Suits And Ladders
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About this ebook
Protect Yourself – and Your Job. A one-of-a-kind corporate survival guide based on the combined wisdom of 102 people with real jobs
Suzen Fromstein has created the ultimate corporate survival guide for any person starting out or in transition. The survival strategies identified in Suits and Ladders: Ten Proven Ways to Keep Your Job Safe (with a few jokes thrown in) are universal and transcend national borders, industries and genders.
These are the same strategies 102 real people with real jobs use to keep their corporate jobs safe. Following their lead gives you a better chance of survival, or at least, gives you a fighting chance at survival. Whether you work in Canada or France, in financial services or for a not-for-profit there are ten things you can do right now to stabilize your cash flow, improve your professional outcomes and keep your job safe.
In her foreword, Barbara Morris-Blake who has interviewed and coached over 10,000 junior-to-senior level people over the past twenty years and whose articles on leadership development and personal effectiveness frequently appear in the media says, “Although there are many credible business books on corporate survival, I have not come across a book quite like Suits and Ladders...(it) is the exit interview and the corporate survival coach you wish you had.”
You will discover:
• Your boss’s career is the only thing that really matters.
• What you learned yesterday may not apply to today.
• What you say and do, can and will be used against you.
• Real people are far more interesting than the voices in your head.
Advance Praise for Suits and Ladders
“Suzen has tapped into what certainly qualifies as one of the most troublesome issues faced by many individuals today: hanging on to a job. She has formulated a survival guide with clearly written pragmatic actionable concepts but implicit in her text is a belief of continued learning with some healthy laughing along the way.”~ Al Emid, Radio & News Magazine Producer, Financial Journalist and Canadian Best-Selling Co-Author of What I Have Learned So Far and Financial Recovery in a Fragile World (and upcoming release Investing in Frontier Markets: Opportunity, Risk and Role in an Investment Portfolio)
“Every sentence of this book offers sage suggestions for keeping your job safe and yourself protected. From heightening self-awareness to championing a positive attitude and fuelling your workplace passion, Suzen has thrown enough seeds on the soil to grow a whole new crop of quality, secure and forward thinking professionals. The bonus? This volume is transferable to private life and personal relationships, too!”~ Nina Spencer, International Keynote Speaker and Canadian Best-Selling Author of Getting Passion Out of Your Profession (and 2014 release of A Time to Creep, A Time to Soar: Lessons learned for work and life from climbing Kilimanjaro)
“The way Fromstein presents her pertinent and significant ideas in Suits and Ladders is exemplary. She combines essential information with real life case studies to create a comprehensive, easily understood guide. Suits and Ladders is a perfect handbook for all employees and an essential manual for University and College grads."~ Zel Spillman, A1 Career Coach.com, executive search, Co-op Consultant, Masters Accounting, University of Toronto, Canada
Meet Suzen Fromstein
Suits and Ladders: Ten Proven Ways to Keep Your Job Safe (with a few jokes thrown in) is Suzen Fromstein’s debut Kindle e-book and was inspired by her inability to hold onto a job. Her second e-book: Inform, Influence and Entertain Like a Pro, The Seven Deadly Sins of Public Speaking will be available shortly.
She swears that Killers, Coffins & Cadavers, a humorous guide to death and dying co-authored with standup comic Michael Nemiroff and comedic actress Elaine Smookler. will be published at some point - whether in this lifetime or the next remains to be
Suzen Fromstein
Suzen Fromstein APR made her debut as a published author with SUITS AND LADDERS: Ten Proven Ways to Keep Your Job Safe (with a few jokes thrown in). Suits and Ladders was an Amazon Best Selling Book (Career and Career Guides) on date of issue, and consolidates the combined wisdom of 102 real people with real jobs. Following their advice gives employees (regardless of industry or sector) a better chance of survival, or at least, gives them a fighting chance at survival.Her second book, "WANT TO INFORM, INFLUENCE AND ENTERTAIN LIKE A PRO? Simply Recognize The Seven Deadly Sins of Public Speaking And Then Avoid Them" summarizes Suzen's experience on both sides of the podium. It also contains a bonus section on how to add humor to everything co-authored with stand-up comic Mike Nemiroff.Suzen and Mike collaborated again on her most recent third book, "THE GRIN REAPER - A Humorous Look at Death & Dying (with a few jokes thrown in). Suzen developed an interest in death the first time one of her jokes killed in a Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest. Thoughts of death continued to flow freely as she pursued work in the corporate world where she specializes in the deathly-difficult task of turning corporate monologue into engaging consumer dialogue. Suzen continues to kill as a published author, a marketing content creator, freelance writer and speechwriter.Suzen is also currently co-authoring "A CONVENIENT RUSE" a murder mystery, with her colleague Tim Stoate.
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Suits And Ladders - Suzen Fromstein
Want to Inform, Influence and Entertain Like a Pro?
Simply Recognize The Seven Deadly Sins of Public Speaking And Then Avoid Them
In Progress:
Killers, Coffins & Cadavers
A humorous guide to death & dying
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise without the prior written permission of the author.
Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of its contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.
No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional when appropriate. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, personal or other damages.
To my parents, Aaron and Bea Fromstein who encouraged me to learn from my mistakes. And to my sons, Mikel and Dustin Fromstein, who continue to love me in spite of them.
