In The Success Process Handbook: A Thinking Persons [sic] Guide to Interpersonal Relationships, author Tony Fielek begins with an admirable goal: to show readers how to gain more control over their working environments. Although Fielek doesn’t share his qualifications or career background, he appears to write from a managerial point of view.
The first few chapters offer sound advice on identifying and researching the “key person” in an organization (not necessarily the boss), then mounting a campaign to influence and win over that person. These pages also explore the need to set tangible goals, such as gaining technical training to become a supervisor, and intangible ones that result in creativity and other character traits that are essential to business success. Chapter 4, in particular, includes a solid list of 28 tips for becoming a self-starter, from figuring out why you’re procrastinating to developing alternate plans instead of locking yourself into a single rigid option that might fail.
In many ways, the book revolves around common-sense messages: Do what you promise, treat others with respect. Chapter 9, “The Three Legged Stool,” is one of the most solid, with advice on “how to be great in your field” by doing what you love.
The Success Process Handbook, however, suffers from technical issues. It’s greatly hampered by confusing sentence fragments, typographical errors, tense issues and other grammatical stumbling blocks. For example: “There are a number of principles very useful in helping you put together your organization and design [sic} the sub tasks you needed [sic] to achieve your objective.”
At just 53 pages, this slim book includes useful tips about being successful at work, especially for those launching a new career or figuring out how to start over, or get ahead, without trampling on others. But it needs the attention of a skilled editor in order to be more accessible to a wide audience.
Also available in hardcover and ebook.
