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Works Well with Others: An Outsider's Guide to Shaking Hands, Shutting Up, Handling Jerks, and Other Crucial Skills in Business That No One Ever Teaches You
Esquire editor and Entrepreneur etiquette columnist Ross McCammon delivers a funny and authoritative guide that provides the advice you really need to be confident and authentic at work, even when you have no idea what’s going on.
Ten years ago, before he got a job at Esquire magazine and way before he became the etiquette columnist at Entrepreneur magazine, Ross McCammon, editor at an in-flight magazine, was staring out a second-floor window at a parking lot in suburban Dallas wondering if it was five o’clock yet. Everything changed with one phone call from Esquire. Three weeks later, he was working in New York and wondering what the hell had just happened.
This is McCammon’s honest, funny, and entertaining journey from impostor to authority, a story that begins with periods of debilitating workplace anxiety but leads to rich insights and practical advice from a guy who “made it” but who still remembers what it’s like to feel entirely ill-equipped for professional success. And for life in general, if we’re being completely honest. McCammon points out the workplace for what it an often absurd landscape of ego and fear guided by social rules that no one ever talks about. He offers a mix of enlightening and often self-deprecating personal stories about his experience and clear, practical advice on getting the small things right—crucial skills that often go unacknowledged—from shaking a hand to conducting a business meeting in a bar to navigating a work party.
Here is an inspirational new way of looking at your job, your career, and success itself; an accessible guide for those of us who are smart, talented, and ambitious but who aren’t well-“leveraged” and don’t quite feel prepared for success . . . or know what to do once we’ve made it.
Ten years ago, before he got a job at Esquire magazine and way before he became the etiquette columnist at Entrepreneur magazine, Ross McCammon, editor at an in-flight magazine, was staring out a second-floor window at a parking lot in suburban Dallas wondering if it was five o’clock yet. Everything changed with one phone call from Esquire. Three weeks later, he was working in New York and wondering what the hell had just happened.
This is McCammon’s honest, funny, and entertaining journey from impostor to authority, a story that begins with periods of debilitating workplace anxiety but leads to rich insights and practical advice from a guy who “made it” but who still remembers what it’s like to feel entirely ill-equipped for professional success. And for life in general, if we’re being completely honest. McCammon points out the workplace for what it an often absurd landscape of ego and fear guided by social rules that no one ever talks about. He offers a mix of enlightening and often self-deprecating personal stories about his experience and clear, practical advice on getting the small things right—crucial skills that often go unacknowledged—from shaking a hand to conducting a business meeting in a bar to navigating a work party.
Here is an inspirational new way of looking at your job, your career, and success itself; an accessible guide for those of us who are smart, talented, and ambitious but who aren’t well-“leveraged” and don’t quite feel prepared for success . . . or know what to do once we’ve made it.
263 pages, Hardcover
First published October 6, 2015
118 people are currently reading
2297 people want to read
About the author
Ross McCammon
4 books16 followersRoss McCammon has been a senior editor at Esquire magazine since 2005, where he’s responsible for the magazine’s coverage of pop culture, drinking, cars, and etiquette. He has edited Esquire’s “Dubious Achievement Awards” and the long-running annual feature “The Best Bars in America,” writes the monthly feature “The Rules,” and is a frequent contributor to the magazine’s back-page humor section “This Way Out.” For three years he has been the business etiquette columnist at Entrepreneur magazine. His humor has been collected in Created in Darkness by Troubled Americans: The Best of McSweeney’s Humor Category, edited by Dave Eggers. He lives in Westchester County, New York, with his wife and son.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
October 10, 2015
This book was really dumb. I hate books for men which tell them to have some self doubt. No duh! Try being a woman for a week! And, I don't need to know how to pick a bar for my after-dinner drink. It should be called crucial skills for young, male jerks in New York City business.
June 23, 2022
Shit bits (suck up identified!):
Q:
Whereas profanity lends credibility to our speech;
(This is what Joe Biden knows. A speech is a lot more memorable if it contains a well-placed “damn.”) (c) A speech is even better than that if it contains a misplaced Joe Biden meeting imaginary friends and shaking hands with air.
Stellar tidbits:
Q:
You are NASA. Your schedule is filled with rocket launches. For god’s sake, get those sons of bitches off the ground on time. (c)
Q:
Ultimately, a speech is a conversation—with a whole lot of people who are refusing to participate in the chat. (c)
A to reread, to reread, to multiply reread. As muchas humanly possible. Love it all: the frankness, the freshness, the attention to details, the tiny details. Okay, maybe not the part about alcohol: it's bad for you no matter where it is that you drink it but the rest is megacool.
Q:
Someone Crying at Work
Understand that crying is part of an important physical response to stress that makes us feel better. As intense and sad as it appears, crying is the beginning of feeling better. And so let them cry. Do not say, “Please stop crying.” or even “There’s no need to cry.” Crying is cathartic. You don’t want to suppress it. But do not acknowledge the crying. Speak as if there is no crying. And keep speaking until they stop crying or excuse themselves. And take the focus off them. Talk about once being in a similar situation. Tell a parable if you have to. Recite the Gettysburg Address if you have to, but keep talking. Take the spotlight, which only increases their embarrassment and likely mortification, off them. (c) Now this is a good advice, I think. No worse than the rest of the alternatives.
