Book 1: Business Without the Bull S***

Book 1

Business Without the Bullsh*t

49 Secrets and Shortcuts You Need to Know

By: Geoffrey James

Published 2014

ISBN: 978-1-4555-7458-2

Approximately 261 Pages

So my first foray into blogging and I begin it with Geoffrey James' Business Without the Bullshit.  This book was initially recommended to me by a job coach.  The initial purpose was for the areas of updating my resume and interviewing because I was in between jobs, so I had focused my attention on those chapters.  Having the time to actually sit and read the entirety of the book there are so many useful items for anyone at the beginning of their career and even those at the mid-level such as myself.

The book is easy to read and very easy to reference.  None of the secrets (chapters) are more than seven pages.  So if you are like me and getting close to your quitting point wondering how many pages are left in the chapter, chances are you are only one or two away with this one.  The final page of each of the secrets highlights the points within that secret.  So if you need a quick reference it's right there.  And again, each of the secrets are quick and straightforward (sticking with the theme of the title).

While reading through all of the secrets I could easily see where I have evolved and what areas I can still improve upon as a professional.  Working in the field of higher education on a college campus, there were a handful of secrets  I didn't necessarily apply to me such as "How to Ask for a Raise" and "How to Handle Corporate Lawyers."  While these things may be more relevant within different functional areas, they aren't things I deal with on a day to day basis.

There are a number of compelling and useful pieces of the book such as "How to Write a Compelling Email," which I think many of us sometimes lack the capacity to do.  "How to Use Social Media" is another great secret, for some of us that aren't as technology savvy, centering around creating your personal brand and what platforms are best used for what.  The final part of the book, "How to Cope with Evil," I find to also be very useful.  While the author does caution the reader upfront not to use the described tactics for themselves, it is useful information on how to CYA if you are starting to spot the behaviors.

The author really puts lots of common sense things into the simplest of concepts.  No bullshit.  No extra fluffy words to try to make it longer, because let's be honest, who has time for the extra fluff.  I highly recommend this book for those starting their careers and reference back to it throughout their careers.  There are a number of excellent secrets to managing organizational culture.  I also recommend for those at the mid-point of their careers as some responsibilities may shift and/or be added to the job.  The book covers managing bosses, employees, co-workers, and yourself.  Additionally, it provides some thoughts on hiring the ideal team and how to tackle some of the tough pieces of the work force...laying someone off or firing them.

Citation:

James, G. (2014) Business Without The Bullsh*t: 49 Secrets and Shortcuts You Need to Know. New York, NY. Business Plus - Hatchette Book Group.

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