Designed for Success: The 10 Commandments for Women in the Workplace,   ISBN:9781599792378

Customer Rating: 

This is a beginning overview of a number of different topics, but doesn't go into enough detail on any one of them. If you're looking for suggestions on how to dress, for instance, this doesn't go much further than "dress a level up" and look good. There is a bit more on negotiating skills, but there are other books that go into far greater detail, even for professionals just starting out.

Each chapter starts with a biblical quote, and the author references God often enough that it starts to feel like this belongs in the Christian section. Fine if you don't mind this, but quite alienating if you are either not Christian or don't appreciate mixing religion in with workplace discussions.

For productivity, I'd recommend Getting Things Done & for workplace dress and behaviors (for men and women) I'd recommend You've Only got Three Seconds by Camille Lavington instead.

Customer Rating: 

This book is very informative. I learned quite alot about the career woman's interactions with management that I didnt have a clue about before. Especially the negotiation part...just awesome! You gotta read this book ladies.

Customer Rating: 

I read a lot of business books, and I thought this one would have some fresh insights into networking and climbing the ladder as a woman. Rather, I found its stereotypes condescending and inappropriate. Some of my favorites:

"Women are often 'hard-wired' in ways that make successful business practices less natural or automatic."

"In the workplace there is a higher premium on critical and strategic thinking. This creates a real deficit for women. What is valued and respected most may not be what women are most naturally inclined to."

"We earn what we believe we are worth and what we negotiate for. This can be daunting for women because we really don't like to negotiate. When men hear a salary offer, they believe the negotiations have begun, and they actually look forward to it!"

(...For the record, I know plenty of men AND women who hate to negotiate.)

Scumaci tells women not to have negative self-talk, but in the same breath she reinforces it with all her stereotypes! She basically claims women are naturally inept in business and men are natural-born leaders. She has gives no research to back this up, other than forced Bible quotes, contrived to fit the topic. I couldn't even finish this awful book.

Women, do yourselves a favor and read inspirational stories about women AND men in business. This book will only serve to reinforce any doubts you had about your abilities.

Or perhaps "my tiny little woman brain" just can't grasp the high-level concepts of this book.

Customer Rating: 

I recently moved into a management position - a front line leader/first line supervisor - at a large consulting firm. It has been quite an experience and my female mentors are few and far between so I started reading everything in sight that I thought might be helpful... This is a wonderful book. I have read and re-read it over and over.

Customer Rating: 

In preparation for leading a workplace mentoring program for women, I read--cover to cover--about 30 books on the challenges women face in the workplace. This book is the winner of the bunch--hands down. I'm a 29 year veteran of workplace politics and I can testify that Scumaci gets it right. She has no agenda (feministic "activism" or otherwise) except to help women succeed. She provides real world advice for real workplace problems that will produce real results for real women in real jobs. She "gets it"-- you can't control the people you work with, you can only control your own actions. This book wisely focuses on how you can modify and improve your communication skills and emotional intelligence in the workplace for better results. I'm sending best wishes to all the women out there trying to reach their full potential on the job. You won't be sorry you invested in this book.