Schaffner Media Partners

Earlier in my career, I worked as chief speechwriter for the governor of New Jersey. I remember one of the governor’s senior staff members, a man I liked, succinctly described to me the secret to his good rapport with the Governor: “I know when to put my head up, and when to put my head down.” I was reminded of this advice when I read the new book, Influencing Powerful People, written by executive coach and management consultant Dirk Schlimm.

Schlimm analyzes the careers of business titans, such as Ferdinand Piech, chairman of Volkswagen, Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple and Rupert Murdoch of Fox, as well as the people behind them who were skilled in the art of handling tough bosses. And Schlimm rejects trendy management ideas in favor of a realpolitik approach to wielding influence. For Schlimm, the skills that will allow you to keep up, have influence, and perhaps some day become a worthy power player of your own–are not about self-promotion, or flash-in-the-pan management theories. CONTINUE READING…

Years ago, when I was editing a manuscript by David Rock, the acclaimed leadership coach, neuroscience guru, and author, I learned that David did most of his writing on transoceanic flights. At the time, I assumed it was because he was simply too busy to find any other time to write.

Now I wonder if it is because David was applying his understanding of neuroscience: productive deep thinking thrives when we can eliminate distractions, focus on one high-order task at a time, isolate from technology and interruptions, and have the opportunity to take quick enjoyable breaks. A first-class seat on a long flight is just this kind of environment (assuming you’re not sitting next to your boss or a chatterbox.) CONTINUE READING…

In 2006, Caitlin Kelly was laid off as a reporter from the New York Daily News. Suddenly, she found herself underpaid, hustling for freelance work, and socially isolated at age 50. Eager for some cash and a chance to get away from her computer, she took a retail floor job at North Face, the upscale outdoors clothing chain. The result was her wonderful, new book, Malled: My Unintentional Career in Retail (due out in April).

Malled is reality journalism at its best, a raw education in the nature of American low-wage retail work before and during the devastating recession of 2007-2009. It also is a searing narrative of Kelly’s experiences working in an upscale mall, laced with a national investigative skewering of the awful working conditions, low wages, and robotic big brother corporate leadership in the US retail sector. CONTINUE READING…