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sabrina_dunford's review against another edition
3.0
Meh
I started reading this book months ago. I would love it and then it would get terribly boring. I hate quitting a book so I continued reading it in small bits over time.
There were some good ideas and concepts, which I highlighted, but the overall I wasn’t impressed. I am happy I can check it off my list.
I started reading this book months ago. I would love it and then it would get terribly boring. I hate quitting a book so I continued reading it in small bits over time.
There were some good ideas and concepts, which I highlighted, but the overall I wasn’t impressed. I am happy I can check it off my list.
mattgoldenberg's review against another edition
4.0
Incredibly jaded, but has some great ideas. The 6 types of bosses is worth the price of admission on it's own.
gannicus's review
5.0
Surprisingly more practical now than when it was written more than 10 years ago. The title makes it sounds like a book about entrepreneurship, but it also has helpful suggestions for people that are employed. Change, don't grow was great advice I put to work immediately. Going to a different division for my resume. Puts you in the drivers seat of your own career. If you follow the advice your boss will love you, just don't let them see you reading it.
evolvemind's review
4.0
Presents and demonstrates the philosophy of applying the perspective of professional free-agency and self-sovereignty in work relationships. The upshot is that if you (a) devote the effort to build your knowledge, skills, and abilities to a point where you can deliver value and (b) effectively, consistently signal and behave as if you are your own boss and have multiple options for income-earning, your boss(es) and the people you interact with professionally will respect and value you more. When employers and colleagues perceive you as having few options or lacking the personal authority and boldness to move on, they will value and reward you less. You will be taken for granted.
I had witnessed the latter dynamic (lack of valuing people who don't appear to be self-driven) in many work and life situations. I increasingly applied the 'I am my own boss' (free-agent) principle during my career. It includes taking full responsibility for my capacities and performance. It also involves rejecting inaccurate perceptions of my character and performance, particularly from the decision-makers whose judgments most affected my reputation and compensation.
Ironically, the more you convey the posture and message, "If this organization or you, my supervisor, won't acknowledge the value I contribute, I will move on to one that will," the more others are likely to respect you, which translates into tacit and official recognition and opportunities.
My caveat would be that this book is by a couple of 'old white guys' who, I'll assume, didn't come up against the same types and degrees of structural bias during their professional lives that are still often encountered by people from other categories (non-male, non-white). (If the notion of 'structural bias' offends your worldview, you are part of the problem. Please, educate yourself and contribute to solutions.) My point is: your mileage may vary. You already know if you have to employ other strategies and tactics (beyond owning yourself) to minimize the impact of dominant-class bias and to gain access to opportunities that come more readily to whites and cis-acting males. You're probably already aware of other books and resources that address those circumstances. Still, even allowing for societal biases, learning to inhabit a self-owned mindset and outward posture will serve you well.
Last, the book's main points, while confirmed by my own experiences, rely more on anecdotes than I like. I would enjoy learning more on this topic from peer-reviewed, more scientific methods.
I had witnessed the latter dynamic (lack of valuing people who don't appear to be self-driven) in many work and life situations. I increasingly applied the 'I am my own boss' (free-agent) principle during my career. It includes taking full responsibility for my capacities and performance. It also involves rejecting inaccurate perceptions of my character and performance, particularly from the decision-makers whose judgments most affected my reputation and compensation.
Ironically, the more you convey the posture and message, "If this organization or you, my supervisor, won't acknowledge the value I contribute, I will move on to one that will," the more others are likely to respect you, which translates into tacit and official recognition and opportunities.
My caveat would be that this book is by a couple of 'old white guys' who, I'll assume, didn't come up against the same types and degrees of structural bias during their professional lives that are still often encountered by people from other categories (non-male, non-white). (If the notion of 'structural bias' offends your worldview, you are part of the problem. Please, educate yourself and contribute to solutions.) My point is: your mileage may vary. You already know if you have to employ other strategies and tactics (beyond owning yourself) to minimize the impact of dominant-class bias and to gain access to opportunities that come more readily to whites and cis-acting males. You're probably already aware of other books and resources that address those circumstances. Still, even allowing for societal biases, learning to inhabit a self-owned mindset and outward posture will serve you well.
Last, the book's main points, while confirmed by my own experiences, rely more on anecdotes than I like. I would enjoy learning more on this topic from peer-reviewed, more scientific methods.
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