Customer Reviews

Living Well, Working Smart: Soft Skills for Success

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

If you are in your 20's and never had much parenting, you may find this book worthwhile. On the other hand, if you have had some socialization and/or you've read any self-help books, chances are good this is a repeat, at best. It's true there's a lot there, it covers most of life's skills. But it is boring, written in a parental "do it this way" voice with advice about not talking with food in your mouth, your elbows on the table, being rude, inconsiderate, etc. There's a page after each chapter with "Mistakes to Avoid" and the expected consequences, in detail. I found the short quotes that begin each chapter the best part, but after that, it was downhill . . . .

Very simply expressed... Just do it. This book could not have been regimented like this without the deep professional knowledge bank. This is refreshment, I would say we may read this book once in an every year to refresh and restate our standards in the work and personal life. Well expressed chapter by chapter with the "Mistakes to avoid" and "steps to success" for each chapter that really helps to take a note apply on the real time.

New way of defining the anger management and stress management by the author is a very realistic approach, clearly indicates anger and stress are part of the career but need to convert that energy into an achievement.

Problem solving, decision making, resolve or manage conflicts, negotiating, accountability, trust, writing, listening, speaking, commitment, loyalty......and it goes up to 41 areas that covers all about the professionalism in the each sections with the tips to correct the areas we are weak.

It's good refreshment.

Couple of critics;
Author could have avoided repeating same "Mistakes to avoid" for different topics.
'Researching' section may need to be expressed with high level research methodology.
I am not sure how this book will help the people with the decades of experience.

In overall, I can't put less than five stars

How refreshing, to find a book that makes connections to both the practical and the management aspects. Well written, concise, to the point, and not full of mumbo-jumbo psycho-babble. Living Well, Working Smart has turned out to be a great tool for my managers and staff, and has proven to be insightful in assessing my own techniques and habits. Not just your usual run-of-the-mill self-help book. Congratulations to the authors, these two really know the real world, which makes the book more relevant and useful.

This book is perfect for those looking for small bites of information to reflect on and apply to work and daily life. Each chapter is is written in easy conversational style in just a few pages and is followed by key mistakes to avoid and steps to implement the strategies in a practical way.
As a trainer, I find great value to this text -- it serves as a nice in-class supplement to any soft skills training session and is a practical resource for employees to reference in the months that follow.

Living Well, Working Smart: Soft Skills for Success is a must read for anyone who wants to grow professionally. Extremely well written, it addresses the soft skills that are so essential for success - in all areas of life. I am recommending Living Well, Working Smart to all my friends and colleagues. Kudos to the authors for such a fantastic book!

This is an excellent book for the beginning or seasoned professional! It provides specific answers to situations that often arise in the workplace. The authors use a problem/success format providing the reader with an increased understanding of where they are likely to sabotage themselves and a better strategiey to employ in resolving their conflicts. As a college instructor, I am looking forward to sharing it's wisdom with my students!

Book was clear, concise and easy to read and understand. It covers very basic skills and would be good for any staff but especially employees just entering the work force. It's a good review for everyone else.

Living well, Working Smart is a rare find. Finally, a book that speaks to the vital needs of soft skill development without getting lost in concepts.

I read business books in search of tangible lessons all the time and I seldom find books that I can pass along to my management team. The reasons range from differing levels of intellectual curiosity to a lack of time for extra reading.

In this busy world getting to the point has never been more valuable. For me, this book is a smart and concise reminder of the essential building blocks to Living Well. The forty one soft skills apply to the whole person which makes it all the more effective as a business book. I will be buying a case to share with my team.

What you will find here is a reader's digest version, of a reader's digest edition, of a pleathora of topics. Want to know about negotiating? You'll find 5 pages here to tell you what you need to know. Questions about finances? A whole 8 pages. All of these topics are arranged the same way. You will find a list of mistakes you can avoid, (along with a brief sentence on the consequences) and then a equally brief section on what to do, to obtain "success". Now, next topic.

Quite frankly this book is a lot more like listening to your mom saying, "Because I said so" rather than any real substance. 41 topics, such as resolving conflict, decision making, speaking, anger management, and table manners. All presented in 283 pages. You do the math and decide if anything truely valuable can be revealed with a 7 page average per topic. Lot of blank pages in here as well, so I am being very generous in the numbers. If you are a typical consumer who is looking for the shiney package and the quick fix, you may be happy with this book. For me, I have marked this book NTF, not worth finishing, and will not waste anymore time on it.

"Living Well, Working Smart" is a fantastic book for those thinking of starting or building a small business. It covers every thing from how to resolve and manage conflict to how to keep balance and perspective in life. The writing is clear and to the point! This book will serve as a constant source of real-life information for me that I will refer back to whenever I feel I'm heading off track.