Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire: Business Sense & Sensibility [Hardcover]

Mireille Guiliano (Author)

Book Description

Release date: October 13, 2009

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of French Women Don't Get Fat comes every woman's guide to navigating the world of work, living the good life, and savoring every minute of it.

When Mireille Guiliano became a senior executive and spokesperson for Veuve Clicquot, she took the Champagne to the top of the luxury market, using her distinctive French woman's philosophy and style. Now she uses those same talents and savoir faire to help readers pop their own corks and get the most out of life. Drawing on her experiences at the front lines and highest echelons of the business world, she gives women (and a few men, peut-être) the practical advice they need to make the most of work without skimping on all the other good things in life.

With lively lessons, stories, and helpful hints, Mireille teaches every reader how to identify her own passions and talents, improve her communication skills, balance work and life, cope with everyday stress, turn herself into a winning brand, and so much more. From acing a job interview or performance review to hosting a simple but elegant dinner party, Mireille tells it like it is as she shares her secrets for achieving happiness and success at any stage in business and life.

Stylish, witty, and wise, Mireille segues easily from the small details to the big picture, never losing sight of what is most important: feeling good, facing challenges, getting ahead, and maximizing pleasure at every opportunity.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Former CEO of Veuve Cliquot, Guiliano (French Women Don't Get Fat) offers yet another charming dose of no-nonsense advice in this straightforward guide to living a successful and fulfilling professional life. She acknowledges that creating and maintaining a lifestyle of grace, beauty and sophistication is more challenging than ever, especially for the modern professional woman. Happily, Frenchwoman Guiliano shares her sensible secrets to climbing the ladder in a male-dominated world while still maintaining style, dignity and reputation. She shares tips for becoming a great leader and an effective manager; the importance of mastering communication skills; honing your brand through a polished, professional appearance; handling advances in the workplace; and entertaining at home. French phrases liberally sprinkled through the text and a confiding entre nous tone lend a sense of chic and fun absent in other leadership and career guides. (Oct.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

About the Author

Mireille Guiliano is the bestselling author of French Women Don't Get Fat, French Women For All Seasons, and Women, Work & the Art of Savoir Faire.  Born and raised in France, she is married to an American and lives most of the year in New York and Paris.  She is the former President and CEO of Clicquot, Inc.   

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 272 pages
• Publisher: Atria Books; First Edition edition (October 13, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416589198
• ISBN-13: 978-1416589198
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #689,034 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Mireille Guiliano is the bestselling author of French Women Don't Get Fat and French Women For All Seasons. Born and raised in France, she is married to an American and lives most of the year in New York and Paris. She is the former President and CEO of Clicquot, Inc.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

57 of 68 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars French Women Stay Skinny While Working and Living Well October 2, 2009

By Diana F. Von Behren TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Ooh la la . . . Mirielle Guliano, the tiny, compact style dynamo that demonstrated just why "French Women Don't Get Fat" and then kept them skinny and dressed them chicly in "French Women for All Seasons: A Year of Secrets, Recipes, & Pleasure (Vintage)" does her devoir again and transports her divinely put together femme into the corporate boardroom detailing an elegant and fashionable path to career success in her new book, "Women, Work and the Art of Savoir Faire." A clever woman of a certain age, Madame Guiliano has neatly transitioned from her role as spokesperson CEO for market-share-leader champagne company Veuve Clicquot to an entrepreneur selling an America-friendly French lifestyle via speaking appearances, books and an Internet presence complete with video clips displaying such things as the proper way to open a bottle of champagne, creating a romantic table for two, tying that all important fashion accent--the scarf and making two French secret food weapons: homemade yogurt and savory leeks. Smart and savvy Mirielle has lived fairly long and very well; her trademark anecdotes illuminate this latest memoir with the same common sense simplicity that worked so well in her first two books.

Mirielle's tips are the all important ones. She concentrates her efforts on what she know works through the filter of her own experience.... As a woman in a man's world, she breaks a seemingly intrinsic rule that should have been abolished over fifty years ago, but for some reason--perhaps some vestige of female insecurity or the jealousy gene--still exists, that being that women in powerful positions rarely mentor their up and coming protégés. Guliano decides to take on this role within the pages of her book, but also suggests finding a role model willing to share his/her know-how about and familiarity with their mutual place of work.

Women already in business may find some of Mirielle's advise a bit obvious: she tells us the value of good communication skills, discusses the value of dressing well without showing too much and confesses the truth that as a woman, working harder and most likely longer is key to gaining respect from the Boy's Club. Remember that Madame Guliano has paid her dues, worked at a top position and now has segued into her new life of author and lifestyle coach. She has lived the life and walked the walk and this memoir/how to may not be comparable to one of Lee Iaccoca or Jack Walsh's business commentaries but nonetheless it does stand out as a summarization of key items that will work in a corporate environment simply because they are classics.

As in "French Women Don't Get Fat" and "French Women for All Seasons." Mirielle emphasizes simple techniques that win every time. We all know these things; Mirielle compiles them for us and affirms them with personal testimony.

