Product reviews for Is Your Boss Mad?

This book offers advice on how to retain your self-respect in the workplace as well as guidance on asserting your rights at work.

It is useful for bosses as well, because offering strategies that develop the morale of staff eventually trickle down to customers and clients.

The book deals with scenarios like the long hours culture imposed upon the imaginary Marcus by "Long Hours" George. George is a boss who doesn't delegate and thinks long hours represent loyalty and dedication. in fact George, is a joyless fellow who nags rather but crucially cannot create strategies for getting the job done without overloading himself and others.

Marcus however, buys time and restates his own position; he learns to agree a reasonable completion time with Marcus. Jill points out how to say 'no' calmly to ensure that Marcus is fully aware of reasonable bottlenecks in George's schedule. It is important for Marcus to have empathy for George as he is challenging his years of emotional investment in somewhat uncreative work patterns. Jill has lots of positive ideas on how to delegate upwards and to develop her effectiveness at the same time. She shows how not to get ground down.

There's a lot to take in but this book is good on the various weird bosses you can encounter throughout your working life.

There's inconsistent Mr Moody and Mrs Micro-manager, a bi-polar sales manager and an aggressive fear merchant.

It suggests ways to cope and warns about taking the tensions home. There are extra chapters on interviews and how to leave when the time comes, A useful book but not really a substitute for a subscription to a good union.