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Synopsis
Beyond Bullsh*t reveals the dynamics of bullsh*t and why it has become the corporate communication etiquette of choice. The book also shows how ones personal well-being and business success depend on learning how, with whom, and under what circumstances to tell it straight.
Brian Walton
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. - School Library Journal
Culbert (Anderson Graduate Sch. of Management, Univ. of California, Los Angeles; Mind-Set Management) takes on "bullsh*t" in this slim volume, mostly as a means of discussing the various personal agendas, emotional involvements, and hidden/overt biases that can occur in the workplace. Culbert identifies and defines "bullsh*t," then moves on to the theory and application of "straight-talk" at work. Unfortunately, much of the book is filled with idiosyncratic jargon that requires wordy explanation. For example, "I-speak" refers to language that "adds an 'I think,' 'I believe,'...to all recitations of fact and belief [and] implies a relationship of equality and a commitment to fair play." The case studies Culbert presents are less relevant than they could be. Readers are likely to decide that this book itself is mostly you know what. Edgar H. Schein's The Corporate Culture Survival Guideis a better tool to have on-hand for those reevaluating their approach to corporate culture.