First Impression: The most enjoyment one can get from reading a business book. An absolute must read for the hilariously presented truth of office politics.
When you begin your new job, the human resources manager will tell you that “we’re all a team” or better yet “a family.” Don’t you believe it. […] Within about two months, you will notice that things are much different, and there is a pecking order where you are a “peckee,” not a pecker. I advise staying on the downlow, keeping your mouth shut, and bringing in some baked goods.
A big thank you goes out to Julianna Newland for allowing me to review an Advanced Reader Copy of All Up in your Bizness. It was refreshing to read a comedic approach to what is usually a serious topic. It felt like having a knowledgeable big sister leading the way.
All Up in your Bizness by Julianna Newland wastes absolutely no time in cutting the crap of the business world and stripping back the office politics to tell it like it is. Although it refers to Americans at the start, anyone who has worked in the Western/developed world is likely to relate. In this quirky, witty, laugh out loud ‘business and management title,’ Newland shares fodder to help new and seasoned workers survive the working in the concrete jungle.
Marketed as a short book, which at around 10,000 words, it probably is, All Up in your Bizness unleashes lessons that will put you straight about using equipment for personal use, the lack of value of the open plan office, the value of the WFH office, and the good old boys club.
Honestly, one cannot help but chuckle at the absurdity within this book. Why? Because when you think about it all, it is actually true. The interviews are a random assortment of pointless questions, the need for a mentor, how best to handle HR (although I recommend not slashing their tires), and the importance of arriving early to discuss what used to be the water-cooler chatter inclusive of ‘what [your peers] watched on TV last night, their children, and who at work was having an affair’.
Use of the exclamation point (!)
This! Drives! Me! Crazy!
Who in the hell thinks your sentence is important enough to warrant two or more exclamation points? Let your words provide the emphasis. That’s why you went to English class.
I’m not sure about you, but I felt the book reached directly into my bedroom (aka my WFH office) and told me about she who will not be named (because I don’t know if the IT guys are snooping and the Russians are reading my words and ‘laughing uncontrollably’ owing to my misuse of company equipment. But if she is reading this, she knows who she is, and my team knows exactly how this irks me. But I digress…
The businessman has no problem with requesting a pay raise whether the performance merits one or not. Businesswomen, speak up for yourselves. Ask for that raise and be prepared to provide chapter and verse on your business accomplishments.
No matter what the law book tells you about worker’s rights, you better believe, the discrimination is real! Oops, there goes the exclamation marks. On a real level though, as hard hitting as Newland’s truths are, particularly for women who get the brunt of the misfortune, and laughter aside about the things you see but choose to ignore, there are survival guides within and between the lines. Intended as a reference book, it’s hard to put down and easily accomplishable over an office lunch date for one.
I commend Newland for writing such a hoot that describes the seriousness of the workplace. She makes a bitter pill easier to swallow and single handedly dolls out courage and wisdom for those willing to bite the bullet. An absolute must read for office-bound workers. Whether you skim the book, or read it cover to cover, you are bound to find direct messages to yourself. I won’t tell you what you are if you don’t read the book, just that Newland has a term for you.
As an aside, thanks for the cocktail recipes. I am sure a few of them contributed to the writing style. For the rest of us, they are very handy after a day being gatekept by the second-in-command (to you and me, that’s the CEO’s assistant – there is a whole segment on HER).
Quick Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ / R Rated
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