What do you think?
Rate this book
How to Grow a Backbone : 10 Strategies for Gaining Power and Influence at Work
To succeed in business today, an individual must be smart, competitive, resilient, tenacious, and fearless. In short, he or she needs a good, old-fashioned backbone. In How to Grow a Backbone , Susan Marshall, a top business consultant and former executive, outlines skills that readers can develop and perfect to become stronger, more confident, and more influential on the job. Using straight talk laced with wry humor, the author draws upon actual business situations from a variety of companies and industries to show how a strong backbone can change not only the outcome of the situation, but also how one is perceived.
224 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2000
About the author
Susan Marshall
4 booksSusan A. Marshall is an author, sought-after public speaker, and leadership advisor whose professional experience spans four decades and a global geography. As founder of Backbone Institute, LLC in 2010, she has worked with leaders in the public and private sector, non-profit agencies, and public education advocating for improved competence, confidence and effective risk-taking as keys to greater life satisfaction and appreciation for self and others.
Her corporate and consulting experience includes work with Fortune 100 companies including GM, Apple, GE Healthcare & Global Research, Archer Daniels Midland and Best Buy as well as a wide variety of private enterprises and non-profits such as New York City Leadership Academy and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. She led a turnaround of a failing privately held marketing division in the mid-90s and served as an adjunct faculty member for University of Michigan Professor Noel Tichy’s Global Leadership Institute for several years. In addition, Susan wrote the curriculum and taught an MBA Leadership course for Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, WI.
Susan is the author of four books and hundreds of articles. She was a columnist for Wisconsin Woman magazine for eight years and is a frequent contributor to Biz Times Milwaukee. In addition, she has been a guest-lecturer at University of Wisconsin campuses, Marquette University, Alverno College, Concordia University, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
In her local community, Susan is an instructor for Leadership Waukesha County, a member of Waukesha County Business Alliance Infrastructure committee and chair of the Education Policy committee. She serves as a member of Ixonia Bank Board of Directors and chairs Peer Network Group, a CEO roundtable. In 2019, Susan was honored with the Don Richards Leadership Award, bestowed by the Milwaukee Business Journal to inspire and motivate business people to take community leadership roles.
Susan has two daughters and five granddaughters and resides in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Her corporate and consulting experience includes work with Fortune 100 companies including GM, Apple, GE Healthcare & Global Research, Archer Daniels Midland and Best Buy as well as a wide variety of private enterprises and non-profits such as New York City Leadership Academy and Boys & Girls Clubs of America. She led a turnaround of a failing privately held marketing division in the mid-90s and served as an adjunct faculty member for University of Michigan Professor Noel Tichy’s Global Leadership Institute for several years. In addition, Susan wrote the curriculum and taught an MBA Leadership course for Mount Mary University in Milwaukee, WI.
Susan is the author of four books and hundreds of articles. She was a columnist for Wisconsin Woman magazine for eight years and is a frequent contributor to Biz Times Milwaukee. In addition, she has been a guest-lecturer at University of Wisconsin campuses, Marquette University, Alverno College, Concordia University, the University of Michigan Ross School of Business and the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business.
In her local community, Susan is an instructor for Leadership Waukesha County, a member of Waukesha County Business Alliance Infrastructure committee and chair of the Education Policy committee. She serves as a member of Ixonia Bank Board of Directors and chairs Peer Network Group, a CEO roundtable. In 2019, Susan was honored with the Don Richards Leadership Award, bestowed by the Milwaukee Business Journal to inspire and motivate business people to take community leadership roles.
Susan has two daughters and five granddaughters and resides in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 2, 2017
This book reads like a brochure in a shelf at a resort in Branson, MO. Worthless. But, at the same time, it was really a priceless experience. I usually don't feel right if I don't finish a book once I've begun. But not long into this one, I did, in fact, grow enough of a backbone to throw this piece of shit out the window.
June 29, 2015
I don't think the author and I share the same definition of "backbone." There were examples that she gave that did not sound like "backbone" to me. There is a story of a guy whose colleague steals credit for his idea. Furious, he storms over to the guy's office and says "What the hell do you think you're doing?" Apparently this isn't backbone, though. Someone with "backbone" wouldn't get upset, they would have grilled the other guy on the idea until it became apparent that he didn't know what he was talking about. Then everyone would realize whose idea it really was.
It's not a bad idea, but it's not really "backbone", is it? What if, halfway through your session of grilling this guy on your idea, he says to your face "Excuse me, do you have something that you need to say to me? It seems like you have a point that you're trying to make." Now you look like a complete asshole and you're being exposed as the toothless jerk you are.
