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Summary: An important tool for success...
Review: Being able to walk into a room with confidence is an important first step. And wouldn't it be nice if folks recognize your name and face when you make that entrance. Assuring that our accomplishments are visible to targeted audiences is part of 'personal publicity.' If we want people to hire us, buy from us, and invest in our companies, they have to know who we are, what we have accomplished and why they should do business with us! And...when we do walk into that room...we won't be strangers!
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Summary: It was all I needed.
Review: Fire your therapist.I considered myself an introverted computer scientist. I ordered this and Carducci's book at the same time, looking forward more to Carducci's book. Fortunately this book arrived first, so I gave it a chance. Don't misunderstand and be put off by its title; it is not at all a book on manipulating others. The first chapter --the introduction-- reads like an annoying motor-mouth oratory from Joan Rivers. Persist. Don't be concerned about how you're going to hold an entire book's worth of advice in your head while conversing because you won't need to; it pertains more to pre-schmooze preparation. (In contrast, Carducci's book focuses more on real-time details of conversation.) I've only read through chapter three and have not had time to get to the rest of it because I've been socializing! I kid you not! Sound too good to be true? Bet you don't have as many doubts as I did. Try it. Some of the later chapters are on special situations (airplanes, trade shows, e-mail, etcetera); paging through those I found some pearls, so I look forward to finishing it. These are light, easy tips that analytical left-brain guys can follow. I read that the author also teaches seminars, but who needs that? Just get the book. You are already on the right track for considering it. There is probably a LOT less "wrong" with you than you might think, and this book is a fast, easy way to become the more sociable person that you want to become. Amazingly, there is virtually no overlap between this book and Carducci's. Carducci's book is more aimed at micro-details of what to talk about, and is well-suited to people with a serious anxiety disorder. ... I think there's something in his book for everyone.) This book is light reading. Try it!
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Summary: A good book with some common sense
Review: I bought the first edition of this book and just finished reading it. I found the first 4 chapters very helpful. The first chapter deals with roadblocks that we have that prevent us from meeting and speaking to people. The Second chapter, focused on removing those road blocks. The Third chapter focused on the benefits of attending events. The fourth chapter on Charm & Chutzpah was more motivational. I found That Ms Roane, does a good job of showing us roadblocks that we may have not even realized that we had. Once we have identified these issues we can go to work on removing them so that we can improve our business life. From the title of the book I was expecting a guide on manipulation. However, this book is far from that. It's mostly about presenting yourself in a positive light by showing interest in others while at the same time keeping focused on your goal of making business contacts. In this regard it's a positive book, because let's face it, most of us can see through manipulation, or insincerity. I didn't find all of the book applied to me at this time. For instance the sections on trade shows. However, this doesn't diminish the book, because it's a book that can be constantly refered to through different stages of your business life. This book focuses on business, but the skills are transferable to your personal life as well. Aslam Mohammed
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Summary: A Timeless Piece
Review: I have had this book in my library for at least 5 years. I refer to it often and I think it is a timeless book. If we understood the simply kindnesses Susan speaks of, the world would be a much nicer place to live. Anyone working or interacting with people should have this fabulous book at their finger tips. My favorite is understanding the gift of communication that John F. Kennedy posessed. He was simply interested in other people. This book is so rich. Get it used, new, or on audio but get it!
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Summary: I'm not interested in learning Yiddish
Review: I knew this book was not worth the paper it was printed on, when I saw in the appendix a Yiddish glossary! I mean, ethic and religious differences aside, why would I be interested in working a room speaking Yiddish? I did read through the book and found the content nothing but empty talk. Seriously, if you want improve your social skills, read the timeless classics by Dale Carnegie.
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Summary: I'm not interested in learning Yiddish
Review: I knew this book was not worth the paper it was printed on, when I saw in the appendix a Yiddish glossary! I mean, ethic and religious differences aside, why would I be interested in working a room speaking Yiddish? I did read through the book and found the content nothing but empty talk. Seriously, if you want improve your social skills, read the timeless classics by Dale Carnegie.
Rating:
Summary: Dribble
Review: I suggest not wasting your time with this thin-on-substance guide. Beyond some poorly written musings of common sense, not much is offered aside from the occasional jab at persons Ms. RoAne apparently has issues with. (This is quite hypocritical considering that her basic message is to make friends and play nice.) Attempts at addressing online networking are rather pathetic, uninformed, and blatantly appended to text from previous editions. (...) One must also wonder about the need for, and her constant references to, the Yiddish glossary she has so painstakingly included. Call me slow, but I just didn't get the connection between it and a better understanding of "working a room". As recommended to me, and I to you, "Power Networking" by Donna Fisher and Sandy Vilas is more comprehensive, directed, and references RoAne's few meaningful insights briefly and concisely.
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Summary: WOAH - I wasted my money AND my time
Review: I wish I could give this book less than a star because even 1 star is too generous for this book. The first chapter is quick to cite the important points in working a room (points that you can learn from just any other book on conversation) and the rest is just nonsensical repetition of the same facts again and again. All in all, the book has too many flaws and a too little new material to be of any value.
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Summary: Simple, Practical and Effective
Review: New to networking? Susan RoAne's book is updated and chock full of ideas to help you plunge forward into a roomful of strangers. This is the perfect book for everyone; it helps you prepare for and to practice opening lines so that you won't HATE networking. One of her suggestions is to seek out a "white knuckle drinker," as she calls them, so that you can focus on making them more comfortable. Soon, you'll forget that you were nervous as well. Written in a simple, practical style, it offers tips to get your conversations going like "tell me more about the organization...." Comment on the venue, the food or the view. If you need to exit quickly, smile, shake hands and say, "enjoy the event." She suggests that you may want to introduce them to someone else. Obvious, yes, simple, yes, and EFFECTIVE! We at our IT recruiting firm recommend to all our candidates to help them network better.
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Summary: Own That Room ...!
Review: One of the greatest things about reading a book is that you can ask yourself for answers to questions that when you find the answers, your life will be better. This is one of those books. I remember years ago, before the first time that I read this book, I wondered about charismatic people, and how they really do it. This book is the answer. "How to Work the Room," is not just a great title for a book, it is also a great anchor, to guide you to focus upon all the social opportunities in one room, for the entire time that you are there. We all must network, to have others open doors for us, because this goes much further than our trying to condense an entire career into 5 seconds of introduction - it won't work. Here are some wonderful things you might learn: 1. You have just been introduced to someone at an event. And the introducer has left you with this person
For some, this can be awkward. But for those who read this book, you might begin by deciding that at the very least, you have in common the person who introduced the 2 of you. So you could say, "How do you know Sally?" This will get a conversation started. 2. You are going to a networking function, based upon the recommendation of someone who attends the same type of group, but in another city. And you have some hesitations
A great way to be prepared is to spend a half hour the day before, writing down what you are going to, the purpose of the meeting, the time to be there, how long, and a few other notes. This will put you in a great frame of mind to connect with others there.
3. You think that small talk is phony, and you hope nobody will try it on you
Small talk is appropriate for networking meetings. It also prevents you from having to come up with a lot to say. With small talk, you are actually opening the door to find out what others are interested in. Which will help you to keep the topic on them, and away from you. And this will keep you relaxed, not to mention welcomed in their eyes. This book has many hilarious examples that everyone can relate to, and use to practice owning that room.
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