Take Yourself to the Top: The Secrets of Americas #1 Career Coach (Paperback)

by Laura Berman Fortgang (Author) "NOW THAT THE 1990S ARE DRAWING TO A CLOSE, I'M SURE YOU'VE noticed that you're "not in Kansas anymore..." (more)
Key Phrases: frontline twenty, daily framework, ideal clients, Lotto Mentality, New York City, Thomas Leonard

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review
Laura Berman Fortgang, like fellow personal coaches including Cheryl Richardson (Take Time for Your Life) and Thomas Leonard (The Portable Coach), has distilled her knowledge into book form. (For the uninitiated, personal coaches are like personal trainers--only they work to motivate you to perform at your peak on the job, instead of in the gym.) Her corporate clients have included Johnson & Johnson, Saatchi & Saatchi, and Prudential Securities.

Berman Fortgang says you need to identify the hurdles that are holding you back--even if it's a boss more cognitively absent than Dilbert's--and then do something about them. That's easier said than done. She's also big on making a five-year plan, something that may actually require hours of self-analysis and/or the assistance of a career counselor. But for anyone who feels in a rut but is also truly devoted to investing the time it takes to improve professionally and is willing to take risks, Take Yourself to the Top could be the answer. Berman Fortgang writes like a kinder, gentler Tony Robbins; you get the sense that she's genuinely concerned with bringing out the best in people. And there's targeted information in here for everyone: salespeople, workers on the verge of burnout, wishful entrepreneurs, and those just struggling to make ends meet. Admittedly, the advice in this book takes much more self-discipline to follow than would a dozen sessions with a personal coach egging you on in person or over the phone, but then, you also save the $200-a-session fee.

From Library Journal
Fortgang, a personal career coach, offers timely tips for executives interested in taking charge of their career and becoming responsible for their own choices. Rather than focusing on writing a r?sum?, dressing for success, or improving interviewing skills, typical career guidance topics, Fortgang instead deals with self-discipline, identifying obstacles to reaching one's goals, leaping out of a mid-career rut, and thinking big. Eleven obstacles to success are examined with plans to conquer each, brought to life by motivational tales of Fortgang-coached clients who have "taken themselves to the top." For "crispy critters," those suffering from burnout, her advice on kicking the reliance on adrenaline is the primary new concept in this selection among this heavily saturated genre. The author's advice requires a significant degree of self-discipline to follow, but the audiobook, read by Fortgang, will be a less expensive investment than her personal per session fees. Her sensitive approach conveys genuine concern with bringing out the best in people and may result in a broader emotional appeal to the target audience than Thomas Leonard's The Portable Coach, or Anthony Robbins's Unlimited Power. Recommended only for larger public libraries that may still be weak in this genre.
-Dale Farris, Groves, TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Warner Books (June 1, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446673773
• ISBN-13: 978-0446673778
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,035,622 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Coaching wisdom from one of the best!, April 24, 1998

By	[e-mail], author of Take T... (Newburyport, MA) - See all my reviews

For those coaches, executives and entrepreneurs who are looking for a new perspective on achieving success, I have good news--Fortgang's new book, Take Yourself To The Top is full of smart, edgy coaching for those who date to take full responsibility for their success.

Fortgang's challenge: "If you are willling to take charge of your career like never before, if you're prepared to be responsible for the choices you make and you have the guts to have it all, then get ready to take yourself to the top."

Coaches and clients alike will benefit from the wit and wisdom found in Take Yourself to the Top. Some of what you'll learn includes:

* How to acheive the elusive gift of self-discipliine.
* Identify and overcome obstacles that keep you from reaching your goals.
* Get what you want AND want what you have.
* Give up the "survival mode mentality".
* Create quality relationships that can rocket you to the top

Take Yourself to the Top fills a void in the traditional career/business success advice by providing "Coaching wisdom" from one of the best! For those folks interested in building a successful business, I'll leave you with a piece of advice from Laura Berman Fortgang:

"Wait for a miracle and it will never come. Take responsibility and you'll invite a miracle!

Cheryl Richardson
Executive Coach - Author of "Take Time For Your Life" (Broadway Jan. 99')

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fabulously inspiring, July 3, 2000

By	E's Opinion (Columbus, OH USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is wonderful! I am a sales representative and in the midst of getting my MBA. The most dreaded question I get these days from those I care about is "what are you going to do with the MBA?" I've been going through the motions without a clear vision of what I want. This book (the audiotape format fit better into my schedule) has really helped me think through what I want to do, and I'm eager to sit down and do the exercises prescribed to determine my post-MBA path. The message of deciding what you want and going after it is very powerful, and the real-life examples of her clients are encouraging. I'm becoming a believer that coaches shouldn't be left behind when you leave the high school and college sports teams. Read or Listen to be inspired.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gave me the shove I needed, August 20, 2001

By	Gina Wilkerson Watson "c3coach" (San Diego, CA USA) - See all my reviews

When I was thinking of quitting my job and becoming a personal and career coach - I searched Amazon and found this book among others. THIS was the book that gave me the shove I needed to go out on my own. I now use it constantly as a reference guide in my coaching practice. I have also had the pleasure of seeing Laura speak and her bold, tell-it-like-it-is style is so refreshing. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to make a change in their life.