From Cinderella to CEO: How to Master the 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales to Transform Your Work Life [Hardcover]

Cary J. Broussard (Author), Anita Bell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2005

PRAISE FOR From CINDERELLA to CEO

"The storybook Cinderella sits and waits for her prince charming to come. From Cinderella to CEO is a rewrite for modern day Cinderellas. This book tells women to climb on their own horse and ride to their destiny. It's full of great road maps on everything from how to survive a wicked boss to how to surround yourself with swans!"
--Pat Schroeder, former Congresswoman, President & CEO of the Association of American Publishers

"Cary Broussard has produced a great compass for women who are navigating their journey through work life. This is a primer that turns fairy tales into actionable road signs that will transform starry-eyed neophytes into seasoned professionals. This book is much more than a 'yellow brick road' map. It is an atlas that not only helps the reader plot her successful course; but, it also underscores ways for managing a successful career, as well as identifies road markers and landmines that could derail a career. It is a must read."
--Esther Silver-Parker, Vice President of Diversity Relations, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.

"If you have aspirations to be successful and happy in your career, then From Cinderella to CEO is the book for you! Cary Broussard has decoded folklore and articulated a play-by-play game plan to help women win in the ballgame of business. And best of all, this fairy godmentor wisely refers to cutting edge twenty-first century thinking by interpreting business as pleasure!"
--Linda K. Bolliger, Founder & CEO, Boardroom Bound?

"From Cinderella to CEO offers something for everyone. No matter which rung of the corporate ladder you are perched upon you will appreciate Cary J. Broussard's fresh perspective on women in the workplace. Whether you are just starting out, mentoring a new hire, or thinking about starting your own business you'll look at things differently after reading this book. Broussard understands that while work styles may vary by gender, these differences complement each other and savvy employers and employees will prosper when both styles are encouraged to flourish."
--Marti Barletta, author of Marketing to Women: How to Understand, Reach, and Increase Your Share of the World's Largest Market Segment

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Broussard, an executive at a "traditional Southern-based" travel hospitality corporation, uses 10 fairy tales, their handsome princes and huntsmen removed, to illustrate ways women can find greater success at work. It's not quite the same as spinning straw into gold, but the principles she advocates-staying focused and working well with others-can transform an abominable worklife. Though the book's conceit can seem saccharine, Broussard's stories don't shirk the dark side of fairy tales; the poisoned apples, wicked wolves and villains become sadistic bosses, jealous coworkers and insubordinate underlings. Broussard argues against the widely-held notion that female bosses are more likely to resent ambitious women subordinates and downplays workplace jealousy among women, instead positing "the evil queen might be a man." The result is a deliberately non-threatening chorus of female empowerment, with tips on how to navigate office politics and advance your career. She sometimes shoehorns discussions of multiculturalism, sexual harassment and creating a professional wardrobe into ill-fitting fairy tales, and neologisms such as "fairy godmentor" may annoy some readers, but women looking for easy-to-digest workplace motivation and gender-specific affirmation will find it here.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From the Inside Flap

Fairy tales have fascinated people for hundreds of years because they have layers of meaning that are relevant to anyone at any time and place. The closer you look, the more you see, and the lessons found within these tales teach us a great deal that applies to today's modern work world. Best of all, fairy tales relate their wisdom through stories that are both informative and entertaining.

Cary Broussard is one of the country's top experts in marketing to women and diverse populations. For the past twelve years, she's spent more than half her time on the road, meeting and talking with women from all walks of work life, from CEOs to administrative assistants. Through her involvement in women's groups and her groundbreaking programs, Broussard has motivated thousands of women to get ahead in today's competitive workplace. Now she has combined the ageless wisdom of fairy tales with the latest advice from women on the forefront of business—to guide you on your way to career success.

Just because this book is called From Cinderella to CEO, you don't have to have aspirations of actually becoming a Chief Executive Officer to benefit from the valuable knowledge found in these pages. With this book as your guide, you'll learn to think like a CEO in whatever position you currently hold and to envision a transformation that suits your own values, goals, and reality. Filled with motivational stories, advice from successful women in the workforce, and major lessons from ten well-known fairy tales, From Cinderella to CEO gives you the confidence to create a realistic yet passionate vision for your career—and a full menu of tools to get there.

The timeless tales included in this book offer serious advice that is highly relevant to today's workplace issues, such as:

• A modern Snow White can thwart an evil queen or backstabbing competitor by working hard to win allies
• A Gretel thrust into the woods with scarcely a few weeks' severance pay can find her way to a better job
• A Rapunzel stuck in a tower or low-paying job can escape and make her voice heard
• Beast of a project can turn into a Princely prize when an ambitious Beauty (on the inside)?sees the potential in an underappreciated idea . . . and has faith in her choices

You can choose how to use this book to your best advantage. Read it from cover-to-cover, or pick out your all-time favorite fairy tales and see what they have to teach you. You can also go right to chapters that offer the lessons and practical techniques you need to solve your particular work issues. Whatever you choose, From Cinderella to CEO will help you find the rewards hidden in the dark and twisting woods of the workplace.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (September 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471727180
• ISBN-13: 978-0471727187
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #889,080 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly recommended and empowering!, October 16, 2005

By 

W. Moore (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: From Cinderella to CEO: How to Master the 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales to Transform Your Work Life (Hardcover)

No matter what career level you're at, you'll find this book is fun, motivational and full of insightful advice from beginning to end! From surviving layoffs to networking and practical strategies for dealing with office politics - you'll find yourself picking this book up again and again for easy-to-follow advice and an entertaining perspective on the challenges we all face as women in the workplace.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For women and men, November 1, 2005

By 

N. Boatwright - See all my reviews
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This review is from: From Cinderella to CEO: How to Master the 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales to Transform Your Work Life (Hardcover)

Absolutely loved it! This book is a great tool for a woman at any point in her career. It's appropriate for men too!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved it! A "Must Read!", October 26, 2005

By 

Elizabeth Robinson (Georgia) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: From Cinderella to CEO: How to Master the 10 Lessons of Fairy Tales to Transform Your Work Life (Hardcover)

I started the book and finished it over the weekend. I wasn't expecting to want to read the book cover to cover, but I couldn't help it! I am buying this book for all my girlfriends for Christmas.