Corporate Bullshit: A Survival Guide, by Blaine Loomer. Mitchell Publishers; 2009; 200 pages. Hardcover; $29.95.
Corporate Bullshit: A Survival Guide is intended as a compass for the corporate employee navigating his or her way around coworker problems, organizational frustration, and self-imposed difficulties. This book promises to help "overcome these challenges and provide you with more control over your own destiny," a lofty goal of which it often falls short. The writing is organized into terse 1- to 2-page aphorisms providing recommendations meant to help avoid potential work-related landmines. Unfortunately, lack of depth renders this book at best a quick reminder of commonplace wisdom most workers will already know, and at worst, a protracted lecture.
The book is divided into 3 major sections: "Corporate Bullshit," "Coworker Bullshit," and "Your Own Bullshit." Each section is further organized into minichapters that offer advice and warnings about varied aspects of business that a worker might encounter. For example, the first section includes "Retirement Accounts: Don't Count on the Company" and "Pay Attention to How Decisions are Made." Each minichapter typically calls the reader's attention to a potential problem, then provides a brief recommendation for avoiding or defusing the danger. For example, on the subject of retirement accounts, the reader is counseled to utilize company-provided 401(k) plans, but to be aware of how the contributions are invested and to do research on the company's financial situation before accepting stock options as part of a retirement plan. Many other minichapters deal with types of coworkers one might encounter on the job, with nicknames like "the Repairman," "the Godfather," "Mr. Negative," and "the Egomaniac," among others, and how best to handle these characters. Still other portions advise on how to ascend the corporate ladder (carefully, and watching your back) and discreetly toot your own horn (by providing the "right amount" of information about your work to your supervisors).
The counsel provided is reasonably sound, but the book suffers from lack of depth, lack of innovation, and a tone that can read as cynical. Chapters on coworkers, in particular, paint a sour picture of human nature and do not provide much guidance on how to form relationships or interact with others at work. A major issue is that much of this book's content has been covered more skillfully and more extensively elsewhere. Any number of other books on career planning, management, working relationships, personal finance, and entrepreneurship provide more thorough, practical advice on these topics.
On the positive side, the author's reported more than 20 years of corporate service do turn up a few helpful nuggets: You may not get a raise if you do not ask for it. Know basic information about your company's financial situation no matter what your position. Structure your career path such that you know your job expectations, and your rewards are clearly tied to your achievements. For someone just starting out in the work world, some of this may be valuable.
Overall, most of the topics in this book are covered too cursorily to be helpful. Even if, like this reviewer, you have limited experience in the corporate world, you probably already know most of what you would read in Corporate Bullshit.
-Erica Marchand, PhD
Division of Cancer Prevention and Control Research
University of California, Los Angeles, CA
[email protected]