Behind Klaus's easy-flowing prose lies a buffet of skills to nourish your career advance- ment, from taking intelligent risks to examining your intuitive responses to confronting your critics. Avoid The Hard Truth at your peril.

Peggy Klaus hits another home run with The Hard Truth About Soft Skills~ Follow her wise advice now for an easy career trajectory.

WHAT'S THE HARD TRUTH? Soft skills get little respect but will make or break your career. Master your soft skills and really get ahead at work!

Fortune 500 coach Peggy Klaus encounters individuals every day who excel at their jobs but aren't getting where they want to go. It's rarely a shortfall in technical expertise that limits their careers, but rather a shortcoming in their social, communication, and self-management behaviors. In The Hard Truth About Soft Skills Klaus delivers practical tools and techniques for mastering soft skills across the career spectrum. She shows how to:manage your workload,handle the critics,develop and promote your personal brand,navigate office politics,lead the troops,and much more!

Klaus reveals why soft skills are often ignored, while bringing their importance to life in her trademark style--straightforward, humorous, and motivating. Perfect for readers at all professional stages--from those who are just starting out to seasoned executives--this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to take his or her career to the next level.

Introduction THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT SOFT SKILLS

One CONTROL YOURSELF

Knowing yourself is as important as knowing

how to do the job.

There's no such thing as work-life balance,

only trade-offs.

Years of loyalty can work against you.

Listen to your gut--it's full of data.

No risks, no rewards.

Get out of your own way.

Learn the honest truth about integrity.

You have to be good to be lucky.

Two GETTING THE JOB DONE

Your boss wants you to figure it out.

Learn when to stick and when to shift or the

details will hang you.

When you can't deliver, don't say yes.., but

be careful how you say no.

Your procrastination is trying to tell you something.

Whining is for kids.., and even then, no one wants to hear it.

Manage your meetings.., or else.

Common sense is far too uncommon.

Three WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH...

AND THEN SOME

Listening is part art, part science, and all important.

Adjust your communication accordingly.

Say the magic words: please, thankyou, and IJn sorry.

Keep your mouth shut.

Get smart about asking dumb questions.

Learn how to present without needing beta- blockers.

Four HANDLING YOUR CRITICS

Books are judged by their covers and the same is true for you.

Don't be the last one to find out how you're doing.

Never tolerate a bully boss--even if you have to quit.

You don't need to be everyone's best friend--

that's what dogs are for.

Your greatest tormentor might prove to be

your greatest teacher.

Know where to draw the line between self-

improvement and self-destruction.

Stay cool in the hot seat.

Five WHAT, ME POLITICAL?

Learn the unspoken rules of your workplace.

Two heads are better than one, so find a mentor.

Don't let the fear of "sucking up" hold you back.

When it comes to gossip, learn the art of deflection.

Think long and hard about going over your boss's head.

Manage your affairs: kiss with caution!

Six BRANDING AND BRAGGING

Think of yourself as a cereal brand.

Turn your accomplishments into a story.

Tooting your own horn isn't just for performance reviews.

You're only as good as your last movie, so keep

your brags fresh.

Put the right words in their mouths.

Keep your visibility when you're not face-to- face.

Stop credit thieves in their tracks.

Seven HOT BUTTONS:

GENDER, GENERATION, AND CULTURE

Don't take it personally.

Raise your sensitivity antenna.

Competition is a double-edged sword.

Find the silver lining.

Stop stereotypes from sinking you.

Eight LEADING THE TROOPS

Know what you're getting into.

A good manager knows when to lead.

Avoid being a know-it-all, say-it-all, control-it-all kind of boss.

People aren't mind readers.

You're the boss, stupid, that's why they hang on your every word,

Treat everyone equally.

The impostor syndrome will follow you up the ladder.

A little humility takes you a long way.

Afierword DON'T SKIP YOUR SOFT SKILLS

   ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

   INDEX