How to Lie, Cheat and Steal Your Way to The Top: The Lazy Executive's Guide

by Frank Adoranti

So you think you'll be rewarded for an honest day's work with an honest day's pay? Do you also believe in fairies, Santa Claus and the man in the moon? If so, you need this book more than you think! Wake up and finally the meek will inherit the dearth. If you're one of those people who claim the company you work for does not have office politics, then you've probably been blinded by their dust. Politics is the grease that enables things to get done. It is a mixture of sheer monkey-cunning, conniving, sniffing out the hidden agendas, survival tactics, diplomacy and human relations. This book is the survival manual you need, as you engage in your daily skirmishes in the corporate battlefield to outsmart your boss, outwit your competitors, keep your job and get ahead.

122 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2006

Reviews

[Poonam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick funny book full of sarcasm. ;)Most memorable things being the cartoon on each chapter cover.

[Animekh Misra · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book oozes hatred for corporate verticals managements, and in turn converts you into one of them.

It is a great read to vent out the annoyances with your boss, but not very effective for implementation.

However, there are many valid points stated about the approaches used by managements to lure the employees to work hard, and it is definitely enlightening to know of it, and be prepared the next time such happens.

Apart from that, this book is sheer evil. The introduction specifically asks you, and I quote, to "toss aside any semblance of morals". Furthermore, the book expects you to be a “steamroller” and adroitly stampede your fellow colleagues. It, in no way, is false, and I had to digest this bitter truth.

“Avoid answering your own telephone” won’t probably work, for it images you incompetent/ignorant with time. On the contrary, the excuses to-be-tried were hilarious, and a must-try.

At the conclusion part the book does agree that you won’t have any friends left, that your spouse “will have long since run off”, and your “children won’t recognize you”. That’s the price you pay to reach to the top.

There’s a revision quiz at the end to make sure that you have honestly grasped what was conveyed.

Nonetheless, there are things to learn here, at least for the sake of awareness. I, a simpleton, appreciate the effort of the author.

A few noteworthy quotes:
1. Employees are like violin strings; they perform at their best when screwed tightly.
2. Anything you do could get you fired; including doing nothing.
3. When bosses talk about improving productivity, they are always referring to others.
4. In a fight for survival, don’t lead with your chin.
5. Never miss a good change to shut your mouth.
6. Confidence has absolutely nothing to do with skill, ability or talent.

[Arthur · Rating 2 out of 5]

　　由副標題「60則縱橫辦公室心法」，應該不難看出這本書是在談些什麼。

　　要說人性本惡或許太嚴重，卻也不至於天真地堅信著性善論。之所以想看這樣的書，與其說是想在職場的爾虞我詐之中取得什麼，倒不如用「害人之心不可有，防人之心不可無」更貼切。就像劉墉說的，「我不是教你詐，是教你看清世事。 免得你被賣了， 還在幫人數鈔票！」

　　如果你真想拿來實際操作一番的話，那60則縱橫辦公室心法中，多少還是有些具有參酌的價值，只是個人以為耍手段可說是把兩面刃，當下也許讓你佔了上風，但世界有時真的是挺小的，這一刻可能還喜孜孜在跟對手說再見，搞不好下個轉角就又遇上了，屆時就不曉得你是否還站在順風位了。