Product Description

What's the hard truth? Soft skills get little respect but will make or break your career. Master your soft skills and really get ahead at work!

Fortune 500 coach Peggy Klaus encounters individuals every day who excel at their jobs but aren't getting where they want to go. It's rarely a shortfall in technical expertise that limits their careers, but rather a shortcoming in their social, communication, and self-management behaviors. In The Hard Truth About Soft Skills Klaus delivers practical tools and techniques for mastering soft skills across the career spectrum. She shows how to:

• manage your workload
• handle the critics
• develop and promote your personal brand
• navigate office politics
• lead the troops
• and much more!

Klaus reveals why soft skills are often ignored, while bringing their importance to life in her trademark style—straightforward, humorous, and motivating. Perfect for readers at all professional stages—from those who are just starting out to seasoned executives—this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to take his or her career to the next level.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #17677 in Books
• Published on: 2008-02-01
• Released on: 2008-01-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 208 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780061284144
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Whether near the beginning or end of a career, Klaus (BRAG! The Art of Tooting Your Own Horn Without Blowing It) sees future professional growth dependent upon identifying and correcting self-sabotaging interpersonal behavior. Klaus illustrates each behavior's professional importance with stories from her work as a career coach. These soft skills run the gamut from handling critics (including one's own internal critic) to bragging. Her practical advice is delivered in the conversational style of a one-on-one session with a personal coach. The learn-by-example counsel may be helpful for those entering such situations as annual performance reviews—whether giving or receiving them—and public speaking. The volume is recommended for those who are in need of a more personable approach to rising up professionally. (Feb.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review
"[Klaus’s] practical advice is delivered in the conversational style of a one-on-one session with a personal coach.... The volume is recommended for those who are in need of a more personable approach to rising up professionally." -- Publishers Weekly

The authors offer 54 important workplace lessons...[and]...offers important insight for career management which will be helpful to a wide range of library patrons -- Booklist

Review
"[Klaus's] practical advice is delivered in the conversational style of a one-on-one session with a personal coach.... The volume is recommended for those who are in need of a more personable approach to rising up professionally." (Publishers Weekly )

"The authors offer 54 important workplace lessons...[and]...offers important insight for careermanagement which will be helpful to a wide range of library patrons." (Booklist )

"This is a good book to read with a notebook at your side, in case you spot anything you've been doing to hold yourself back in the workplace." (Atlanta Journal-Constitution )

Customer Reviews

Be nice. Ok, got it.
More or less a book about being nice at work. More of general guidelines as opposed to structured advice on learning to deal with people. Perhaps a good launch pad, but a little thin in content.

I wish this had been a college graduation present 20 years ago.
Peggy Klaus has an uncanny ability to lead us toward dissecting our shortcomings and self-destructive behaviors. Like the best of life coaches, she is benevolent and practical in analyzing workplace situations and suggesting behavioral strategies. This book will benefit everyone from the CEO, to the manager, to support staff, to teachers, to shop owners, to freelancers, etc... as it is really about interrelating even away from the office. I came away from this book with a list of easily assimilated action steps to incorporate into my working relationships. Klaus' use of case studies and alternate scripts makes this all the easier to think through and project into our own scenarios.

Must Have!
This book is a must have for anyone in the working world, especially for those just about to enter it. The ideas and concepts the author presents are very true, and are things you will not learn in any college education. I've been working in consulting for the past 5 years. This is a field where your softskills can make or break you, just like in many others. The tips, guidance, and suggestions that Ms. Klaus points out are ones that can propel your career to the next level. I can't tell you how many times I heard that so and so was a good consultant technically but they lacked the people skills necessary to put them infront of a client. This seemingly small assesment can actually hinder your career as being able to manage the client is what will take you to the next level.