The Hard Truth About Soft Skills: Workplace Lessons Smart People Wish They'd Learned Sooner

Loved the book. Needed a primer on how to navigate the corporate world after a recent promotion. I have been surviving on profit from my own business for years, but it wasn’t ever really enough to do save. So I used what I learned there to get into my role with this company and was moved up pretty fast. I just found myself really unprepared especially around office politics, maybe because before I worked directly under the owners, there wasn’t layers of managers etc to work through, maybe the occasional long time employee that wasn’t going anywhere, a worker that was great for a cheap fix but the work was never quite right, stuff like that. I know a lot of people in the reviews didn’t like all the anecdotes - I loved them. They are very applicable and I’ve already encountered some of the exact scenarios and frankly, under the self promotion section, I started seeing why maybe my own business just wasn’t taking off into the next bracket like I wanted and had worked so, so crushingly hard to achieve. And I’m not done yet but to the point, it’s been a great book for me. I am positive it will be on my desk for quite a while, so I can go back and read the advice when I face these situations and it all becomes a no brainer. Five stars, thanks Peggy!

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I recommend this book for those who are just starting their careers. If you don't know already, soft skills are critical to anyone's career success. Without it, your opportunities will be limited. The book is about career management more than just soft skills. This book goes over all the how to manage your career. The author justifiably emphasize that it is everyone's responsibility to keep his/her skills updated. The company will not do that for you. Some of the soft skills covered are basic such as communication and listening, and how to deal with politics, your boss, and your enemies. I wouldn't say there are breakthrough ideas in this book. But just a good solid coverage of the basics. Pros: 1)Good coverage on how to manage your career. 2)Good coverage on how to manage your boss, allies, enemies, and most important of all, yourself. 3)Good coverage of in-and-out of corporate politics such as Do's and Don'ts. Cons: 1)Basic coverage and doesn't cater to the those who are more advanced in their careers. 2)The book has lot of breadth but not necessarily great depth. 3)you can't really learn soft skills by reading a book. You need to apply the concepts in this book on a regular basis, and that's when the real learning happens.

This is a quick read that provided me with so many useful tips and ideas. I own an electronic copy, as well as a couple of paperback copies--one for the office and one for home. I have also given copies to colleagues who are seeking help with climbing the ladder. I think this would be a perfect gift for new college graduates.

This book lacks "teeth" - that's the only way I can explain my opinion of it. There are some good topics in the book, it's just that none of them are explored adequately. This book is literally a compilation of story after story of very specific situations. I have never read a book with so many anecdotes. In my opinion, the author would have been much more effective if she would have instead came up with about a dozen or so core concepts for the book - things you could really hang your hat on - and speak to those in her own words. Stories are good, but too many and they become an annoyance. I'm starting to get into writing myself and I've found that the #1 reason consultants write books is to establish themselves as "thought leaders" in a specific area. What this means is that many times people are writing books when they don't really have anything to say. If they can get enough friends to give the book 5-star reviews, BAM! they are now an "expert." I feel like a little bit of that has happened here. There were a few statements made by the author that I'll file away for later use, but overall I wouldn't have missed out on much if I would have skipped the read altogether.

First this book is very well organized The examples are relatable and did not turn me off like so many other authors who use high profile examples that I can't relate to. I enjoyed and learned from the whole book. It was worth reading every page.

The Hard Truth About Soft Skills: Workplace Lessons Smart People Wish They'd Learned Sooner "One of the greatest pearls of wisdom, I ever received from my Mom, was "People are like computers, everything depends on which buttons you press." Finally, Peggy Klaus has given us the manual on the most important skills you'll ever need; people skills! With "The Hard Truth about Soft Skills," she hits a bulls eye each time, zeroing in on the key to masterful communication in the workplace. And she does it with such power and playfulness, that you can breathe a sigh of relief knowing you can do it to! As a coach, I refer "The Hard Truth About Soft Skills" to all my clients who are climbing up the corporate and entrepreneurial ladder and want to make each step from rung to rung with greater ease and impact. - Lois Barth, coach/speaker, "Luscious Living With Lois"

Pros: a fast read. a very good handbook for college grads who work for big corporates. a lot of the points made in the book are apparent to most people, but a lot of people tend to forget these rules in reality. it is a good reminder to have before embarking on a career. cons: same as many reviews here, i do find many anecdotes in the book redundant. after all, Peggy is a real life consultant than a writer. so the book overall is not effectively written. also, i find it annoying that the writer implies to sell her consulting service between the lines of the content. Such as talking about how all the big company employees/managers go to her for advice in case of a dilemma. I gave it four stars because overall the content/selection of the topics of the book is much better than similar self-help books on the market right now. they are good points made in the book that every career starter should grasp before entering the workplace.