Customer Reviews

Never Confuse a Memo With Reality: And Other Business Lessons Too Simple Not To Know

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People have intelligences that can be measured in many different ways, including those used for school work, artistry, communications, and social skills. A lot of very bright people in academic and technical subjects are very weak on the social skills side. This book is a great resource for anyone who wants to improve in this area of social skills.

Moran says that he came up with these aphorisms to capture simple organizational truths that everyone should know and some do not. I counted 361 of them.

Some of the better ones that struck me include urging fewer policies and procedures; career planning being an oxymoron because most opportunities are unexpected; not using technical language too much in conversation; testing your understanding of an assignment by asking why it is to be done before starting; admitting that you don't know when you don't know; always bringing a potential solution with every problem you take to your boss; and that being in the right place at the right time is more often the result of preparation than of accidents.

If you want to know the ropes, are new to the work place, are unsure what to do with your colleagues, or know someone who fits this description, this is the best simple book for you.

Because of its size and layout, this looks like a novelty item---a "101 Uses for A Dead Cat" type of book---but it is a profound distillation of wisdom culled from experience in the business world.

It is indeed a good gift for graduates, but since they have little or no work experience they won't get a lot of the aphorisms. As one reviewer noted, the longer you live, the more sense these pithy sayings are likely to make.

Practical, real-world advice contained in the book includes: - Never take a newspaper to the bathroom - Never tell a colleague he looks tired - When you're waiting for someone in a reception area, stand up rather than sitting - Keep track of how you spend your time; someone is bound to ask to you account for it. - Never in your life utter the phrase, "It's not my job."

Sometimes it's difficult to explain why these statements are true, but if you've been around for awhile you know that they are. Buy several copies of the book, one for yourself and a couple as gifts. At $8.00 a pop, it's cheap wisdom you can apply every day of your working life.

This book should be required reading for every college graduate because the author tells the truth about what's important. Like, "It's not the size of your office, it's the size of your paycheck." It can prevent you from making mistakes, like "Never sit down in the lobby while waiting for a client" How does he know this stuff?

Not even worth the 1-cent price shown above at the used shops. This book is the very worst of a plethora of cute career related drivel which has flooded bookshelves since the mid eighties. It reads exactly like what it is - a book basically written (probably in a single weekend) so its author, a professional "consultant," could cash in on the endless supply of bosses who buy such tripe so they can leave it in the break room for real employees to read while waiting for their lunch to cook in the microwave. Full of obvious and pointless advice like "Take courses at your community college." or "Never get drunk at your office holiday party." this book is an insult to anyone who actually works for a living. I would give this turd less than one star if I could.

The author, Richard A. Moran, is the National Director of Organizational Change Practice for Price Waterhouse. "He has worked," his biographical profile in the back of this book state, "for all types of organizations worldwide, from Apple Computer to Zurich Insurance. Moran helps organizations implement their strategies by keeping management focused and by getting lots of help from employees. He is the co-athor of the landmark study POSTCARDS FROM EMPLOYEES, which capture the perceptions of more than 50,000 employees regarding their organizations and managements as well as well as customer service and other work-related areas...."

This book, a collection of 361 aphorisms gleaned from his experience, is in individual parts, both superficial and profound. The aphorisms are simple and not always appropriate for each individual in each situation. His advice on dating (don't date co-workers), oneupsmanship (get into the office a half hour before your boss), honesty (don't take sick days unless you are sick), holiday parties (don't get drunk there), traveling on corporate jets (know the seating protocol before you get there), and racist jokes (expect to be fired if you tell them) may strike people as overly obvious or overly general.

What the author offers is a checklist of advice that is useful to anyone who works as part of, in cooperation with, a complex bureaucratic structure. "Most observations that made it to the pages of this book were learned from other people's mistakes, even though most of the blunders went unnoticed by the offenders. To them I am most indebted," he says.

"....The obervations in this outlined in this book," the author says, "were not derived through the rigorous application of conjoint analysis in a JIT environment with the Black-Scholes methodology as a denominator. Rather, they are based on the simple organizational truths that I find people should know--but don't. I hope this book bridges the gap in the knowledge frontier and makes you more successful."

Based on one's life experiences, one will have different views of the value of this book, and the value of the individual aphorisms it contains.

My nominees for the best three dozen aphorisms are as follows:

#5. "Simplify, don't complicate--especially processes, procedures, and policies."

#7. "Spend five minutes figuring out how to communicate the decision for every ten minutes you spend deciding."

#8. "Believe that change can happen, even after overwhelming evidence says that things never seem to get better."