Now, once I worked with a girl who cried for days. Seriously, she would be crying as she worked. For days on end. Well, she did have a hormonal problem which does steep up the emonality degree so that's how it went for her. And us. Since you know, there were tons of people, milling around, sitting around, working... And here she is, sniff-sniff, waterworks full on. I dunno, I think there were many people around who felt roughly the same as her (if one judges by what people were saying, how they looked (death warmed up not nearly enough to resemble life) and corroborates that via all meds being left routinely left around on people's tables which included all kinds serotonin modificatords, antistress syrops/tablets/etc, nootropics, heart attack meds etc.). So, I think we all just tuned her out, mostly. Like, she needs to cry, OK, whatever. We all feel like it but NOT TODAY. And don't get me started on people sleeping/having crying jags in toilets. Stress is a bitch.
Nice tidbits.
Q:
Your career is too short for limp pitches.
Q:
there’s a way to be passionate without seeming crazy. It involves what absolutely no expert refers to as the “enthuse, temper, enthuse” approach, or ETE. The idea is to occasionally, and quite explicitly, undercut your passion with self-deprecation or even hedging. When you’re talking passionately about your product, idea, or business, you need to tone down the enthusiasm, so that it’s obvious to your audience that you aren’t on some one-track mission to convince everyone of your own brilliance. On the highway of enthusiasm, you need to stop every now and then and stretch your legs, take a restroom break, buy some beef jerky. You need to relax and look around. By acknowledging—even vaguely—that your idea is not The Great Idea but one in a cosmos of good ideas, you’re making your notion even more appealing. You’re placing it in a sane context—the context of the rigor that it will take to get the idea off the ground. (c)
Q:
Here’s the third thing that will decrease your anxiety and make you better a pitching: Everyone in the room wants you to succeed. They want to be using their time to listen to a great idea. Which means you immediately know if it’s not working. You either get nothing or you get something. If your pitch doesn’t work, you’ll know. Because the bar is so low and because everyone wants you to deliver a good pitch, if you get nothing and you have nothing else to give, then it’s over. If it’s being received well, of course, you’ll get some sort of positive reaction, even if it’s only a raised eyebrow or a nod of a head. (c)
Q:
As he looked at me, he told me what my name was, presumably so he could commit it to memory. Twice. And then he kept shaking my hand. (c)
Q:
This is a classic motivational speaker move: In an attempt to create a meaningful connection, they overstep and make the connection meaningful in the worst possible way. (Rule: In an intimate setting, motivational speakers are always demoralizing.) (c)
Q:
Someone Who Has Asked You an Indiscreet Question About Your Company at a Party
Pick one:
“You never know.”
“Hard to say.”
“It depends on so many factors.”
“You gotta do what you gotta do.”
“What led to you wondering about that?”
“But don’t you think that’s only part of the story?”
“We do what we can.” (c)
Q:
The way to make the most of a conversation with a famous person is the way to talk to anyone: You think of the thing that they do all day long but that no one ever asks them about. Their answers will be rich and substantive because they have thought about these things every way there is to think about them. The singer has tons of thoughts on rehearsal, on how to stalk a stage, on looking at fans. The plumber has tons of thoughts on gravity. The insurance agent has tons of thoughts on risk.
...
People love talking about what they actually do for a living. Not their jobs but their work. (c)
Q:
he concept of sprezzatura was introduced by sixteenth-century Italian courtier Baldassare Castiglione in The Book of the Courtier, a sort of Miss Manners guide for court during the Renaissance. From the text: “Avoid affectation in every way possible . . . [and] practice in all things a certain sprezzatura [nonchalance] so as to conceal all art and make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it.”
...
Sprezzatura allows for—and, more important, promotes—whimsy, messiness, flaws. Your tie is askew. Sprezzatura. Your shirt is a little untucked? Sprezzatura. Those prints don’t mix? Sprezzatura. You’re accidentally wearing your shirt inside out? Just call it sprezzatura and go about your day. Sprezzatura endorses comfort, individuality, contradiction, wrinkles. (c)
The 50Cent notes are worthy of a special category (I'm not sure I buy this but it's interesting):
Q:
How to describe the toothy smile of 50 Cent in person? Let’s see: Imagine forty kittens winking. Or a sunflower giving you a thumbs-up. Or a panda saying “Nice to meet ya!” as he tips his hat because this panda is dressed like Dick Van Dyke in the “strolling in the park” scene in Mary Poppins. (c)
Q:
As we were talking, every time the drilling, hammering, grinding, would start up, he would simply grab the recording device and hold it up to his mouth as he spoke. It was a subtle, thoughtful, helpful thing. And it suggested that he was a partner as much as a subject.
...
The way to talk to important people is to recognize that you are their equal. (c)
Q:
“Don’t wait for them to tell you. Tell them.” (c)
Q:
Whereas profanity lends credibility to our speech;
(This is what Joe Biden knows. A speech is a lot more memorable if it contains a well-placed “damn.”) (c) A speech is even better than that if it contains a misplaced Joe Biden meeting imaginary friends and shaking hands with air.
