Business Without the Bullsh*t: 49 Secrets and Shortcuts You Need to Know

by Geoffrey James

Overview

In this "must-read," readers will learn surprising yet tried-and-true secrets about being an extraordinary boss, about coping with annoying coworkers, and navigating the thorny problems that recur in every workplace (Gerhard Gschwandtner, publisher of Selling Power magazine).

Contrary to popular belief, the business world is not that complicated. While every industry and every profession requires specific expertise, the truth is that the "business of business" is relatively simple.

For the past seven years, Geoffrey James has written a daily blog that's become one of the most popular business-focused destinations on the web.

Tips from Business Without the Bullsh*t:

• Long work hours mean less work gets done.
• Multiple studies reveal that working 60 rather than 40 hours a week makes you slightly more productive but only for a little while. After about three weeks, people get burned out, get sick and go absent, and start making avoidable errors.
• What every boss wants from you.
• From your boss's perspective your real job is to make the boss successful. There are no exceptions to this rule.
• Why your resume is your enemy.
• Only write a resume after you're talking to people inside the hiring firm. Then, customize it to match what you've discovered that they really what.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455574582
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	05/13/2014
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	8.30(w) x 5.60(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Geoffrey James writes one the world's most-visited business blogs, the award winning "Sales Source" column on Inc.com. His writing has appeared in Fast Company, Wired, Men's Health, and the New York Times.

Editorial Reviews

03/17/2014
James, author of the “Sales Source” column on Inc.com, outlines the secrets of navigating today’s workforce, starting from the point of view that in the modern work world, everyone is, in effect, a freelancer, their own boss, and should always be looking for their next job. James tackles essential workplace skills and techniques, including how to be a great boss and colleague (and survive bad ones); navigate office politics; ask for a raise; and deal with stress. The author’s pithy and frank style matches his title and his recommendations are similarly to the point, such as his assertion in the chapter on asking for a raise that “nobody cares what you want, need or expect to be paid,” followed by helpful suggestions on how to effectively establish the discrepancy between your value and pay. Equally terse is his counsel on firings and layoffs, which “should be handled like a life threatening operation at a hospital. You want the patient (i.e., your firm) to get through trauma as quickly as possible, not bleed the death of a thousand cuts.” Relevant for leaders or employees of any generation, this is a quick, impactful primer for anyone wanting to be more effective on the job. Agent: Lorin Rees, Rees Agency. (May)

Publishers Weekly

"[T]he most useful, snappy career book I have seen in maybe five years."—Penelope Trunk, penelopetrunk.com

"[T]he most timely book of 2014."—Guy Kawasaki

"I started reading it and BOOM I was on the last page! BUSINESS WITHOUT THE BULLSH*T is a concise masterpiece. James' humor and practical wisdom makes every page a joy to read."

—Robert I. Sutton, Stanford Professor, author of The No Asshole Rule, and co-author of Scaling Up Excellence.

"This powerful, practical book gives you proven techniques to get better business results faster than you ever thought possible."—Brian Tracy, author of How the Best Leaders Lead

"Whatever and wherever you are in your career, you will find here a page-turner and a way of turning trials to triumphs."—Linda Richardson, author of Perfect Selling

"I've read James' compelling articles for the past two decades and this new book is a must-read, sparkling gem."—Gerhard Gschwandtner, publisher of Selling Power magazine

"James, author of the "Sales Source" column on Inc.com, outlines the secrets of navigating today's workforce, starting from the point of view that in the modern work world, everyone is, in effect, a freelancer, their own boss, and should always be looking for their next job. James tackles essential workplace skills and techniques, including how to be a great boss and colleague (and survive bad ones); navigate office politics; ask for a raise; and deal with stress. The author's pithy and frank style matches his title and his recommendations are similarly to the point, such as his assertion in the chapter on asking for a raise that "nobody cares what you want, need or expect to be paid," followed by helpful suggestions on how to effectively establish the discrepancy between your value and pay. Equally terse is his counsel on firings and layoffs, which "should be handled like a life threatening operation at a hospital. You want the patient (i.e., your firm) to get through trauma as quickly as possible, not bleed the death of a thousand cuts." Relevant for leaders or employees of any generation, this is a quick, impactful primer for anyone wanting to be more effective on the job."—Publishers Weekly

"Yes, it's true, there's a lot of "bs" in business, but the path through it becomes much clearer by reading the new book by Geoffrey James."—800 CEO Read

"This is a book you should gift to every high school and college graduate. As its title promises, it cuts straight to the habits required for successful business behavior. It points out the many traps that snare business newbies and slow advancement. I wish I'd read a book like this in my early 20s. BWTB is ethical without being preachy, aspirational without being sappy, practical while still crackling with the author's natural wit. 5.0 out of 5 stars."

—Rich Karlgaard, Publisher of Forbes Magazine

From the Publisher

"I've read James' compelling articles for the past two decades and this new book is a must-read, sparkling gem."

Gerhard Gschwandtner

"Whatever and wherever you are in your career, you will find here a page-turner and a way of turning trials to triumphs."

Linda Richardson

"This powerful, practical book gives you proven techniques to get better business results faster than you ever thought possible."

Brian Tracy

"I started reading it and BOOM I was on the last page! BUSINESS WITHOUT THE BULLSH*T is a concise masterpiece. James' humor and practical wisdom makes every page a joy to read."

Robert I. Sutton