Customer Reviews

Power Freaks: Dealing with Them in the Workplace or Anyplace

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

 

 

This book was a disappointment. After reading the ten chapters that define power freaks, I found out in the last three chapters that the author doesn't seem to think that there's anything you can do if you work for a power freak except to either kiss up or wait until the power freak leaves the company. Isn't that what you're trying to avoid by reading this book?

It's disappointing to invest the time reading the first two thirds of a book, only to find out that there is no practical advice. You know what a power freak is, so do you really need nine chapters of definitions? What you want is some practical adivie on how to deal with these irrational people. But this book's "solution" tells you to suppress your own emotions and allow the power freak to go on behaving badly and not to get in his or her way. Weiner includes suggestions such as letting the power freak think your ideas are his or her ideas and complimenting the power feak. Isn't that the situation you're in now? Isn't your hope when you pick up a book like this to avoid the stress that a power freaks create in your life rather than relish in it? Aren't you hoping that this book will tell you how to stop cowtowing to people who are irrational? It doesn't. The only person who will benefit from this book is the power freak him or herself.

I suggest you try either Tongue Fu by Sam Horn or the Gentle Art of Verbal self Defense by Suzette Haden Elgin. Be heard. Don't give in.

This book was very disappointing. David Weiner devotes most of his book, "Power Freaks: Dealing with them in the workplace or anyplace" to defining the power freak rather than dealing with the power freak. In addition to his lengthy descriptions of each type of power freak, Weiner's book is filled with pointless second hand stories and a large number of quotes from other books on the same subject. Could it be Mr. Weiner didn't have enough of an opinion of his own to fill up an entire book? When he finaly does get down to the nuts and bolts of how to deal with power freaks, his advice is basicaly suck up or shut up.
I'm glad I checked this book out from the library and didn't spend any money on it. I hope you'll do the same.

I got this book to learn how to deal with the power freaks in my office. However, this is what the book actually does for you.
The first 10 chapters are about defining the Power Freak. Chapters 11 through 13 are about how to deal with the Power freak which are:
1. Dealing with the Power Freak Boss
2. Dealing with the Power Freak Co-Worker
3. Avoiding the Power Freak altogher.
I'm sure the advice the author gives is accurate, however, I just did not like the choices that are given. The book tells you alot about what the Power Freak hates.( Which I found very interesting)I recomend the book not so much for solutions (which it does give, I just give it a mediocre rating), but for at least defining who you are up against. It is important to know that some power freaks will do anything to get ahead. ANYTHING! Especially when they feel they will not be punished, then they have no fear and nothing holding them back. There is also a powerfreaks web site to guage your power freak level. Good Luck

You have dealt with them all of your life, but never quite realized what they were. David Weiner has described just about every type of "Power Freak" you could come across. There are power freaks that would jeopardize business just to get their way. I just had a personal experience with one recently. This woman was so jealous that her staff was able to do a job without consulting her that she tried to ruin the event. But in dealing with this type of power freak it helps to know their boss! I think it makes it easier to deal with these people when you are able to recognize them and Weiner certainly has described quite a few of them in his book. It's a book you can read quickly but would want to reread it a few times just so you can be prepared to deal with all of them out there. And of course, we all have a litte "Power Freak" in us!

I just happened to come across "Power Freaks" in the bookstore and thought it looked interesting and thought I needed to buy it. I began to read it and couldn't put it down. Most of the people I know were described in the book. Now becasue of David Weiner I can deal with these people and not get upset all the time. I recommend it to everyone. It might save you from having "those special moments" with the power freak you have to deal with.

This was a very helpful book. I have recommended it to several friends and colleagues. Who knew there were so many power freaks in our world!

They are everywhere. We would be living in a fairytale world if we didn't have to deal with the dragons...those "Power Freaks." But since this is the real world we need the dragon fighting sword that our "Knight in Shining Armor" Weiner has supplied us with. He has described almost every possible power freak you might encounter in life and has supplied us with ways to deal with them. "Power "Freaks" is an easy reading book and takes no time at all to get through. The dragons aren't as frightening after all...you just need to know how to deal with them. I recemmend it highly.

If you have ever wondered what was wrong with you and why people treated you the way they did, then read this book. It makes you realize that the problem isn't you... Power Freaks explains why people behave the way they do, and why and how they manipulate you. It makes you realize that you aren't the crazy one...they are. A true help for building your self esteem. It not only answers all the why questions, but it tells you exactly how to deal with these type people.