Four business books, up for grabs

Here are four business books that landed on my desk recently. I have one new copy of each book to giveaway. Comment if you would like one (and tell me which one).

1) "Undercover Boss: Inside the TV Phenomenon That is Changing Bosses and Employees Everywhere," by Stephen Lambert and Eli Holzman with Mark Levine (Jossey-Bass, 2011, 272 pp., $24.95).

Description: On Feb. 7, 2010 the CBS television series Undercover Boss USA premiered to a staggering 38.6 million viewers, the largest post-Super Bowl audience for a new series and the most-watched premiere episode of any reality series in the history of television.

Now, for the first time, the bosses and employees featured on Undercover Boss share the lessons they learned as well as the formative experiences that resulted from being on the show. Show creators and executive producers Stephen Lambert and Eli Holzman reveal how they came up with the idea for the show, how they got a major network on board, and of course, how they found a dynamic, charismatic group of bosses willing to go undercover — on camera — in this new experiment.

Featuring interviews and insights with the bosses and employees of the nine businesses featured on Season 1 of the show, as well producers' notes on what you didn't see behind the scenes, this book is a must-have for fans of the show everywhere.

About the authors: Stephen Lambert, chief executive of Studio Lambert, is one of Britain's best-known creative television executives, responsible for creating award-winning documentary formats such as Faking It, Secret Millionaire, Wife Swap, and Undercover Boss. He lives in London with his wife, Jenni Russell, a columnist for the Guardian and Sunday Times, and their two children.

Eli Holzman is president and cofounder of Studio Lambert USA, where he launched and executive produced Undercover Boss. He began his career at Miramax Films and founded Miramax Television, where he helped create Project Greenlight and the hit Bravo series Project Runway. For 20th Century Fox–based Katalyst Films, he developed and launched the CW series Beauty & the Geek. As an independent producer, his series creations include Bravo's Work Of Art. He lives in Venice Beach, Calif.

Website: Jossey-Bass

2) "Do More Great Work." by Michael Bungay Stanier (Workman Publishing, 2010, $11.95, 200 pp.)

Description: Even the best performers are spending less than a fraction of their time doing "Great Work" — the kind of innovative work that pushes us forward, stretches our creativity, and truly satisfies us. Michael Bungay Stanier, Canadian Coach of the Year in 2006, is a business consultant who’s found a way to move us away from bad work (and even good work), and toward more time spent doing great work.

When you’re up to your eyeballs answering e-mail, returning phone calls, attending meetings and scrambling to get that project done, you can turn to this inspirational, motivating, and at times playful book for invaluable guidance. In 15 exercises, Do More Great Work shows how you can finally do more of the work that engages and challenges you, that has a real impact, that plays to your strengths — and that matters.

About the author: Michael Bungay Stanier is the founder and senior partner of Box of Crayons, a company that works with organizations, ranging from AstraZeneca to Xerox, to help them do more great work. A Rhodes scholar who earned both arts and law degrees with highest honors from Australian National University and an MPhil from Oxford, he is a popular speaker at business and coaching conferences, and was named Canadian Coach of the Year in 2006. He lives in Toronto.

Website: Workman Publishing

3) "The 60-Minute Money Workout" by Ellie Kay (WaterBrook Press, 2011, $14.99 paperback, 208 pp.)

Description: Want to be debt-free? The same program that made America’s Family Financial Expert Ellie Kay's family debt-free can make you financially stronger. In just one hour a week, Kay will revolutionize your money habits. With entertaining anecdotes, easy-to-follow charts, and practical advice, "The 60-Minute Money Workout" will transform how you view and use your money and enrich your quality of life.

About the author: Ellie Kay is a financial expert on Good Money (ABC NEWS) and best-selling author of 13 books and hundreds of magazine articles. She’s a regular media guest on CNBC, CNN, and Fox News, and has been featured on ABC Nightline, Your World with Neil Cavuto, and Fox and Friends. Her radio commentary for Focus on the Family airs on more than 2,000 radio outlets around the world. She and her husband are the parents of seven children and live in Southern California. Visit her website at EllieKay.com.

