Death By Powerpoint: A Modern Office Survival Guide

By Michael Flocker

Book Overview

Does your manager talk endlessly about "engineering synergy" and "bridging disconnects?" Does the guy in the cube next to you eavesdrop and peak at what's in your personal drawer? Have you ever come close to "death by PowerPoint" as you struggle to stay awake in a meeting? If you work in any kind of office--large or small--the answers to these questions are undoubtedly "yes" and you obviously and desperately need Death By PowerPoint . A life-saving guide to twenty-first century corporate culture, it provides incisive coverage of everything you'll need to get ahead (or to simply stay above water): The Art of Office Politics--sucking up effectively, how to deal with control freaks and that annoying guy with all the "new ideas" E-Mail Etiquette--responding to ridiculous requests, managing passive-aggressive messages, and how best to undo E-damage Mandatory Fun--proper etiquette for office parties, the curse of Secret Santa, and undermining your drunken co-workers Sex in the Workplace--how to spot video surveillance, telltale signs that others are getting it on, dumping etiquette, and the treacherous realm of sex with the boss

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0306815125
• ISBN13: 9780306815126
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Da Capo Press
• Length: 219 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.3" x 7.3"

Customer Reviews

A humor book that is actually funny!

Why is this book so cheap? If you like the TV show "The Office," you will LOVE this book. Funny, interesting research, great quotes, all mixed in with some practical advice. I actually laughed out loud a few times! This makes a great gift... the low price is just gravy!!!

Great satirical book about life in the cube

If you've worked in ANY kind of office environment, this book is for you. Flocker provides descriptions and analysis of the many characters and scenarios that corporate lackeys find themselves in on a daily basis. Flocker provides even more value by providing do's/don'ts tips on how to use the dysfunctional office atmosphere to your own advantage. As a self-admitted slacker, I can validate many of his theories and suggestions. This book falls into a genre perfected by Scott Adams and his Dilbert book series (specifically The Dilbert Principle.) Flocker isn't an Adams wanna-be. He refreshes and updates the "life in the dysfunctional corporate world" view, and adds the further aspects of "how to use this to your advantage" and "how to have fun at your co-workers' expense." I picked this up in an airport bookstore and plowed through the entire book during my flight (200+ pages). It is a very easy, quick, and humorous read. You'll find yourself passing this on to other jaded co-workers once you're finished.

A good read (and laugh!)

As the stereotypical corporate slave that I am, I found this book very amusing, helpful and practical. I've never been one to get involved in office politics, but after reading this I learned that there are smart ways to get involved without getting burned. The book gives very clever ideas for breaking up the monotony of the 9 to 5 grind, "survival" tips for that horrible coworker you want to strangle, and hilarous tricks for making boring meetings entertaining. Overall, I thought it was a hilarious jab at how pathetic we have become, yet it has practical ideas on advancing your career and making the most of your job. Excellent (and quick!) read.

life through parody

Michael Flocker hits the stapler on the head in this all-too true-to-life satiric guidebook to officeLife survival ... all the idiosyncrasies of the workaday world are captured in the most hilarious barrage of observation ... the little pukeyCovered tome covers everything from email cautionary tales to personality types and how to deal with them ... and i have to say { or at least bloggishly type here } that just reading this book will make the ofttimes near-weighty existence of corporate life in America bring a smile to your lips and a gleam to the eye ... many kudos ... a must read ... amen

Funny I've been here before

I was starting to create quite a raucous in the bookstore when I picked up this little gem. Even though I paid way more than if I had ordered it online here, I just couldn't let it go. Anyone who's been through the corporate world the past 10 years will get it because you were there, you lived it, and you faced death by powerpoint on a frequent basis. The little pictures that go along with it are absolutely hysterical. [...], and the book should have included a few more current trends. Buy it if you'd like that little trip down memory lane. It's ok, you can laugh about it now.