• Career Development
• Get a Coach
• Get on a Board
• Find Your Next Career
• Manage Your Image
• MBA and Executive Ed
• Books in the PINK
• Must Reads

			PINK TV (NEW!) Watch career coaching videos, learn more about PINK and see our founders making the talk-show circuit.>>

NEW JOB HUNTING SKILLS FOR "SEASONED PROFESSIONALS"
Been a while since you were last on the job hunt? No sweat. Here's a refresher course.>>

WHAT'S IN A (LAST) NAME?
To take his name or not to take his name? That's the question for professional women getting ready to tie the knot.>>


WOMEN (NOT) ON BOARD

Women certainly aren't congregated in large numbers on corporate boards. What can be done about it? ION knows.>>

OVERCOMING PROCRASTINATION
Here are three ways to get in the habit of getting it done.>>

BOOKS IN THE PINK

Books in the PINK

The Art of War for Women
Chin-Ning Chu, an expert on Sun Tzu's ancient Art of War, has taken the principles of the famously enigmatic text and applied them to modern business with The Art of War for Women (Doubleday, March 2007). She begins with an overview of Sun Tzu's elements of strategy – the five tactics that govern success, including Tao (righteousness), Tien (timing) and Di (resources). Perceptiveness lies at the heart of Chu's advice and comes through inmantras such as "business is war, and our competitors are our opponents." She tailors her message to women, pairing modern-day examples with Taoist advice on improving personal timing or leadership. For instance, Jiang (true leadership) is all about attitude: If you can't handle the pain of setbacks, don't take on leadership. And she adds: "Until you have convinced the world you are worthy, don't expect to be given much responsibility."

Sarah Dowdey

Basic Black: The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life)
Using anecdotes from her days at Ms. and USA Today, as well as her current tenure as president of Hearst Magazines, Cathie Black offers her keys to success and "Black & White" business tips in Basic Black(Crown Publishing, October 2007). During her first year at Hearst, Black got tired of hearing the phrase "We've tried that already" in response to her ideas, so she started charging $10 whenever someone said it. "Finally," she writes, "everyone learned to reframe that particular debate" to discuss why the previous idea had failed and what they could learn. Another lesson from her earlier days: Black was so excited to be offered the position of USA Today president that she forgot to ask who did not report to her, which caused problems later on. (Visit pinkmagazine.com to read our recent interview with Black about her book.)

Bari Lieberman

Be Happy at Work – 100 Women Who Love Their Jobs, and Why 
It's what we all want. PINK writer and author Joanne Gordon tells how in Be Happy at Work (Ballantine, 2005). From interviews with interesting women – from key execs with major corporations like Gap, Estee Lauder, GE, and JPMorgan Chase to the Indigo Girls and Lesley Stahl. Asked how she stays happy while running a multibillion-dollar company, Shelly Lazarus, chairman and CEO of Oglivy & Mather Worldwide, says "That phrase still goes through my head about once a week: What's the worst that could happen? That philosophy has a lot to do with who I am. I never had huge ambitions, and I certainly never expected to have this much fun."

The Big Moo
"Most organizations are stuck in a rut, petrified that growth means change, change means risk and risk could mean death," explains Seth Godin, editor of The Big Moo (Portfolio, 2005). "Nobody wants to screw up and ruin a good thing, so the organization just sits there, motionless." Godin has assembled 33 of the world's most important business thinkers – including Chris Meyer, Malcolm Gladwell, Tom Peters and Robin Williams – to demonstrate how to "remarkablize your organization." Contributors use personal and historical anecdotes, lists, poetry and even jokes to drive home their secrets to success: "Those who fit in now won't stand out later"; "too often in the business world, we preserve and revere experience when we should be challenging and renewing it"; "failure is an option", and "if it feels safe, it certainly isn't" are just some of the insights. In today's market, where everything is "bigger and better," companies must "stop trying to be perfect and start being remarkable." All royalties benefit charity.

Taylor Mallory

Coaching, Counseling and Mentoring: How to Choose and Use the Right Technique to Boost Employee Performance
What's the difference between coaching, counseling and mentoring? According to author Florence M. Stone, coaching is continually developing employee performance; counseling is one-on one communication with poor performers; and mentoring is helping top performers with career development. In the new edition of her book Coaching, Counseling and Mentoring (AMACOM, February 2007), Stone offers real-life solutions to common situations, such as dealing with unmotivated employees. When an employee has trouble completing a task, the typical manager assumes the person knows the problem and can solve it. But initial directions may have been inadequately conveyed. Before counseling a problem employee, a manager must ask herself: Is it worth it? "You can't become such a nurturing manager that you fail to get the job done," Stone writes.

