Don't Fire Them, Fire Them Up: A Maverick's Guide to Motivating Yourself and Your Team

Xerox sales executive Pacetta, writing with freelancer Gittines, presents an excellent primer on the rugged discipline of selling. Introducing readers to the frenetic world of push-and-pull sales (``kill the other guy before the other guy kills you''), the authors transcend the fatuous ``Attila the Hun'' mindset with superb observations about leadership, teamwork, success and customers, along with shining comments on time management, goals, evaluating problems and cultivating sales personnel. A voice from the trenches who is not above taking cues from Dirty Harry (``I never give much credence to advice from people whose ass is the same shape as their chairs''), Pacetta paints a vivid landscape of ``cold-call' combat. Don't be put off by the convoluted subtitle. (Jan.)