#15. "Don't promise what you can't deliver."

#25. "Never confuse a memo with reality...most memos from the top are political fantasy."

#27. "Don't look at change as bad."

#31. "Share the credit for successful projects and make sure everyone's supervisor knows of everyone's contribution."

#50. "If you're going to complain about something, have a solution in mind and make it clear what you want."

#57. "Develop a high tolerance for ambiguity--you'll be more satisfied."

#64. "Don't micromanage your people, your projects, or your own life."

#86. "Read your job description but never be restricted by it. Do what needs to be done."

#96. "When giving a talk or presentation, always consider what thought you want the audience to walk away with."

#120. "Recognizing someone else's contribution will repay you doubly."

#126. "Make time for life outside of work."

#130. "You're never too old to change, learn a new job, start over, or try something new."

#142. "Life is choices: always choose to do what you will remember ten years from now."

#164. "You will never regret having spent too much time with your kids."

#167. "Take risks with your ideas and with implementing them."

#171. "Being good is important; being trusted is essential."

#174. "Always strive for a deeper level of truth with business associates. Posturing and pretending is always transparent to everyone."

#185. "Do something good early in your new job or assignment."

#209. "Don't surround yourself with people who are like you; strive for difference and diversity."

#226. "Those who do the work should have a say in how it's to be organized."

#241. "Remember that almost all business is painfully simple. Strive to demsystify."

#247. "Teamwork will become more and more important. Lean what it is and how to be a good team member."

#251. "Don't get hung up defining whether you're working on a vision or a mission or goals or objectives--do what's important."

#266. "Work on problems, not symptoms. Morale itself is never a problem; something is happening that causes low morale, which creates a problem."

#288. "Be a supporter of the latest fad, but don't build your career around it."

#308. "Performance evaluations take place every day, not every six months or every year."

#322. "Technology cannot solve all problems. It can only make the real work cheaper, faster, and less tedious."

#330. "Make decisions in a timely fashion, even if you're not 100% certain it's the right decision. Not deciding is a decision, too."

#342. "Follw Stephen Covey's suggestion of knowing how to distinguish what's important and what's urgent."

#344. "Treat everyone in the organization with respect and dignity whether it be the janitor or the president. Don't ever be patronizing."

#352. "All employees--including the management--want to know three things when they show up for work: What's my job? How am I doing? and, How does my contribution help serve the organization's mission?

#355. "Always know the answer to the question, "What business are we in?"

The simplicity of this book does not undermine its profundity. This an excellent book for someone new to an organization, to someone trying to explain things to someone new to an organization, or to an experienced person fighting burnout, loss of focus, or simply too much to do to concentrate on what is essential.

The author has written a provocative checklist of things everyone in leadership, or aspiring to leadership, ought to look at closely.

This little book should be on everyone's desk. It is filled with lots of little reminders to put us back on track. A fun read and highly recommended. Makes a great gift ;-)

Truly the best distillation of excellent day to day practices to be successfull in corporate business environment .All said by nimble bullet point statements

Because of its size and layout, this looks like a novelty item---a "101 Uses for A Dead Cat" type of book---but it is a profound distillation of wisdom culled from experience in the business world.

It is indeed a good gift for graduates, but since they have little or no work experience they won't get a lot of the aphorisms. As one reviewer noted, the longer you live, the more sense these pithy sayings are likely to make.

Practical, real-world advice contained in the book includes: - Never take a newspaper to the bathroom - Never tell a colleague he looks tired - When you're waiting for someone in a reception area, stand up rather than sitting - Keep track of how you spend your time; someone is bound to ask you to account for it. - Never in your life utter the phrase, "It's not my job."

Sometimes it's difficult to explain why these statements are true, but if you've been around for awhile you know that they are. Buy several copies of the book, one for yourself and a couple as gifts. ... [I]t's cheap wisdom you can apply every day of your working life.

There are several books that remind you in telegraph-form of everyday business truths. I read Moran's book a few years ago and still remember and live by many of his maxims. I seem to have lost the book, so I am re-ordering it to keep it by my desk, quote it and even take it to meetings.

such trite notions as
133....TRAVEL LIGHT
210...NEVER WEAR A TIE WITH A STAIN ON IT
DONT USE THE WORD PARADIGM MORE THAN ONCE A WEEK.....well i havent heard that word spoken in a long time...so either folks took his tired advice or ...more likely.....this little book is dated!

also theres a cliche...NEVER SAY NEVER....he over uses his advice about what to never do!!!