Title of the book: Poised for Success - Mastering the 4 Qualities that distinguish outstanding professionals

Author: Jacqueline Whitmore 

Year of Publication: 2011

Publishing House: St. Martin’s Press

ISBN: 978-0-312-60032-7

Number of Pages: 178

Price: List price: $ 21.99, on Amazon.com for $ 14.20 maximum  

Content: 

Part 1: PRESENCE

(Poise is presence personified, package yourself for success, the well-dressed man, the well-dressed woman, sound advice, discover and create your personal brand) 

Part 2: POLISH

(Networking not working?, foster friendships instead, cultivate your VIP Relationships, hone your business hospitality skills, entertain with elegance and ease, be the world’s best guest) 

Part 3: PROFESSIONALISM

(Social Media Essentials, the Likability Factor, follow through or fall back, seven unwritten rules every professional needs to know, listening: the lost link in a loud world)

Part 4: PASSION

(Rise and shine, gratitude, grace, and acts of kindness, for the health of it, fashion your life with passion) 

8 Things I loved in this book: 

* The idea of consulting other experts from other industries (e.g. an image consultant, a wine expert and many more) and including their opinion, added value to the book and enriched it in a particular way. 

- Image (the way you look, you behave and you talk; what your car, your resume, your business card, your photograph, your stationery, your workspace and your website/blog site says about you) 

- Etiquette (how to be a great host and guest, how to be thoughtful, table manners and much more)

- How to excel in customer service

- How to conduct a healthier and happier life (this part reminded me a bit of Joel Osteen’s credo), 

- The power of active listening  

- How to build good relationships online and offline

- How to look, act and sound more professional (how to promote yourself more effectively)

• The unwritten rules in a work environment 
• How to approach a VIP and achieve your goal
• The analysis of famous women and men from past and present and what they did in order to stand out
• How to offer extraordinary customer service 
• The cost per wearing amortizing method (why quality not quantity matters when purchasing clothes) 
• How to tell a person’s background by asking a simple question

* Every chapter provided at the beginning some good quotes.   

How would I rate it? 

I would give it a 9.9 out of 10. 

I would have given it a 10 if ...

...it would have included some pictures or illustrations in Part 1, chapter 3, “The Well-dressed man”. For me personally (from a woman’s perspective) it would have been easier to understand certain concepts when it comes to men’s fashion.  

“I’ve read many books in my life but only this book was able to make me take action so quickly on certain things that were long overdue in my personal as well as professional life. This is a brilliant resource for any business professional who wants to make an impact on other people and stand out from the crowd. Highly recommendable!” 

(Karin Schroeck-Singh, Director of Soft Skills Edge and the Blogcaster of “The Manners and Career Blogcast”) 

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