"While many will read this book with the goal of career advancement, the principles in <i>The Office Politics Handbook</i> apply to countless other social situations. I read this book for professional development, [but] I quickly realized that Godwin's advice was extremely helpful in all relationships, from dealing with managers and coworkers to dealing with my spouse and family members."<br>--Amanda Benson, criminal defense attorney<br><br><i>The Office Politics Handbook</i> is for business executives, managers, consultants, lawyers, agents, editors, and anyone who wants to become more politically astute, more powerful, and more successful. This is not a book on political game playing; it is for people who hate power games but who know that politics takes place in every organization and want to make sure they wind up on top of the heap…not at the bottom of the barrel.<br><br>This book will explain why people are political animals, and why they engage in power-seeking behavior. It will also discuss different instruments of power to help you understand the cultural and collective forces at work in human nature, and the occasionally aggressive characteristics of the political animal.<br><br><i>The Office Politics Handbook</i> will show you how to:<br><li>Cultivate your political skill<br><li>Exercise power beyond your place in the organizational chart<br><li>Defend yourself against political attacks<br><li>Know when to fight, when to retreat, and when to lead