Customer Reviews

New Rules @ Work: 79 Etiquette Tips, Tools, and Techniques to Get Ahead and Stay Ahead

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

 

 

Barbara Pachter puts together a book that is easy to read, filled with a variety of information, and is well organized. I really liked this book because she breaks down so many different "unwritten" rules in business culture and gives you real insight behind behaviors you really want to cultivate. So much of business relies on good personal people skills. She will help you with many things.

For example, she spends a good amount of time on the basics like greeting someone, shaking hands, who to introduce to who. She does so quite well, and makes it seem much more simple than we have typically thought it to be. She covers dining out with clients or business associates; covering drinking, table manners, and how to make someone feel more comfortable. My favorite chapter was on casual business clothing. Men have it every easy for business casual, tan pants and a shirt with a collars. Women's unwritten rules tend to be more complicated in dress.

This book is easy to read, and broken down into very digestible segments of information. I would highly recommend this book to someone entering into the business world, or even someone that feels they need a refresher. This is a good book that will help you refresh how you think, and will aide you in your career.

I found this book very helpful, although I didn't buy it for myself but for my son-in-law, who is making his way up the corporate ladder. I figured it would help him to deal with situations he may not have encountered before, and it has. One of its most appealing aspects is the way it is structured -- it's easy to find a topic and some quick advice without wading through pages and pages. An added bonus: all those cautionary tales scattered through the book, some of which are pretty funny (unless, of course, you are the person to whom they happened!).

Sometimes an easy-to-read reminder is all it takes for us to resolve ourselves to good manners. Barbara Pachter's latest business book, New Rules@Work, blends unbelievable (yet true, according to her introduction) etiquette missteps with quick analysis, tips and points to help business professionals of all generations navigate the do's and don'ts of successful business behaviors.

Easy enough to read in one sitting, and designed so you can jump in at any section, the content is common sense and current. The book even provides some basics about international sensitivities along with specific insights about when to fight the urge to clean your plate and how to get around drinking too much in Romania - or at the local lounge. Pachter also takes care to give both sides of many etiquette stories: for instance, not only tips for entertaining at home but also guidelines for how to respond when the boss asks you to his or her house.

New Rules@Work offers an excellent business etiquette introduction or refresher, though it is important to note that the rules aren't necessarily new and if you read between the lines from cover to cover, you'll find more than 79 pieces of advice.

Barbara covers everything that is not taught in an academic setting. Like other reviewers have said, it is a very clear and simple read. It feels more so as if you are sitting in one of her seminars. After reading it I realized I was unintentionally making some of the mistakes described in the book.

In today's hyper-connected world, I found the techno- and retro-etiquette chapter is very helpful. Examples run the gamut the infamous case of sending an angry uncensored response to a boss and coping with cellular blunders.

This book focuses on workplace etiquette and provides for every chapter one or more stories, lessons to be learnt from (called what went wrong?), Quick Tips (handy tips on related topics), Blunder Busters (how to recover from an innocent mistake and rebuild your professional image), Pachter's Pointer (techniques that the author learnt and which will help you to steer you through some of the finer points of business etiquette). I liked the fact that the author very often emphasized the impact poor manners can have on your business.

People love reading and learning from stories and personal experiences. If you are looking for that kind of book, this is the one! It offers 147 stories/experiences! I don't know of any other resource where you would find so many in one place!


What I particularly liked:

* The stories and experiences throughout the book (it would be very difficult to pick up one favourite story, because there were so many good and really good ones!). It is this aspect of the book that makes it so special!

* The practical examples (exact phrases) provided to use on various occasions. For example,
What you should say after being introduced
How to accept a compliment graciously
How to write thank you notes
What to do if you are interrupted
How to avoid taboo topics

* The tests (how techno savvy are you, conflict self assessment, where are you on the relationship track, your image: what message are you sending?). It helps you to find out more about yourself.

* Some creative parts in the book (such as: effective ways to remember certain rules, creative ideas, e.g. how to drink creatively, how to let other people know how you would like to be called)

* The length of the chapters, it was well structured and easy to read. My 3 favourite chapters were: part 1 (making connections and establishing rapport), part 3 (a professional presence), and part 6: (what to say when it's hard to say).


When I was reading the book I looked at it from 3 different perspectives: as a reader (business professional), as an etiquette professional, and as a potential client.

As a reader I felt... WOW! There are a lot of useful tips, covering a wide range of topics from table manners, to email etiquette, communication at the workplace, and much more. The content is presented in a well structured way and coming straight to the point.

As an etiquette professional I felt ... WOW! There are some really interesting stories which would enrich every Etiquette Consultant's training program.

As a potential client I felt ... WOW! This person is the one I'm going to hire for my own staff in etiquette matters. I don't need to look any further. She is a communication expert and her competence comes across very well in her book. Furthermore, she has many years of experience, not just in the US but also on an international scale. She mastered it in an excellent way to teach readers on etiquette and at the same time to promote herself as an expert in this field, brilliant!


How would I rate it?
Without doubt, 10 out of 10. Let me tell you why. I've read quite a lot of etiquette books and what many of them have in common is that too often they focus too much on the do's and don'ts only. This book is different. This book gives you stories and personal experiences from the author and etiquette seminar attendees. It makes an ordinary etiquette book extraordinary!!! I know from my personal experience and I fully agree with the author in saying that telling a story or sharing a personal experience makes it more memorable.

One more thing:

When I was reading this book ... I felt like taking a seminar ... because in a seminar the trainer would (hopefully) share stories and experiences, you would (eventually) get to do tests, you would get to know the do's and don'ts, and you would get to know other course seminars questions and dilemmas, too. And that for just $15! Great, I must say! (Karin Schroeck-Singh)

NewRules@Work has become my bible on how to behave appropriately in professional situations. The best thing about this book is that it applies to everyone. Whether you are a graduate entering the working world,someone who has already made their way up the corporate ladder, or anywhere in between, there is something here for you.

The book is a quick and easy read, leaving you plenty of time to put the advice to good practice. The antidotes keep you entertained as you learn all the dos and don'ts of the business world. I recommend this book to anyone with a job.