Stellar tidbits:
Q:
You are NASA. Your schedule is filled with rocket launches. For god’s sake, get those sons of bitches off the ground on time. (c)
Q:
Ultimately, a speech is a conversation—with a whole lot of people who are refusing to participate in the chat. (c)
A to reread, to reread, to multiply reread. As muchas humanly possible. Love it all: the frankness, the freshness, the attention to details, the tiny details. Okay, maybe not the part about alcohol: it's bad for you no matter where it is that you drink it but the rest is megacool.
Q:
Someone Crying at Work
Understand that crying is part of an important physical response to stress that makes us feel better. As intense and sad as it appears, crying is the beginning of feeling better. And so let them cry. Do not say, “Please stop crying.” or even “There’s no need to cry.” Crying is cathartic. You don’t want to suppress it. But do not acknowledge the crying. Speak as if there is no crying. And keep speaking until they stop crying or excuse themselves. And take the focus off them. Talk about once being in a similar situation. Tell a parable if you have to. Recite the Gettysburg Address if you have to, but keep talking. Take the spotlight, which only increases their embarrassment and likely mortification, off them. (c) Now this is a good advice, I think. No worse than the rest of the alternatives.
Now, once I worked with a girl who cried for days. Seriously, she would be crying as she worked. For days on end. Well, she did have a hormonal problem which does steep up the emonality degree so that's how it went for her. And us. Since you know, there were tons of people, milling around, sitting around, working... And here she is, sniff-sniff, waterworks full on. I dunno, I think there were many people around who felt roughly the same as her (if one judges by what people were saying, how they looked (death warmed up not nearly enough to resemble life) and corroborates that via all meds being left routinely left around on people's tables which included all kinds serotonin modificatords, antistress syrops/tablets/etc, nootropics, heart attack meds etc.). So, I think we all just tuned her out, mostly. Like, she needs to cry, OK, whatever. We all feel like it but NOT TODAY. And don't get me started on people sleeping/having crying jags in toilets. Stress is a bitch.
Nice tidbits.
Q:
Your career is too short for limp pitches.
Q:
there’s a way to be passionate without seeming crazy. It involves what absolutely no expert refers to as the “enthuse, temper, enthuse” approach, or ETE. The idea is to occasionally, and quite explicitly, undercut your passion with self-deprecation or even hedging. When you’re talking passionately about your product, idea, or business, you need to tone down the enthusiasm, so that it’s obvious to your audience that you aren’t on some one-track mission to convince everyone of your own brilliance. On the highway of enthusiasm, you need to stop every now and then and stretch your legs, take a restroom break, buy some beef jerky. You need to relax and look around. By acknowledging—even vaguely—that your idea is not The Great Idea but one in a cosmos of good ideas, you’re making your notion even more appealing. You’re placing it in a sane context—the context of the rigor that it will take to get the idea off the ground. (c)
Q:
Here’s the third thing that will decrease your anxiety and make you better a pitching: Everyone in the room wants you to succeed. They want to be using their time to listen to a great idea. Which means you immediately know if it’s not working. You either get nothing or you get something. If your pitch doesn’t work, you’ll know. Because the bar is so low and because everyone wants you to deliver a good pitch, if you get nothing and you have nothing else to give, then it’s over. If it’s being received well, of course, you’ll get some sort of positive reaction, even if it’s only a raised eyebrow or a nod of a head. (c)
Q:
As he looked at me, he told me what my name was, presumably so he could commit it to memory. Twice. And then he kept shaking my hand. (c)
Q:
This is a classic motivational speaker move: In an attempt to create a meaningful connection, they overstep and make the connection meaningful in the worst possible way. (Rule: In an intimate setting, motivational speakers are always demoralizing.) (c)
Q:
Someone Who Has Asked You an Indiscreet Question About Your Company at a Party
Pick one:
“You never know.”
“Hard to say.”
“It depends on so many factors.”
“You gotta do what you gotta do.”
“What led to you wondering about that?”
“But don’t you think that’s only part of the story?”
“We do what we can.” (c)
Q:
The way to make the most of a conversation with a famous person is the way to talk to anyone: You think of the thing that they do all day long but that no one ever asks them about. Their answers will be rich and substantive because they have thought about these things every way there is to think about them. The singer has tons of thoughts on rehearsal, on how to stalk a stage, on looking at fans. The plumber has tons of thoughts on gravity. The insurance agent has tons of thoughts on risk.
...
People love talking about what they actually do for a living. Not their jobs but their work. (c)
Q:
he concept of sprezzatura was introduced by sixteenth-century Italian courtier Baldassare Castiglione in The Book of the Courtier, a sort of Miss Manners guide for court during the Renaissance. From the text: “Avoid affectation in every way possible . . . [and] practice in all things a certain sprezzatura [nonchalance] so as to conceal all art and make whatever is done or said appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it.”
...
Sprezzatura allows for—and, more important, promotes—whimsy, messiness, flaws. Your tie is askew. Sprezzatura. Your shirt is a little untucked? Sprezzatura. Those prints don’t mix? Sprezzatura. You’re accidentally wearing your shirt inside out? Just call it sprezzatura and go about your day. Sprezzatura endorses comfort, individuality, contradiction, wrinkles. (c)
The 50Cent notes are worthy of a special category (I'm not sure I buy this but it's interesting):
Q:
How to describe the toothy smile of 50 Cent in person? Let’s see: Imagine forty kittens winking. Or a sunflower giving you a thumbs-up. Or a panda saying “Nice to meet ya!” as he tips his hat because this panda is dressed like Dick Van Dyke in the “strolling in the park” scene in Mary Poppins. (c)
Q:
As we were talking, every time the drilling, hammering, grinding, would start up, he would simply grab the recording device and hold it up to his mouth as he spoke. It was a subtle, thoughtful, helpful thing. And it suggested that he was a partner as much as a subject.
