Gray Matters: The Workplace Survival Guide (Paperback)

by Bob Rosner (Author), Allan Halcrow (Author), John Lavin (Author) "Two lessons: (1) In all things, remember, mind over matter; (2) There is no such thing as a solo career..." (more)
Key Phrases: workplace sins, secondary objections, emotional objections, Global Gadget, Addison's Brain Trust Wait, Gray's Notebook (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...constructive [and its lessons]...seem perfectly timed at a moment when the only business constant is constant change." -- Fast Company, December 2003

“This must be one of the most entertaining business books around…wonderful cartoons make this guide book outstanding.” (City to Cities, July 2004)

"GRAY MATTERS: The Workplace Survival Guide isn't your average business book. Sure it's full of tips and tactics, but it's also a comic book. Don't let the illustrations fool you; GRAY MATTERS is serious about addressing the real challenges we all face at work today and offering practical strategies to overcome them. GRAY MATTERS, already a business best seller, was selected by the readers of Fast Company magazine as its first business book of the month. Bob Rosner, author of GRAY MATTERS and long-time contributor to ABCnews.com, sat down with ABCnews.com to discuss creative strategies for surviving today's frenetic workplace and what it's like to work with characters who only have three fingers." (ABCnews.com)

"...constructive [and its lessons]...seem perfectly timed at a moment when the only business constant is constant change." (Fast Company, December 2003)

Product Description
WARNING: Gray Matters is addictive; get ready to laugh and learn

Forget deserted islands, today’s toughest survival challenge is the workplace. Threatened with layoffs, reorganization, or other dramatic changes, people need a guidebook for navigating the treacherous wilds of work. Full of uncommon insight and practical guidance, Gray Matters offers real business wisdom in an action-packed, endlessly entertaining illustrated format that trades cynicism for solutions.

You’ll meet Gray Blanderson, a frazzled product engineer who devises a road map for survival and overcoming the toughest workplace challenges, including:

• How to avoid the seven deadly workplace sins
• How to thrive in a changing environment
• How to sell (even if you aren’t a salesperson)
• The six keys to success at work today
• How to handle rapid innovation
• How to get on the right side of workplace politics

"Gray Matters shows us business books don’t have to be boring; fun and provocative is better!"
–Bob Nelson, PhD, bestselling author of 1001 Ways to Reward Employees

"A unique and humorous insight into how to stay ahead in today’s highly competitive workplace."
–Harry Paul, bestselling coauthor of Fish!

"Gray Matters is Heloise meets Dilbert–hints for the workplace with artwork and humor!"
–Heloise, Internationally syndicated columnist, author and broadcaster

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

an interview with the author! [91kb PDF]

• Paperback: 360 pages
• Publisher: Wiley; 1 edition (October 9, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471455083
• ISBN-13: 978-0471455080
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 7.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #805,122 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars who are they trying to kid?, September 24, 2004

By	Bizdoggie (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews

Gray matters is disappointing in many respects. First, the cartooning is crude and not up to standards set by syndicated strips. Second, there's not a single laugh in the whole book -- this is no Dilbert. Third, the advice is common sense to the point of being patronizing -- it features such brilliant insights as "listen to people." Wow, who'd ever think of doing that? Finally, several character actions are highly unethical and could get you in hot water if you did the same, such as breaking into a co-worker's computer, or moonlighting without your boss's knowledge at a customer company strictly to get inside information. You want to talk lawsuit? Read "The Dilbert Principle" instead -- its insights are hilarious and telling.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally, a business book for the rest of us, October 9, 2003

By A Customer

I have been a fan of Bob Rosner's irreverent newspaper column for a while now so have been seeing promos for it on his funny website (www.workingwounded.com) This book is both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Hilarious describes the comic-book-within-a-book but heartbreaking because the riffs on the corporate world are so, so true. It may remind you of Dilbert, but I thought the checklists, quizzes, and things you cut out and put on the bulletin board put it in a class by itself. You can easily take it for a cynical look at the workplace, but look more closely. There is some really practical stuff for making your day pass a lot faster. You might even learn how to look forward to going to work again. Remember those days?

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I wish that I had hadthis book a year ago, December 16, 2003

By	PJ "bluedogbooks" (Fish Creek, WI) - See all my reviews

This is such a refreshing business book! Not like all those other dreary, hard to read missives that are published these days. Gray Matters is a wonderfully easy to read book that addresses very practical at-work issues. One of the best things about the book is that the authors also provide a myriad of ways to address each issue, from an intra- as well as inter-personal perspective. A year ago I was faced with some tough work challenges that I was very tired of dealing with. Looking back, I can see that having this book in hand would have given me a breath of fresh air and new wind to face things with different results. I'd highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to beef up their work or gain some fresh perspective.