As food and wine played a paramount role in her last two books, this book would not be complete without a section on business dining which I found to be the most enjoyable portion of the overall read. Mirielle explains the necessity of proper table etiquette with tips on how to shine during that interview lunch or dinner where your potential boss scrutinizes your dining behavior as to how it fits in with corporate image. She delivers three menus for those at home dinner parties--all of which contain the essential simplicity in preparation and sophisticated arousal of the taste buds. For those who dine out all the time due to their schedules, Mirielle offers her 50 Percent Solution to eating to avoid weight gain--I tried this at lunch the other day and it worked very well--she utilizes a Zeno's Paradox technique where she divides her food continuously in half and then just eats the half. As the brain takes the time to focus on the infinite act of bisection, the stomach has enough time to trigger the brain as to when it actually is full. I ate less than half of my food and felt comfortably satisfied. Mirielle has come up with a thinking person's guide to portion control.

She ends her book with advise about understanding that the old feminist boast about being able to `have it all' is nothing but myth. Taking on too much equates with being stressed to the max where no portion of your life receives the full attention that it deserves. Just said.

Guiliano is one smart cookie--well, half of a half of a half of a cookie. She created a brand for herself while she worked for Clicquot Inc. and now she has enhanced that brand to promote her books and speaking engagements. As it's been quite a while since I checked out her website, I was quite blown away by the content that has been added since the publishing of her first book, "French Women Don't Get Fat." Indeed, Mirielle formulated her working persona and has now morphed that character into the star of her own lucrative niche. She embodies the idea of savoir-faire transforming into joie de vivre.

Bottom line? In "Women, Work and the Art of Savoir Faire," Mirielle Guiliano tackles the business world with her simple and savvy French style and adopted American know-how while staying skinny and enjoying a balanced life. Recommended.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc" Read more ›

46 of 56 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Stating the Obvious May Be Helpful for Some October 1, 2009

By Terri J. Rice TOP 500 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This book begins well. Mireille Guiliano lets you know that she has the portfolio to be able to hand out advice. As a French woman in New York, her accent and obvious ability to speak French and English well, made her a desirable candidate for a terrific job, selling French champagne to the American public. And she excelled.

A lot of Guiliano's advice seems facile but in this day when some hopeful job applicants don't know to change out of their jeans and flip flops and strapless tops for an interview; it is time to go back to basics : "Don't overdo your eyes with make up." Or, "The quality that sets people apart in business is the ability to communicate orally, in large and small settings." Or, "Before going to bed, decide mentally or physically what you are going to wear in the morning."

This book would be a great boon for a young person without any experience in life or the job market, someone who needs to be told the obvious by a woman who was willing to write it all down in book form.

For the woman who has been in the work world for some time, this book will be clearly stating the obvious. And at the risk of getting nothing but negative feedback, I did tire of Mireille Guiliano tooting her own horn throughout the entire book. And goodness gracious, if you are not French, well then, just stand to the back, please, and make way for that marvelous lot of people, The French!

29 of 36 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Business and Style Can Go Together October 8, 2009

By Wilhelmina Gaudy VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I admit the title "Women, Work, & The Art of Savoir Faire, Business Sense & Sensibility" caught my interest as much as the author, Mirelle Guiliano. She is also author of "French Women Don't Get Fat."

Ms. Guiliano has many tips and "rules" on how to be a happy, successful, and balanced woman in the world of business. She has a very unique way of wording things that led me to quite a different way of looking at my role in the world as well as some of my behavior; not only in business but in my personal life as well. I must say, the change in the behavior, attitudes, feedback, and answers seems to be changing and I like it.

Not having to put on the pseudo-macho woman persona when I want to get things accomplished is quite refreshing.

This is a wonderful, must read for any woman no matter if they are an executive or a stay at home mom. No matter if you are heading a regional conference or meeting with your son's teacher we have business to take care of. Learn how to look great, enjoy being a woman, and still get the account for your company.

The recipe; yes, recipes; for Mousse Au Chocolat with Ginger was devilishly delicous.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars I'll unwillingly call it useful. January 17, 2010

By frumiousb VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I learned several important things from this book. I remembered several other important things from this book. I give these compliments reluctantly because I disliked Guiliano enough as a narrative voice that I don't want to have learned anything from her. Still, she has some good points to make. I would think that parts of this could be really valuable for women who are starting off in business or who find themselves a little bit stuck.

Probably the single most valuable line in the whole book for me was "if you're not a brand, then you're a commodity." She was talking about champagne, but I think it works for your career as well.

Now I'm going to stop saying nice things.

Boy, did I find Giuliano obnoxious. There was a moment where she describes herself and another woman in a business meeting eye rolling at another unfortunate woman who... Presented wrong information? (no) Said something stupid? (no) Was rude to other people? (no) Wore the wrong earrings? (yes).

Apparently the poor dear chose something too bling bling for her suit. And, I mean, who can respect the presentation of someone who can't accessorize? How old is she? 14? Have we suddenly found ourselves in the movie Clueless? She makes business sound like some kind of high school mean girl's club.

And after examples like her open mockery of someone's earrings, Giuliano *dares* to go on and wonder why women don't mentor each other. Case in point much?

Anyhow. I learned stuff. The recipes look tasty. But she made me so glad I'm building my career in IT and not luxury beverages.