Website: Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group

4) "Business Etiquette: 101 Ways to Conduct Business with Charm and Savvy," 3rd ed., by Ann Marie Sabath (Career Press, 2010, $13.99 paperback, 192 pp.)

Description: This book gives new hires and seasoned professionals alike strategies for climbing that slippery ladder of success.

Learn appropriate ways for:

• Introducing two people whose names you’ve forgotten
• Determining when to send an e-mail vs. a “snail mail” follow-up
• Managing coworkers who drop in your office on a moment’s notice
• Being put on the spot in a meeting
• Playing the corporate hierarchy game with your boss and other higher-ups
• Dealing with international hosts, colleagues and customers.

About the author: Ann Marie Sabath is president of At Ease Inc., a nationally recognized protocol and etiquette firm. She has trained more than 90,000 individuals at companies such as Fidelity Investments, Monster.com, CVS Pharmacy/Caremark, Deloitte & Touche, Baird Investments and Marriott International. The first and second editions of Business Etiquette have been recognized by the Oprah Winfrey Show, the New York Times, Entrepreneur Magazine, the Seattle Times, and the Cincinnati Enquirer, among many other newspapers, radio and television stations. Sabath has been profiled in a wide variety of media, including Forbes, the Wall Street Journal and USA Today. She divides her time between New York and Cincinnati.

Website: Career Press

To indulge or not to indulge at the office holiday party

Office parties can be a slippery slope, especially around the holidays.

I was a guest at another business' holiday party recently. There was a bar, a band, and a lot of folks dressed up and hanging out after hours with coworkers they might not usually mingle with.

It was a beautiful thing.

I was talking with one of the firm's executives when the deejay played a popular dance song came on and a bunch of people hopped on the dance floor and started to let loose. The executive laughed and noted that this was only the beginning: At last year's party, he recalled, things got downright wild as the evening wore on.

He realized he'd stayed a shade too late when he found himself sitting at a table with some younger employees. The conversation, which may have been alcohol-fueled for some, took a turn to topics that were, well ... inappropriate for a work function, he said.

A year later, whatever was said in that conversation was obviously NOT forgotten...

So, just in time for the holidays, Barbara Pachter, author of the new book "GREET! EAT! TWEET! 52 Business Etiquette Postings To Avoid Pitfalls and Boost Your Career," (CreateSpace, 2010, $13.95) has offered some tips on how to successfully survive the office holiday party.

“The parties may be smaller, but employees need to remember that there are still lots of opportunities to make career-damaging mistakes," Pachter advised. "People say and do all sorts of inappropriate things at holiday celebrations.”

Her guidelines for office party success:

1. Remember to RSVP. Let people know that you will attend. And provide a very good reason if you cannot. The holiday party is a business activity and you will be expected to participate.

2. Don’t post negative opinions about the party on your social media sites. Tweeting that you don’t want to attend isn’t appropriate. Also, do not post on Facebook, during or after the event, photos that show or comments that describe someone’s unbecoming behavior.

3. Schmooze with people. Keep the conversation upbeat. Complaining about the company or the economy is a downer. Talk to people you know and don’t know. And remember that the person you meet at the party may turn out to be the person who interviews you for your next job.

4. Dress appropriately. It may be a party, but your attire needs to be suitable for a business event, not a nightclub.

5. Do not get drunk. To stay sober set a limit for yourself before you go to the event. Or, order a drink you don’t like and sip it slowly all night. It’s easy to do something outrageous when you’ve had too much to drink.

6. Stand tall. Poor posture tells others that you are uncomfortable or bored. Don’t slouch or cross arms. You want to appear confident.

7. Be gracious. Say “goodbye” and “thank you” to the host or party organizers. You will usually want to send a thank-you note, also.

I'll go one further: Enjoy. Not every employer sees fit to foot the bill for a holiday fete. Not to sound preachy, but if you're at a company holiday party, you are lucky to be there.

Business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter is the author of 9 books, including "The Power of Positive Confrontation" ($15.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) and "When the Little Things Count … And They Always Count" ($13.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.).

Tough times at work? Tips for keeping your cool when confronted by a hothead colleague

Are times tough at work? It will suffice to say they are for those of us who work in newspapers. Doing more with less is pretty much our motto. (That would be an understatement).

