Run with the Bulls Without Getting Trampled: The Qualities You Need to Stay Out of Harm's Way and Thrive at Work

For the 85% of Americans who feel unhappy and unfulfilled by their work, Irwin provides a thoughtful examination of the likely causes and strategies for reversing course. His insight into the seven traits that underlie success and personal fulfillment are based on thousands of executive interviews he has conducted during his career as a corporate psychologist. He sharpens his message with stories of courage, perseverance and periodic disappointment from his own life—such as running with the bulls in Spain, crossing a glacier and helping a son through a Little League crisis. Though he sometimes overwrites, his points are still valid (e.g., he compares personal integrity to a submarine hull: even the slightest fissure can sink the whole ship). The exercises to help readers function with greater authenticity are neither gimmicky nor time-consuming. For example, he suggests examining a decision's validity by considering how the rationale would sound if explained to an investigative reporter on 60 Minutes . Irwin offers more personal insight than most management book authors and may save readers from hours on a therapist's couch. (Jan.)