AUTHOR: Lance Wright
PUBLISHER: Palgrave Macmillan  : ISBN 978 -1 -13745089 – 0

What’s it about ?  : In our experience, HR professionals spend too much time bemoaning the fact they don’t get to sit at the top table with the real organizational decision-makers: while they are wailing and hand-ringing they could be doing something useful , like reading this book.

Who’s it for ?  : No guarantees, but unless you are very limited in the smarts department, this book should help you into the C- Suite, so it’s for any upwardly mobile, ambitious HR careerist- which probably includes everyone from that so-named profession we’ve ever encountered.

Why read it ?: As we’ve said, Lance Wright’s book is your key to the executive washroom, read it and learn.

What’s the style ? : Very easy-to-read, packed with ideas and anecdotes. The writer is a life-long HR professional who passes on his advice in a practical, no-nonsense style. You get the impression Mr Wright has been there and done that and could function very effectively with his eyes closed.

and the best advice …?   Chapter 9, “Navigating Executive Team Wars” (page 182) Very pragmatic and very useful. Everyone will find themselves embroiled in some territorial warfare at one time or another. Our advice : Keep this chapter flagged on your bookshelf and read it as an emergency shute. It’s the equivalent of a “get out of jail free card” if you read it.

… and if only time to read one chapter  :  Has to be Chapter 1 “What CEO Really Think about Most HR People and Why (page 7). Sets up the whole book and makes the very best sense.

How MCE Rate it ? :  For sheer practicality and ease of absorption of Lance Wright’s message, we’re going to give it five out of five. Just wish he’d been a CEO  instead!

How to buy it ? : Slip out your credit card and go Google it or use the ubiquitous Amazon.