...
The way to talk to important people is to recognize that you are their equal. (c)
Q:
“Don’t wait for them to tell you. Tell them.” (c)
April 3, 2017
This book was trying to straddle humor and useful content and for me it fell short in both categories. Good for you, bro, you got to proofread body paint on a nude model and then tricked us all into reading it. And now that you've told me to shake hands firmly I'll do it even though I ignored every other piece of advice and sitcom joke about it. There were a few nuggets of decent advice in there but it's not worth slogging through the whole book to get them.
October 16, 2015
"Facts x opinions - about how much salary everyone in the room probably makes - bullshit + knowledge of a good Thai place around here / you = The Score"
Finally a business book that really tells it like it is.
I was skeptical that a white dude could write a book about being an "outsider" but Mr. McCammon really IS an outsider in the offices of Esquire. (What would I be? An alien?) He hasn't got a single drop of blue blood in his veins and he's very very astute with his observations regarding "very important people".
I don't work with celebrities... but you know what... maybe I do. Everyone dies famous in a small town.
Anyway, this book was fantastic. I laughed out loud in several places. McCammon's writing is so good I would buy a phonebook if he wrote it. I'm very seriously considering a SUBSCRIPTION to Esquire based on his writing. (I read the library's Esquire from time to time but his writing is so good, I feel like I need to vote with my dollars)
Reading this book will make you feel better about whatever happened in the office today. It will give you real genuine actual things to say to weird people who try to make your life difficult. You will feel more comfortable with being who you are, where you're at and meandering through the concept of a profession.
Finally a business book that really tells it like it is.
I was skeptical that a white dude could write a book about being an "outsider" but Mr. McCammon really IS an outsider in the offices of Esquire. (What would I be? An alien?) He hasn't got a single drop of blue blood in his veins and he's very very astute with his observations regarding "very important people".
I don't work with celebrities... but you know what... maybe I do. Everyone dies famous in a small town.
Anyway, this book was fantastic. I laughed out loud in several places. McCammon's writing is so good I would buy a phonebook if he wrote it. I'm very seriously considering a SUBSCRIPTION to Esquire based on his writing. (I read the library's Esquire from time to time but his writing is so good, I feel like I need to vote with my dollars)
Reading this book will make you feel better about whatever happened in the office today. It will give you real genuine actual things to say to weird people who try to make your life difficult. You will feel more comfortable with being who you are, where you're at and meandering through the concept of a profession.
November 22, 2015
I...can't stand the way this guy writes – it's so cheesy.
A lot of this might apply if you work at the type of job in New York where people are overly concerned about how you dress or what you order at a restaurant...but most of this just seems either blatantly obvious (it's okay to make mistakes! make eye contact!) or painfully white (actual quote when referring to interviewing 50 Cent)
“I was going to ask him about...his life of crime (or “hustling” as it's always vaguely put.)”
So if that sounds like something you'd be in to...then enjoy!
A lot of this might apply if you work at the type of job in New York where people are overly concerned about how you dress or what you order at a restaurant...but most of this just seems either blatantly obvious (it's okay to make mistakes! make eye contact!) or painfully white (actual quote when referring to interviewing 50 Cent)
“I was going to ask him about...his life of crime (or “hustling” as it's always vaguely put.)”
So if that sounds like something you'd be in to...then enjoy!
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January 7, 2016
I actually really liked this. I keep trying to read business-type books, maybe to make me feel more like an adult, but they are usually boring and full of information that I will never use. Sure, this book still has that - there's tons of stuff in here that will never matter in my business life, but at least it was very entertaining to read. Author Ross McCammon has a good sense of humor, and is not shy when it comes to tell readers where he went wrong, when he messed up, or that time he acted like a jerk. Given the opportunity, I'd gladly read this again in the future.
Counts for 2016 reading challenge: A self-help book.
Counts for 2016 reading challenge: A self-help book.
June 18, 2017
Caveat lector
This book is entertaining but anecdotal. If you want to rationalize drinking at work or using profanity or working in New York then this is probably a book for you. For the rest of us in "fly over country" this book will make you glad to be where you are.
This book is entertaining but anecdotal. If you want to rationalize drinking at work or using profanity or working in New York then this is probably a book for you. For the rest of us in "fly over country" this book will make you glad to be where you are.
January 16, 2016
It's not often I read a business book and laugh out loud. Everyone in the break room is very puzzled. I hope that they're puzzled enough to take a peek. It's mirthfully good advice.
May 16, 2015
Comments based on advanced copy - Thanks Dutton/Penguin/Random. This is an exceptional business etiquette book. I wish I had this when I moved to the private sector from the not-for-profit world 27 years ago. This very readable book uses humor to deliver sound practical advice. My only criticism is that instead of October, this book should be out now so that it could be a gift for all recent graduates. I will be assigning this to my work group and I have already recommend this to colleagues.
