By Russell Bishop, Fortier Public Relations, $22.00, 256 pages
One of the problems with management is that one must manage people. Workarounds That Work shows a would-be manager how to deal with the problems that people cause, effectively and quickly. It covers a wide variety of problems ranging from old pros that refuse to listen to the new pros, how to deal with meetings, and a number of interpersonal issues. It uses real-world examples, and pulls from a variety of sources. It also shows how sometimes just shifting perspective can lead to innovative solutions.
However, the snarky tone of the author and word breakdowns may be off-putting. There is a definite sense of humor throughout the book that usually works, but can occasionally come off as just a little annoying; that the author has the peppy tone of a used-car salesman doesn’t help. Also, there are just too many times where he breaks down words in order to prove a point, such as response-ability; although clever and bringing home the point, it can get aggravating. This is a great book for a manager that is constantly butting his head against the wall due to corporate structure, if you can get past the language issues.
Reviewed by Jamais Jochim