Acknowledgments
I would like to thank Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew, Victoria Amaral, Barbara Amsden, Peter Amsden, Hadley Archer, Dauna Atkins, Richard E. Austin, Patricia (Trish) Barbato, Debra Bennett, Andrew Berwick, Anu Bhalla, Philip Blackford, Lydia Boyko, Steven Braudo, Rosemary Breitenbach (Trufal), Perry Brock, Maryska Bushnell, Ozy Camacho, Josh Caplan, Jodie Carrera, Ed Cartwright, Mario Causarano, Sourav Chatterjee, Jonathan Chevreau, Michael Claener, Laurie M. Clark, Philip Clark, Janet Comeau, Danielle Cote, Jacqui d’Eon, Darin Diehl, Geraldine Dona, Maura Drew-Lytle, Pat Dunwoody, Leah Eichler, Bob Engel, Kathy Fairbarns, Len Gamache, Eric Gilboord, Jason Gourlay, Roberta Greenberg, Bob Greenhalgh, Gordon Guild, Monica Gutschi, Christine Haeberlin, Angela Haier, Ann Harris, Graeme Harris, Ranil Herath, Jess Hungate, Jordan Ivanov, Lauragaye Jackson, Judith John, Mary Kasmetis, Steve Kee, Donna Kerry, Sylvie Lachapelle, Dwarka Lakhan, Michael H. List, Rudy Luukko, Deanna MacDougal, Tony Martino, Jane Matthews, Michelle McClure, John McGuinness, Gordon K. McIvor, Mathew McTaggart, Oriana Melo, Linda Menache, Sabina Michael, Adam Muggleton, Teresa Muzzi, Philip Neukom, Rick Ogrodzinski, John Parker, Howard Pearl, Nancy Perkins, Walter Pestrak, June Pierotti, Maria Pimenta, Krys Potapczyk, Anthony Raman, Michel Resendes, Glain Roberts-McCabe, Susan Rogers, Klaus Schuller, Annie Smith, Pamela Steer, Lawrence Stevenson, Jane Stirling, Tim Stoate, Debbie Stojanovic, Danny Tam, Karen Tinsley, Richard Thomson, Paul Tsaparis, Ashok Wagadarikar, George Wamala, Mark Weseluck, John White, Dennis Yanchus and Karen Yule for your candor. I hope you are as delighted with Suits and Ladders as am I.
I would also like to thank my extraordinarily talented son Mikel for his cover design, print layout and eagle eye, my niece Ariel Fromstein and my friends Devin Scannura and Shirley Crockett for their editing prowess, Michael Nemiroff for his sparkling comedy edits, Donna Carrick for her e-book layout expertise and my brother David Fromstein and my friend Elizabeth Payea Butler for their unstinting encouragement.
Foreword by Barbara Morris-Blake
Although there are many credible business books on corporate survival, I have not come across a book quite like Suits and Ladders. Suzen Fromstein’s corporate survival guide consolidates the actual strategies 51 men and 51 women (from a variety of industries and from several different English-speaking countries) use to keep their corporate jobs safe. She lays out the ten proven strategies in a straightforward, direct and often humorous way. The information is easy to understand and fun to read.
I have interviewed and coached over 10,000 junior-to-senior level people over the past twenty years. My articles on leadership development and personal effectiveness frequently appear in the media and I write a regular blog Ask About Work.
It‘s fair to say that I‘ve seen and heard just about everything, which is why I believe Suits and Ladders is a must-read, regardless of age, stage or level.
It‘s challenging to find a great job. It’s equally difficult to hang on to it. Suits and Ladders is the exit interview and the corporate survival coach you wish you had. This one-of-a-kind survival guide explains the strategies 102 real people with real jobs use to stay employed. Following their lead gives you a better chance of survival, or at least, gives you a fighting chance at survival. I highly recommend this important work.
Primary Research
The skinny
Research pool
Sectors/geography
Their titles
Top ten survival skills
Summary charts
The skinny
In spite of my laser intellect, bubbly personality and award-winning technical skills, I still managed to burn my way through three senior communications positions in five years.
Rather than blame the bad economy, bad politics, bad processes, bad bosses, bad luck, bad husbands, bad boyfriends, and the really bad takeout I had for dinner last night, I decided to research exactly what was required to keep my corporate job safe and then to speak and write about what I had learned.
My primary research consisted of one year’s worth of conversations and personal interviews with 102 mid-to-senior level managers (51 men and 51 women), from a variety of industries and from several different English-speaking countries.
I had no set interview questions. I simply asked our 102 mentors to describe what they did to keep their corporate jobs safe. Then I consolidated their combined wisdom into this one survival guide.
If a mentor mentioned a tip or a strategy in our interview, it is included here. If not, I did not mention it. Other than four of the bonehead moves described in the Case Studies and all of the comedy, I have kept my personal opinions, biases, preferences and uncorroborated research from creeping onto the pages of Suits and Ladders.
Think you can pick out the four bonehead moves I made? I will provide one half-hour of free Skype job coaching to the first 25 people who answer correctly.
Since a majority of our mentors identified public speaking skills as one of their top ten corporate survival strategies (and I happen to know a thing or two about the subject) everyone who participates will receive two pdf articles that celebrate the circle of life. 1: Creating and Delivering Effective Toasts and