November 27, 2018
This book was really enjoyable. The author handled the subject matter truthfully, frankly, and with a well-honed sense of humor. He is witty, irreverent, and utterly entertaining. His “what not to do” chapters were especially funny.
Even though the author looks at things from a humorous, absurdist point of view at times, at other times his content it right on the mark and quite serious. I learned more about working in a corporate environment while I wryly smiled because I recognized the characters in his stories and descriptions.
Even though the author looks at things from a humorous, absurdist point of view at times, at other times his content it right on the mark and quite serious. I learned more about working in a corporate environment while I wryly smiled because I recognized the characters in his stories and descriptions.
March 27, 2017
If I keep this up, I'm going to have to start a "self-help" shelf on my Goodreads page.
This was decent. It's a quick read. Probably the most useful thing I picked up, and I'm actually eager to try this, is to ask an asshole/underminer/problem case "Why would you do that?" It's a nice variation on the way I've been trained to respond to bigoted jokes, by saying "I don't understand. Can you explain that to me?" In both cases, you get to watch the asshole sputter and make excuses while you try to keep your glee from showing on your face.
This was decent. It's a quick read. Probably the most useful thing I picked up, and I'm actually eager to try this, is to ask an asshole/underminer/problem case "Why would you do that?" It's a nice variation on the way I've been trained to respond to bigoted jokes, by saying "I don't understand. Can you explain that to me?" In both cases, you get to watch the asshole sputter and make excuses while you try to keep your glee from showing on your face.
January 28, 2025
Really like this book. Every chapter is short and straightforward, unlike some self help book that goes through a long explanation. This one just list out the things you have to action on and what to watch out for at work. Which I wish I read sooner because workplace drama is truly a pain in the arse
Read
April 18, 2017Putting this down. I read several sections that pertained to me and it's very "white man in corporate New York" rather than being helpful or applicable to many people in many environments. Going to look for another book on this topic instead.
August 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this very humorous, tongue-in-cheek business guide. Short topical chapters. Besides being funny it actually is helpful.
September 11, 2020
Not my cup of tea - useless as a guide for anyone outside of the staff of 'Esquire' magazine. I picked it up and zipped through it because my niece had dropped a quote from chapter 49 on social media.
Sadly, this was the best chapter in the book -- maybe just read those six paragraphs and pass over the remainder.
Sadly, this was the best chapter in the book -- maybe just read those six paragraphs and pass over the remainder.
August 21, 2021
Makes me like work a little bit more
A book that teaches you how to deal with work. A very cool, humorous, and useful book that teaches you how to deal with work. From how to pick a place for drinks to how to deal with assholes.
Read it in a day. Wish there is a book 2.
A book that teaches you how to deal with work. A very cool, humorous, and useful book that teaches you how to deal with work. From how to pick a place for drinks to how to deal with assholes.
Read it in a day. Wish there is a book 2.
July 14, 2017
Fun and deceptively light. I wish I had read 20 years ago – some of the techniques would've been very useful at work. I hope to use some of them in the future.
May 24, 2016
My favorite chapter was 12 ("How to Shut up"), which I think is perfect. I bookmarked it and showed it to everyone I saw while the book was in the living room.
In the best humor books there's always good advice for not being ridiculous or (in this book) an asshole but the gifts in here are how to deal with things like undermining (brilliant), how to handle being incompetent bravely and intimidating responsibly (sorry about the adverbs), and how to be genuine in awkward social situations.
There are chapters that didn't speak to me--the scotch drinking and blingy work parties and such. Most of my work life has been in hospitals where not even the crappy office coffee with powdered creamer is free. But the universal theme is that when Ross McCammon writes a good piece the reader is happy and everyone associated with him looks competent and smart. When he doesn't the opposite happens. Even with writing it turns out we're all interconnected.
Find that stressful? Read the book and you'll chill.
This is how to talk in a meeting.
Shh.
Shh.
Speak.
Shh.
In the best humor books there's always good advice for not being ridiculous or (in this book) an asshole but the gifts in here are how to deal with things like undermining (brilliant), how to handle being incompetent bravely and intimidating responsibly (sorry about the adverbs), and how to be genuine in awkward social situations.
There are chapters that didn't speak to me--the scotch drinking and blingy work parties and such. Most of my work life has been in hospitals where not even the crappy office coffee with powdered creamer is free. But the universal theme is that when Ross McCammon writes a good piece the reader is happy and everyone associated with him looks competent and smart. When he doesn't the opposite happens. Even with writing it turns out we're all interconnected.
Find that stressful? Read the book and you'll chill.
January 8, 2017
I read a lot of these sorts of books since it is my job to develop programing to help people get jobs and succeed in the workplace. Currently I do this at a liberal arts college, but for years I have worked with professionals at every stage of their careers. Generally I do not review these books on Goodreads which is my place for non-work related reading. Every once in a while though, I come across one I think certain people should absolutely read and I break with my general way of doing things. This is one of those moments. If you are a young person starting in their professional path, or are a few years in and just starting to build a network, buy this and read this. If you have a child who is at that stage of their lives, recommend it to them. McCammon gives good advice, and he does it with humor and with solid writing skills. Most of the authors who write about business success lack both of those qualities which makes this book a real treat.
