Review: SHINE

Shine: How to Survive and Thrive at Work by Chris Barez-Brown

Review by Richard Pachter

You CAN judge a book by its cover.

I own lots of books. More arrive daily by mail, UPS, FedEx et al. I also love bookstores and libraries. (Yes, I still go to my excellent local public library and even check books out!)

Most of the books I get are advance readers’ copies (ARCs). Plainly bound copies meant for reviewers and retailers (though those sample copies are a vanishing breed, supplanted by pdfs and other digital formats.) I also receive finished books but less these days than previously.

So when I received SHINE by Chris Baréz-Brown, it immediately popped.

Here was a book that’s nicely designed: user-friendly, easy to read: pleasant typeface and clean layout. Very inviting!

I skimmed it a bit and quickly decided that I wanted to read and share it with the Biz Books Club.

And here we are.

The sub-subtitle, “Upping your Elvis,” the author explains, comes from the question U2 front man Bono asks when he enters a roomful of activists who want his participation: “Who’s Elvis here?”

He’s seeking the one person in the place who posses irresistible charisma, the group’s singular go-to guy (or gal).

It’s a good question. There’s usually someone who’s the center of gravity in every organization— and it’s not necessarily the one who is nominally “in charge.”

I’ve never met the author, but it’s implicit that he’s pretty Elvis-y himself.

He’d better be! If he’s a boring stick in the mud, he’d be way out of bounds in writing this book and offer the advice contained herein.

Advice? Yeah, that’s the crux of this book. It’s an advice-and-affirmation text that can be summed up like this: “Be yourself — BUT BETTER!”

So he encourages the reader to dress comfortably — no ties, if you hate ‘em. Dress casually or formally, if that’s your thing. What-evuh!

Be nice; open to change; resourceful; aggressive; but go with the flow...etc.

The short chapters (really just brief raps and rants) are fun and upbeat. Some of the stuff may not resonate with you and some will. You’re free to pick and choose since Baréz-Brown knows that one size fits all is nonsense and unworkable.

But most of the things he discusses are either commonsensical and obvious or kind of miniature licenses to “go for it” and let your freak flag fly by being a bit flamboyant and out there, while still taking the high road and doing the right thing for yourself and others. It’s a virtual pep talk of positivity.

Now, one wonders if any of this stuff is grounded in science and empirical wisdom.

Well, it is, to a great extent. Your attitude determines your luck!

And if you want to be successful, luck — or whatever you want to call it — is essential.

“Upping your Elvis,” indeed!

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Credibility Review

Credibility: How Leaders Gain and Lose It, Why People Demand It. James M. Kouzes, Barry Z. Posner. Wiley. 368 pages.

Review by Richard Pachter

I've worked for some interesting characters. Not my current or recent bosses, naturally, who are exemplary people, but in the past, I've dealt with a number of folks who may have been managers — they owned the title and occupied the office — though they clearly weren't leaders.

Their authority came from power and position rather than from their leadership or actions.  Some, I respected, but they didn't necessarily earn it from their work, just their titles, unfortunately.

They were the boss. Their words were one thing but their behavior was something else entirely. It's one thing to tell everyone that this next project is a life-and-death matter, but it's another matter entirely when everyone is still at work past closing time, and the boss is heading out the door. You've seen that movie, too, I'm sure!

Kouzes and Posner's new book, a revision of their  popular earlier edition, presents a wise and honest look at the basic qualities that leaders must possess. In aggregate, they can be described as "credibility."

Credibility, because there's an honesty and authenticity that's required. To be taken seriously, they write, it's insufficient to simply say all the appropriate things; the words and thoughts must align and be put into action on a consistent basis.

Some people might look the part. It's the James Buchanan Effect; he appeared every inch the leader but was ineffectual and is considered to be among the worst presidents ever by historians

Years ago, I worked for a tall woman with broad shoulders who allegedly knew how to manage — but not how to do the job. The team treated her with respect, but it was based more on their good manners than her proficiency. She looked great in meetings, though...

Most of us have an innate sense of what's real, and inauthenticity and lack of commitment are generally pretty obvious — palpable, even.

But if it's all so obvious, what need is there for a book? And why would it benefit from being revised and brought up to date?

Kouzes and Posner conducted a ton of interviews and present various examples and aspects of credibility in a very readable and comprehensible manner.

The numerous anecdotes and case studies are quite relatable, too.

The stories herein do a fine job of providing real-life situations to reflect upon and project one's own situations on, too.

Real leadership requires an arsenal of resources but you can't fake credibility; cracks show up sooner or later. But Kouzes and Posner provide a nice reality check for those whose authenticity might be lacking. The challenge, as always, is in getting them to recognize and act upon it.

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