Below is a column from regional business etiquette pro and author Barbara Pachter. I'm a fan of hers, and not only because she sends me clean press releases.

6 Ways To Be Verbally Graceful During Tough Times At Work

Budgets have been cut, people are being asked to do more with less and many employees are worried about losing their jobs. As a result, people are stressed in today’s workplace and can easily lose their cool when difficulty arises.

“The important thing to remember when you are harassed or attacked by someone,” according to business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, author of The Power of Positive Confrontation ($14.95 paperback, Marlowe & Co.), “is not to react in a way you will regret later. Though it may feel good to say, ‘Well, what do you know, you idiot?’ it’s not going to build your credibility or accomplish anything.”

But it is important to know how to respond. You don’t want to be thinking, “I should have said or done ....” It is easier to retain your composure, respond calmly and not attack back when you’re prepared.

Here are Pachter’s 6 guidelines for what to say or do when the going gets tough:

1. LET IT GO. Understanding that people are under a lot of pressure can allow you to cut the person some slack. Sometimes it can be best not to do or say anything--just listen. Many times the person will come back later and apologize for the outburst.

2. AGREE WITH THE COMMENT. A good defense is the best offense. You can agree with what the person said but add additional information that turns the comment around, such as, “You’re right. We did put a lot of people on this project because it’s important to get this information out to our customers at this time.”

3. ASK FOR CLARIFICATION. Ask questions or make comments to get more information: “Why are you saying that?” “Help me to understand what you mean by . . . .” “Tell me more about your concern.” “Are you saying it was . . . ?” Probing makes you less likely to appear wounded by the attack, and it also buys you some time to calm down and collect your thoughts.

4. ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT YOU HAVE HEARD. First acknowledge what was said: “I understand your frustration,” or “I hear what you are saying.” Then use the word and, not but, to provide clarifying information, because using but negates what comes before it. A defusing statement such as “There may be some truth to that, and we are looking at the numbers,” or “That’s interesting, and you may not realize that we’ve been looking at those numbers,” can also let the person know that you have heard him or her.

5. RESPECTFULLY DISAGREE. Be polite but firm. You can say, “I disagree, and here’s why…”

6. POSTPONE THE DISCUSSION. Sometimes it is best to talk to the person privately. Say something like, “You obviously have strong feelings. Let’s get together after the meeting so we can discuss this issue in more depth.”


Barbara Pachter is a speaker, trainer, coach and author of numerous business books, including When The Little Things Count…And They Always Count ($14.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) and NewRules @Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead ($13.95, paperback, Prentice Hall). She specializes in business etiquette and communication. Pachter gives over 100 seminars a year to major organizations worldwide, including Microsoft, Pfizer, Chrysler, and Cisco Systems.

Santa says 'Don't get soused at the company party'

A previous company I worked for actually threw huge parties for the several hundred employees on holidays and at various other times during the year (product launches, summer celebrations). These were catered events, sometimes held at rented mansions on the Main Line. In addition to party games, DJs and catered food, there was free-flowing alcohol. At one July 4 picnic there was a BEER TRUCK. A truck with beer taps on the side. That's genius. But I digress...

Some people did take more than a nip or two. And the last Christmas party I attended at that job, one employee was dragged away in handcuffs for starting a drunken brawl out in the parking lot. Another rode away in an ambulance. I believe that might have been the last time that particular company provided alcohol for one of those shindigs. And at least one employee -- the arrested party -- was immediately fired for his drunken shenanigans.

So, the moral to the story is, if you like your job and want to keep it AFTER the Christmas party, don't do something stupid at that celebration like overindulge or drop your professional behavior. Sure, it's a party, but it's also a work function. There's a difference. And business etiquette expert and author Barbara Pachter expounds on that theory below. (I blogged about her "News@Work" book several months ago if you'd like to read more.)


9 ways to avoid disaster at the office holiday party

A saleswoman brought her dog to her manager’s holiday party at his home. The dog proceeded to do his business on the dining room rug. At another party, a young man got drunk, cursed out his boss and was fired on the spot. At another, an administrative assistant wore a very tight, revealing, short dress to her office party.