February 5, 2017
Лёгкое чтиво, с местами занятными главами. Больше всего понравились идеи о том, как брать интервью у важных персон, как проводить деловой обед, как выступать.
May 20, 2016
Some career advice gems:
--Jobs aren't to be gotten; jobs are to be matched to.
--Being late is about a ton of little decisions you make on the way to being late.
--Be cool when someone is crying at work; speak as if there is no crying.
--Never kill them with kindness; underhanded people don't respond to kindness.
--Two beers and a puppy.
--Jobs aren't to be gotten; jobs are to be matched to.
--Being late is about a ton of little decisions you make on the way to being late.
--Be cool when someone is crying at work; speak as if there is no crying.
--Never kill them with kindness; underhanded people don't respond to kindness.
--Two beers and a puppy.
November 25, 2015
I found this eminently useful. Wish I had read it years ago when I started managing in a dept outside my specialty. It's casual but frank.
May 23, 2017
Author Ross McCammon opens his advice about careers with the story of how Esquire Magazine hired him when he was happily working as an editor for the Southwest Airlines in-flight magazine.
An Esquire editor is on a Southwest Airlines plane. He does what all of us do. He glances through the in-flight magazine. He likes it. He likes it a lot and, after landing, invites McCammon (the SWA editor) to an interview. It leads to more interviews and finally a new job with Esquire.
McCammon discovered in his first few weeks at Esquire that he had to adjust his thinking about the skills for entering a new workplace. That rethinking process spawned the book.
He spends time on the fundamentals. For example, how should you enter a room. That skill is a part of having a successful career. We think of walking into a room as a routine matter. But, the new member of the staff should establish presence when he or she enters the room. It’s one piece of long-term success.
Another chapter tells the new hire how best to handle mistakes. He reminds us if you are NOT making a mistake in the first weeks; you’re overqualified for the job.
There is plenty of humor in the advice. For example, "Not only should you assume that every email you send will get forwarded to someone else; you should assume that every email you send will someday be read aloud in a court of law." (It’s sophisticated humor.)
He likes challenging the usual advice given to a new hire. For example, new hires should show passion on the job. What really matters, says McCammon, is intensity. Passion can make it difficult for others to listen to you and gets in the way of being professional.
I took issue with some chapters, especially what he says about alcohol consumption. However, it’s difficult to challenge the role model he provides (Winston Churchill).
It’s a good book for someone taking on a new job. Just wait about 6 months to give the present.
An Esquire editor is on a Southwest Airlines plane. He does what all of us do. He glances through the in-flight magazine. He likes it. He likes it a lot and, after landing, invites McCammon (the SWA editor) to an interview. It leads to more interviews and finally a new job with Esquire.
McCammon discovered in his first few weeks at Esquire that he had to adjust his thinking about the skills for entering a new workplace. That rethinking process spawned the book.
He spends time on the fundamentals. For example, how should you enter a room. That skill is a part of having a successful career. We think of walking into a room as a routine matter. But, the new member of the staff should establish presence when he or she enters the room. It’s one piece of long-term success.
Another chapter tells the new hire how best to handle mistakes. He reminds us if you are NOT making a mistake in the first weeks; you’re overqualified for the job.
There is plenty of humor in the advice. For example, "Not only should you assume that every email you send will get forwarded to someone else; you should assume that every email you send will someday be read aloud in a court of law." (It’s sophisticated humor.)
He likes challenging the usual advice given to a new hire. For example, new hires should show passion on the job. What really matters, says McCammon, is intensity. Passion can make it difficult for others to listen to you and gets in the way of being professional.
I took issue with some chapters, especially what he says about alcohol consumption. However, it’s difficult to challenge the role model he provides (Winston Churchill).
It’s a good book for someone taking on a new job. Just wait about 6 months to give the present.
July 22, 2024
Here is a word of advice: Not all advice is good advice.
I thought a lot of this book did have some decently go0d insights. The conversations surrounding imposter syndrome, pluralistic ignorance, and "admitting to not knowing" right away were all useful tidbits.
However. . .
I wanted to start off by the author subtly name-dropping various professional tools like "Who Moved My Cheese?" or "What Color is Your Parachute?" and acting like you didn't need advice if you've read these, while also not really including these "crucial" resources for those that have not. It would have been great if he included a list of these, since they seemed to be of great importance to him. (I read all of them and I could have gone without). This being said, I got a -22 on the pre-book quiz. The author acted like I shouldn't read any advice because of this score, which I thought was strange.
Here is another piece of advice: You are never too advanced or educated to ask for new perspectives and to learn more. Continuous learning is so important.
While the author talked so much about being confident, some of the things he said made him look very insecure. He talks about the importance of the name of a bar, using "Whispers" as an example. He states that nobody would ever respect you if you invited them to a bar with such a silly or uncommon or "uncool" name. Umm... okay? No. If anyone, especially a superior or colleague, is going to judge YOU for the name of a bar. . .maybe that is a deeper problem that reflects their own insecurity. I thought this was a very strange thing to be sensitive about.
On top of this, I wanted to mention that you most definitely, positively, do NOT want to put "ty" or "thx" in the place of "thank you" on an email. DON'T. Maybe times have changed since the author wrote this?
