Shapiro - Corporate confidential : 50 secrets your company doesnt want you to know--and what to do about them

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Contents

THIS BOOK IS DEDICATED IN LOVING MEMORY TO

Robert Eddy Siegmund, an extraordinary man whose tireless dedication to the improvement of employees work lives has been a true inspiration.

I love you, Dad.

Acknowledgments

It is with tremendous gratitude Id like to thank the many people who have worked so tirelessly and selflessly to bring this project to fruition.

The first has to be my husband, Kevin, who never flinched when I told him what I was being called to do, never faltered when he realized we would have to put our personal dreams on hold for several years to make it happen, and never questioned when he realized what this message could do to the career I had worked so hard to build. Kevin, you are my rock. There is no way this book would exist without your love and unwavering support. Thank you doesnt even begin to cover it.

A heartfelt thank you to the hardworking men and women who graciously allowed their stories to be included. Nearly eighty employees, managers, and executives were interviewed for the book over a two-year period; not all of their stories could be included, but their spirit is here. Thank you for sharing your experiences so openly, with so much courage, and with so much hope for the future.

A big thank you to Deb Freng, in Issaquah, Washington. She came along at the perfect time and gave so selflessly of her tremendous expertise and insight on the project and original proposal. Theres no telling where this project would be if she hadnt come along when she did. Thank you Deb, from the bottom of my heart.

My incredible literary agent, Jessica Faust, of BookEnds LLC. One word sums up my experience working with such a professional, knowledgeable, warm, and energetic agent: perfection. I feel so blessed to have found such an ideal partnership and such a wonderful working relationship with an agent. She went above and beyond the call of duty on several occasions, and her tremendous expertise and tireless efforts helped shape this projects message to its highest expression. Jessica, I will be forever grateful for all youve taught me, and for and all youve given to this project. Thank you!

Ethan Friedman, my editor at St. Martins Press. Thank you for believing in this project from the start and being its tireless champion throughout the publishing process. I appreciate that you took the time to educate me through the process and involve meand my many ideasat every stage. Thank you for helping to bring this much-needed book into being.

All the people at St. Martins Press were superb to work with. It was an honor to have this book published by such a top-notch and caring team.

A huge thank you to Sam Horn, the author of Tongue Fu! She is a simply brilliant title crafter and author consultant. Sam, you have an amazing gift. It was a pleasure and honor working with you. Thank you for everything!

A special thank you to Brie Schwartz, in Washington, D.C., who gave so freely and selflessly of her time and energy to secure contacts and endorsements to promote this book. Brie, you were a godsend! Thank you so much for your tremendous efforts and support.

Another special thank you to Christine Corday of corday g studios in New York for her amazing work on the promotional materials for the endorsements, mailings, and media packages. Christine, your instincts are magic and your work is stunning. It was such an honor to be able to work with you. Thank you!

A thank you to Michelle Fisher, President of AND Television in Carmel California, for her keen eye and clarity of vision in the final hour. It was extremely helpful and I am very grateful!

A big thank you to photographer James Quattrochi, in Los Angeles, California, for the fantastic author photos on the book cover and on my Web sites.

A special thank you to Nancy Ward in Los Angeles, California, for her help with the Corporate Confidential Web site (www.CorporateConfidential.com). I greatly appreciate you giving your time and expertise so generously to help create a site all can enjoy.

A resounding thank you to George Conley in Kiluea, Hawaii, for his constant support and guidance throughout my work on this project. George, I absolutely could not have done this without you there by my side helping me stand on firmer ground so I could reach higher. I feel fortunate to work with you, and I thank you for the wonderful blessings that work has generated in my life.

A never-ending thank you to my mom and dad, Barbara Siegmund and Robert Siegmund, who always encouraged me to believe in myself, and taught me to persevere when there was something I really believed in. Thank you for giving me the tools I needed to live my dreams!

And, of course, a huge thank you to the many friends, family members, and colleagues who read copies of manuscripts and rough drafts to lend their insights and opinionssometimes against impossible deadlines.

This book belongs to each of you mentioned here as much as it does to me. Thank you for helping to make this dream a reality.

Introduction

Breaking the Corporate Code of Silence

Do you feel theres something hidden in your corporate culture, looming over your career, but cant quite put your finger on it? Its not your imagination. Its real.

Every day in America employees are being quietly sidelined, marginalized, managed out, forced into retirement, and laid off without ever being told the real reasons why.

We go to work, we do the best we can, we work longer hours, we learn every new skill required of us, and we expect to get rewardsincreased salaries, perhaps even a corner office someday. What happened to that? How did our workplaces become so unrewarding, unfriendly, indifferent, demeaning? What happened to being rewarded for loyalty and hard work?

The answers to these questions have been locked away from employee access within the hidden agendas and secret rulebooks of Corporate America. The rules have gone underground, influencing our career paths every day as an invisible undercurrent, and keeping us from easily accessing the rewards that were promised. The safe path is now obscured beneath corporate rhetoric, protectionism, and secrecy.

How do I know? Because keeping that information secret used to be my job!

As a former human resources executive and vice president, I was one of the ones in charge of the standard internal maneuvers HR departments use to protect a companys interests while keeping employees in the dark. Today, as a workplace consultant and employee advisor, Ive seen it allfrom both sides.

I know the standard secret criteria by which many companies decide to sideline, lay off, downsize, fire, and even manage out an employee. I know what companies really look for, truly care about, truly hate, and talk about behind closed doors. I also know the prevailing hidden agendas used to determine who is favored, promoted, protected, and even given a second chance. Most importantly, I know why corporate America is forced to keep all this critical information hidden from their employees.

Now you will know it too. You will finally learn what secretly motivates, scares, and inspires your employers. This book will provide readers with a vantage point traditionally reserved only for high-level executives and HR professionals.