Book Review
Blog/‘Confessions From The Corner Office,’ by S. Aylward and P. Moore-Amy Baker
April 13, 2013
Now Seeking: Corporate Soul
Mate
By Amy Baker
CONFESSIONS FROM THE CORNER
OFFICE
15 Instincts That Will Help
You Get There
By
Scott Aylward and Pattye Moore
224 pages.
John
Wiley & Sons, Inc.
“What is a corporate soul mate? A single
soul in two bodies”- Scott Alyward and Pattye Moore. Foreshadowing the
basis of each chapter, Scott Alyward and Pattye Moore offer their two cents to
readers by quoting the wise words of previous successors and re-inventing them
into their own terms. As for myself, I was hooked from the beginning; I suppose the
phrase, ‘you had from the preface’ applies. With the drop of three simple
words, “corporate
soul mate,” I was interested. Forget love, can I find one of these
‘corporate soul mates in the classifieds section?!
Confessions
from the Corner Office: 15 Instincts That Will Help You Get There a
cleverly written novel that provides just what the title entails: corporate
confessions of two well-established experts and 15 skills that will help
professionals reach the top of the corporate ladder, integrity intact. This is
a truly insightful must-read for all aspiring professionals. Alyward and Moore
use their candid wit to entertain readers through their own personal
experiences and semi-sarcastic dialogues. Confessions
from the Corner Office is a triple threat to all other business-related
novels as it fosters self-awareness in readers, sparks motivation and details
the keys to becoming a successful leader
in the corporate world; all the while splashing character, humor, and relevance
to every page.
Scott
Alyward and Pattye
Moore are more than just two people who collaborated to write a book, they
are “corporate soul mates,” a term mentioned in the book referring to the business
partnership the two leaders discovered as they confided in, depended on,
supported and criticized each other evolving their career. Moore graduated from
the University of Oklahoma with a degree in public relations and Scott from
Michigan State University with a degree in advertising. Outfitted in experience
and corporate success, the duo internally
resonate identical ethics and instincts regarding leadership. This combination
led to the development of INSTINCTS, LLC, a company devoted to assisting
professionals with the techniques need to
become a true leader.
In
my opinion, Aylward and Moore could not have done a better job in executing this
novel. Confessions from the Corner Office
can, at best, be compared to a mixed breed of ‘Business Etiquette: For Dummies,’ Chicken Soup for the Soul and ‘Leadership How-To’ book. The format
of the book flowed from one chapter to another, using comical dialogues and
historic quotes as a leverage for streaming transitions. The provision of
personal experiences established a relationship between the authors and the
audience while imparting knowledge upon them. At times it felt as though I knew
Scott and Pattye personally. The biggest weakness I would dare to say are chapters
13 and 14, mainly because the instincts presented here are not currently
relevant to my life.
The
book is divided into two parts: the first discussing seven attitude instincts
and the second discussing eight instincts that outline the road to the top rung
of the leadership ladder, “the corner office.” Each of the 15 instincts
included a brief questionnaire for readers to self-assess whether they
possessed this instinct; likewise suggestions for gaining the instinct was
provided. I found this most helpful for those truly aspiring to develop these
instincts, transcending to professional growth. Themed by doing what it takes
to make it to the top, while keeping morals, integrity and dignity intact, Confessions from the Corner Office can
pride itself on advising readers with intellectual, useful and meaningful
material.
Authors Pattye Moore and Scott
Aylward
Both images are provided by Google
Images.