Overall, it was a decent read, but should not be taken as gospel in the workplace. Culture and what is deemed as "professional standard" is always changing, so it is best to ensure that advice is still sound after some time passes.
I thought a lot of this book did have some decently go0d insights. The conversations surrounding imposter syndrome, pluralistic ignorance, and "admitting to not knowing" right away were all useful tidbits.
However. . .
I wanted to start off by the author subtly name-dropping various professional tools like "Who Moved My Cheese?" or "What Color is Your Parachute?" and acting like you didn't need advice if you've read these, while also not really including these "crucial" resources for those that have not. It would have been great if he included a list of these, since they seemed to be of great importance to him. (I read all of them and I could have gone without). This being said, I got a -22 on the pre-book quiz. The author acted like I shouldn't read any advice because of this score, which I thought was strange.
Here is another piece of advice: You are never too advanced or educated to ask for new perspectives and to learn more. Continuous learning is so important.
While the author talked so much about being confident, some of the things he said made him look very insecure. He talks about the importance of the name of a bar, using "Whispers" as an example. He states that nobody would ever respect you if you invited them to a bar with such a silly or uncommon or "uncool" name. Umm... okay? No. If anyone, especially a superior or colleague, is going to judge YOU for the name of a bar. . .maybe that is a deeper problem that reflects their own insecurity. I thought this was a very strange thing to be sensitive about.
On top of this, I wanted to mention that you most definitely, positively, do NOT want to put "ty" or "thx" in the place of "thank you" on an email. DON'T. Maybe times have changed since the author wrote this?
Overall, it was a decent read, but should not be taken as gospel in the workplace. Culture and what is deemed as "professional standard" is always changing, so it is best to ensure that advice is still sound after some time passes.
December 29, 2019
I came across this library book when one of my children had problems at work, so I quickly read it to see if it might help her.
Works Well with Others has some helpful pointers but the book itself is not worth reading. It is meant to be funny and the author tells stories about himself, some of which are fun and some of which are inappropriate. The fact that there is even a chapter defending profanity says enough.
So here are the helpful pointers; with this information you won’t have any need to look at the book itself:
• Shake hands well
• Make eye contact
• Be curious about things
• Admit ignorance
• Smile
• Shut up
• Small talk is important
• Formulas for speeches: (Tell them what you’ll say, say it, and then tell them what you said; vivid personal story, recommend one action, explain how they will benefit from it; personal story about why it is important, then tell about it, then draw a pithy conclusion)
• Clothes give you confidence
• It helps to seem successful
• Think about the motivation of nasty people, and, if necessary, ask them bemusedly why they would do that.
• Think through ‘wince’ memories and defuse emotion by focussing on peripheral details
Or, in Christian terms:
• Respect and care about others
• Be honest
• Honor others above self
• Do not be full of timidity
• Work for God; don’t be self-focussed
• Help others become better
• Forgive and focus on what is good, beautiful, and true
Works Well with Others has some helpful pointers but the book itself is not worth reading. It is meant to be funny and the author tells stories about himself, some of which are fun and some of which are inappropriate. The fact that there is even a chapter defending profanity says enough.
So here are the helpful pointers; with this information you won’t have any need to look at the book itself:
• Shake hands well
• Make eye contact
• Be curious about things
• Admit ignorance
• Smile
• Shut up
• Small talk is important
• Formulas for speeches: (Tell them what you’ll say, say it, and then tell them what you said; vivid personal story, recommend one action, explain how they will benefit from it; personal story about why it is important, then tell about it, then draw a pithy conclusion)
• Clothes give you confidence
• It helps to seem successful
• Think about the motivation of nasty people, and, if necessary, ask them bemusedly why they would do that.
• Think through ‘wince’ memories and defuse emotion by focussing on peripheral details
Or, in Christian terms:
• Respect and care about others
• Be honest
• Honor others above self
• Do not be full of timidity
• Work for God; don’t be self-focussed
• Help others become better
• Forgive and focus on what is good, beautiful, and true
July 26, 2018
Ross McCammon is an editor at GQ magazine and the business etiquette columnist at Entrepreneur magazine. When he wrote this book, he was a senior editor at Esquire magazine (from 2005 to 2016), where he was responsible for the magazine’s coverage of pop culture, drinking, cars and etiquette.
The author starts by telling us a little bit about himself and how he ended up at Esquire. Then he proceeds to tell you everything you need to know to be a professional and to work well with others. This includes how to act in an interview, being the new guy, partying with your colleagues, shaking hands, eye contact, writing an email (short and to the point), behaving in a meeting (no need to give too much information), your social media presence, swearing, handling jerks and pricks and more.
I liked the writing style. Rather than being a dry and boring business book, I liked the author's humour. The chapters are short and snappy. I knew most of the things the author covered but it was a good reminder. As a head's up, there is swearing.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/07...
The author starts by telling us a little bit about himself and how he ended up at Esquire. Then he proceeds to tell you everything you need to know to be a professional and to work well with others. This includes how to act in an interview, being the new guy, partying with your colleagues, shaking hands, eye contact, writing an email (short and to the point), behaving in a meeting (no need to give too much information), your social media presence, swearing, handling jerks and pricks and more.
I liked the writing style. Rather than being a dry and boring business book, I liked the author's humour. The chapters are short and snappy. I knew most of the things the author covered but it was a good reminder. As a head's up, there is swearing.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2018/07...