People do and say all sorts of inappropriate things at holiday parties. According to business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, “Your behavior always matters. Just because you are out of the office doesn’t mean that your behavior doesn’t count.”
Pachter, author of the book NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead, (Prentice Hall Press), recommends that you view the holiday party as you would any other business event. It is not the time to let it all hang out!

Here are Pachter’s 9 guidelines for holiday success:

1. MAKE SURE YOU ATTEND. Attendance at the company holiday party isn’t optional. Your absence will be noticed, and most likely, noted by your boss and other higher ups.

2. PREPARE CONVERSATION AHEAD OF TIME. Don’t just talk business. Be up-to-date on current events, happenings in your community. Read the newspaper, newsmagazines, company publications, and your professional journals.

3. STAY SOBER. Set a limit for yourself before you go to the party. It is much easier to limit your intake that way. Or, order a drink you don’t like and sip it slowly all night. A bank manager swears that he got promoted because his boss got drunk and she made such outrageous comments at the party that she was fired.

4. MINGLE. Talk to people you know and don’t know. This is an opportunity to meet new people. Don’t just stay with your group. Go up to people, say hello, introduce yourself, shake hands.

5. PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR BODY LANGUAGE. Even if the party is dull, it’s bad manners to let others see how bored you are. Don’t frown, slouch, cross arms or yawn.

6. DRESS APPROPRIATELY. It may be a party, but it’s still business. Nothing too short, too low, too tight or too anything.

7. PREPARE YOUR SPOUSE. If you’re attending the party with your spouse or significant other, prepare him or her in advance on appropriate dress and topics of conversation. Remember, his or her behavior will reflect on you. And if your spouse is supposed to attend, make sure he or she does. A CEO told his vice president that he was not advancing any further in the company unless his wife started attending company functions.

8. DON’T FORGET THAT YOUR BEHAVIOR ALWAYS MATTERS. Have a good time but…don’t make major personal revelations nor gossip. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that just because this is a party, you can address the company president by his or her first name.

9. SAY “THANK-YOU.” Be sure to send a thank-you note to the party’s organizer.

Barbara Pachter is a speaker, coach and author of numerous business books, including “The Power of Positive Confrontation” ($14.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.) and “When the Little Things Count” ($13.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.). She specializes in business etiquette and communication. Her client list features major organizations including Microsoft, Cisco, Pfizer, Chrysler, and Genentech.

Political questions to avoid at work

This timely column comes from author and business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, who has penned several business books, including NewRules@Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead (which I blogged about earlier this year) ($13.95, paperback, Prentice Hall Press) and When The Little Things Count: And They Always Count ($13.95, paperback, Marlowe & Co.)

She specializes in business etiquette and communication. Her client list features major organizations worldwide, including Microsoft, Pfizer, Chrysler and Genentech.

If you're tired of the constant political commentary everywhere you go this presidential election year, including work, read on:


With the presidential election in less than four weeks, it can be tempting to get into political discussions at work. What is the harm in admitting who you think should win the election or giving your opinion about post-war Iraq? It is just your opinion after all. Right?

“Yes, it is tempting, but don’t do it!” advises business etiquette expert Barbara Pachter, author of The Power of Positive Confrontation ($14.95 paperback, Marlowe & Co.). “When it comes to politics, people have strong opinions. Political discussions can quickly and easily escalate into arguments, sometimes heated ones. You may say something that insults your co-worker, boss or customer.

Yet, Pachter acknowledges, in today’s super-charged political climate, it is easy to want to know your colleagues’ opinions. But, if you think of the consequences of discussing the following questions, you may not ask them.

1. “Who are you going to vote for?”
Do not ask this question! You may get an answer you did not expect or want. Your opinion of that person can be altered, often negatively, if he or she is not voting for your candidate.

2. “Who do you think won the debate?”
You and your colleague may have very different opinions about who answered the questions effectively or who looked good behind the podium. Arguing the points will usually not resolve them. If a colleague keeps pushing his/her opinion, you can say, “Let’s agree to disagree.”

3. “How can you possibly vote for____?”
Asking this question is not just commenting on the person’s choice, it is putting the person down. Discussions can quickly become ugly after that!

