How to Self-Destruct will be available for purchase very, very soon! Like, in a matter of days! (Delivery of the book itself is expected in mid-October.) While we all wait with bated breath for the e-commerce site to go live (Seth G, that’s your cue!), how about finding out what advance readers are saying about the new, improved How to Self-Destruct? I figure that this could be useful info for you, especially if you’re on the fence about shelling out $12.95 + S&H. And as it so happens, I happen to have a few of those reviews right here. (Note that the manuscript has been modified since the version about which these reviews were made.) Without further ado:
Jason has written a very smart and funny book with a serious message that appeals to the best in his readers. Readers will come away better prepared to succeed in work and to have more pleasure in their success. Academics can feel comfortable building a professional development curriculum around this course and students assured that they are getting very practical and tangible guidance. Jason has made the key interface of business and psychology useful and accessible to a very large audience – those of us who work for a living and those of us who want to love our work!
–Michael Horowitz, PhD, President of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology
Success of a comedian’s joke depends on its delivery as well as its content. Similarly, the impact of advice from a business adviser or management consultant also depends on how the advice is presented. In this book, the author, an accomplished business consultant, eschews a traditional approach of cataloging a litany of all the right things to do in favor of a more edgy and devilish approach of teaching the ways to lose and self destruct.
The result is more powerful, interesting and therefore a more effective way of identifying good practices than the more traditional approach. After all, how stupid can someone act in a business environment while hoping to earn more money and succeed? After reading all the self-destructive things people can do to stifle their growth and antagonize superiors, the answer is—very stupid.
The biting humor of author Jason Seiden is deadly serious in pointing to the correct path, while ostensibly leading down the path of failure and self-destruction. And for those clueless souls who may not get it, Seiden carefully baby proofs the sections containing ironic instructions by adding the symbol of a ticking bomb—a deadly reminder of something to be avoided.
Even the accomplished executive can learn from this book—both to improve leadership skills and to spot bad traits in managers and aspiring underlings who want to succeed.
Seiden inserts one very apt Abe Lincoln quote that should be repeated to all aspiring young lawyers, accountants and other aspiring young business people who are invited to attend a meeting between a superior and the client or opposing side: “Tis better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. ” There is much wisdom in the quote and throughout this entertaining and informative book.
–Morrie Much, Partner at Much Shelist, a major law firm based in Chicago
Jason has taken an original, thought provoking look at the 2,500+ hours a year we spend at that thing called a career. With a sharp wit and a keen eye for what really happens both in front of and behind the curtain in organizations, Jason sheds light on some of the essential truths we encounter in the world of work. The results end up hitting you in the head, the heart and the gut. Best of all, these aren’t just lessons for one’s career, but for life in general. So whether you are just getting in the race or have put many miles behind you, there is something here for you that you can put to work in a practical way and can really end up making a difference.
–George Hallenbeck, PhD, Product Manager for Lominger International (a Korn/Ferry Company)
People will ask me if I’m proud of what I’ve written. The answer to that question is, of course… But that’s irrelevant. It doesn’t mean I know if it’s any good. On that score, all I can trust that the above comments are representative, and hope like mad that you like it as much as they did. (I’m sure I’ll know soon enough!)
Jason Seiden is Co-founder and CEO of Ajax Social Media, a training company that shows professionals how use social media to work more effectively.
I'm the CEO of Ajax Social Media. We're helping 1 million people shine by making their online stories better. 