How to Grow a Backbone: Strategies for Gaining Power and Influence At Work

After finishing Disc 1 of 7 it's a thorough pleasure to hear a practical approach to career development. While attitude is great, sooner or later the rubber hits the road. Ms Marshall provides excellent guidance for what to do in real, modern, business situations.

I found this book to be different than the typical management book. Rather than filled with the usual platitudes, it contains some real world advice on how to deal with and capitalize on situations that occur in a corporate environment. The book starts a bit slow, but it gets moving once it gets into the 10 strategies. The author has a nice conversational, straight-talking style of writing. The exercises and advice at the end of each chapter are excellent. I would recommend this book for new graduates starting in management and for seasoned veterans.

This is a must read for anyone that wants to move further faster in the business world -- especially those who are fledglings in Corporate America! Marshall writes with clarity and good humor spiced with pithy observations and examples. This is more than a pie-in-the-sky, ethereal how-to book. She backs up her advice with practical, easy to implement ACTIONS to integrate the strategies into all areas of interactions with others. And her "excercises" are more than informative and effective: they're fun to boot!

There are lots of books on how to manage, lead, and direct. Susan Marshall has produced a great book on how to WORK.The only problem with this wonderful book is its title. Everytime that I suggest to a friend that they should read it, they react as though I am saying that they are spineless. As a guy with a backbone as big as the Ritz [he thinks], I have learned much from Ms. Marshall's book. The truth be known, I have found several areas in which I need to grow.

What a helpful book this is. Susan Marshall offers lots of great, practical advice, and she does so in a friendly but funny and wry way. As so many of us flounder about in deadend jobs it's helpful to have someone like Marshall give us a good kick in the pants.