Although I write a lot of book reviews, I usually don’t review psychology-related books because their value is so subjective. The things that are most valuable to me as a worker in a non-psychological enterprise aren’t necessarily valuable to everyone else. Thus, I have a hard time ascertaining a psychology-related book’s general worth. However, this book is an exception. Katherine Crowley and Kathi Elster offer workplace advice that pertains to almost everyone. They investigate dealing with difficult bosses and parse, down to the gritty details, how to handle each boss depending on one’s personal approach to work.
To the troubled employee, who faces an all-too-common problem of a difficult boss, Crowley and Elster offer a four-part process: Detect, detach, depersonalize, and deal. Since workers and bosses come from a variety of psychological stances, they subdivide reactions according to a matrix of how these personality types interact toxically and how their interactions can possibly improve. Of course, an employee’s self-awareness and reasonableness play a central role in achieving the best outcome.
My first reaction to this book is that my workplace isn’t so bad. We have our difficulties, for sure, and this exploration addresses those. However, many difficult scenarios that I haven’t encountered are addressed here, like a serially lying boss or a prejudicial boss. Learning to deal with those situations helps me, but it also reminds me that my more trivial difficulties aren’t so severe. It gave me perspective.
Second, besides dealing with bosses better, reading this book equipped me to deal with colleagues and perhaps direct reports in a better way. I was surprised how much the insights could help me with leading other people and dealing with their personality types. It was a guidebook about what not to do as a boss. By itself, that viewpoint added value.
The task of achieving a good relationship with your boss is one that most of us face at some point. I’m glad to take away a few constructive pointers from Crowley and Elster and to grow into a broader perspective about my life situation. It will help me as I continue to do work developing software.
Working for You Isn’t Working for Me: The Ultimate Guide to Managing Your Boss
By Katherine Crowley & Kathi Elster
Narrated by Marguerite Gavin
Copyright (c) 2009
Gildan Media
ASIN B002T02EIA
Length: 9:14
Genre: Psychology, Business
www.amazon.com