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gloame's review
5.0
One of the best career books I've ever read, hands down.
Unlike other career advancement books, Workplace Poker covers more than just what to do when you're on the job.
What I get from it: proposes a balanced approach, one that kind of denies the existence of a work-life balance because, instead, you should go for a balanced life that includes work and non-work, and both of those things should flow easily into one another. If you're getting burnt out, you're doing it wrong. If you're not advancing in your career, you're doing it wrong.
This means that instead of talking about how to look good to the boss, how to interview, and so on, Dan Rust talks about how to make decisions, manage your actions and reactions, and how to build a life that supports the career you want. There's even talk about staying fit and healthy, and how it impacts your career.
This book was immensely readable for me. It was funny, but not obnoxiously so. There were stories that drew me in and made me raise my eyebrows, but moreover, illustrated his points. He was approachable and knowledgeable as an author. I finished the book with several action steps I'm implementing immediately, as well as a solution to a work problem I thought was never going to be solved. For those 2 reasons alone, it's worth 5 stars. But there's more to Workplace Poker than those 2 reasons, so everyone should read it. Really.
Unlike other career advancement books, Workplace Poker covers more than just what to do when you're on the job.
What I get from it: proposes a balanced approach, one that kind of denies the existence of a work-life balance because, instead, you should go for a balanced life that includes work and non-work, and both of those things should flow easily into one another. If you're getting burnt out, you're doing it wrong. If you're not advancing in your career, you're doing it wrong.
This means that instead of talking about how to look good to the boss, how to interview, and so on, Dan Rust talks about how to make decisions, manage your actions and reactions, and how to build a life that supports the career you want. There's even talk about staying fit and healthy, and how it impacts your career.
This book was immensely readable for me. It was funny, but not obnoxiously so. There were stories that drew me in and made me raise my eyebrows, but moreover, illustrated his points. He was approachable and knowledgeable as an author. I finished the book with several action steps I'm implementing immediately, as well as a solution to a work problem I thought was never going to be solved. For those 2 reasons alone, it's worth 5 stars. But there's more to Workplace Poker than those 2 reasons, so everyone should read it. Really.
sonia_reppe's review
5.0
Don't let the title throw you, this is about presenting your best self in the workplace. I'm reading books like this now because I'm realizing the small things I could have done along my career that would have helped, such as self-promotion, which Rust talks about. I was never ambitious, but now I'm looking at the next five years and I don't want to be pushing 50 and in the same place, so I'm becoming more ambitious inevitably.
I'm one who had never tooted my own horn, but that is changing.
Rust also talks about different workplace cultures and fitting in, gives many examples of workers having problems/challenges and how they fixed it or not.
I'm one who had never tooted my own horn, but that is changing.
Rust also talks about different workplace cultures and fitting in, gives many examples of workers having problems/challenges and how they fixed it or not.
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