How to Work with Just About Anyone: A 3-Step Solution for Getting Difficult People to Change (Paperback)

by Lucy Gill (Author) "What do you do about impossible people?..." (more)
Key Phrases: ineffective solution, troublesome behavior, irritating behavior, Fosbury Flop, Speeding Along the Learning Curve (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Steven Brown former president of 800-Software Lucy Gill worked as a consultant in my company and produced great results. She used her methods very productively for us, and I am glad she has written How to Work with Just About anyone. Her humorous and conversational style is like having her in my office again, kicking ideas around. This is a great book. -- Review

Review
Jim Kouzescoauthor, The Leadership Challenge; and Chairman, The Tom Peters Group/Learning SystemsDelivers on its promise. You'll wish you followed Lucy Gill's three-step process years ago!

Robert M. Bramson, Ph.D.author of the bestselling Coping with Difficult PeopleThe methods in this book are unique. It is not a book about how to improve yourself of get along better with others. It is about how to get all those difficult people in your life to be more cooperative. I have used Lucy Gill's model with my clients and it works.

Keith Irwinmanaging partner, Tanner-Irwin Management consultantsThis book is a barnburner: with concise, clear examples, simple steps, and no clutter or jargon. Don't let this book get buried on your "self-help" shelf.

Dr. Richard Fischdirector and principal investigator of the Brief Therapy Center at MRI, in Palo Alto, CAThis book is a little gem. It's deceptive in its simplicity. Lucy Gill has managed to translate very new thinking about complicated problems into language that allows the reader to apply the concepts practically in the business world, and be light-years ahead.

Steven Brownformer president of 800-SoftwareLucy Gill worked as a consultant in my company and produced great results. She used her methods very productively for us, and I am glad she has written How to Work with Just About anyone. Her humorous and conversational style is like having her in my office again, kicking ideas around. This is a great book.

Paul Watzlawickemeritus clinical professor, Stanford University; member of the Mental Research Institute, Palo Alto, CAAnyone who's ever worked with a frustrating person should read this book. Step by step, Lucy Gill shows how to get even "impossible" people to change.

Roland Chazalindustrial vice-president, Perrier Vittel, FranceWith humor and subtlety, Lucy Gill offers a practical method for addressing difficult problems and for successfully getting people to change, and gives you the tools and the confidence to find solutions. Using her methods, we effectively and efficiently resolved very tough conflicts in our company.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; 1 edition (October 20, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684855275
• ISBN-13: 978-0684855271
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #343,523 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty good, May 8, 2002

By	Ms Diva "cycworker" (Nanaimo, B.C. Canada) - See all my reviews

I read a great deal of personal growth/self help books. This one has some good ideas, but it's not as good as alot of ones I've read. I must admit that Gill is a good, clear writer, and that she obviously understands the underlying theory that her suggestions are based on. She uses alot of examples to illustrate her points. The book is well laid out and easy to follow. I particularly like that it contains a summary of the steps at the end. The author also provides a (too brief) bibliography to give readers a chance to get more information and support in using the techniques presented.

Despite the fact that the book does have good points, and some people will probably find it useful, I didn't find it particularly helpful for me overall (although I did agree with certain points -- notably, the idea that people have a tendency to repeat the same mistakes). It's too short, and I find that the techniques she suggests, which are based on the work of Brief Therapists such as Paul Wazlawick, are too cognitively based -- I have an admitted bias against cognitive behaviourism. In my experience, some of the techniques she suggests are superficial and they don't lead to long term change. They don't get to the root of the issues between people and really allow you to connect and improve the relationship. If you want to do that, this book won't help.

If you just want to get along well enough to achieve a task, and aren't really interested in the long term health of the relationship or achieving true communication, some of the ideas here might work. But this approach deals with the symptoms, it doesn't get to the root of problems. Some would go so far as to say it involves being manipulative -- I'm not sure.

If you have some familiarity with solution focused therapy/thinking, and you generally believe in the benefits of that orientation, you will find this book of value. If, like me, you prefer a more humanistic, person-centred theory, you likely won't get as much out of this book. I'm glad I read it, and I did take a few ideas from it, but I've already put it in my "to give away" bag.

18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good practical approach.....I'll be ready next time, October 24, 1999

By	Dr. J. Meyer (Palo Alto, California) - See all my reviews

Lucy Gill's "How to Work with Just About Anyone" hit close to home with me. Wish I had read this book before I gave up on a couple of projects because of people I couldn't work with. Hasn't happened to me often but when it did, I went half nuts fruitlessly trying those things that worked so well for me before with others, but now they didn't work at all. Lucy Gill is exactly on the mark, the harder I tried the worse things got.............the circular dance, she calls it. The book is too late for those particular projects but next time I'll be armed and ready. The first step of getting the problem clear with the "who is doing what to whom and how it is a problem" approach will not be forgotten. I'm half hoping I do get stuck in one of Ms Gill's feedback dance loops with someone again soon, just to try out her "doing the opposite" gambit.

One other thing, this book definitely should be read before your kids reach their teenage years.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful perspective that you can't find elsewhere, May 29, 2002

By	"fgermer" (Tampa, FL) - See all my reviews

Lucy Gill presents a new approach to dealing with problem people at work that is simple, fresh and extremely useful. The bottom line? Stop using the same old methods that don't work for you. If you want to see new results, you've got to employ some of the new tricks put forth here. This book will help you, whether you are stumped on dealing with a boss or employee. If you have ever felt frustrated by a bully, nerd, lightweight, arrogant or some other problem-causing co-worker, then here is your book.

This well-written book is a quick, enjoyable read that will give you more power in those moments when you feel powerless.