Learn How Being Kind, Cool, and Being Yourself is the Best Path to Happiness and Success
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Advance Praise for Mean People Suck
“It’s time to eliminate the “brilliant jerk” as a lauded persona in the workplace and Michael Brenner shows us in Mean People Suck that no matter what business you are in, it’s the business of people that matters most.” ~ Steve Lucas CEO, Marketo (an Adobe company)
“If culture eats strategy for breakfast, this book eats a thousand business books for lunch.” ~ Doug Kessler, Creative Director, Co-Founder, Velocity Partners
“In this book, Michael shares his insight about how to develop and leverage empathy to help individuals manage difficult people more successfully. This is a problem that everybody will have at some point during their career and so it’s well worth reading.” ~ Dr. Kimberly A. Whitler, former CMO and Professor of Marketing at UVA’s Darden School of Business
“Michael Brenner has written a must-read for anyone wanting to break out of the ‘suckiness’ that plagues the business world and kills engagement…read this book – and learn how empathy breeds results.” ~ Kristen Kaighn, Global Director of Customer Experience at Peakon
“We are trained to always ask, “Why does this matter?” So why wouldn’t we use that same rationale for ourselves within the workplace? Mean People Suck uncovers the roots of employee discontentment and disengagement and offers simple, actionable solutions that will inspire hope, motivate a job change, or both.” ~ Michele Miller, Content Strategist & Storyteller
“Michael has done an extraordinary thing in this book. He’s brilliantly illustrated that true leadership is about empathy, and personal connection. He shows us that being kind isn’t about doing something more – it’s about simply being something more.” ~ Robert Rose, Chief Strategy Officer, The Content Advisory
“Nice people don’t finish last. They finish first. And second, third, fourth, and fifth, too. In today’s workplace, there’s no room for mean anywhere. Michael Brenner imagines a world where more of us embrace that. Wouldn’t that be nice?” ~ Jay Acunzo, author, Break the Wheel & podcast host, Unthinkable
“Today I learned a much better way to deal with some of the pain and emotions I’d had built up from bad experiences with clients over the years. Mean people suck helps readers like my self to truly find empathy with people I’ve worked with in the past that haven’t gone as planned. It’s helping me to become a better person. Highly recommended.” ~ John Rampton, Entrepreneur and Founder of Calendar.com
“If you can read only one book this year, you need to read “Mean People Suck.” It is all about the biggest challenge you will face in your career as a corporate leader. And it will allow you to see the crisis of culture, leadership, and employee engagement facing every company. As Wayne Dwyer said, ‘When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.’ It’s time to change the way you look at your company, and your role in it, and this book will the change the way you see everything for the better!” ~ Lon Safko, Bestselling Author of “The Social Media Bible” & “The Fusion Marketing Bible”
“Micheal’s book is the must read for today’s marketer. Featuring tips on how to use your marketing clout to support your brand growth.” ~ Rena Patel, CMO Kantar
“We are living in an era of empathy deficit that’s turned our work and our lives upside down. Mean People Suck is the modern manual for treating each other – and yourself – right, and reaping the psychic and real-world rewards. A game changer!” ~ Jay Baer, founder of Convince & Convert and co-author of Talk Triggers
“Empathy is both one of the most underrated and most powerful competitive advantage any organization can prioritize. Oh, and unlike anything else an organization may do to grow (advertise, hire, etc.), empathy doesn’t cost a dime.” ~ Cameron Brain, CEO, EveryoneSocial
“Sure, this book is about becoming a better leader, boss, employee and business person…but in the process it will help you become a better person, and that whatever ails you in life or in business, you have the choice (and the power) to change it today.” ~ Joe Pulizzi, Founder, Content Marketing Institute and 5x Author including Content Inc. and Killing Marketing
“Mean People Sucks tackles the critical issues that nobody ever talks about: empathy, culture and how counter-intuitive effective leadership really is. It gets beneath the surface layers of working in a real company, by pointing out that we’re all human and when we come together, we can do amazing things. I highly recommend!” ~ John Hall, Author of Top of Mind and Co-founder Influitive and Calendar
“What sets this book apart is not the typical formulaic growth plan found in so many business books. Rather Brenner taps into something that unites us all . . . humanity! This book needs to be on the desk of every manager, executive, leader and board member no matter if you are for profit or non-profit. Too many companies have lost site of what makes them work, their people. This book gives me hope that this will soon change.” ~ Carlos Hidalgo, CEO; VisumCx & Author of The UnAmerican Dream
“Too often, leaders think being mean and feared is the best way to get what you want. In Mean People Suck, Michael helps us understand that leadership is about putting your people first. And that is the best way to serve yourself and your business.” ~ Dave Kerpen, NY Times Bestselling Author of The Art of People and Chairman, Likeable Media
“Michael Brenner talks about the elephant in the room – Mean People Suck. We all know it but feel powerless when we’re face-to-face with a manipulative co-worker, ladder-climbing boss or clueless CEO. What can we do in the midst of all these meanies? Turns out, a lot. And, Michael walks us through exactly how to tap into our natural empathy to create better careers and bigger lives. Trust me, you’ll read this, re-read it, share it and quote it for years to come.” ~ Carla Johnson, Keynote Speaker, Best-Selling Author and CMO
Mean people really do suck don’t they?
And it’s making us miserable. In the last few decades, the suicide rate is up 300-400% here in the United States. According to Gallup, just around 1/3 of employees are engaged in their work, 2/3 of us are not engaged at all, and just under 20% of us are actively disengaged. We are stealing pencils, breaking our laptops on purpose, and calling in sick when we’re totally fine. It’s not surprise then that many leaders believe that they need to be mean in order to be effective.
The fact is that we feel victimized – victims of mean politicians, mean bosses. Being mean is starting to feel like a professional sport. While it’s easy for us to point the finger at other people the surprising truth is that empathy could help us lead the way to a happier life, a better job, and more success.
The fact is that we feel victimized – victims of mean politicians, mean bosses.
Being mean is starting to feel like a professional sport. While it’s easy for us to point the finger at other people the surprising truth is that empathy could help us lead the way to a happier life, a better job, and more success.
It’s counterintuitive because we think we need to take what we want. When in fact, when we focus on others, that’s the best best way to get what we need. Mean people suck is about how empathy leads to success. In this book I provide simple steps that everyone can take to just be kind to others, to be cool in this crazy world and ultimately to just be you.
Mean People Suck uses real-life experience and proven research to show why instead of blaming others, we can look inside ourselves, and learn how to use empathy to defeat “mean” in every situation. This insightful guide shows leaders, and employees how more emotional communication increases profits and enhances lives.
If you’re ready to enjoy a more gratifying professional and personal life, this book’s stories and proven tips will help get you there – even if Mean People Suck.
