Business Without the Bullsh*t

March 17, 2014
James, author of the “Sales Source” column on Inc.com, outlines the secrets of navigating today’s workforce, starting from the point of view that in the modern work world, everyone is, in effect, a freelancer, their own boss, and should always be looking for their next job. James tackles essential workplace skills and techniques, including how to be a great boss and colleague (and survive bad ones); navigate office politics; ask for a raise; and deal with stress. The author’s pithy and frank style matches his title and his recommendations are similarly to the point, such as his assertion in the chapter on asking for a raise that “nobody cares what you want, need or expect to be paid,” followed by helpful suggestions on how to effectively establish the discrepancy between your value and pay. Equally terse is his counsel on firings and layoffs, which “should be handled like a life threatening operation at a hospital. You want the patient (i.e., your firm) to get through trauma as quickly as possible, not bleed the death of a thousand cuts.” Relevant for leaders or employees of any generation, this is a quick, impactful primer for anyone wanting to be more effective on the job. Agent: Lorin Rees, Rees Agency.