12 Truths about Surviving in the Office

By Karen Randall

Book Overview

The Twelve Truths About Surviving and Succeeding in the Office, by Karen Randall, is a blunt and irreverent look at the reality of thriving in today's workplace. From the outset, Randall notes her... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0425156214
• ISBN13: 9780425156216
• Release Date: May 1997
• Publisher: Berkley Publishing Group
• Length: 116 Pages
• Weight: 0.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.2" x 8.2"

Customer Reviews

An excellent guide to the reality of the working world

Without actually realizing it, I have, for the last few years, followed many of the rules of this book, and with great success. I can trace many of my failures and problems with work to *not* following these rules which I know to be true. Some of the primary ones: Do *not* get emotionally involved with your job. Do *not* get too involved with your co-workers, because when you start to like them too much, you will start to get involved with *their* work problems which will do nothing but cause you trouble. The only person who really has to like you is your boss, or the person who actually makes all the real decisions. Always act like a "team player" (it is totally true, from what I have observed, that all owners/managers like to live in some hallucination that their employes are one happy team going for the same goal) while actually watching out for yourself and keeping emotionally detached. These are not necessarily palatable realities to most people but they *are* realities. If you have ever had the experience of working hard and really trying in a job and it has not gotten you anywhere, or you have even gotten fired, this book could be an invaluable asset in turning your working life around.

A lot of fun AND good advice

This book is truly helpful -- I love the examples, since many of them seemed to come right from my own office. A lot of the examples made me uncomfortable because they hit close to home -- but I think that's what a good book is supposed to do. Also, it's quick to read and doesn't have a lot of management-speak that other books on this subject have -- so it makes finding your problem and the solution fast. Well worth the price.

Something funny that is also highly useful!!

This book had me howling with laughter at its trivial tales of office back-stabbing and how to deal with a variety of nasty colleagues. We all have them! The author offers some fine principles to live by for those of us who must be subjected to the capitalist life-plan of 9 to 5! A must to help us all keep our wits and sanity intact!

The one book on business life that tells the truth!

Finally, a book that doesn't tell you that it's all your fault you're not getting ahead. You'll find a description of every power-hungry, back-stabbing jerk you've ever had the displeasure of dealing with in this book. Thankfully, you will also find practical, real life ways of dealing with them. I can't wait for the sequel

This book really tells it like it is!

Karen Randall goes right for the jugular as she dissects office politics and everyday hypocrisy - and tells you how to recognize and get around your enemies at work (and let's face it, we ALL have 'em!). It is refreshingly honest and direct and fuuny. I've never read a career book like it. She has obviously lived it, not just gone to college for her MBA. This woman has lived, and has something worthwhile to say. Plus a great sense of humor