Features
- Cover Type: Paperback with 352 pages
- Published by: Three Rivers Press June 1, 1999
- Written in: English
- ISBN 10 Number: 0812931696
- ISBN 13 Number: 978-0812931693
-
Book Dimensions:
8 x 5.2 x 0.7 inches
- Weighs: 10.2 ounces
Product Review
For over a dozen years, Carnegie Mellon University instructor and corporate consultant Robert Kelley has studied the difference between superior workplace performers and their average peers. After determining that such stars are made, not born, he identified the game plan many use to secure better jobs, higher pay, and top career opportunities.
How to Be a Star at Work: Nine Breakthrough Strategies You Need to Succeed describes these tactics--which he dubs initiative, networking, self-management, perspective, followership, leadership, teamwork, organizational savvy, and show-and-tell--and explains how to incorporate them into real-life work situations.
--Howard Rothman
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Contrary to popular belief, Kelley believes that star employees are made, not born. His nine new breakthrough strategies are "initiative, networking, self-management, perspective, followership, leadership, teamwork, organizational savvy and show-tell."
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Reader ReviewsThis book is a snow job. Okay, sure, if you didn't know that showing initiative and networking with people will help you be more productive, this book will clue you in. For those who happen to be more productive than a tree stump, you won't learn anything new. Kelley consistently creates straw dogs that he easily knocks down with his "exhaustive" research. For example, Kelley states he wrote this book because of his "distress over the proliferation of misguided approaches to productivity improvement. Some are harmless (for example, if you take time each day to let your workers tell fables and stories to one another, they will be more productive). Others are just flat out wrong (for example, some racial groups have higher intelligence and are therefore destined to be more productive). With it solid research base, this book sets the record straight on what leads to higher productivity and what does not." (p. xi) Spare us. When was the last time someone promoted "telling fables" or hiring certain racial groups as a way to boost productivity? The most disturbing aspect of the book is the deliberate misuse of statistics. Throughout to book Kelley reminds us that "stars are made, not born," that we can have staggering increases in our productivity, that we can become ten-for-one-ers. These claims are based on the research that compared productivity ratings that managers gave two groups of employees, one group that used the Star@Work approach, and the other that didn't. At the end of the eight-month period, those who used Star@Work had ratings that were about 10% higher than at the beginning of the period. In other words, if they were rated a 5 before, they were rated a 5.5 after. Those who didn't use Star@Work received ratings that were about 5% higher after the 8 months (i.e., from 5 to a 5.25). Since 10% divided by 5% equals 2, the Kelly claims that "you can double your rate of productivity increase." When you realize the results aren't based on actual increases in productivity, it suddenly isn't very impressive. Oh, and the managers knew which group had taken the training. Another eye-popping claim by Kelley is the potential 400% increase in productivity by women and minorities. But this is also lacking when it comes to the numbers. The group of women and minorities who applied Star@Work had the same 10% increase in productivity rating as the non-minority group. The reason the 400% number is used is because the minority group that didn't use Star@Work only increased their rating by about 2.5%. Thus, 10% divided by 2.5% = 400%. Ho hum. I'd bet most of the excitement for this book stems from the false expectation that you are going to double your productivity by applying its principles. Most likely, you will be more productive if you skip reading the book and spend the extra time in the office.
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