Terence P Ward's Business Book Reviews

This book's target audience is probably going to hate reading it, because it's written by a snot-nosed kid who doesn't have any real-world experience. Which is actually why reading it anyway is a good idea - because the youngest generation entering the work force right now is all snot-nosed kids with no real-world experience, and you don't understand how they think.

Overall: Dorsey has good ideas but he hasn't mastered writing for the generation he's trying to reach, so the book can be frustrating.

Readability: Yes, Dorsey's style isn't necessarily the most professional, but he communicates well if you give him the chance.

Proofreading: Four stars means that there were enough errors for me to remember seeing some, but not enough to keep count.

Before reading my full review of Y-Size Your Business, review an excerpt of an article by Dorsey on the subject of engaging Gen Y employees to get a sense of his style:
Here are three Y-Size actions that will give you an immediate head start when employing Gen Y:

Y-Size Strategy 1) Make the first day at work unforgettable

Gen Y decides on our first day at work whether or not we can stay with an employer long term. To make the first day unforgettable all you have to do is welcome Gen Y with a handshake and a small box of our new business cards. This unexpected gesture sets the tone upfront that we are professionals -- and that we must meet those expectations. And who is the first person we're going to give our new business card to??? Our mom! And many of us will give it to her right when she picks us up . . .

Y-Size Strategy 2) Demonstrate the performance you expect

Gen Y is entering the workforce at a later age and with less real world training than previous generations. You can quickly bridge this skills gap, and in turn rapidly increase our workplace value, by providing us with specific examples of the performance you expect. The more specific the examples you provide, the easier it is for you to hold us accountable. And, no, business casual does not mean leather flip flops.

Y-Size Strategy 3) Check in so we stay tuned in

Gen Y seeks specific feedback about our performance every month. However, we don't need an in-depth 360-degree evaluation. All we need is a quick 30-second check-in where you tell us what we are doing well and where we can improve. These quick interactions build our loyalty to you as our leader and are way more motivational than a gift card for a free car wash. After all, it's hard for us to wash our scooter in a drive-through car wash.

The median age of the person who reaches for the Yellow Pages before the computer mouse is somewhere in the 70s, and any business owner who doesn't understand that is in for a world of hurt. David Meerman Scott explains the new definition of news release (and other important aspects of the business press kit), details how to read and write blog posts, and helps sort out when it's better to write a white paper or an e-book.
Scott has credibility because he developed his book on his own blog and used it as a proof of concept. Read a full review of this business book and leave your comments here.

Nicole Williams' book about turning successful dating rules into a successful career will often confuse male readers and may well offend older ones, but only if they just skim. I was unafraid to review Girl On Top despite not being the target audience. If you don't have time to read the full review, this book is best for women 35 and under. Men, and older women, can see some benefit from it, but they will have to work harder to see the value. This is a book with its target audience picked out.
To give you an idea of the book's style and theme, here's a quiz that WIlliams wrote to see how badly you need this book:

What Kind of Girl on Top Are You?
By Nicole Williams,
Author of Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success

Which rule applies to you? Take this quiz and find out.

1) At your office you're known for:

1. Your hard ass tendencies.
2. Always being a team player.
3. Being a great negotiator.

2) There's a position open in your department, but when you ask your boss about promoting you, she tells you she "doesn't think you're ready." What do you do?

1. Send her an e-mail later that afternoon with a detailed list of all the reasons why you ARE ready. She's wrong about you and you're going to prove it.
2. Slink back to your desk and spend the rest of the afternoon thinking of ways you can get your boss to notice you.
3. Revamp your resume and put the word out to close friends that you're looking to make a change. If your boss won't promote you, you'll find someone who will.

3) Your best work friend confides in you that she's sleeping with your supervisor. What do you do with this information?

1. Nothing, until she gets the raise that you were promised. Then you casually let it slip that it wasn't her way with a spreadsheet that earned her the extra bank.
2. Nothing. You don't agree with her tactics, but you also don't gossip.
3. Bring it up in your next job interview when your interviewer asks why you want to leave your current position.

4) Would you rather be liked or respected?

1. Respected
2. Liked
3. As long as they know your name, you don't care whether they love you or hate you.

5) You've got a meeting with an important client this morning. As you all file into the conference room, the CEO of your firm asks you to bring him some coffee. You aren't his assistant. What's your response?

1. "I'm slated to speak first in our presentation, but I'd be happy to call your assistant if you're unable to get the coffee for yourself. What's her extension again?"
2. "Cream and sugar?"
3. "Sure, but what are you going to do for me in return?"

6) You turn your Blackberry off for a few hours to visit your ailing grandfather, and when you check it later that night, you've got six messages from your client and two from your boss wondering why you're "unreachable." What's your damage control strategy?

1. Email your client and tell him you've been at your sick grandfather's bedside all night, but you'd be happy to help him first thing in the am. Could this guy be any more of a jackass?!
2. Apologize for being offline and promise to take care of his concerns ASAP.
3. Turn your Blackberry to silent and spend the rest of the evening watching The Real Housewives of Atlanta. You can't do anything about the "crisis" until morning, anyhow, and they don't pay you enough to try.

7) You're on an interview when the recruiter asks you to name your current salary. It's really $50K, but what do you tell him?

1. $65K. Negotiations start with the salary you want, not the one you have.
2. $55K. Odd numbers sound more believable. And since that's not too big of a jump, they won't be suspicious.
3. $70K, plus all of the perks you're currently getting. You can't work for a company that doesn't pay for your gym membership.

8) You're out to dinner with your boss and two of your clients. When the bill comes, you reach for your corporate AMEX, only to have your boss give you the death stare. "I've got this one," she hisses as she rips the check from your hand. What do you do?

1. Apologize immediately and later let her know you didn't mean any disrespect. It all comes out of the same pot anyway, right?
2. Thank her for her generosity, though inside you're quietly seething. How dare this bitch embarrass you in front of others?!
3. Apologize, but file away the incident in the back of your mind. She's an HR nightmare and this'll come in handy someday.

Mostly A's: Treat Him Mean To Keep Him Keen
Sometimes you've gotta be the mean girl -- after all, she's the one who gets the respect. But there's a fine line between bat shit crazy bitch and tough cookie, and you know exactly where it's drawn. Your colleagues respect you -- they're afraid not to.

Mostly B's: Keep Your Mouth Shut
You'll never be accused of being a blabber and with good reason. You only open your mouth when you have something truly useful to say. It's a quality that others in your office would do well to learn from you.

Mostly C's: Don't Give Away the Milk For Free
People won't pay for what they can get gratis, and while this initial rule applied to sex before marriage, it works in the boardroom as well. You know your value and because of this, you don't let colleagues take advantage of you. When they start, you know it's time to move on to your next adventure.

©2009 Nicole Williams, author of Girl on Top: Your Guide to Turning Dating Rules into Career Success