Ashley Pier

The Corporate Dominatrix: Six Roles to Play to Get Your Way at Work
With advice as sharp and snappy as a black leather whip, The Corporate Dominatrix (Simon Spotlight Entertainment, April 2007) will have businesswomen discovering their inner dominatrix in no time. Author Lisa Robyn shows how the balance between submission and dominance is just as imperative to a businesswoman as it is to a dominatrix. She defines six distinct roles: the Amazon, the Nurse, the Schoolgirl, the Governess, the Goddess and the Queen. Do you like to call the shots rather than take orders? If so, your Queen side is well-polished. Would you rather be strategically submissive to authority? Then you may enjoy being a Schoolgirl. Each role can be useful in various business situations, such as tuning in to your Amazon side (that refuses to admit defeat) if a proposal is shot down.

Ashley Pier

Death to All Sacred Cows
Death to All Sacred Cows (Hyperion, March 2008) uses satirical comedy and real-life examples to refute well-worn business maxims. Authors David Bernstein, Beau Fraser and Bill Schwab, ad executives for a multimillion-dollar enterprise, play devil's advocates to every imaginable "sacred cow," which they define as the act of blindly doing things because of traditionally imposed ethics. For instance, it's common to only hire someone who has done the job before. The authors beg to differ: A person with mounds of experience may be safe, but is experience more valuable than ingenuity and initiative? As for "the customer is always right," they note that focusing exclusively on the "wonderfulness of your customer can alienate and demoralize your employees." They quote Gordon Bethune, who turned around Continental Airlines: "You can't treat your employees like serfs. You have to value them."

Valencia Wicker

The Dictionary of Corporate Bullshit
In this take on office politics, The Dictionary of Corporate Bullshit (Broadway Books, 2006), author Lois Beckwith offers a Webster's-like guide to the corporate world. For instance, the term "administrative assistant" is redefined as "people not to be called secretaries." "Depending on how long they've been around or the status of the exec they support, they might make a lot more money than you do," writes Beckwith, who also defines pastimes and catchphrases. Casual Friday, for example, is "a gratuitous display of horrid fashion expressed in an ocean of pleated khakis, cutoff jean shorts, flip-flops, and anything terry cloth or spandex." TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) is actually a "mind-numbingly obvious statement from the catalog of office small talk spoken to those you really have nothing to say to."

Wendy Roberts

Don't Keep Me a Secret
Want to spend less time selling but make more money? You can by establishing a strong referral-based business, says author Bill Cates in Don't Keep Me a Secret (McGraw-Hill, September 2007). Being committed to building referrals and overcoming the fear of asking for them are two crucial steps. That's because 60 percent of your clients will consider referring you to others, but only if you ask. One tip is to keep a referral "prop" on your desk during client meetings to act as a reminder. At other times, you can stay fresh in clients' minds by making "good news calls," such as letting a client know her order is coming on schedule, and by holding client appreciation events. If you take a client and a couple of her friends out for a birthday lunch, for example, she'll likely repay the favor soon after with some good word of mouth.

Bari Lieberman

The Etiquette Advantage: Personal Skills for Professional Success
In The Etiquette Advantage in Business (HarperResource, 2005), great-granddaughter-in-law, Peggy Post and Peter Post, great-grandson of celebrated etiquette expert Emily Post, go far beyond manners tips. In this, the book's second edition, the Posts dispense a wide range of advice, from how to handle an unwanted office flirtation (they suggest a polite rebuff, such as, "Really, Dan / Donna, there's no chance of our going out") to how to manage a screaming boss (combat the abusive behavior with group action and documentation). Among the more unusual advice: It is acceptable to invite a co-worker in a wheelchair to "go for a walk," or to say to a blind co-worker, "See what I mean?"

Nicole Cridland

Fired!
When comedienne Annabelle Gurwitch, host of TBS's "Dinner and a Movie," was fired by her idol, Woody Allen (who said, "You look retarded"), she didn't get mad; she got inspired. For Fired! (Touchstone, 2006), Gurwitch solicited the help of her funny friends, whose tales of dismissal eased her pain. Felicity Huffman learned from a newspaper review that she'd been replaced in a Neil Simon play. Being canned from a morning show freed Bob Saget to accept the role he'd been offered on "Full House." And when Tim Allen turned down a club manager position fearing it would interfere with college, the new manager fired him for being "too popular." Gurwitch and friends prove that getting fired can be a blessing in disguise.

