Review by Choice Review
Goldsmith (prolific author, executive coach, and faculty, Dartmouth's Tuck School of Business) claims that successful organizational leaders fail to see their problematic behaviors because they are unaware, lack feedback, or are in denial, but continuing these behaviors can derail their career. This work is reminiscent of Kate Ludeman and Eddie Erlandson's Alpha Male Syndrome (CH, Apr'07, 44-4551), which focuses on successful corporate leaders and the importance of confidential 360-degree feedback. However, rather than deal with unchangeable past behavior, Goldsmith focuses on positive change via "feedforward" (colleagues are asked for specific suggestions to improve problem behavior in the future) and reliance on colleagues for implementation, maintenance, and accountability of plans to change behavior. Writing in first-person conversational style, and citing personal and professional stories, the authors introduce the problem; describe troublesome behaviors; present seven steps for stopping undesirable behavior; and detail guidelines for terminating a problem now instead of procrastinating. Goldsmith contends that all people desiring greater success could benefit from this book. It contains actionable activities for reader participation: the behavioral change process (sections 2 and 3) and a leadership assessment questionnaire (appendix). Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; students, upper-division undergraduate and up; faculty and practitioners. D. Truty Northeastern Illinois University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
By now, the CEO as celebrity is old hat. (Just start counting the books from former company heads.) That goes for the executive-recruiter-cum-president-makers. What has yet to be explored--until now--is the celebrity business coach, the individual who helps C-level executives correct flaws, whether invisible or public. A frequent interviewee in major business magazines like Fortune, Goldsmith, with the sage help and advice of his collaborator Reiter, pens a self-help career book, filled with disguised anecdotes and candid dialogue, all soon slated for bestsellerdom. His steps in coaching for success are simple, honest, without artifice: gather feedback from appropriate colleagues and cohorts, determine which behaviors to change (and remember, Goldsmith specifically focuses on behavior, not skills or knowledge), apologize, advertise, listen, thank, follow up, and practice feed-forward. Admittedly, this shrewd organizational psychologist only works with leaders he knows will listen, follow advice, and change--especially considering that he doesn't receive fees until improvements are secure and visible. On the other hand, these are words and processes anyone will benefit from, whether wannabe manager or senior executive. --Barbara Jacobs Copyright 2006 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Goldsmith, an executive coach to the corporate elite, pinpoints 20 bad habits that stifle already successful careers as well as personal goals like succeeding in marriage or as a parent. Most are common behavioral problems, such as speaking when angry, which even the author is prone to do when dealing with a teenage daughter's belly ring. Though Goldsmith deals with touchy-feely material more typical of a self-help book-such as learning to listen or letting go of the past-his approach to curing self-destructive behavior is much harder-edged. For instance, he does not suggest sensitivity training for those prone to voicing morale-deflating sarcasm. His advice is to stop doing it. To stimulate behavior change, he suggests imposing fines (e.g., $10 for each infraction), asserting that monetary penalties can yield results by lunchtime. While Goldsmith's advice applies to everyone, the highly successful audience he targets may be the least likely to seek out his book without a direct order from someone higher up. As he points out, they are apt to attribute their success to their bad behavior. Still, that may allow the less successful to gain ground by improving their people skills first. (Jan. 2) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