No, most of these examples aren't "backbone," they're just politicking around in an organization where you don't matter and you don't have control. Another example: a young guy invests lots of after-hours work in developing and idea that he came up with. At the last minute, he gets squeezed out of the project by his "partner" who is higher up the corporate ladder and a johnny-come-lately to the project (who is also higher on the ladder.)
The guy is pissed off and confused, and his boss tells him to take it as a learning experience. Apparently, people with backbone would not get upset, they would view this as a learning experience and try to offer their help implementing the project. But this isn't really "backbone" either, is it? It's just, as Wayne Campbell would say, "getting shit on." It takes backbone to take your licks, for sure, but it takes gutlessness not to ask for better treatment. The author gives some reasons why the guy might have been squeezed out, like lack of credibility with the board. It sounds like a lot of hooey to me. His partner up the corporate ladder could have given him introductions and advice to get him started on the right foot with the board. No, this is getting abused, pure and simple.
The overarching problem I see with this book is that it operates from a narrow mindset--the mindset of the powerless employee in the big bureaucracy. That's probably what the author has experienced, but it makes her advice more limited than the reader could use. In the example about the young guy getting squeezed out, it seems like his options in the book are to raise a futile row about the issue, fume silently in his cubicle for a while, or have a "learning experience." These aren't the only options, though. He could say "I can't countenance working for an organization that treats its people in such a shabby fashion after their hard work," and send out his resume. No backbone here, the author might say. But it depends on your perspective and your goals. I don't see much backbone in getting used and discarded and then being mollified with business platitudes like "learning experiences." Maybe the learning experience he needs to have is "At this company, they're treating me like dog shit."
Also, the audiobook version is probably not the way to go. The woman who read the book sounded so cheesily confident, like she was pretending to be a big-shot executive for her character in reading this book. I was rolling my eyes so often that I could barely watch the road while I was driving.
Two stars for some decent practical ideas, but the concept of the book is weak.
It's not a bad idea, but it's not really "backbone", is it? What if, halfway through your session of grilling this guy on your idea, he says to your face "Excuse me, do you have something that you need to say to me? It seems like you have a point that you're trying to make." Now you look like a complete asshole and you're being exposed as the toothless jerk you are.
No, most of these examples aren't "backbone," they're just politicking around in an organization where you don't matter and you don't have control. Another example: a young guy invests lots of after-hours work in developing and idea that he came up with. At the last minute, he gets squeezed out of the project by his "partner" who is higher up the corporate ladder and a johnny-come-lately to the project (who is also higher on the ladder.)
The guy is pissed off and confused, and his boss tells him to take it as a learning experience. Apparently, people with backbone would not get upset, they would view this as a learning experience and try to offer their help implementing the project. But this isn't really "backbone" either, is it? It's just, as Wayne Campbell would say, "getting shit on." It takes backbone to take your licks, for sure, but it takes gutlessness not to ask for better treatment. The author gives some reasons why the guy might have been squeezed out, like lack of credibility with the board. It sounds like a lot of hooey to me. His partner up the corporate ladder could have given him introductions and advice to get him started on the right foot with the board. No, this is getting abused, pure and simple.
The overarching problem I see with this book is that it operates from a narrow mindset--the mindset of the powerless employee in the big bureaucracy. That's probably what the author has experienced, but it makes her advice more limited than the reader could use. In the example about the young guy getting squeezed out, it seems like his options in the book are to raise a futile row about the issue, fume silently in his cubicle for a while, or have a "learning experience." These aren't the only options, though. He could say "I can't countenance working for an organization that treats its people in such a shabby fashion after their hard work," and send out his resume. No backbone here, the author might say. But it depends on your perspective and your goals. I don't see much backbone in getting used and discarded and then being mollified with business platitudes like "learning experiences." Maybe the learning experience he needs to have is "At this company, they're treating me like dog shit."
Also, the audiobook version is probably not the way to go. The woman who read the book sounded so cheesily confident, like she was pretending to be a big-shot executive for her character in reading this book. I was rolling my eyes so often that I could barely watch the road while I was driving.
Two stars for some decent practical ideas, but the concept of the book is weak.
December 22, 2017
I would not recommend this book. it does not give relatable and executable advice.
It is so here, there, and yon, there isn't even a concise criticism beyond that. At some points the advice is too small and obvious: carry a legal pad and take notes. Others too large: graph the workflow for everything in your company in 4 dimensional space, in color. And at other times, the advice is just RIDICULOUS: analyzing the light in people's eyes to see what their feelings are on a project or idea you are presenting.