Taylor Mallory

Get Ahead by Going Abroad
As part of a growing trend, women executives are advancing their careers by working abroad. In Get Ahead by Going Abroad (HarperCollins, September 2007), authors C. Perry Yeatman and Stacie Nevadomski Berdan, along with featured expatriates, reveal how they developed crucial skills like adaptability and managing across cultures and time zones — all of which enhanced their business success back home. After requesting a transfer to Geneva, DuPont's Diane Gulyas built relationships with plant managers and senior manufacturing executives during her four-year stint in Switzerland and Belgium. Well-versed in manufacturing and management, she returned to the company's Delaware headquarters as group vice president of DuPont Performance Materials. The hardest part of launching a career abroad, according to the authors, is landing an international assignment. You can increase your chances by volunteering for a global project.

Angela Boey

Going Gray
Can the decision to skip the salon negatively impact your career? In Going Gray (Little, Brown and Co., September 2007), Anne Kreamer discovers what people truly think about women who embrace their salt-and-pepper hair. Surprisingly, while most men seem to find her grayhaired profile on match.com more attractive than her brunette profile, some consultants openly acknowledge that she may be passed over for jobs because she looks too old. One headhunter tells her that of the 100 employer clients she does searches for, not a single woman has gray hair. Ironically, Kreamer's personal survey shows that while 35 percent of women admit being worried that gray hair makes them unsexy, only 19 percent worry about it blunting their "career edge." In the end, Kreamer herself decides to stop dyeing her hair, dropping, she writes, "the baggage of forever-young anxieties, jettisoning a uniform I no longer feel like wearing."

Meg Suggs

Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined
It's no surprise that people judge others based on physical appearance, but did you know that "lookism" can also influence business outcomes? Gordon L. Patzer, Ph.D., makes this assertion in his new book, Looks (AMACOM, January 2008). He cites a study by economist Gerard A. Pfann of Holland's University of Maastrichtwhich found that, among 70 percent of Dutch advertising agencies, those employing executives and management with higher PA, or "physical attractiveness" levels, averaged more than $60,000 of additional annual revenue.However, another study showed that women with higher PA were subject to higher expectations, jealousy and harsh er reprimands, illustrating the contradictory nature of the phenomenon. Patzer encourages readers to challenge "lookism" by considering how they judge others.

Claire Basarich

More Sex is Safer Sex: The Unconventional Wisdom of Economics
What's the best way a woman can increase her lifetime earnings? According to economist Steven E. Landsburg, wait to have children until her late 20s or beyond. In his book More Sex Is Safer Sex (Free Press, April 2008), Landsburg claims that a woman who has her first child at 25 instead of 24 can increase her lifetime earnings by 10 percent. "Part of that is because she'll earn higher wages; the rest is because she'll work longer hours," he writes. An extra inch of height will add roughly $1,000 a year in wages too. Even among identical twins, the taller sister earns substantially more than the shorter. Why? Some controversial studies show that tall people are smarter on average, Landsburg notes. And they tend to have more self-esteem too.

Nadirah Watson

My Answer Is No ... If That's OK with You
"Very often women are held to a higher standard when we lay down the law: It's OK to say no as long as we do it nicely. But if saying no isn't warm and nurturing, we lose points," says Nanette Gartrell, M.D., in her new book, My Answer Is No ... If That's OK with You (Free Press, January 2008). She encourages women to value their own styles and offers a practical approach to saying no in business that keeps a woman's humanity, sense of humor and self-respect in tact. Gartrell's advice? Keep it simple. If you have to explain your reasons, be concise. Ask yourself: What might you lose if you say no? When turning people down, be as encouraging as possible. Acknowledge the requester's need by suggesting others who could help. And if you decide saying yes is not in your best interest, state no clear ly and decisively.

Nicole Winslow

Naked in the Boardroom: A CEO Bares Her Secrets So You Can Transform Your Career
Robin Wolaner's guidebook for corporate women, Naked in the Boardroom (Fireside, 2005), hits shelves in paperback in early 2006. From secretary to CEO, Wolaner shares the lessons she learned from her climb up the corporate ladder. Among the 80 "Naked Truths" she offers: "If you've had management responsibility and have never fired anyone, you probably should be a candidate for the ax. It comes with the territory." Another: "When you've made a mistake you are most vulnerable to making a second in your eagerness to recover." Wolaner shares her perspective not only on management, but also on motherhood: "You can't time your baby's conception. This will prepare you for giving up control, which is a [positive] side effect of parenthood."

