This review is an excerpt of Michael Pellechia's monthly BookPage business and finance book round-up.

Best Boss Worst Boss

By James B. Miller
Summit, $22.95

ISBN 156530201X

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Review by Michael Pellecchia

Jim Miller was promoting his first book, The Corporate Coach, when it was suggested that he run a "Best Boss, Worst Boss" contest for publicity purposes. Not the most original idea in the world, but it was wildly successful and as a result, has become an annual event. Not too surprisingly, the nominations for worst boss outnumbered the ones for best boss by about seven to one.

Miller says everyone's a boss of something, and it's just as true that bosses are basically like everyone else, with virtues and vices. But the vices of bosses in the office seem incredibly amplified. This book is full of sad testimonies to employees' unhappiness, attributed to bad bosses. At the end of each grouping, Jim Miller offers discussion and advice in his typical coaching style. He shows understanding for some pretty extreme situations, and polite horror at others. He applies the common sense of an experienced work team coach to his solutions, so there's a light at the end of every "bad boss" tunnel.

Michael Pellecchia writes about business and finance books for this publication. He can be reached at michael_pellecchia@bookpage.com.

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