4. “Don’t you think the candidate’s stance on ______ is outrageous?
Using strong negative language to discuss an issue can become fighting words to people. If you want to comment on an issue, a better way to word your disagreement is, “I disagree with the candidate’s position on _____because of_____.”

Others may ask these questions of you to draw you into a political discussion. Remember you don’t have to answer every question asked of you. Quickly excuse yourself or change the topic. You can also be assertive and politely tell the person, “I’m uncomfortable discussing this at work. Let’s get back to business.”

xxx

For a free copy of Pachter's e-newsletter, “Competitive Edge,” call (856) 751-6141 or go to www.pachter.com.

Book’s tips show how a hello and a handshake can further your career

Reviewed: “New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead,” by Barbara Pachter with Ellen Schneid Coleman, Prentice Hall Press, 2006, $13.95, paperback, 258 pages.

Author Barbara Pachter says it’s a good strategy, at a business event where alcohol is served, to order a drink you don’t much like and slowly sip it to make sure you don’t overindulge.
I (sort of) put this theory to the test at a recent after-hours networking event, when the bar had run out of the red wine or beer I would have preferred, and I had to drink (gasp!) light beer. But I don’t think that was exactly what Pachter was getting at. When the drinks are free, I’m not all that picky.
Pachter, author of numerous business books including “New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tool, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead,” states that when drinking alcohol in social/business situations, “Have a good time but…don’t forget your behavior always matters. Just because you are out of the office doesn’t mean that your behavior doesn’t count.
“Many workplaces don’t have a lot of rules — or may not enforce a lot of rules — when it comes to etiquette, or prescribed conduct, in or out of the office. “New Rules @ Work,” is practical and helpful in filling in the blanks.
Take the case of professional attire:Years ago, I was a contractor at a mutual funds company. Proper professional attire that included suits with conservative skirt lengths and certain types of shoes (no open toes, sneakers or clogs) worn with “proper hosiery” was required.
A lot of companies, however, opt for a “business casual” dress code. And in the heat and humidity of summer, those already casual rules may become even more relaxed, according to Pachter.
However, the author states, warmer weather doesn’t mean you can suddenly wear tiny skirts, skimpy tops or otherwise inappropriate clothing to your job.
“Sexy is not a corporate look,” warns Pachter.
She suggests, “If your company does not have a written policy, look at what other people wear, especially the more senior people, the more successful ones. They are often good role models.”
There’s also a chapter devoted to “e-mail embarrassments.”
“Of course, it is inappropriate to say negative things to coworkers about colleagues — past or present — whatever technology you are using. However, the risks multiply when you use e-mail,” Pachter writes.
Many of us have been on the receiving end of an inappropriate e-mail that was erroneously sent to “reply all” instead of just to the sender. Pachter advises avoiding potentially embarrassing e-mail situations by beginning a fresh e-mail rather than replying in the heat of the moment.
A chapter I found particularly helpful discussed handshakes.“You should be certain to shake hands when you: Greet someone with more than just a hello and when you say goodbye; are introduced to someone; are visited in your office by someone from outside the company — for example, a customer, client or vendor; encounter a business colleague outside the office; or feel it is appropriate.”
There are times when I first meet someone in a professional capacity and that person does not extend their hand for a handshake. It’s sometimes awkward and feels like a rejection. What I learned from Pachter’s book is that I, as a woman, should not hesitate to extend my hand first — something that I realized that I do sometimes hesitate to do.
The proper etiquette is that “a man should wait for a woman to extend her hand.” Also: “The higher-ranking person should extend his or her hand first.”
Another chapter I found interesting discussed saying hello to people at work. It sounds simple enough — greeting those you see every day or even returning a hello — but not everybody does it, according to Pachter.
“You would not believe how many people tell me they are frequently ignored when they say hello to colleagues they encounter in hallways, elevators, cafeterias and elsewhere in the office,” she writes.
Her guideline: “If you make eye contact with someone who is within 10 feet of you, you must acknowledge the person with a nod or a smile. At five feet you must say something: ‘Hello,’ or ‘Good morning’ will suffice.”
Even a simple greeting can make your boss, coworker or client feel a connection. Like Pachter’s other tips, this one might just help you “get ahead and stay ahead.”