Staying Street Smart in the Internet Age: What Hasn't Changed About the Way We Do Business

Author: Mark H. McCormack
List Price: $24.95
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ISBN: 0670893064
Publisher: Viking Press (31 August, 2000)
Sales Rank: 148,373
Average Customer Rating: 4 out of 5

Customer Reviews

Rating: 4 out of 5
Good round-up of common sense in business relationships
This review is of the paperback edition re-published as 'Never Wrestle with a Pig').
It's not the first book by Mark McCormack I've read. Like the others, its very readable, and gives a collection of homespun philosophies, interspersed with personal ife experiences. There's a strong emphasis on Sales, but 'selling' is surely part of all of our business relationships.
Just don't believe in the gospel of everything McCormack has to say; there are contradictions, just as life is full of them, such as :
In Part 8 'When you are in Charge' there is the lesson "trust your 1st impression", whereas in Part 9 'Etiquette for the New Millenium' there is a "caveat about reading people too quickly" - so which is it to be?
Consider it light reading to just remind you of the good & bad things that you can do to others & they can do to you, and re-adjust & compensate accordingly.


Rating: 5 out of 5
Good
The title just uses the buzzword "internet" to get your attention. It could have been called "career and business tips," which is basically what it is. McCormack's writing has gotten better since his earlier books, so I found this one good on that account. His tips have a bit more depth here, too. He mentions how his 2nd wife has helped him learn to "stop and smell the roses," and perhaps that's why this book seems less "combat"-like than some of his past books. Plus, his arrogance, that would bleed between the lines in past books was, thankfully, missing. (For example, in earlier books he said, "I made a lot of money at a young age, so I never resented others who did," not considering that perhaps some readers are young and broke, or old and broke, and might resent HIM. And also he said, "99% of people should work for someone else," which conveniently puts him in the elite 1%, and, never mind that through most of history, until the industrial revolution, most people were self-employed.) Anyway, this book is readable and helpful, with some tips I don't think I would have seen anywhere else. He does reuse anecdotes that he uses in other books, but I didnt' mind. If you want a general career-tips book, this is as good as any recent ones I've read recently.


Rating: 4 out of 5
CLEVER! UPBEAT! TRENDY! LIFE IN THE FAST LANE!
This book is about career management and office politics. It contains a lot of straight-forward, down-to-earth tips for getting along with co-workers, bosses, and clients. This "Arli$$- agent's" clientele includes Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer and Venus and Serena Williams. What he offers is common sense as applied to a plethora of topics like goal setting, picking up the check, managing time, dealing with enemies, managing your work- just doing business in a "smart" way. Thinking of all those Olympic atheletes who will be returning to their respective countries to assimilate back into the work force, or pursue endorsements or dreams of gold in 2004, it seems to me another astute book about self-management is timely, especially coming from the chief executive of a sport and entertainment conglomerate like International Creative Management. It is a step up from his previous book, "What They Don't Teach You at Harvard Business School". Mr McCormack's book seeks to prepare readers for life in the fast lane, and for success. Interesting! A very interesting presentation.

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