The Boss

Book excerpt: Got a spirit-crushing boss? Well so does Lauren Johnson - five of them. Based on true stories of bosses' political maneuverings and workers under siege, The Boss tells Lauren's story - a talented but naive professional struggling under a self-serving, insensitive boss who undermines her at every turn. And working around her boss doesn't help - most of the company execs are ineffective in their own right. Lauren just wants to get her job done, but every manager throws up one more needless hurdle. Disturbing, amusing, and wry, the story progresses as Lauren is forced to upwardly manage the brownnoser, the backstabber, the micromanager, the passive-aggressive, the bully, and the idea stealer. Forced into a final decision, Lauren must fight back or have her spirit crushed.