Easy, entertaining read of practical business wisdom. (Hope there's a version updated, from letters and memos, to the email era!) ( )

Editorial Reviews
From AudioFile
Before he died last year, the founder of the premier sports management firm in the world gave us many superb audios on managing, communication, and practical leadership. In his 1985 breakthrough work, he summarized the principles that formal business education overlooks or obliterates. This abridged edition is really a primer--an introduction to a caliber of thinking and teaching that has few equals in the audio repertoire. The limitations of a one-hour version of this outstanding work are partially overcome by introductory questions read by an uncredited speaker. For the full lesson from a great man and authentic business teacher, get the unabridged edition of the sequel--WHAT THEY STILL DON'T TEACH YOU AT HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL. T.W. © AudioFile 2004, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Review
Mark McCormack's Book Is A Revelation."-- Robert A. Anderson, Chairman Rockwell International --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
Stright forward advice, February 14, 2006
Reviewer: M. Irfan "M.Irfan" - See all my reviews
McCormack's advice is stright forward which makes the book a quick and easy read. I tought he did justice to the topic of negotiations, which can trouble the best in the business at times. Even tough this book was written long time ago; the advice is relevent and easy to grasp. This book helped me and it is one of those books which leaves some sort of an impact on the reader.

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4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Very disappointed, November 12, 2005
Reviewer: J. West "jwest" (MA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
Antidotal stories, personal opinions, and somewhat painful to listen too. It was a great premise, but the delivery isn't very good. I wish I had saved my money and not purchased this book

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6 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
Catchy Title, July 11, 2005
Reviewer: D. Nishimoto "Golden Lion - Listen Software Solutions" (North Ogden, Ut United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER) (REAL NAME)
Catchy title, the author speaks from experience by sharing insights, wisdom, and advice. What don't they teach you at Harvard business school: How to be an effective salesman, how to negotiate, how to create flexible and dynamic organization, and how to stay in business?

Reading people: McCormack likes to meet people in person. He considers the meeting an aggressive experience where he looks for clues about the person: their mannerism, what they wear, and body language. He says, "But the real self-one's true nature-can't change color to suit its environment." McCormack is undeceived by the in person experience seeing through the corporate personae which is situational by looking for tangible evidences to form impressions and listening aggressively. McCormack tries not to make preconceived notions before meeting the client, such as, preconceived notions of mistrust. McCormack says, "Shrewd insights into people can be gained simply through the powers of observation." McCormack's faith in insight extends broadly, he says, "insight into people ... gives you the ability to predict the future." Ego makes a difference. A person's ego may be your strongest ally. A big ego may mean the person needs to assert themselves and this can be manipulated to close the deal. McCormack advises to take advantage of venue to close a deal by moving the client out of their environment of control. Silence can be an effective approach to winning, take time to use what you learn, time correctly, and be discreet are his advice in reading people.

Creating Impressions. How people relate to you in business is based on the conscious and unconscious statement you make about yourself; impressions are the art of manipulating form, sizing up between players, establishing the dynamic of negotiation, and establishes the tone and mode of doing business. Creating the right impressions can be as simple as treating people the way they want to be treated. Helpful suggestions include: dress as though you mean business, prepare for split second efficiency, don't be a time thief, meet on your own turf, say what you mean, and make notable gestures. Common sense is your best personal asset in business. A good sense of humor creates a long lasting impression. The key to coming across as your best self is by playing the role that features your strongest business qualities and hides your worst. McCormack, however errors in the following hedonistic statement, "The truth can be couched in such a way that it is neither insulting nor self destructive." It leads one to think "Salesmen never tell the truth."

Taking the Edge. McCormack defines "Taking the Edge" to mean taking everything you know about others and everything you have allow them to know about yourself and using this information to load the deck - to tilt a business situation slightly to your advantage.

The problem of Selling. By the time we enter the real world of business a new factor emerges, for the first time our power of persuasion, our sales abilities are being judged and this can be intimidating fearing rejection. One of the biggest problems that people have with selling is that it seems less important than twenty years ago. Selling is what they don't teach you at Harvard business school. Business Schools admit that they train managers MBA. He points out without sales there will be nothing to manage. McCormack prefers new hires with a legal degree. McCormack himself is a lawyer holding a seat on a prestigous NY Law firm, so of course, he is going to prefer lawyers to MBAs.

Staying in Business. McCormark believes in flexibility, cooporation, interdepartmental communication, and defying organization structure norms and guidelines too keep opportunities from being ignored.

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3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Read this book with a highlighter, May 29, 2005
Reviewer: Nannette Moran (St Pete FL) - See all my reviews
It's an easy reader. It offers some valuable tips from this guy who has more money than me, right? He says things like "middle managers make the HUGE mistake of knowing what they shouldn't say and saying it anyway"; I used to do that. "Laughter in intense situations is key"; I made the whole group crack up at a corporate training. "Timing is everything so be aware of the benefit to you in timing". I'm paraphrasing of course but I love this book. I took notes, I highlighted, I memorized. I read it often and if I lost it I'd buy another. It's fun. Worth the money and the time.

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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
Some nice tricks, April 23, 2004
Reviewer: P. Gungor (Bloomfield, NJ United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)
This book is somewhat over-rated. Some of the chapters are just common sense. But there are also some tricks in 'sales'. The book emphasizes on silence and importance of the silence in negotiation.

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3 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
WASTE OF MONEY, February 1, 2004
Reviewer: Kapitalist "Pimptabulous Mofo" (Claremont, CA United States) - See all my reviews
This is a story book! I usually give books the benefit of the doubt but this book flat out sux. All this guy talks about is how he is some hot shot sports agent and the lessons he supposedly learned through the years. Let me tell you something, this book got old after the 2nd chapter. Every F'in paragraph has to do with one of his golf clients and bla bla bla. Its ridiculous. The title is true, they dont teach this at Harvard because they're stories of an individuals life which completely put me to sleep. But im not going to leave without giving some positives, like saying you should check out Automatic millionaire and the 12 critical factors books. Those are worth reading. Peace in the middle east!

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