Christina Livingston

No Asshole Rule: Building a Civilized Workplace and Surviving One That Isn't
In The No Asshole Rule (Warner Business Books, February 2007), Robert I. Sutton, Ph.D., provides a manual for dealing with difficult (and often detrimental) characters in the workplace. Citing various studies, including one in which 36 percent of employees reported "persistent
hostility" from co-workers and supervisors, and another showing negative interactions at work were five times more influential on mood than positive interactions, Sutton reveals the potential danger of "jerks" in the professional world. He identifies "certified assholes" (people who
consistently humiliate and disrespect those less powerful) and offers blunt tips on dealing with them: Avoid self-blame, develop indifference and emotional detachment, and limit exposure. "If you're scheduling a meeting with known assholes, finding a place with no chairs can … cut your exposure time by 34 percent," Sutton says.

Bre Edmonds

Overcoming Underearning
Fifty percent of Americans feel underpaid, 59 percent believe they are not paid as much as their peers and 42 percent of women (32 percent of men) worry about not having enough money. According to Barbara Stanny, author of Overcoming Underearning (Harper Business, 2005), if you are constantly stressed about money, you are an underearner, regardless of your salary. How do you avoid becoming one of these statistics? Through a combination of outer-work – "marketing yourself, negotiating higher pay, managing your money" – and inner-work – "transforming your thoughts, attitudes, and decisions about yourself and money." In this part workbook, part journal, Stanny walks readers through five steps to overcoming underearning: tell the truth, make a decision, stretch, create community, and respect and appreciate money. Far too many successful women still rely on men to handle their finances, often with disastrous results, Stanny says. She tells PINK: "For women, this is the final act of feminism. Once we master our money skills, we can take our places as equals in the world, and the world will be better off."

Taylor Mallory

PrimeTime Women
Known for literally "writing the book" on Marketing to Women (Kaplan Business, 2006), Marti Barletta now warns marketers they'd better do more to cater to women 50 to 70. In PrimeTime Women (Kaplan Business, January 2007), the CEO and founder of The TrendSight Group points out that 55- to 64-year-olds who own homes spend 20 percent more on new cars and trucks, and 38 percent more on airfare, than their 25- to 34-year-old counterparts. And "PrimeTime Women" report higher feelings of optimism and contentment and lower levels of boredom.

To reach this growing market, use women who are attractive but not "perfect" in your advertising. And stay away from the retirement clichés — playing golf or sitting in Adirondack chairs. "Remember that PrimeTime Women are still working, and most don't plan to retire," Barletta writes.

Kathryn Whitbourne

Rules for Renegades: How to Make More Money, Rock Your Career, and Revel in Your Individuality
You might think it wise to avoid business advice from a high school dropout, former cult member and owner of an $8 million business mishap. Think again. In Rules for Renegades (McGraw-Hill, September 2007), Christine Comaford-Lynch offers honest guidance for building a great career and a meaningful life. Forget the MBA: Comaford-Lynch advocates getting a GSD, or the ability to "Get Sh— Done." Her rules also include taking 100 percent responsibility for your life and following the so-called Law of Attraction, which states that the universe will conspire to help your dream come true if you first develop a clear goal in your own mind. Other advice includes "rocking" rejection: "The key is to fall forward," Comaford-Lynch writes, "where the pain of the failure is reduced by the benefit of the lessons it brings."

Angela Boey & Chris Moedjo

Sandbox to the Corner Office: Lessons Learned on the Journey to the Top
What's separating you and your cubicle from your boss and her corner office? According to Eve Tahmincioglu, learning from mistakes and adapting accordingly. In her book From the Sandbox to the Corner Office (John Wiley and Sons, October 2006), Tahmincioglu interviews more than 50 leaders to form a set of golden rules for the business world.

She balances inspirational stories such as Joe Moglia, current CEO of TD Ameritrade, and his lifetime struggle with stuttering, with practical tips, such as respecting co-workers, to prove that success does not begin upon entering the business world, but results from opportunities you are given in life and what you do with them.

