Road map to success

Over the last few years the demand for self-help and motivational books has been growing rapidly. Thes rack space cannibalised in the bookshops is one clear indication of the popularity they enjoy. Even in book exhibitions, increasingly being held in claustrophobic rooms during the monsoon, one cannot but fail to see the tantalising banners directing you towards this segment.

One major factor buoying demand for these books is of course the stressful enviornment we encounter in our personal life, in and outside the workplace, and virtually in all walks of life. Eternal hope drives people to seek out ways to themselves to better face the challenges in life. Aspirations to be the best, quest for success, and better fortify oneself against downturns in personal life are some of the other demand boosters for these books.

What Employers Want But Business Schools Don't Teach is one such book that tries to address the needs of a career-oriented employee. With the help of numerous examples the book gives antidotes for success in the workplace. It advises and guides readers in finding 'solutions and concepts that are acceptable' and helps deal with the all too familiar traumas faced by a fresher at the work-place. Besides identifying the key factors for achieving success it provides lessons on commitment, hard work, gut instinct, confidence and foresight. Laced with real life problems encountered in daily life the authors also dwell on a situation when their own institution was on the brink of insolvency. The ordeal of stress and crisis management makes interesting reading.

The road map for improvement and succes at the work place cannot however be dealt with in isolation and the book touches upon the development of the individual's personality, offering numerous suggestions on how to balance your personal life with that at the workplace. Development of communication skills, negotiations, conduct at interviews, and even sartorial sense all have a role to play in moulding a successful career.

Written in an easy-to-read manner by Yasmin D'Souza and Amitabh Singh, the book offers practical solutions for managing conflicts and stresses on time management and prioritisation. "It is written for those who are hungry to grow and succeed," and the authors have apparently based their observations on their dealings with students in their chosen vocation. Yasmin D'Souza, a former student of Sophia College currently settled in London, is a founding member of an organisation called the Aloysian Group, which sponsors the education of Indian students from very low-income families. Singh, an MBA in human resourse management from XLRI Jamshedpur, is currently working with Mission of Mercy, a US-based NGO.

DAKSESH PARIKH
in Business India