February 11, 2017
I listened to the audiobook, which is short and sweet (and perfect for x2 speed). The reader picked up all of the funny asides from the author and so it was entertaining overall, but at times it was distracting and I couldn't tell if he was being serious or joking. (I assumed 'joking' for the remainder of the book.) Contains some hidden gems.
Favourite quotes:
"Imposter Phenomenon can be broken down into three types of feelings:
- that you aren't as successful as people think
- that your accomplishments can be chalked up to luck, and
- that even if you've obtained success, it isn't all that impressive."
"Success is about being a human being, not a drone."
"It's amazing to me how little I used to listen to people when they were talking. Now when I make a conscious effort to listen, it's as if I've turned up the volume, or put in a hearing aid, or acquired a soul."
"You have to act: with gratitude, self-awareness, maybe a tiny bit of residual self-doubt that helps to keep you grounded, and a big smile that makes you feel a little stupid."
Favourite quotes:
"Imposter Phenomenon can be broken down into three types of feelings:
- that you aren't as successful as people think
- that your accomplishments can be chalked up to luck, and
- that even if you've obtained success, it isn't all that impressive."
"Success is about being a human being, not a drone."
"It's amazing to me how little I used to listen to people when they were talking. Now when I make a conscious effort to listen, it's as if I've turned up the volume, or put in a hearing aid, or acquired a soul."
"You have to act: with gratitude, self-awareness, maybe a tiny bit of residual self-doubt that helps to keep you grounded, and a big smile that makes you feel a little stupid."
August 23, 2023
Pros: the book is very funny
Cons: its advice based on anecdotal evidence from a white guy that DIDNT go to an Ivy League school. He tells you to cuss in an interview, smile more, what drink to order and not to focus on the negative. It’s misogynistic by exclusion, I dont think the author intended this, but if I were to follow some of his advice I would be canned in a heartbeat. Its sometimes hard to tell what he is trying to say with his anecdotes, theres one where he shakes hands with someone in the bathroom and I guess the moral here is not to get nervous on your first day, but he doesn’t drive that point home he just kinda exits the anecdote for the next piece of advice. Also, I really don’t know if I should need to pronounce different kinds of scotch to fit into the workplace. Be on time, smile, finish your work early, etc. are good pieces of advice and should stand on their own without the painfully cringe instructions on manly man posturing.
The guy is funny though, good descriptions and maybe a good gag gift but do not follow one word of his advice
Cons: its advice based on anecdotal evidence from a white guy that DIDNT go to an Ivy League school. He tells you to cuss in an interview, smile more, what drink to order and not to focus on the negative. It’s misogynistic by exclusion, I dont think the author intended this, but if I were to follow some of his advice I would be canned in a heartbeat. Its sometimes hard to tell what he is trying to say with his anecdotes, theres one where he shakes hands with someone in the bathroom and I guess the moral here is not to get nervous on your first day, but he doesn’t drive that point home he just kinda exits the anecdote for the next piece of advice. Also, I really don’t know if I should need to pronounce different kinds of scotch to fit into the workplace. Be on time, smile, finish your work early, etc. are good pieces of advice and should stand on their own without the painfully cringe instructions on manly man posturing.
The guy is funny though, good descriptions and maybe a good gag gift but do not follow one word of his advice
May 28, 2024
While not the most useful business-oriented book I've read, it was certainly the most funny. I enjoyed the humorous tone and story snippets throughout, but I felt like the author struggled to really bring the practical in and make it actionable by taking this tone.
Much of the "business rules" are industry-specific and are shifting as the generations shift, but McCammon does a good job at calling that out as well as not being overly specific to his industry. There are a few nuggets of wisdom in here. A lot of validation - we all struggle with the same unspoken norms.
As someone fairly deep into their career, much of it was relatable as lessons learned the hard way. This would be a good book for interns and newer members of the workforce as a funny intro to things no one really takes the time to teach. (Seriously, though, if you have a limp handshake take a moment and fix it because you are not leaving any sort of good impression.)
Much of the "business rules" are industry-specific and are shifting as the generations shift, but McCammon does a good job at calling that out as well as not being overly specific to his industry. There are a few nuggets of wisdom in here. A lot of validation - we all struggle with the same unspoken norms.
As someone fairly deep into their career, much of it was relatable as lessons learned the hard way. This would be a good book for interns and newer members of the workforce as a funny intro to things no one really takes the time to teach. (Seriously, though, if you have a limp handshake take a moment and fix it because you are not leaving any sort of good impression.)
March 1, 2017
This may be the best business book I've ever read. Dead funny, but also full of really simple and excellent advice for those new to the workplace. It summarizes all of those social skills that make any office environment better and more productive. All of those things that some people pick up along the way and some never seem to. Things like how to interview, making eye contact, smiling, giving a toast, giving a speech, shaking someone's hand, listening at a meeting, using social media, talking to important people. This was part memoir, part self-help book about managing anxiety, and part new employee handbook. It's full of short chapters with descriptive titles that can be read in short bursts. And it has one of the best chapter titles ever, "Why Strident Postures on Social Media, Are, at the End of the Day, Probably a Bad Idea -- Especially if You're Looking for a Job." Read it.
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