Mara Betsch

Selling to Men, Selling to Women
After questioning whether the world needs another sales book, Jeffery Tobias Halter provides a refresher course in Selling to Men, Selling to Women (Fushian, April 2006). When pitching to a woman, focus on building a relationship first. When selling to a man, limit the conversation to facts and figures.

Women selling to men may need to know that too much animation can make male buyers uncomfortable. If a man crosses his arms and avoids eye contact, ask questions to see why you are off track. When he engages you in a debate, answer his demands by getting down to business quickly. "No" from a man is not absolute.

Halter, a PINK columnist, does warn that not all men respond to straight forwardness, and not all women want relationships. What's important is adapting to your client's needs.

Allison Sparks

The Sexual Paradox: Men, Women and the Read Gender Gap
In her book The Sexual Paradox  (Scribner, March 2008), Susan Pinker studies cases of rambunctious little boys who turned into successful businessmen, and overachieving young girls who later, as adults, opted out of traditionally male careers such as engineering and science. Her research shows that most women are not forced out of these careers because of discrimination, but instead switch to careers where they can have a social impact. (She does note, however, that some female scientists said pressures to play mentor and den mother on the job left them little time to get their work done.) Pinker encourages companies to embrace gender differences, veer away from designing their workplace for the single man, and cater more to inherent needs of their female employees in order to increase their numbers.

Rachel Kellogg

Signs of Success: The Remarkable Power of Business Astrology
In Signs of Success (AMACOM, May 2008), journalist and marketing consultant Steven Mark Weiss argues that there is a connection between astrology and success in business leaders. He says understanding your sun sign can help you recognize strengths and weaknesses in leadership. For instance, Aries leaders are direct but impatient, while Virgos tend to be diligent and perfectionist. Astrology may well be "a load of poop" to some, Weiss acknowledges, but he notes, "Astrology builds inspiring constructs of archetypes … that have enormous relevance to … the world." He claims that astrology can even identify consumer trends — as with the passage of Jupiter through the sign of Cancer, which highlights issues of family, real estate and security. This happened in 1977 and 2001, and will happen again in 2013. So a restaurateur might want to emphasize regional comfort cuisine, as Weiss suggests.

Valencia Wicker

Simple Solutions: Harness the Power of Passion and Simplicity to Get Results
In Simple Solutions (Wiley, 2007), longtime FedEx executive Tom Schmitt and renowned management attorney Arnold Perl outline their leadership style – based on the principle that complex leadership problems can be segmented into simple, solvable components. Each chapter presents a leadership quality, concrete tools for attaining it, and an illustrative FedEx case study. For focus – "the right-brain component to time management" – the authors explain what to focus on (goals, communication and values)and how to prioritize. Schmitt asks his team: "Where do we need to be in three years? Where are we now? How do we get [there]?" Other tools include an importance-urgency matrix and the 80/20 rule: "In any given situation, 80 percent of the solution lies in only 20 percent of the variables . . . identify and focus on . . . the 20 percent [to] solve 80 percent of the problem."

Taylor Mallory

Smart Women Take Risks
Helene Lerner took a major risk 15 years ago when she left her lucrative job to follow her passion – helping other women be successful in their careers. Now an Emmy Award-winning documentarian, writer and host of a popular website for women, womenworking.com, Lerner shares success secrets in Smart Women Take Risks (McGraw-Hill, 2006). She describes "six steps for conquering your fears and making the leap to success": Choose and commit to a goal that you feel passionate about; understand the difference between a "best bet," a "no go" and a "not now"; build and maintain a strong support team; stay focused; acknowledge your courage for taking action; don't stop now. Women leaders – including HBO's Dolores Morris and Denise Morrison of Campbell Soup Co. – share stories of risks that fueled their success.

Taylor Mallory

Success Built to Last: Creating a Life That Matters
Stewart Emery and Mark Thompson team up with Jerry Porras — co-author of the business classic Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies — to create Success Built to Last (Wharton School Publishing, September 2006). The authors interview 200 successful people to come up with surprising insights on success. For instance, powerful people have a history of making new mistakes and harvesting their failures. Technology pundit Esther Dyson says anything worth doing will kick you into a constant state of trial and error, so take good notes as you stumble through. Another finding: It's dangerous to do work just for the money because someone else who loves it will work harder and outrun you. Or, as Warren Buffett puts it, doing something you don't like is like saving up sex for old age.

