Watercooler Wisdom: How Smart People Prosper In the Face of Conflict, Pressure, and Change [Paperback]

Keith Bailey (Author), Karen Leland (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2006

Transform Your Workday from Frustrating to Fulfilling

Keith Bailey and Karen Leland surveyed over 20,000 executives, managers, and staff from around the world and discovered how everyone from CEOs to secretaries can flourish despite the ever-increasing stresses of the workplace. Watercooler Wisdom is not a 'business-as-usual' business book. It's a practical guide that offers you pertinent and powerful techniques for coping with conflict, pressure, and change--the three greatest sources of stress for workers worldwide. Use these strategies to prosper--even when circumstances seem to conspire against you. Find solutions to work problems inside yourself rather than waiting endlessly for your circumstances to change, and you can become the smarter person at work you were always meant to be.

Learn smart ways to:

• Engage your inner resources to create a meaningful work life
• Master the 'smart people' skills for facing difficult people and tense times
• Focus your energy on what matters most and avoid the lure of the trivial
• Design a 'work makeover' to accelerate your satisfaction and productivity

Keith Bailey and Karen Leland are cofounders of Sterling Consulting Group, an international management consulting company specializing in the people side of business. Their clients include such industry leaders as American Express, IBM, Marriott Hotels, Apple Computer, Johnson and Johnson, and many others. They have been interviewed by NBC, CBS, CNN, Time Magazine, Fortune Magazine and Oprah. Together they have coauthored five books including Customer Service for Dummies.

An excellent book for anyone who wants to bring more consciousness into the way they work and improve their effectiveness and the way others respond to them.
-Giles Bateman, former chairman of CompUsa and cofounder of Price Club

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the Publisher

Keith Bailey and Karen Leland surveyed over 20,000 executives, managers, and staff from around the globe and discovered how everyone from CEOs to secretaries can flourish amidst the ever-increasing stresses of the workplace. Watercooler Wisdom: is not a "business as usual" business book. It is a primer, a practical, down-to-earth user’s manual that provides pertinent and powerful techniques for coping with conflict, pressure, and change-—the three greatest stressors for workers worldwide. This engaging book will help you to:

• Engage your inner resources to create a meaningful work life • Master the ‘smart people’ skills for facing difficult people and tense times • Focus your energy on what matters most and avoid the lure of the trivial • Design a work makeover to accelerate your satisfaction and productivity

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 232 pages
• Publisher: New Harbinger Publications; 1 edition (April 2, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1572244364
• ISBN-13: 978-1572244368
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.6 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,385,076 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Makes the job you have your dream job March 10, 2006

By Lorna Garano

Format:Paperback

I love this book! No job is ever going to be perfect. You're always going to have to deal with difficult people, changing times, and a heavy workload. These authors understand this and they give you the skills and information you need to succeed despite your circumstances, not because of the them. Watercooler Wisdom gives help for real-world work problems.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Getting smarter everyday! March 9, 2006

By Wicked Pixie

Format:Paperback

As soon as I opened this book I knew it was just what I wanted, practical ways of dealing with many of the difficult things I have to deal with at work. I found so many useful tools, to use in my work life, but also in my personal life as well. This book is so easy to read and apply right away. I don't know anyone who couldnt find something useful in this book. It has given me a clearer insight in how to deal with all the different personalities I come in contact with everyday. The section on Getting in Step With Working Styles really has been so valuable, instead of getting frustrated with the people I work with and getting nowhere I now can recognize their unique styles and am able to have a better rapport with them. It's brillant!

5.0 out of 5 stars Drink the Water April 10, 2006

By Free To Roam

Format:Paperback

Watercooler Wisedom is a great book for anyone having to deal with others in all kinds of work situations. I work as a freelancer and handle all aspects and interactions of my business myself. I recently had a negative interaction with a client on job I was doing and the advice form this book really helped me to put matters into perspective by putting a strategy into place so that things could be resolved; issues that really mattered were effectively communicated with no harm done, ultimately saving more me than just income.