Straight Talk for Success

Bud, when I wrote Upping The Down Side: 64 Strategies for Creating Professional Resilience By Design, I searched everywhere for companion books and authors who were contributing to the field of resilience. All I can say is Right On. It's ALWAYS helpful to see how people "did it" and you did by sharing your story and simple common sense tips. I highly recommend it. mike jay

Bud Bilanich has hit the nail on the head with his new book, Straight Talk for Success - Common Sense Ideas That Won't Let You Down. Bud has studied the successful for decades and learned first hand the characteristics they all have in common - and he presents them in this book. And in his typical, easy to read, common sense style, he shows you exactly how you can achieve success too. Don't let the simplicity of the book fool you - the stories he tells will draw you in, but every one of them present a powerful message. Bud is transparent with his own stories of success and disappointment. This book is 'real' and heart-felt - not to be missed.

Bud is generous with his advice, sensitive to the reader's time and highly entertaining. The writing is straightforward and especially helpful for people entering the workforce. This is a must read. I'd highly recommend this book.

"Straight Talk for Success" is a great item to hand to a newly minted employee by his or her new boss or a human resources manager. Very little of what it covers is taught by any school and it is a veritable encyclopaedia of things that every working professional should know. Hats off to The Common Sense Guy for a resource that fills a gaping hole.

Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/08) "Straight Talk for Success" is written by Bud Bilanich, who is also known as "The Common Sense Guy." He definitely has been given the correct title. I found "Straight Talk for Success" to be well-organized and easy-to-understand. The book is arranged in five parts. Each section has its own chapters that give you further advice on the topics presented. All of the information provided is based upon common sense, which makes it easier to apply. After reading the whole book, you will see that the title is perfect. About a week ago, a friend commented that most of my "gurus" just provide me with information that should be common sense. I totally agree with this, however, sometimes when life gets in the way, we need to have other people lead us back to what makes sense. When events at work become so convoluted it is easy to get lost and feel helpless. Reading "Straight Talk for Success" helped me put a lot of things into perspective. One of the biggest ways it will influence me is in how I deal with situations with other people, especially co-workers; one in particular. Bilanich reminded me to act assertively, keep my integrity, and to learn from the situation. The biggest feeling that I had when I finished reading "Straight Talk for Success," was excitement. I am looking forward to applying the principles that I learned to my career so that I can get myself out of a slump that I feel myself falling into. I am looking forward to putting these new tools to work, so that I can present myself with confidence and integrity. It feels so good to be excited about doing something well, especially when I know that my career helps others. I highly recommend this book for people in the work world. It is appropriate for those at every stage of their career. It would make a wonderful gift for a college graduate who is just starting out. I wish I had something like this way back when. It will also be good for people who are in the middle of their career when they feel themselves hitting rough patches. People nearing retirement can still benefit from this book because it will help them finish strong. "Straight Talk for Success" would also be the perfect text for a work retreat.