Stacey Triche

Take This Book to Work: How to Ask for (and Get) Money, Fulfillment, and Advancement
If you're looking for career advancement or wondering how to fend off that obnoxious colleague who relentlessly fills your screen with instant messages, you'll find help in Take This Book to Work (St. Martin's Press, Sept ember 2006).

Co-authors Tory Johnson and Robyn Freedman Spizman show readers how to sound assertive and professional. If you've be come the sounding board for a colleague's constant complaints, politely express concern and help find a solution, but make it known that you will not tolerate the complaints. Tell your coworker, "I feel I've done as much as I can. You should talk to your supervisor since your behavior is affecting your work and mine."

Allison Sparks

What Men Don't Tell Women About Business: Opening Up the Heavily Guarded Alpha Male Playbook
If you've ever wondered what the good ol' boys discuss at the cigar club, look no further than What Men Don't Tell Women About Business (Wiley, November 2007). Author Christopher Flett divulges alpha-male secrets and advises women how to break the code. For instance, while a man may appear sympathetic if you mention family illness, he really thinks, "Jeez, I'm tired of hearing this crap," Flett says. His advice? Be like the men: On days when they can't face colleagues because of personal issues, they "immediately catch the flu and take a few days to get control of the situation." The tough exterior, however, is just an act. Flett, a former alpha male, says most are driven by insecurities. "When a woman is authentically strong and holds herself in high esteem … she will be considered an equal partner at the table."

Maria Carter

Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It
Why Work Sucks and How to Fix It (Portfolio, May 2008) by Cali Ressler and Jody Thompson sounds like another time management gimmick, but the authors claim their book is based on "changing the whole conversation about what work is for." Demanding that employees "go to a physical space to do virtual work" is outdated in our knowledge-based market, they say. Their "Results-Only Work Environment" (ROWE) experiment with Best Buy's corporate employees allowed associates to work whenever and wherever they chose as long as their assignments were completed on time. The result? On one team, the voluntary turnover rate dropped from more than 31 percent to 4.5 percent in two years, saving Best Buy almost $1.4 million in turnover costs. Using their "13 Guideposts" (No. 7: "Nobody talks about how many hours they work"), the authors provide insights into how a ROWE functions and why it should work for everyone.

Rachele Zecca

Where's Your Wow: 16 Ways to Make Your Competitors Wish They Were You!
In Where's Your Wow (McGraw-Hill, April 2008), authors Robyn Freedman Spizman and Rick Frishman help managers solidify competitive advantages with the mantra, "Ordinary is not extraordinary. The difference is extra." They present models for building brands, making alliances and staying hungry on your way to "wow success." Distinguish your "wow," for example, by customizing your service. Managers of Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, Mich., will walk customers to their cars with an umbrella on rainy days. Another key step is envisioning success. Chicken Soup for the Soul founder Jack Canfield holds a "come as you'll be" party, where associates dress up as the people they'll be after they reach their goals in five years. Also included are suggestions for creating your own brand statement using rhymes, testimonials or challenges — like the Lay's potato chip slogan, "Betcha can't eat just one."

Cassie Dres

Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins: How to Use Your Own Stories to Communicate with Power and Impact
Storytelling can be about more than just entertainment or venting. It can actually create the kinds of results you want to see at work or in the family. In Whoever Tells the Best Story Wins (AMACOM, June 2007), Annette Simmons identifies six kinds of stories designed to change perceptions in order to achieve goals: Who I Am; Why I Am Here; Teaching; Vision; Value in Action; I Know What You Are Thinking. For example, a Value in Action story about a contractor on the way to his son's weekend soccer game who instead comes to work to fix a leak inspires people to go "above and beyond." These stories can be found anywhere, Simmons writes, even in TV shows.

Sofia Safina

Working with You Is Killing Me: Freeing Yourself from Emotional Traps at Work
Psychotherapist Katherine Crowley and business consulting guru Kathi Elster have merged their expertise to create a handbook for the workplace,Working with You Is Killing Me (Warner Business Books, March 2006). This manual uncovers eight "brands" of "distressing behavior" within a work environment. For example, is your work role as the "hero," the superhuman of the workplace," confining you or taking a toll on your personal life? The authors recommend "heroes" avoid taking on burdensome responsibilities outside of job descriptions and learn to set limits, such as leaving work at a practical time and taking a relaxing vacation once a year. Their "unhooking" method uses a mixture of self-assessments and analyses of the surrounding situation to improve work life.

Karen Kim