Managing Sticky Situations at Work

xiiIntroductionis the word that often comes to mind. These people appear confidentin what they say and how they say it. That confidence inspires andattracts us.Many books out there will tell you what to do in certain situations.They give excellent advice. For example Difalco and Herz’s The BigSister’s Guide to the World of Work 1 contains real-life, down-to-earthtips for women in the workplace. The authors refresh and entertainus because they say, ‘‘Do it like this or else ....’’ Their lightheartedapproach to tough situations, like asking for more money or interviewingfor that perfect job, gives the average reader confidence thatthey, too, can say it just right. So...what’s missing? How do you doit? How do those leaders you respect do it every time? Difalco andHerz tell you what to do but not how.The authors of Difficult Conversations 2 provide another excellentexample of what to do when conversations become difficult. Afterextensive research funded by the Harvard Negotiation Project, theauthors dispense good advice about how to confront others. Whenconflicts arise at home or at work, they suggest ways to say it just right.Somewhere buried in the pages is a model, but where? Again, thisbook makes clear suggestions about what to do or what not to dobut leaves the reader wondering how to do it.In my search for not only what to do but how, I found a book with aclear formula. In Working with You Is Killing Me 3 Crowley and Elsternot only tell you what to do but they suggest how. Unfortunately, thehow grows like Jack’s bean stalk as the book progresses. Instead ofadhering to the original formula, they expand the formula as casesbecome stickier. By the end of the book, average readers scratch theirheads and still wonder how to say it just right.Seamless, fluid communication does not come easily to most of us.According to Susan RoAne in How to Work a Room, 4 93 percent ofus describe ourselves as shy. That means most of us would rather fadeaway than say it just right. We’d rather not stand up to the office bullies.We’d rather run away than maintain high ethical standards in themidst of toxic workplaces. Managing Sticky Situations at Work givesyou a formula that you can use to say it just right. We pay close attentionto what other authors suggest and build on their advice to illustratethe formula.My mother taught me you can’t have your cake and eat it, too. Ifwe want to be successful, confident communicators, we must putourselves forward and sayitjustright. This book provides the