heavy challenge of explaining the nature and ways of power and politics in 232 pages. Overall, the book contains lot of valuable information such as "read between the lines" and "ability to see things as others do is paramount".
  
  I felt several key components of corporate politics and power were missing or were dealt supreficially. For example, leadership (ability to put the team first and persevering through inconsistencies of human emotions and behavior) and emotional intelligence (ability to be calm and collective even when the situation demands anger and impulsive action) was not emphasized at all. I also believe that appearing detached from politics (even one is fully involved in strategizing) and being a "hard to get" person to all suitors of power is important. Finally, nothing gives you more power than knowledge. If you are more of an expert in a specific technical field, you are intrinsically more powerful.
  
  Although I do not believe this book can, and does not, contain all the information related to power and politics in the corporate world, it is nonethless one of the most credible.
• This is a one those books I would recommend to any MBA student. I am sure the benefit derived from it will greatly complement the technical skill learned in the classroom.
  Unfortunately many organizations are pathologically political and one must learn how to survive, but also how to win in an environment polluted with political sharks.
  
  I highly recommend it.