Skip it and pick another random self help book from your library or store. Statistically, it is unlikely to be worse, whatever it is.
It is so here, there, and yon, there isn't even a concise criticism beyond that. At some points the advice is too small and obvious: carry a legal pad and take notes. Others too large: graph the workflow for everything in your company in 4 dimensional space, in color. And at other times, the advice is just RIDICULOUS: analyzing the light in people's eyes to see what their feelings are on a project or idea you are presenting.
Skip it and pick another random self help book from your library or store. Statistically, it is unlikely to be worse, whatever it is.
September 9, 2010
Listened to the audiobook. Of the 8 total hours, maybe 30 minutes was worthwhile.
May 2, 2020
I had to put my read date to this in another year, because I only got about 5 pages in before the author started going on about how discrimination is an excuse. Really?! We have such good and solid science on discrimination in the workplace. We know that women ask for raises AT THE SAME RATE as men and are still paid less, just for one example. My first Did Not Finish for the year.
June 24, 2019
"Why be a plow horse when you can be an unicorn?"
December 1, 2021
Another book for your personal reference library. Annotate, highlight and dog-ear pages worth returning to time and again. Share this book with others so that meaningful discussions and growth can happen within your organizations and family.
Keep asking yourself what you think about subjects… and research both/all sides to become well informed for when you speak up and discuss topics.
Keep asking yourself what you think about subjects… and research both/all sides to become well informed for when you speak up and discuss topics.
February 22, 2017
The book started by feeling a little long and slow. After all, how many times can one use the word backbone in conversation? So I had to take a break from this book.When I made it back, it begun to sink in. I realized that this book deals with too important of a subject. Because the only way to get an important message across is through unstoppable repetition, the method used by the author is much more adequate than I had given credit for. I was wrong. As Ms. Marshall described the many circumstances where backbone is essential, it became clear that EVERYONE should read this book. Everybody should internalize its meaning. If everybody did, corporate politics would disappear, productivity would grow exponentially and people would be much more emotionally fulfilled with every part of their life. This book is about being a transparent person who communicates clearly. What a thought! I strongly recommend this book. I especially believe that people starting their professional carriers have a better chance to gain from this book as bad habits are not ingrained yet. Congratulations Ms. Susan Marshall; you brought us a great book. For the expanded review see http://albertoalopez.blogspot.com/201...
July 15, 2016
Fantastic book about growing some 'balls' not only in business but in personal life. Susan does a good job with explaining the ways in which we can stand up for ourselves or others and become our more confident version. It got me thinking...how many times have i felt unheard through my relationships in business or personal life. To succeed one must be tenacious, smart, confident, fearless...This book gives practical advice and is quite an easy read. There is a tendency in self help books, to be filled with big words and painfully hard to understand lingo and this book is very much the opposite. If you're on a path to self improvement: this is a book for you.
June 27, 2015
Interesting concept that boils down to the basics – speak the truth, do what has to be done, don’t be a glory hound. I liked the examples throughout, but overall it’s just a reminder to do the right thing, with a little reminding of what the right thing actually is. Not bad, but not so groundbreaking.
The narration bugged me. It felt like the narrator had a smug and superior attitude throughout. This kind of book calls for that in a narrator, but I really don’t like listening to the tone for hours. Or maybe I’m just imagining it…
The narration bugged me. It felt like the narrator had a smug and superior attitude throughout. This kind of book calls for that in a narrator, but I really don’t like listening to the tone for hours. Or maybe I’m just imagining it…
March 31, 2008
I can only honestly comment on the first 3/4 of the book, b/c I stopped reading it. Droned on pointlessly. No aim or direction ith common sense tips speckled in. It did make the one valid point of makinbg sure there is a point to meetings, b/c employees hate being pulled away even if its from playing solitaire to attend a meeting with no sense of purpose or organization. Other than that, its a pass. Could be good for an intern, to learn the nuance of corporate workplace dynamics.
April 5, 2015
The book had an enticing title that makes you curious. I find that most discussions in the book tried to overcomplicate simple concepts.
May 18, 2017
Listened to this book: was looking (listening) for something more: 'take a notepad to meetings'... Seriously..?!?
March 13, 2018
This book sucks. I finished it only to add it to my list.
specifically, it offers no new ideas, represents no research or experience, and literally calls names.
specifically, it offers no new ideas, represents no research or experience, and literally calls names.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews