CAIN AND ABEL AT WORK: How to Overcome Office Politics and the People Who Stand Between You and Success

The biblical tale of brotherly revenge, in which Cain killed his brother, Abel, because God seemed to treat Abel better, holds lessons for everybody in the workplace, according to veteran political strategists and media consultants Lange and Domke. Senior executives, graveyard-shift assembly-line workers and secretaries alike need to be able to identify their enemies in order to succeed in the business world, the authors claim. For readers who think Lange and Domke paint too black-and-white a picture, they include numerous brief case studies showing how people can be sabotaged because they didn't anticipate the motives of a Cain. Those who can't look themselves in the mirror and truthfully confess to being a Cain or an Abel will find the authors' classifications eye-opening. For example, Abels think in terms of getting the job done, teamwork and loyalty to colleagues. Cains think in terms of title, status, getting credit, power over others and the loyalty of subordinates. When Cains use words like "frankly" or "confidentially," they are actually saying, "I'm about to tell you a lie." To fight the Cains, readers can use some 27 strategies, including avoiding mind games, not believing lies and not allying with a Cain. Despite the biblical gimmick, much of this book is both engaging and plausible. However, some employees may be daunted by the process of recognizing Cains and modifying their own behavior while simultaneously performing their jobs day in and out. Managers and team leaders may find this book most useful as they assess their staffs and work groups and mentor their employees. (Mar. 13)