The 12 Bad Habits That Hold Good People Back: Overcoming the Behavior Patterns That Keep You From Getting Ahead Paperback – October 16, 2001

"The 12 Bad Habits that Hold Good People Back" is a breath of fresh in in a world filled with business self-help books. Most business books will try to tell you exactly what to do in order to succeed, but the problem with that is that no matter what type of situations are described in those books, they never seem to correspond to what is happing in your situation.This book is different. While there are thousands of ways to succeed, there are a limited number of traits that lead to failure. The authors of this book highlight those failure points, describe how these traits are created, and give some solid steps on how to confront those traits. One thing that you should realize when you buy this book is that the authors don't believe in quick fixes, and those readers who are looking for quick fixes will be disappointed. To overcome each of the 12 bad habits highlighted in this book will take a lot of self-examination, observation of others in your work environment, and assistance from friends or co-workers to help you pinpoint your weak areas. If you're willing to put in the work, then the advice in this book is very helpful.I really recommend this book to anyone who is looking to advance in their company. Without realizing your weaknesses, you may be stuck at the level you now work at. To get a promotion will take lots of hard work and effort, but with the advice in this book, you'll be able to reach your goals

The One Bad Habit that holds a good book back - Elitism.This is a valuable book if you can get past the annoyance that it is a book by and for, the elites of society.The people interviewed for the counseling case studies are all either Harvard/Ivy League/MIT, or 'brilliant', 'very bright' or high society. None of them are average or middle-class. The authors are from Harvard Business school.In other words, this book is about analyzing why these good folks, the cream of the crop stumbled in their race to the top.I wish, the authors had shown more compassion for the desperate, average people and helped them also - janitors, unwed mothers and people with an unsavory past - like jail or drug addiction.Then it might have been a best seller and a household name - observe that people in general have never heard of it.

Feeling "stuck" in my career after 7 years in essentially the same higher-level engineering position at a blue chip tech company, I originally bought "The Career Journey: A book on career management" by Ram Iyer after reading the glowing reviews. Unfortunately, that book was mainly written for recent college grads in business trying to move up in management. Not helpful (he does not seem to comprehend what a "technical ladder" is or at least seems to think it is of little value).Not to be deterred, I found this book and it was very interesting to find my main bad habits - "pessimist-worrier" and "emotionally tone deaf", along with clear examples genuine steps to address them. How constructive! It is also interesting to read these and recognize the bad habits of others I work with. The descriptions really help to put me "in their heads" and thereby deal with my co-workers and managers more effectively. Excellent read and very insightful.

Some books are Godsent for those who are perplexed and truly want to know the answers to their problems. This is one of them. If you have been recently fired or are in a career rut, and don't completely understand why, then buy this book and read it cover to cover. The odds are VERY high you have more than one of the 12 bad habits which is killing your career.As always, it takes some humility to admit your own flaws and correct them. This book provides solid basis for starting the path to your own career enlightenment.

I was surprised to discover that I even bought this (in 2011 apparently). That's probably a good indicator of its long-term impact, at least for me. In general, if you are going to dig into self-help, I recommend the library or the next used book sale.

This is the first 'self-improvement' book I bought, and while it makes some points you can relate to, there are other books out there that are a million times better. Jack Canfield, for one. If you want to develop good habits, make money, set goals, be happier and get through life living happier, pick Canfield, Dyer, Hill, or good old Dr. Phil. Just my 2-cents worth.

At one time,managers (and the lawyers who represent management,like myself)could be content with one way to handle poor performers---write them up and then fire them.No more,with employees as a company's greatest asset.This book deals with the ones that always drive you nuts---90% of the time they are great employees,but the other 10% of the time they are terrible and harm the organization.The book looks at 12 types,ranging from the emotionally tone deaf(who always seem to end up as key people in information services) to the tank,who gets the hard jobs done but causes intolerable collateral damage.The authors give you practical,implement tomorrow advice on how to turn these employees around,making them more valuable to the company and---just as importantly---helping then realize their full potential.I gave these books to clients as a New Years gift,and the response from almost all was,"where has this been all my professional life."

(I may increase my rating - see below).Unlike many apparently very good books, for example, Drucker's, this one has resulted, within a few weeks, in changes in my attitudes and in what I choose to address (and how) at work. (A welcome change from the usual "I know I should ... but somehow I still do ... instead.") If the changes are significant enough to result in a big enough increase in the positive results I'm involved in creating, I'll give the book another star.